Often believers look on the suffering as a bother, because they are wrapped up in      

      themselves, forget that they are supposed to be servants of God with a ministry of      reconciliation and look on the problems of others as an assault on their peace.

We must look on the behaviour of the people in this drama with sensitivity and not simply condemn them or jump to conclusion about them. They are as human as we are, with the same foibles and reactions.

We must remember that we too have many people around us suffering from incurable diseases and these people live day by day with increasing physical pain and with the painful knowledge that they will eventually die an untimely death.  Many with incurable diseases like cancer or AIDS are filled with frustration, anger, hopelessness, fear of both living or dying and with the awful realization that there is none to help. Just ask ourselves, how would we react to things around us if we were in that predicament?.

Also remember that everyone has an incurable disease called sin, that deny the true God; though they are constantly bombarded with evidence of God from creation, events, their experiences and the insistent pleadings of the Holy Spirit.  To keep their sanity they have to sear their consciences, rely on addictive things like drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity, overeating and other creative solutions to keep God away.

Sometimes to get people’s attention God does incredible things and acts in unusual ways, in order to make the sinner understand that He means business.

Our story is along the familiar lines of the humbled hero who is better off for his experience. It is set in the time of the prophet Elisha and King Jehoram

(852-841 BC) is the reigning monarch in Israel. 

The ten tribes of Israel are separated from the Temple in Jerusalem and the vast majority of the people as well as the leadership are idol worshippers. There has not been one godly King of the nation making up these ten tribes. The nation has been in a steady decline on all fronts, following the ‘golden calf’ worship instituted by Jeroboam.

King Jehoram is the son of the late Ahab and Jezebel.  Ahab and tried to escape the wrath of God and had been killed as predicted by the prophet.  Jezebel was still alive at that time and her punishment was soon to come at the hand of Jehu. Jehoram himself would soon be killed by Jehu. Ahab's seventy sons would also be massacred.  This gives us a picture of how bad things were in Israel.

Despite the apostasy, God did not abandoned his people, as a succession of prophets called the nation to repentance.  Now there was one prophet who stood against evil to show that God cared about others and would act to save others, so that the people of Israel who should know better, would be ashamed of themselves.

The main characters in our story are Elisha the prophet, his name means God is His Salvation, Naaman the Syrian general and national hero and a young, captive, Jewish girl.

There is a wealth of lessons to be learned from this text, not the least of which, is how God deals with pride among those He has graciously targeted for salvation.

Pride will be seen as a major hindrance to the blessings of God; ….God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble, (James 4:6).

We will also see that God can and does soften the heart of the proud, to show us that there are tremendous rewards to those that listen to him.  Clearly, it is in our interest, our self-interest to listen to God, and to obey God without question.

This is an important matter, for many like to challenge the absolute truth of the word of God and to declare that they know better than God.  People make excuses that times have changed, that men are now wiser than before, have better self-control and that somehow God has suspended his Commandments. We should not be fooled, God wants “ radical obedience”.

The kingdom of Israel, all twelve tribes, had been established to be a nation of priests and a light to the Gentiles but had failed miserably on both counts. The ten tribes, which assumed the name ‘Israel’ had an absolutely miserable record.  The kingdom of Judah was marginally better, for they had a few good Kings.

Still, even in Israel there was a remnant. A young un-named Jewish girl will demonstrate how the nation should have been and how believers must be. Her selfless concern for her enemies, will open the door to the blessings and knowledge of the true God to some who might not have otherwise come to know Him. Her readers would do well to emulate her ‘kingdom behaviour’ as enunciated by Jesus, (Matt.5:44).

In contrast to this noble example, is the ‘how not to’ we see in the behaviour of a selfish King, who cares little for the glory of God’s name in his consuming self-interest and cynicism.  He was just like his totally corrupt family.

Then there is the frustrated and proud General Naaman, afflicted with the loathsome disease of leprosy and clearly out of options; he will heed good advice, set his pride aside, come down off his high horse and meet Jehovah’s conditions and in so doing, receive healing and the salvation of his soul.

We must understand however, that we should not expect a pagan to understand the ways of Jehovah, especially in the light of the gross iniquity, ignorance and disobedience of the very people of God in Israel.  If the very King in Israel did not understand the ways of God and was not prepared to accept the power of God and the existence of his prophet Elisha, we might be overdoing the ‘pride’ element in Naaman. One should reasonably expect Naaman to believe the God of Israel and his priests to be the same as his pagan gods and their priests.

Israel’s God was apparently so completely different, that the pagan Naaman would have a problem in discerning whether or not he was being made the victim of a joke.

In any case this man would be particularly angry and frustrated, and we should not be surprised that he was led into foolish behaviour.  Of course, this is not to deny that his pride was obviously quite large, and that this too clouded his vision.

Note those who would receive God’s salvation must do so on His terms.  They must divest themselves of any sense of pride and self-worth; must abandon any thought of buying God’s favour, forget fame, fortune and prestige and acknowledge their desperate condition and accept God’s offer in faith.

Since this ‘ new’ attitude is very difficult for us in our modern society, it must have been particularly difficult for the powerful Syrian general.

Beyond the obvious and important lessons taught in this text, many see the story of Naaman’s healing and salvation, as a token of God’s future mercy and dealings with Gentiles.

Naaman should not be regarded as some random leper and this not for his high office, for clearly his circumstances were orchestrated by God and shows that even the wrath of men shall praise God. (Chapter 5: makes this clear.)

Jesus himself cited this incident as he decried the unbelief of some in his own hometown of Nazareth, (Luke 4:27).  Actually, Naaman’s pride was probably not as bad as that in Israel, or among the covenant people when Jesus lived.

Naaman’s personality therefore is very instructive, and maybe we would be better people if we listened like he did. Pride is one sin that afflicts all humanity: men, women, children, rich, poor, famous, ordinary and everyone in between.

Many like Naaman at one time, even think they have a right to be proud and therefore do not listen at all nor correct their mistakes. Pride however from any cause or source is an affront to God and must be eliminated from the lives of believers.

Naaman’s leprosy was humbling but eventually led to his salvation and maybe that of many others. Similar to Naaman’s situation, God necessarily and sometimes painfully, removes sinful habits and attitudes that hinder and stifle the spiritual growth of His people.

If we are proud, do not listen to the word of God and continue in our foolishness, something is dreadfully wrong with us, even if and especially if we profess Christianity.

As we consider our text, let us observe how God reached out to a man in utter darkness and used affliction to humble and draw him to salvation.  Let us learn and determine in our hearts to yield to the word and will of God, as He seeks to remove pride and other sins from our lives.

Naaman’s almost too good to be true circumstances are indeed too good to be true. He was a leper.  His reputation, fortune, and position could not give him the one thing he desired most; a cure for the leprosy that threatened his future with mutilation, blindness, isolation, and death. It appears that unlike Israel, in Syria leprosy did not necessarily exclude one from society or maybe Naaman was the exception, because of who he was.  Or it could be that his leprosy had not reached the critical stage where he would be forced into isolation.

Naaman departed for Israel with an entourage and an extravagant gift befitting one of his stature, as compensation for the cure he hoped to receive.  It would be normal courtesy to present a gift on such an occasion.  It is estimated that the ten talents or seven hundred and fifty pounds of silver would be worth about U.S. $70,000 today, and the six thousand shekels or one hundred and fifty pounds of gold would be worth close to $1,000,000.  What a gift!  Clearly, the cure was worth a lot.

Naaman will learn that the mercies of God cannot be bought with money, and a humble and contrite heart would have landed him in better stead.

Verse 6-8.   Ben-hadad’s letter to Jehoram was straightforward if a little misdirected, for surely Jehoram should be able to have the prophet cure Naaman. Jehoram’s response showed that he had no relationship with the prophet and by extension, no relationship with Jehovah. The kings of Israel and Judah should have had close relationships with the prophets of Jehovah, whose advice and counsel they should continually be seeking. We know that the ‘ten tribes’ were far from God.

People who should know better cannot be a bad witness to pagans and escape unscathed.  This was probably the king’s last chance to show that he respected God and he failed miserably.

What a contrast to the behaviour of the little slave girl.  The King lived in a palace, but he well deserved to be in the ‘lake of fire’, just like the rich man in the story of Lazarus the beggar.  The little slave girl deserved to be in the palace.  We are sure that she will end up in the ‘bosom of Abraham’.

Naaman’s situation seemed to have taken a turn for the worst; his massive gift could not procure his health. He will learn, as all of us must do, that we should never trust in the uncertainty of riches, power, or position but instead, to trust only in God’s grace and mercy.

Verse 9.   Seemingly without further ado, Naaman and his impressive retinue headed for Elisha’s house and pulled up at the door of the prophet’s house. Note this is the proper order, the king must seek-out the prophet.  It is likely that by this time, Naaman was not in the best of moods.  There is no reference to an escort of the king for a man in his position, even though the general was traveling through ‘hostile territory’.

Verse 10.   It must have been quite a sight, the general in all his military regalia and his attendants all around at the door of what must have been a humble dwelling, at least by Naaman’s standards. 

Naaman was a proud individual of wealth, power, prestige and fame and if his reputation had not preceded him, at least the imposing presence at the door should have suitably impressed  those inside.

Surprise! Surprise! much to Naaman's chagrin, Elisha did not grant him due respect by coming out to greet him, but sent his servant instead.  For him Elisha was probably continuing the same disrespect that the king had shown. If he had some intelligent information on the reaction of king Jehoram, Naaman would probably be having some doubts. Then to add insult to injury the servant instructed the general to wash (dip) in Jordan seven times and he would be clean. This Jehovah was obviously too different to be taken seriously.

Verse 11-12.   The General flew into a rage at the servant’s instructions and left in a huff. The cause for his anger can be seen in his retort as one writer sees it:

Angry heat crept up Naaman's neck. The star officer of Aram's army had contracted leprosy, been constrained to obey the advice of a slave girl, and traveled the long, dusty road to Elisha. Taking commands from a servant shredded the remnants of his ragged pride. The ridiculous instruction to dip seven times in the Jordan sent him into a rage. He had just traveled through that churning, muddy river to get to Samaria. "Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?" he ranted. "Could I not wash in them and be clean?" (2 Kings 5:12). Where was the miraculous lightning, the waving of hands, the earthquake? Where was the pomp due his station? Infuriated, he wheeled his army and stormed back toward Damascus, which, in God's providence, lay on the other side of the Jordan.

Elisha’s treatment of Naaman might appear curt and even rude but Naaman’s pride and erroneous ideas about how one obtain Jehovah God’s favour had to be addressed. He had to get down from his ‘high horse’; he, like everyone else needed to understand that to obtain Jehovah God’s mercy, one had to humbly believe and obey the word of God. He had to learn that this God was not like the pagan gods.

People who God brings to Himself really have to unlearn a lot of things.

Naaman was accustomed to being shown respect, his pride would not accept a cure without the ceremony and pomp befitting his station and to what he had become accustomed. The General clearly envisioned a ritual similar to that his failed physicians, priests and magicians had tried back in Damascus but which in some way acknowledged him.

Even so, let us note that this kind of hocus pocus was the standard techniques used in healings in that day.  Remember that the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel thought that by a lot of jumping up and down, screaming, shouting, and spectacular invocations, they would bring fire down from heaven.

Things have not changed much today.  Our modern day ‘healers’ have imported pagan rituals and styles and execute all kinds of theatrics in their ‘healings’.  They do not heal in private and away from the cameras and the stage lights.  After all, those with money who are prepared to pay for healings, have to feel they are paying for something very difficult to do.  What a world we live in!

Naanam, not unlike a lot of people would have God operate according to his plan and formula, which to him made a lot more sense. For instance, the rivers of Damascus had much clearer waters than the muddy Jordan. If one had to dip in a river, surely the clear waters made more sense! 

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned, (1Cor.2:14).

Naaman’s foolish belief in the style of the pagan world and his pride, continued to be a hindrance to his healing and more importantly to his salvation. This great man, had come to make a request of a king and pay handsomely for services rendered. First he was sent to the lowly dwelling of a prophet, who did not even come out to meet him and then he was sent off with scant courtesy to wash in the muddy Jordan. His pride was injured so he left in a rage.

Let us not feel too great about ourselves, for we have bought into the pagan system in which Naaman was immersed.

Verse 13.  The party is probably at the Jordan watering the horses and refreshing themselves before the crossing. In a natural way Naaman was likely a pleasant individual and stirred genuine affection from those that knew him.

Note the respect, earnestness and affection in their approach, as they endeavoured to persuade their commander to heed the prophet’s instructions. A well reasoned argument is presented with a tacit reproof for his obstinacy; you would have done the great, how much more the simple; pride however have a problem with simplicity!

Note: God, Jesus, Christianity and the Gospel make a compelling argument: believe and be saved, wash and be clean, repent and be pardoned.

It is common for those that are wise in their own conceit to be contemptuous to the commands of God and to prefer their own fancies but note this text:

 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. Jonah 2:8. Case in point.

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The servants clearly had a high opinion of the prophet and their approach to the General is instructive. First it is a real blessing to have those around who will show us our faults and follies.  Reproof or counsel is always more readily received when it appears to come from love and concern and the intent is reform rather than reproach.

We should note here, that the strong belief of these wise servants would likely only have arisen or developed because of their conversations with the young Israelite girl who had been working in the household of Naaman. They were so convinced by this little maid that Jehovah lived and was approachable, that they were willing to approach Naaman and risk his anger.

She would certainly have told them about her great, wonderful, and compassionate God named Jehovah.

Naaman’s anger must have abated by now, the weight of his servant’s argument took effect and the reality of his condition and desperation for a cure moved him to set his pride aside.

Let us consider that a struggle was going on in Naaman’s heart.  There was faith on one hand and unbelief on the other hand.

To get the victory Satan appealed first to Naaman’s reason. The remedy proposed by Elisha was unreasonable.  If bathing cured leprosy there were far better rivers than the small, muddy, Jordan in which to bathe.  Big means better.  The spectacular and grand means better.

Then Satan appealed to his pride and reminded him of how he was being treated.  He was a great man, had just come from an audience with the king of Israel, he was willing to pay a lot for services and yet this little prophet did not even think it worthwhile to come out of his little house and talk to him.

Both Naaman’s pride and his opinions were obstacles to his healing, and he almost lost out because of his ignorance of the Word of God.  We should take note.

God can and will remove those things that hinder salvation and maturity in his people, pride being one of the more entrenched sins and this is common to most people,  believers and unbelievers alike. Oftentimes this is through a painful process but we can acknowledge and confess our sins and so avoid the pain.

A kind word from the right people saved the day.  Timely persuasion is a critical need.  The tongue used with wisdom can be sweet, if it is used to honestly, courageously and courteously evaluate the situation. Tact was most important, and the servants showed their greatness.

Verse 14.  Naaman laid his opinions and his pride on the bank of the Jordan and did as the prophet had instructed and the servants had recommended. The result was as the prophet had predicted.

Naaman, pride aside, had believed the words of Elisha and acted on those words. Salvation is always and only according to the Word and never according to our feelings, emotions or human reason (Rom 16:25-26). He was instantly and completely cleansed.  He also came to faith in the Lord of Elisha the prophet.

This is the way of salvation:

Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house, (Acts 16:30-31).

God’s hand had been on Naaman’s life for a long time. His successes, victories and fame were from the Lord. He however, full of pride, had taken all the credit. God was patient with Naaman and brought him to salvation but not before removing his pride through the affliction of leprosy.

Naaman immediately demonstrated his new nature. His return with all his company to Elisha’s house to confess God Almighty, demonstrated a new found humility.

CONCLUSION

God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble; James 4:6.

A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit, Prov.29:23.

Pride must and will go from the believer’s life, painfully or otherwise. While it remains, it is a hindrance to the blessings of God.

Too often, we, like Naaman, go to God in our own strength with great plans to evangelize, to teach, to heal our own "leprosy"; however, God is not glorified in our strength, but, as He told Paul, His "power is perfected in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). "Seek the LORD in His strength" (1 Chronicles 16:11). Then you, too, will "tell of His Glory among the nations" (v. 24) and "ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name" (v. 29).