The Book of Second kings

Chapter 5

[1] Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.

Choices of Naaman 1-19

1) Naaman’s Position (Vs1)

A. Captain

He was the chief military leader of Syria (enemy to Israel & Judah)

B. Character

He was an honorable man and great w/ his master for his achievements

C. Conqueror

The Lord had blessed him with success and deliverance had come to Syria

2) Naaman’s Problem (Vs 1)

A. Condition

Despite his accomplishments, Naaman was a leper. A horrible incurable disease

Leprosy begins as small, red spots on the skin. Soon the spots get bigger, turn white, w/ a shiny, or scaly appearance. Pretty soon the spots spread over the whole body and hair begins to fall out - first from the head, then even from the eyebrows. As things get worse, finger nails and toenails become loose; they start to rot and eventually fall off. Then the joints of fingers and toes begin to rot and fall off piece by piece. Gums begin to shrink and they can’t hold the teeth anymore, so each of them is lost. Leprosy keeps eating away at your face until literally the nose, the palate, and even the eyes rot - and the victim wastes away until death

C. Castaway

Because of his condition, Naaman is separated from the people

Leprosy is a type of sin. As sinners, men are castaways from the presence of God Rom 3:23

[2] And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.
[3] And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.

3) Naaman Pitied (Vs 2,3)

A. Captivity

The Syrians captured a little maid out of Israel. (taken from family irreplaceable loss to parents)

Surely against her will, but according to His will

God allows the tragedy of captivity to accomplish greater good (The flower blooming in the crack on the road)

B. Concern

She did not hate the man who captured her, but she saw his need. She had a heart for others

C. Confidence

She believed God could do it all. Lk 1:37 For w/ God nothing shall be impossible

D. Confession

She was unafraid and shared her testimony w/ her captors

[4] And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
[5] And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
[6] And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
[7] And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
[8] And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
[9] So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.

4) Naaman’s Presentation (Vs 4-9)

A. King of Syria

Hearing the maids testimony, he wrote a letter of recommendation and sends a gift

B. King of Israel

Reading the letter, seeing the gift, knowing he had no power to heal, rent his clothes

The king of Syria assumed that the king of Israel was on a much better relationship with Elisha than he really was. It is easy for others to assume that we have a better relationship with God than we really do.

B. King of Glory

Elisha heard the king had rent his clothes, he asks Naaman be sent & come to him

This is a crisis to you, because you have no relationship with the God who can heal lepers.

But it is a needless crisis, because you could have relationship with this God.

Naaman arrived at the house of Elisha, and stands at the door

[10] And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
[11] But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
[12] Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.

5) Naaman’s Pride (Vs 10-12)

A. The Message

Elisha said go and wash in Jordan 7 times and thou shalt be clean

B. The Mistake

Naaman was concerned about his dignity and Elisha was concerned about his disease

But Naaman was wroth and went away and said Behold I thought

1. v 4-7 He Had Went To The Wrong Person - The king of Israel can’t save Only Jesus can save - Acts 4:12.

2. v 5 He Had Carried The Wrong Price - Abt $750.000 Salvation is free! Isa. 55:1; Rev. 22:17 Saved by grace

The rich young ruler went away sorrowful (Luke 18:18-27)

3. v 11 He Had The Wrong Plan - "I thought"; "I thought's" have sent millions to Hell - Pro. 16:25!

Mohamed Ali on the plane said superman don’t need no seatbelt and stewardess

4. v 12 He Had The Wrong Place - He thought to change God's plan! Thought his way was superior to God

Are not Abana and Pharpar better rivers? (It does make a diff which church, which Bible, who you marry)

Abana- “Golden River” ---- “Perennial” Ease and comfort- Entertainment, Ball Teams, Worldly

Pharpar- “Swift” — Want it NOW, Drive Thru, But as season changes the river goes dry

Jordan- “Flowing Down” - It begins in the Promised Land, Where Jesus did business, not dried up

Naaman found fault with God's plan, think of the cross 1 Cor. 1:18 God’s inexhaustible Mercy flows down

5. v 12 He had the Wrong Perception Millions, every day make the same mistakes that Naaman made. They think they can work it out, do it better, get there on their own, can formulate a better plan. All the devil's lie! Pro. 16:25

[13] And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
[14] Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

6) Naaman’s Provision (Vs 13-14)

A. Counsel

His servants said “You would do a great thing” & insinuated “What have you got to loose?”

B. Cleansing

Naaman “went down” humbly, plunged 7 times in the Jordan and was made whole

C. Changed

Not dipping, not the Jordan, but the power of Almighty God that changed this leper into a clean man

[15] And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
[16] But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
[17] And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.
[18] In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.
[19] And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.

7) Naaman’s Persuasion (Vs 15-19)

A. Thanks

Naaman (a foreigner) returned Lk17:11-19 to give thanks to God and to the prophet

He offered a gift to support the man of God but the man of God refused and rewarded by God

B. Testimony

Naaman once said “I thought” (vs 11) but “now I know” (Vs 15)

Naaman wants Israeli soil to take w/ him, to offer sacrifice to the Lord, pardon and departs in peace

[20] But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
[21] So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
[22] And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
[23] And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
[24] And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
[25] But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
[26] And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
[27] The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

Choices of Gehazi 20-27

8) Naaman’s Punishment is passed to Gehazi - (Vs 20-27)

2 K 5:20a But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God said

Naaman has been cleansed, offered Elisha a reward which was refused and Gehazi thought to take it

2 women found dead in Boston, malnutrition was deemed the cause BUT in mattress, sewn in pillows & drapes was $200K

They did not use what they had to meet their need and died. Therefore the cause of death was not malnutrition BUT GREED!

Eve coveted the forbidden fruit, Aachan hid the treasure and brought defeat & death, Judas betrayed Jesus

They ALL sacrificed Value & Virtue in the pursuit of self gain and quest for the things of the world

Be warned “WE ALL HAVE the SAME Human Nature”...........Lets study Gehazi and Lets note His Characteristics

A) 2 Kings 4:27 UNCARING

The woman’s child has died and she comes to see the man of God Elisha.

Elisha does not know her burden and sends Gehazi to meet her and Gehazi asks “Is all well?”

She replied all is well and continued on to the man of God and caught him by the feet

Gehazi came to her in order to thrust her away.

He was ashamed at her actions, He did not care to hear her out

Gehazi lacked compassion

Mt 19:13,14- The disciples rebuked children

Mt 15:21-28- The disciples wanted to send away the woman whose daughter was vexed w/ a devil

Lk 9:51-56 - The disciples to call down fire and consume the people

Many do not like to have their precious schedule interrupted, inconvenienced, aggravated

B) 2 Kings 4:29-31 UNFRUITFUL

Elisha told Gehzai to hurry and take the staff of Elisha and lay it upon the face of the dead child

Gehazi passed on before and laid the staff on the dead child’s face, nothing happened and Gehazi returned

Gehazi was commissioned to do a spiritual work BUT lacked the power of God

He tried to do the work of the Lord in the energy of the flesh

Elisha came and was able to raise the young man to life

Mk 9:14-29 this kind can forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting

Gehazi did not pray, nor express any faith and surely now Gehazi is ashamed and jealous of Elisha

C) 2 Kings 5:20 UNCONCERNED

Naaman the leper had been cleansed and offered a reward to Elisha which was refused (vs16)

Gehazi believed that Elisha had missed a golden opportunity and is willing to pursue covetousness and gain

Naaman was a new convert from a pagan background and Elisha did not want him to associate reward for healing

Naaman might have a tendency to idolatry, he wanted to take dirt where he was healed and build an altar

Gehazi jeopardized the spiritual growth of a new convert for his own benefit to satisfy his own greed

He was Unconcerned for the Message and Ministry of the Lord. Concern was all for what Gehazi could get out of it

D) 2 Kings 5:20b UNFAITHFUL

Gehazi was more interested in taking than giving (Compare vs 20b to vs 16)

Acts 20:31-35 “It is more blessed to give than receive”

Gehazi was led by a desire for fleshly things. Gehazi thought money would make him happy Ecc. 5:10

Chose covetousness over obedience to God

E) 2 Kings 5:22-26 UNTRUTHFUL

Gehazi, as he approached Naaman, says “My master has sent me”..A complete lie... (Ill:The Lord told me to do this)

Gehazi said “2 young men have come to visit and they need your help”

Gehazi asked for 1 talent of silver and Naaman gave 2 and Gehazi asked for raiment and Naaman provided

Gehazi took the gifts and bestowed them in his home...... He hid them

Chose concealment to deceive the master He concealed the Treasure and Concealed the Truth

The silver -Silver is atonement money and belonged to God, Gehazi hid his atonement- his salvation lost

He went in and stood before his master- we will stand before the Master & give an account 2Cor 5:10; Eph 6:5-8

Whence comest thou?- Thy servant went no whither...First He lied to Naaman, then to Elisha and also to God Acts 5

Went not mine heart with thee- You go nowhere that I don’t go with you Num 32:23 your sin will find you out

David & Bathsheba....... Fell into sin But God knew Ps 51 “I have sinned before the Lord”

Is it time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive yards, and vineyards, and sheep

Chose cares of this life as reward time

He thought this life is the main thing. Left ministry for money.....good intentions

Gehazi had a greedy heart Prov 1:10,15,18-19; 1 Tim 6:6-11; Jms 5:13

Reward time comes later for believer; Col 3:23-25

F) 2 Kings 5:27 UNMISTAKENLY JUDGED

Gehazi is struck with leprosy of Naaman- The curse of God was upon Gehazi and his household for ever

Naaman, the Syrian is free of leprosy and Gehazi, the servant of Gods man is struck with leprosy

Concl: The pursuit of self gain has crept into our lives, homes and churches. We’ve sacrificed truth on the altar of material

I see Gehazi and his wicked choices struck with leprosy, but I also see Naaman & Elisha who made right choices