Introduction

Though this study concerns the battle against the Moabites, let’s not forget that the subject and focus of this series concerns the life and ministry of Elisha as he ministered among God’s people that they might know God and His provision and purposes in life. Elisha was truly a man of God, a godly man who might be describe as a man for all seasons. Godliness, as stressed previously, consists of taking God seriously. It involves meaning business with God in all aspects of life, in every decision, in every situation, in every problem, and in every relationship but always in accord with God’s Word, which is His guide for both the source, means and description of godliness. Godliness is also complete devotion to God in a way of life that not only puts God first (Matt. 6:33; 22:37), but brings the power of God to bear on the situations of life so that we can experience God’s deliverance according to His purposes.

We all face variegated problems, testings, and trials that require faith and God’s wisdom that we might make biblical decisions that honor God, promote godly growth, and bring deliverance according to the will of God (Jam. 1:2-5). Vital to the whole process are men of God teaching and building others in the Scripture and in their relationship with God (2 Tim. 2:1-2). Elisha was just such a person. Not only was he the head teacher in a school of prophets, but he was sent out by the Lord to herald the Word to others, including kings. As we have seen, Jeroboam was faced with one of those testings of life God uses to get our attention, correct our path, and draw us to Himself, but rather than turn to the Lord, Jeroboam sought help in his own strategy of a human alliance with King Jehoshaphat of Judah, and the king of Edom. As it usually happens, when we walk by our own wisdom, these kings quickly ran into another trial, the problem of finding no water for their armies and livestock. Jehoshaphat, being a godly king, woke up to the fact of the real problem; they had not sought the wisdom and provision of God and suggested they seek God’s direction and help through a prophet of the Lord. Not by accident, but by the providence and the grace of God, Elisha, a man for all seasons, just happened to be in the area.

Elisha Proclaims God’s Message
(3:16-19)

16 And he said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Make this valley full of trenches.’ 17 For thus says the LORD, ‘You shall not see wind nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, both you and your cattle and your beasts. 18 And this is but a slight thing in the sight of the LORD; He shall also give the Moabites into your hand. 19 Then you shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and fell every good tree and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.’”

People often think of godliness in terms of moral living (behavior) and religious living--keeping the Ten Commandments, or the Beatitudes, or keeping a set of do’s and don’ts, or going through the motions of religious rituals. But we can be moral and religious, even busy in God’s work and yet be anything but godly. True godliness will result in Christian character and actions, but by itself such is not necessarily godliness. Godliness is an attitude of devotion that stems from knowing God through His Word. It is the fruit of a Word-filled, Spirit-filled life because it is the ministry of the Spirit using God’s Word who is God’s change agent, the one who forms the character of Christ in a believer’s life.²⁷

Jerry Bridges in his book, The Practice of Godliness, suggests that this attitude consists of three essential elements: (a) the fear of God--reverential awe and trust; (b) the love of God; and (c) the desire for God. And the point is all three of these focus on God. Godliness is a mental attitude then, one which results in a disciplined kind of life, one which seeks God as the force, source, and course of life. Godly behavior (Christian character) is thus a result of true godliness, otherwise we become burdened in God’s work and frustrated and discouraged in the Christian walk. As Bridges rightly says,

So often, we try to develop Christian character and conduct without taking the time to develop God-centered devotion. We try to please God without taking time to walk with Him and develop a relationship with Him. This is impossible to do.²⁸

But how is such a devotion to God, a God-focused mental attitude developed? In God’s Word, of course. The Word of God is His ‘training manual’ which focuses us on God and brings devotion to Him.

Titus 1:1 Paul, a bond-servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness . . .

1 Timothy 4:6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. 7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Psalm 138:1-2 A Psalm of David. I will give You thanks with all my heart; I will sing praises to You before the gods. I will bow down toward Your holy temple, And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word according to all Your name.

When we down grade the importance and priority of the Bible to our lives, we automatically down grade or shrink God in our thinking and reduce His importance. Like Jeroboam, we then think we can handle things ourselves and we go off half cocked.

As verse 16 shows with the words, “Thus says the lord,” this is precisely where the prophets of old stood in their ministry to men whether kings or widows. They were the heralds of God’s Word, His messages to men, messages which were designed to teach them about God and bring godliness into their lives. Again, this emphasis is designed to stress how important it was for Elisha to prepare his own heart that he might accurately hear and deliver God’s Word. He simply did not take the Lord for granted. He was truly a godly man.

The Principle of Old Testament Analogies

As we consider the battle with the Moabites, and for the purpose of relating this to our own lives by way of application, it would be helpful to recall what Paul teaches us in 1 Corinthians 10:6-11. There he tells us that the life of Israel and God’s dealings with the nation are full of spiritual analogies and illustrations of spiritual truth for the church today. As we study the Old Testament pages of Scripture within the context, primary purpose, and historicity of each passage (i.e. according to the grammar, context, historical background), we should also look for these spiritual analogies, at least by way of application within the passage. There are several in our passage.

First Corinthians 10:8 has a specific reference which ties in directly to the 2 Kings passage by way of the people of Moab. A number of Israelites had died as result of seduction by Moabite women as Balaam had suggested to the king of Moab.

The first analogy: Because of their historical acts against Israel, the Moabites stand as an illustration of the enemies that always stand opposed to the believer and his walk with God, particularly by way of seduction through the lusts of the flesh (Num. 22:1-6ff; 25:1; 31:16; 2 Pet 2:15; Jude 11 and Revelation 2:14). But how was this seduction accomplished? It was often accomplished through false prophets like Balaam who merchandised his gifts. He was a man who was controlled by greed and covetousness. Balaam, who taught the Moabites how to cause Israel to stumble, is mentioned three times in the New Testament as a warning to us (2 Pet. 2:15; Jude 11; Rev. 2:14). So the Moabites are analogous to those enemies who stand as a threat to our walk with God and our devotion to Him.

The second analogy, as already intimated, is found in Elisha’s repeated statement, “Thus says the Lord,” in verses 16 and 17. Here God was revealing Himself and His plan directly through the prophet. God gave special revelation to Elisha to show the three kings what they were to do and what in turn was to inspire their faith and devotion as these miraculous events were designed to develop their concepts of God.

According to the analogy, today we have a completed revelation, the inspired Word of God; this is our “thus says the Lord” book and the means by which we learn about God and about ourselves. In it we learn of God’s will, deliverance, love, and care; and about the means God uses to develop our devotion to Him so that we may know, fear or reverence Him, and love and desire Him (Rom. 10:17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet 2:2). There can be no godliness, no devotion to God, no deliverance, no ability to find God’s will, etc. apart from the principle of “thus says the Lord” (2 Tim. 2:15).

Verses 16-18 describe what God would do to solve the problem of no water and simply declares that the Moabites would be delivered into their hands, but without telling them how.

The First Instruction and Promise From the Lord (vss. 16-17)

“Make this valley full of trenches.” Why trenches? To hold the water which the Lord would miraculous bring apart from any natural means as such as rain or a thunderstorm accompanied by strong wind (vs. 18). This portrays the provision of the Holy Spirit whom God gives, miraculously, apart from human works or natural means to fill our lives with His power, to refresh and enable us for spiritual combat (cf. John 7:37-39 with Isa. 44:3; Eph. 3:16-18; Gal. 5:16).

The provision of water in this miraculous way became a guarantee, an incentive to obedience by illustrating God’s power and the means of the defeat of the Moabites. How like God’s miraculous provision of the Spirit, whom the Lord likened to rivers of living water (John 7:37-39), as our means of deliverance and incentive to obedience. Victory would be theirs if they were obedient to their human responsibilities of digging the ditches. This would demonstrate their dependence on the Lord, a change from their former self-dependence which, without the Lord’s help, had already failed them. The valley was probably the valley of the Zered on Moab’s southern boundary. “The Israelite armies were encamped in the broad valley (the Arabah) between the highlands of Moab on the east and those of Judah on the west, just south of the Dead Sea.”²⁹

The Explanation and Promise (vs. 18)

“This (referring to the miraculous provision) is but a slight thing in the sight of the Lord” called their attention and ours to a vital principle. God’s provision whether providing for our daily needs or against the enemies that stand opposed to His glory and our walk with Him is never a question of the sufficiency of God’s ability. Nothing is too small or too great for Him to handle.

So verse 18b immediately gives the promise, “He shall also give the Moabites into your hand.” In this we see the ‘as so’ concept of Scripture. As He would miraculously provide the water, so He would deliver the Moabites into their hands. For some other illustrations of this principle in Scripture, compare the following:

Joshua 1:5 Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you (emphasis mine).

Joshua 8:2 And you shall do to Ai and its king just as you did to Jericho and its king; you shall take only its spoil and its cattle as plunder for yourselves (emphasis mine).

Romans 8:31-32 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

Though “as” and “so” are not used in Romans 8:31-32, the concept is nevertheless evident.

The Second Instruction and Responsibility of the Armies (vs. 19)

The problem or issue is never God’s power or provision. The real issue is our trust and obedience to the truth of His Word or acting in faith on the promises of God. Would they dig the ditches and would they follow the instructions given in verse 19?

Verse 19 describes how the three kings were to carry out God’s judgment upon the land to render it completely inoperative and defeat the Moabites. This stresses the completeness of God’s provision against the enemies of His people if they will simply appropriate His provision and be obedient to His Word. Cutting down all the good trees would make it difficult for the Moabites to have fruit to eat and would mean they would have little shade. Stopping up all the springs would limit the Moabites’ water supply, and putting large stones in the fields would retard cultivation and lessen their productivity.³⁰

The Defeat of the Moabites
(3:20-25)

20 And it happened in the morning about the time of offering the sacrifice, that behold, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. 21 Now all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. And all who were able to put on armor and older were summoned, and stood on the border. 22 And they rose early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. 23 Then they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely fought together, and they have slain one another. Now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!” 24 But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites arose and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land, slaughtering the Moabites. 25 Thus they destroyed the cities; and each one threw a stone on every piece of good land and filled it. So they stopped all the springs of water and felled all the good trees, until in Kir-hareseth only they left its stones; however, the slingers went about it and struck it.

In these verses we have (a) the supply of water (b) the obedience of the three kings and their armies and (c) the partial defeat of Moab. But there is one thing that is of special significance (vs. 20), and that is the timing of the provision of the water.

Special note is made of the fact that the water did not come until the time of the morning offering (vs. 20). As the Old Testament offerings pointed to the Savior, waiting until the time of the morning offering may well portray the suffering Savior followed by His gift of the Holy Spirit whom He likened to rivers of living water (John 7:37-39). Water was not given until this time in keeping with the principal that the Holy Spirit could not be given until the Lord had died, risen and was ascended. Such blessings of grace only come through the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. John 7:37-39; 14:17-30; 15:26; 16:7). The basis of the gift of the Holy Spirit and all victory is the death, resurrection, ascension and session of the Lord, the victorious Savior.

My friends, if it were not for the historic coming, sinless life, death, resurrection, ascension and session of our Savior, the only spirit we could receive would be the evil spirit of the satanic world system. Today the world wants to deny the historic person and finished work of Jesus Christ. In its place it seeks deliverance and religious experiences on its own without God’s Word and the Christ of Scripture. What it gets instead are evil spirits. There is no salvation or true deliverance apart from the death of Jesus Christ, but there are a lot of counterfeits.

What happened in verse 20 may well illustrate the common experience of flash flooding in the otherwise dry wadis which was common enough in arid portions of the world. Living in certain parts of Texas, I have seen flooding along rivers and streams where there was not a drop of rain, but the water came from rain miles up stream. We must not, however, attribute this event simply to the normal occurrences of the weather, for “not only the timing of the heaven-sent waters, but the total effect of their arrival bespeak the miraculous fulfillment of Elisha’s prophetic message.”³¹

These waters were to spell death for the Moabites. Viewing that same water, reddened by the soil and gleaming all the redder in the rising eastern sun, the enemy mistook it for blood and, surmising that the three former antagonists had had a falling out that had led to their near mutual extermination, they rushed to the Israelite camp intent on plunder. Too late they realized their mistake. The disorganized Moabite soldiers were met by the well-stationed allies who not only turned them back but, in turn, invaded Moab, effecting a great destruction. The Moabites fell back in disarray as far as Kir Hareseth, where they determined to make a final stand.³²

Concerning this, Thomas Constable writes in the Bible Knowledge Commentary:

The border where the Moabites were stationed early in the morning was the boundary between Moab and Edom east and south of the Dead Sea. Not expecting water, the Moabites assumed that the water shining in the sunlight was blood. So the Moabite army erroneously concluded that the Israelites, Judahites, and Edomites had had a falling out and had slaughtered each other—not an unrealistic possibility. Rather than advancing with weapons drawn for battle they ran to plunder the “dead” soldiers’ armor and weaponry. But instead, they ran into the waiting ranks of their enemies. Defenseless, the Moabites . . . fled before the Israelites. The Israelites, and presumably their allies with them, invaded Moab, slaughtered the people, destroyed many towns, and did to the fields, springs, and trees what God had instructed (cf. 2 Kings 3:19). But Kir Hareseth, the major city, could not be taken. It was situated at the end of a valley and successfully resisted the attacks of the stone slingers surrounding it.³³

The Consequences of Idolatry
(3:26-27)

26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him 700 men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not. 27 Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. And there came great wrath against Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their own land.

In verse 26-27 we see two attempts by the idolatrous king of Moab to escape total defeat. The first is by means of breaking through to the king of Edom. Apparently he either assumed he could induce Edom to turn against Israel and Judah or he assumed this was the weakest link in the three-nation alliance. Either way he was badly mistaken and his attempt failed because the real strength of this alliance through the ministry of Elisha now lay in the power of God.

The second attempt is seen in verse 27 and sadly it did appear to be effective, but only because of the incomplete obedience of the three kings. Idolatry which has its source in the demonic powers of Satan, a murderer and hater of mankind, often included human sacrifice, especially the offering of children. In fact, “defeat in battle was regarded by pagan Near Eastern warriors as a sign that their gods were angry with them. To propitiate his god, Chemosh (1 Kings 11:7, 33; 2 Kings 23:13), Mesha offered his firstborn son, the heir to his throne, as a human sacrifice on top of the city wall.”³⁴ See also 2 Kings 16:3; Jeremiah 7:31; Numbers 21:29; Jeremiah 48:7, 46.

The statement, “And there came great wrath against Israel,” is difficult and is viewed differently. In his notes, Ryrie says, “The Israelites were so frightened at what an aroused Moabite army might do that they retreated.”³⁵ Most commentaries, however, see the wrath as a reference to a stunning indignation over such a gross act that it caused the three armies to go home. “Wrath” is the Hebrew q#x#P, can mean indignation and in this context even “righteous indignation.” “Against,” the Hebrew preposition u^l, “above, upon, against, beside, concerning, over,” could be used with a word like “wrath, indignation” to express great feelings of emotion by emphasizing the person or persons who are the subject of the emotion and who feel the emotion acting upon them, i.e., great indignation came upon Israel, they were appalled by this act so much so they turned and went home--stunned.

The king of Moab, seeing his defeated army and ransacked land, tries to flee; the Edomites prevent him. He then sacrifices his oldest son on the city wall to Chemosh, the Moabite god. The horror and consternation upon seeing this sacrifice causes the three armies to withdraw rather than to wipe out such evil and desecration of children. Moab is not brought under Israel’s domination. Later the Moabites attack Judah and Israel (2 Kings 13:20; 24:2; 2 Chron. 20). Had Elisha’s instructions been carried out, these later attacks may have been avoided.³⁶

By way of application, two things should be noted here:

First, failure to follow through on the principles and imperatives of Scripture have negative consequences. As mentioned above in the Evangelical Commentary, the failure of the alliance to complete the destruction opened the way for later attacks. The principles, promises, and imperatives of Scripture are not given to make life miserable and take away our fun. Rather, they are given to bring maximum blessing and happiness and to protect us from the sad results of our own foolishness.

Second, the act of child sacrifice illustrates the results of ungodliness, idolatry, and what happens when people turn away from the revelation of God. When men turn away from the Lord, they are turned over to the vile imaginations of their own depraved hearts and all the escape and defense mechanisms that the human mind can imagine. This includes the gamut from the mental escapes routes--resentment, criticism, hiding, rationalization, etc., to the lower forms of man’s sinfulness like homosexuality and idolatry in its various forms even leading to the murder of children. The Moabite king rationalized this would appease his god and deliver his city. Today babies are aborted and the rationalization is that the mother has the right to such a choice; it’s her body, it is reasoned, and it would relieve her of a great deal of stress and responsibility.

In this passage we see the extreme consequences of idolatry, but the principle is the same--wrong relations with God (indifference to Him) always leads to wrong relations with people--family, friends, neighbors, etc.--and many other frightful and degrading sins.

Here again we can see how important it was for Elisha to be there and available, to deal with his own heart to make sure he was in the right spiritual condition so he could carefully hear and deliver God’s message. Elisha did not take the Lord for granted--he took God seriously. He was truly a godly man with a timely word from God.

How about us? Before we make that call, before we witness or talk to that person, before we begin to prepare that Sunday school lesson, or come to Bible class etc., do we take God seriously and prepare our hearts? This is why we should be hungry to hear God’s Word so that it enhances our focus on the Lord and our devotion to Him that He might be our Force, Source and Course in all of life.

---

27 Compare Galatians 4:19 and note the passive voice in the words, “be formed in you.” The Galatian believers were trying to be spiritual by religious works or by their own human effort (cf. 3:1-5). So in chapter 5 the Apostle points them to the need for walking by means of the Spirit as the means of Christ formed in one's life, the fruit of the Spirit.

28 Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness, NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO, 1983, p. 18.

29 NIV Study Bible Notes, Zondervan Publishing, electronic version 2.5. 1994,

30 The Bible Knowledge Commentary, OT Edition, John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck, editors, Victor Books, electronic version, Logos Research Systems.

31 NIV Bible Commentary, Kenneth Barker and John Kohlenberger III, consulting editors, Zondervan Publishing House, 1994, electronic media, version 2.5.

32 Ibid.

33 The Bible Knowledge Commentary, OT Edition, John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck, editors, Victor Books, electronic version, Logos Research Systems.

34 Ibid.

35 Charles C. Ryrie, Ryrie Study Bible, Expanded Edition, NASB, Moody Press, Chicago, 1995, p. 583.

36 Evangelical Commentary on the Bible, Edited by Walter A. Elwell, Baker Book House Company, Grand Rapids, electronic media.

Introduction

As with all the events and miracles in the life and ministry of Elisha, 2 Kings 4:8-37 illustrates and teaches a number of very practical truths:

(1) It strongly illustrates the loving and providential care of God for all His saints: young and old, rich or poor, weak or powerful.

(2) It demonstrates God’s involvement in the lives of men in all walks of life if they will but respond to His loving grace.

(3) It also demonstrates the necessity of faith for everyone regardless of their social standing or financial position in life. It illustrates, “the just shall live by faith,” that “without faith it is impossible to please God,” and “that which is not of faith is sin” (Rom 1:17; Hab. 2:4; Heb 11:6; Rom 14:23).

(4) Another thing this passage demonstrates about faith is that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). The faith of this woman and that of her husband was developed because they had not neglected gathering together at the proper times for fellowship with believers and for instruction in the Scriptures (2 Kings 4:22-23). These verses suggest (see verse 23) they gathered together with others to hear the prophets on certain holy days to get biblical teaching. This is why the woman’s husband was surprised when she wanted to go to the prophet other than on one of these special days. Their normal routine was to gather together with others for that purpose on those special days. This was the key to this lady’s faith in these terrible days of apostasy.

The passage breaks down or centers around 2 key events: (a) The Shunammite woman receives a son (4:8-17) and (b) she received her son back from death (4:18-37).

The Ministry of the Shunammite
(4:8-17)

8 Now there came a day when Elisha passed over to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman, and she persuaded him to eat food. And so it was, as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat food. 9 And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God passing by us continually. 10 Please, let us make a little walled upper chamber and let us set a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; and it shall be, when he comes to us, that he can turn in there.” 11 One day he came there and turned in to the upper chamber and rested. 12 Then he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” And when he had called her, she stood before him. 13 And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have been careful for us with all this care; what can I do for you? Would you be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the army?’” And she answered, “I live among my own people.” 14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Truly she has no son and her husband is old.” 15 And he said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16 Then he said, “At this season next year you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God, do not lie to your maidservant.” 17 And the woman conceived and bore a son at that season the next year, as Elisha had said to her.

A Ministry of Hospitality and Faith (vss. 8-13)

This story primarily centers around this great woman of faith. There are four other actors in this drama--Elisha, his servant Gehazi, the woman’s husband, and of course her son. But the central figure is this woman and her ministry of faith by which she showed hospitality to Elisha as a man of God.

This illustrates again the prominent and important place women have in the Bible, in God’s work in the ministry and in the family. Though men and women are equal in Christ, Scripture makes a distinction with men being given the role of leadership. This is, of course, to be a loving servant-type of leadership in the family as well as the church. The role of women is indispensable and they can have vital ministries for which every man should have great respect and appreciation. We are very dependent upon the ministries of godly women in a multitude of ways.

In verse 8 we read, “Now there came a day when Elisha passed over to Shunem.” Elisha is seen here as a prophet moving about the country carrying on his ministry to the people while also stopping at the various schools of the prophets. Elisha was involved with his work, but he had special needs of his own and we see here how God graciously works through the lives of other believers to meet those needs.

“Where there was a prominent woman . . .” Literally, “a great woman.” The word “great” is sometimes used of wealth, influence or character (1 Sam. 25:2; 2 Sam. 19:32), so it may mean “great in importance, influence and character (1 Kings 10:23). From our passage it is easy to see that she was a prominent lady in the community, was somewhat wealthy, and undoubtedly exercised a considerable influence by her spiritual perception and godly character. She was a great lady for a number of reasons--she was full of faith and good works and undoubtedly had a great deal of love and respect for the teaching of the Word.

Her godliness and respect for the Word is seen in her hospitality. As we see in these verses, she willingly opened her home to those in need. She extended her hand to the needy; she shared in the good things God had given her (Prov. 31:20).

In Ancient times there were no Holiday Inns or Motel 6’s. Those who traveled were dependent upon the gracious hospitality of the people in the land, especially the prophets in their itinerant ministries as they traveled about from place to place.

In the New Testament this is one of the signs of maturity, a qualification for elders, and a general responsibility for all believers, especially to fellow believers or members of the body of Christ. And it is especially mentioned as one of the requirements for widows to be placed on the list for support (cf. Matt. 10:40-42; 25:35-40; 1 Tim. 3:2 and 5:10).

Our cultural situation today in our country is quite different, but there is still the need and the application of this principal in numerous ways. Believers need to open their homes for Bible studies, for baby sitting during the studies, for times of Christian fellowship, for visiting missionaries and speakers, for youth gatherings, and for lifestyle evangelism or out reach to neighbors. In addition, there is the need for housing foreign exchange students, for taking in unwed mothers, or foster children and battered women.

This lady was also great because she was interested in and wanted to promote the work of God, especially the preaching of the Word. She did what she did for Elisha because she perceived he was a man of God, that is, a prophet teaching the Word and doing the work of God (vs. 9). By her concern and her actions she was promoting the preaching of the Word.

Her actions illustrate the principle of the body functioning together with every believer using their gifts and talents to promote the evangelization of the lost and the edification of the saints. This godly lady took God seriously and got involved with God’s work according to her abilities and the opportunities God gave her (1 Pet 4:10-11; Gal 6:15). She made no excuses, nor sought any. She was available and as a result she became a vibrant testimony for the Lord and a source of comfort and encouragement to Elisha who for the most part was ministering in a hostile and idolatrous environment. This family was like an oasis in the desert.

In verse 10 we see a third way the Shunammite demonstrated her prominence; she was great because of her discernment and the degree of her concern.

First, as a discerning believer she demonstrated her concern for God’s work. But note, she did this with respect for her husband’s authority and leadership. She politely involved him in this matter and appears to have left the final decision up to him. This beautifully illustrates the influence, aid, and support a godly wife can have on her husband. I can’t begin to remember how many times my dear wife has shown discernment in areas of need that I didn’t notice for one reason or another. It naturally works both ways, but our wives often show a special capacity for the benevolent concerns of others that men are so often blind to. The point is that husbands and wives are a team. Scripture describes her as the husband’s helpmeet, a helper especially suited to him. They are to compliment, help, and fulfill each other’s needs and potentials. However, husbands must recognize this, and capitalize on it, rather than react in proud arrogance or stubbornness. Men, draw on your wife’s insight and perception. Further, wives must be wise and submissive, showing respect for their husband’s position of leadership as did this Shunammite woman.

Second, she also discerned the degree of Elisha’s need and their responsibility to the prophet because of the ability God had given them. She was not simply satisfied with a place for Elisha to turn in. She knew he needed a private place, a place to pray, meditate, study, relax and be alone with the Lord. This woman knew they had the capacity to do all of this. What a thoughtful and caring lady.

The principle is she was concerned for the details of his needs. In general, women tend to generally be more detail-oriented whereas men tend to think in more general terms. It reminds me of a man who wants to surprise his wife with a two-week Caribbean cruise, so he plans the date, buys their tickets, and plans how he will surprise her. Thinking he’s taken care of everything, he takes his wife out for a special dinner and presents her with the tickets. Immediately her mind goes into gear: Who’ll keep the kids? What about the dog? Who in the world can I get to teach my Sunday school class on such short notice? Help! I don’t have anything to wear! I’ll need a perm! How in the world can we afford a trip like this? The poor man is totally surprised because it takes her a while before she can respond with any semblance of the excitement he expected!

But there is more. In her discernment she demonstrates the principle of Galatians 6:6-10.

6 And let the one who is taught the word share all good things with him who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

This was manifested in her actions and in God’s reward for her faithfulness.

(1) As one who shared in the things Elisha taught, she wanted to share with him in all good things which she had (vs. 6). So she saw to it that all his needs were met according to her ability.

(2) She was sowing, properly using the blessings God had given. She was laying up treasure in heaven.

(3) She did this while she had the opportunity; she didn’t procrastinate. She used her blessings for the blessing of others. How we need to seize the opportunities and redeem the time.

She was a great lady because of her contentment. When Elisha, being appreciative for her warm hospitality, wished to reward her by offering to use his influence with the king or his military commanders, she politely refused. She had no desire for worldly advancement; she was not wanting to climb the social ladder of success. She was content with what God had provided her and with her place of service and ministry in the community. She was content with her home, her position, her friends, and her ministry. What a rare attitude! She knew and believed she was where God wanted her and with that she was content. This lady had it together! Compare 1 Timothy 6:6.

God’s Reward of Her Service (vss. 14-17)

First, note that Elisha was very appreciative and thankful for what this woman had done for him and his servant. There is a mental attitude of thankfulness and appreciation that characterizes the godly. One of the products of a Spirit-controlled, Word-filled life is thankfulness, not only to God, but to others for what they mean to us, to our ministry, and to others (cf. Eph 5:18-20 and Col. 1:9 with vs. 12 and Phil. 4:10-19).

Second, Elisha was not just thankful, he wanted to express his thanks in concrete terms so he sought something he could do for her to show his appreciation. People cannot read our minds, we need to say and do things to express our appreciation. That is encouraging to them and honors the Lord.

We all need to do this more. Have you demonstrated to God and to others how thankful you are? How much and in what ways can you express your appreciation for your parents, friends, and others who have ministered to your life? Let’s not just take people for granted? They are really gifts from God.

So, in verse 14, Elisha turned to his servant and said, “what then is to be done for her?” First, this illustrates a bit of on-the-job-training. He was involving his servant in his ministry and at the same time even seeking his help. This is bound to have been encouraging to Gehazi. Gehazi had noticed that she was without a child, which for Jews was a great burden. So he called this to Elisha’s attention. This showed discernment on the servant’s part. He was learning to watch for needs and he knew that God could meet such a need because God had provided Abraham and Sarah a child even when they were old.

When Elisha promises she will embrace a son next year, she begs him not to raise her hopes unless he could truly deliver what he promised. Undoubtedly she said what she did because it had been a real matter of grief to her for many years. But Elisha was speaking for the Lord, the One who is able to bring the nonexistent into existence and to make dead things alive (cf. Rom 4:17f).

Conclusion

In this story we see a great lady, a lady of faith, appreciated and soon rewarded and blessed for her service to the Lord and to His prophet. But I think there are some things that need to be said here lest we come away with a wrong perspective, a one-sided perspective, especially in our day.

First, people are not always appreciated, thanked, and encouraged for their work and ministries, nor do we always appreciate others as we should. So what then? May I make some suggestions:

(1) When we are unappreciative of others, we need to deal with it! This means we may need to go the person--mom, dad, Sunday school teacher, friend, neighbor, etc., whoever it might be, and make things right by expressing our appreciation. Further, we need to strive to be more alert and ask the Lord to help us in this area.

(2) When others are unappreciative of us, we feel like nobody cares, and we are tempted to throw in the towel and go off and eat worms, may we remember this: (a) The Lord cares (1 Pet. 5:7) and our service never goes unnoticed by Him (cf. 2 Tim 2:8-10). Remember--ultimately, we serve the Lord Christ (cf. Col. 3:22-25). (b) Our responsibility is to simply do our work as unto the Lord and not for the notice of men or to please them. Our need is to please the Lord. That’s what counts (1 Thess. 2:1f; 1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:17; 1 Pet. 4:11). (c) Also, the fact others do not show their appreciation does not mean they do not appreciate us. It may just mean they are people preoccupied with problems and other things just like you and me.

Doing our work as unto the Lord will help us get your eyes off the grandstands and people’s applause (Col. 3:17). Let us deal with our attitudes. Let us remember the Lord. Let us do our job or service as unto Him! That’s unselfish living and service.

Second, many times we see some rewards for our service in this life in special blessings which God lovingly gives us. But we need to remember we may not and often do not. But that does not mean we are not rewarded. It just means God is waiting for eternity or for a better time and a better reward.

So let’s keep our eyes on the light at the end of the tunnel (cf. 1 Cor. 15:57, 58 with Paul’s words to Timothy, “Remember Jesus Christ as risen from the dead.” See also Revelation 22:12, 16.

Some years ago I heard a story about Napoleon which I think illustrates our point.

The English had an arrangement for signals to signal across the channel the results of the battle of Waterloo. If Napoleon won they would signal with two lights, one after the other, if Wellington won they would signal with three. Men were stationed on both sides, one group on the shores of Europe to flash the lights, and the others on the shores of England to watch and to pass the word. Finally, during the evening the signals came. First one light, then two, but then before the third could be given, that famous fog settled in. England thought at first that Wellington had been defeated. But the next day, the truth of the matter was received. After daybreak it was learned that Napoleon had been defeated.

That’s the way life is: In this life we often seem defeated, our prayer unanswered, and our work unrewarded, but not so when the morning Star shall come for it is He who ends the night and brings the light of day. It is then that the answer to our prayers will be seen and our work surely rewarded, but in a better time and in a better way.

Let us then, as this great lady of faith did, keep on abounding in the work of the Lord--the Lord is faithful. Let us never “Lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary” (Gal 6:9). And let us “Be patient, therefore brethren, until the coming of the Lord . . .” (Jam. 5:7-9).

Introduction

To grasp the significance of the miracles of Elijah and Elisha, it is important to remember that nearly everything they did in their ministries, especially their miracles, was done against the backdrop of the idolatrous cult of Baalism as a polemical statement against the evil of Baalism and its futility in contrast to the righteousness, power, and activity of Yahweh, the true and covenant God of Israel.

In the northern kingdom of Israel where Elijah and Elisha ministered, the people, including their leaders, had abandoned the Lord and His Word and had gone into Baalism like an adulterous wife playing the prostitute.

In the Palestinian Covenant of Deuteronomy the Lord had promised the nation that if they were faithful to Him and obeyed His Word (the Old Testament Law) they would be blessed, but if they disobeyed and went after the idolatrous gods of the nations, they would be cursed. For obedience there would be blessing but for disobedience there would be cursing (divine judgment). This was not because Israel was something special (cf. Deut. 9:3-6), or so they could be fat and comfortable, but because God had chosen them to be the custodians of His truth (Rom. 3:2; 9:4), to be the channel of Messiah (Gen. 12:3; Rom. 9:5), and to be a witness to the nations of the righteousness and power of God and of the truth of God’s Word (cf. Ex. 19:4-6; Deut. 4:5-8). If Israel would fulfill their purpose, they would also be able to demonstrate the futility and falsehood of the false gods of the nations. This fact would be made clear by God’s blessing for their obedience and cursing for disobedience.

Leviticus 26 sets forth the laws of God concerning obedience and blessing and disobedience and cursing. The cursing is described in five cycles of discipline which God would bring upon Israel one after the other. The discipline would continue through each cycle (unless Israel repented) until the fifth which would result in captivity and dispersion among other nations. One aspect of God’s blessing that demonstrated His reality and power was the blessing of rain and the productivity of the land (cf. Lev. 26:4). As we have seen, Baal was proclaimed as the god of thunderstorms, the god who brought rain and productivity to the land; he was also hailed as the god of fertility. So the miracles of Elisha and this famine, much like the days of Elijah, disproved this. It proved Baal was impotent and could not supply the needs of the people. In place of rain, they received no rain.

Basically, what was the real problem? Just as today, it was a battle for the minds and beliefs of men. In essence, it was a battle for the Bible. It involved what we can call the vacuum action of the mind. If men are not listening to the Word of God on a regular basis and obeying its truth, then, they will automatically take in the viewpoint, values, and belief systems of the world and its counterfeits. When societies go this route they become like a pot of death, filled with the bitter poisonous stew of the devil’s disciples.

It was for this purpose that God raised up Elijah and Elisha, two mighty prophets of God, men through whom God performed miracles to authenticate the reality and truthfulness of the Word of God. Through these men the Lord sought to turn Israel back to Himself and His Word and away from the idolatrous cults of the nations and their false philosophies of life. As always, miracles were performed as authenticating tools of God’s messenger with God’s message. The miracles were first and foremost signs to authenticate the messenger, but only in order to authenticate the message.

Though the nation as a whole had turned away from God, many had not. There were at least 7,000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal. This included at least three schools of prophets which were somewhat like seminaries. One such school was at Gilgal where we pick up our story in 2 Kings 4:38-41.

Exposition

38 When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting before him, he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” 39 Then one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, for they did not know what they were. 40 So they poured it out for the men to eat. And it came about as they were eating of the stew, that they cried out and said, “O man of God, there is death in the pot.” And they were unable to eat. 41 But he said, “Now bring meal.” And he threw it into the pot, and he said, “Pour it out for the people that they may eat.” Then there was no harm in the pot.

The Famine and the Pot of Stew (vs. 38)

Elisha returned to Gilgal where a school of the prophets was located. The first point brought to our attention in verse 38 is the fact of Elisha’s return. Elisha could have remained in the home of the Shunammite where he would have had comfort and provision of food, but as a true shepherd and a godly man who meant business with God, he was bound in duty and heart to the prophets and their need. This time of famine, not unlike the famine that existed for the teaching and hearing of the word (Amos 8:11), was a great opportunity to communicate the truth of God’s Word to these future preachers of the Word.

But like the Lord, whom Elisha so resembled in his ministry, he would use this famine and the current conditions and events to illustrate certain truth and to teach the reality of God’s covenant with Israel. A good shepherd does not abandon the fold when trouble comes, but stays with the sheep to encourage and instruct them through the events of life.

The second point brought to our attention is the fact of the prophet’s return in a time of famine. The words, “there was” are in italics in the NASB and the KJV, which means they do not exist in the Hebrew text. Literally, “and famine in the land.” This is a nominal sentence and is slightly emphatic. Immediately, the point brought to our attention is Elisha’s return, but it was during a time when there was famine in the land.

What land is this? It is the land of promise. It is the land which God swore to give to Israel, and which He had done. Further, He had promised to bless the land and make it fruitful if Israel would obey the Lord. He promised in Deuteronomy 28:12, “the Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in it seasons . . .” But God had also promised, if they would not obey Him and His Word, “the heaven which is over your head shall be bronze and the earth which is under you, iron. The Lord will make the rain of your land powder and dust; from heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed.” (Deut 28:23-24).

And so now to an Israel that was drenched in the teaching and ideas of the false cult of Baalism and its phony claims that Baal was the god of thunderstorms, there was famine in the land exactly as God had promised. Of course, the real problem was the spiritual famine of a godless and idolatrous society, a society which was seeking to live without the inspired Word of God.

There are some principles which we should see from this:

(1) When a nation turns away from the Lord it not only reaps what it has sown and brings on itself the judgment of God, but the godly who are left also suffer (as were these prophets). Even though God would (and did) supply their needs, they were still suffering the consequences of idolatry. Likewise, because of the spiritual and moral breakdown in our nation today, it is unsafe to walk down the street at night in most of our cities.

(2) This further reminds us of the need and responsibilities that we have to function as light and salt to illuminate the darkness and preserve our nation from decay. Christians need to stand up and be counted!

(3) But such conditions also mean times of need and opportunity for the people of God. We need to gather together often for teaching and encouragement and to be equipped to reach out to a lost and hurting society, which is precisely what we see here in these disciples of Elisha (Mal. 3:16; Heb. 10:24-25).

But let’s not forget that one of the reasons nations turn away from the Lord (i.e., stop taking time for God’s Word, and instead taking in the poison of the world) is that they become so wrapped up in their own affluence, prosperity, and pursuits that they forget the God who gave it to them (Deut 6:10-12 cf. with 4-6).

Verse 38 continues, “As the sons of the prophet were sitting . . .” What do you suppose they were doing? Playing monopoly? Hardly. No, they were in Bible class learning the Word, listening intently to the prophet, the one known as God’s man for the hour, a man who demonstrated that God was real.

In this context of physical and spiritual famine, Elisha said to his servant, “put on the large pot . . .” Here was a perfect time for an illustration. Like our Lord often did (compare the feeding of the five thousand in Mark 6), Elisha was going to kill two birds with one stone. First, he was going to meet their need for food, but at the same time he was going to use this as an opportunity to illustrate and reinforce an important spiritual truth (cf. Mark 6:51, 52).

The word for “stew” is the Hebrew nazid, which refers to “soup or stew, or that which is boiled in a pot, pottage.” It consisted of a conglomeration of things boiled together, usually vegetables and meat or vegetables and meal.

There is an instructive analogy here. The pot is like the world, a conglomeration of man’s ideas, religions, cults, and humanistic philosophies by which people attempt to satisfy their spiritual appetites and deal with the spiritual famine that is in the world. The parable of the wheat and tares is a similar analogy.

The Gathering of the Wild Gourds (vs. 39)

This verse reveals they got the ingredients for the pottage, wild herbs, from the field. “Field” is the Hebrew sadeh which refers to an open, uncultivated area of land where you can only find that which grows wild. The unnamed gatherer of the herbs went out and found what he thought would make a good stew. These herbs were soft, succulent plants without a lot of woody tissue; they were palatable, and often used for medicinal purposes or for their sweet flavor and aromatic scent. But what he found out in the field (a picture of the world) were poisonous herbs. Untrained in these matters, he mistook the wild vine for an edible cucumber or squash. What he found is believed to be the citrallus colocynthus, which had a leaf like a squash but was bitter and poisonous due to its very severe purgative qualities. If eaten in large amounts it would tear up the digestive tract and could even cause death. In small amounts you might not die, but you might think you were going to--and might even want to.

What’s the picture? The world is full of poisonous ideas that may look harmless and even resemble the truth, but they are bitter and bring unhappiness to man. To be able to recognize this and to protect others from these bitter herbs, men need to be trained in the Word of God that they may in turn equip others in the truth. Compare Paul’s challenge to Timothy (2 Tim. 2:2) and his instruction in Ephesians 4:12-16 and note the parallel with Elisha in the school of these prophets.

There is Death in the Pot (vs. 40)

“And so they poured it out for the men to eat.” Unsuspectingly, they dished up this poisonous stew, but soon the effects were experienced; it was bitter and they undoubtedly quickly began to experience stomach cramps. They rose from the table in pain and fear. There was death in the pot. The wild herbs picked from the field, without the discerning expertise of a master herbalist who knew the difference between what was edible and what was not, were poison. So the prophets cried out to the man of God, for only God has the antidote and the means of life.

The pictures here are clear enough. The world is full of poisonous ideas and solutions to life. To the untrained, undiscriminating ear and eye, they sound and look good, but they are full of death and misery.

Further, in this picture, we see the believer’s responsibility. In Jesus Christ and His Word we have the antidote--the answer to man’s death and the means of life eternal and life abundantly (John 10:10). Unfortunately, our tendency is to follow our own instincts and that which seems right to us.

In Guideposts, Ronald Pinkerton describes a near accident he had while hang gliding. He had launched his hang glider and been forcefully lifted 4,200 feet into the air. As he was descending, he was suddenly hit by a powerful new blast of air that sent his hang glider plummeting toward the ground.

“I was falling at an alarming rate. Trapped in an airborne rip tide, I was going to crash! Then I saw him--a red-tailed hawk. He was six feet off my right wing tip, fighting the same gust I was . . .

I looked down: 300 feet from the ground and still falling. The trees below seemed like menacing pikes.

I looked at the hawk again. Suddenly he banked and flew straight downwind. Downwind! If the right air is anywhere, it’s upwind! The hawk was committing suicide.

Two hundred feet. From nowhere the thought entered my mind: Follow the hawk. It went against everything I knew about flying. But now all my knowledge was useless. I was at the mercy of the wind. I followed the hawk.

One hundred feet. Suddenly the hawk gained altitude. For a split second I seemed to be suspended motionless in space. Then a warm surge of air started pushing the glider upward. I was stunned. Nothing I knew as a pilot could explain this phenomenon. But it was true: I was rising.⁴³

As the Psalmist challenges us, man’s need is to:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones (Prov. 3:5-8).

The Antidote (vs. 41)

Elisha called for meal (flour) and threw it into the pot and by a miracle of God the flour neutralized the poison. This beautifully illustrates a wonderful spiritual truth, an analogy for faith and obedience. Isn’t it interesting that in order to live, they had to eat in faith of that which had been poisonous? There was no neutral position. They either ate of the flour-sweetened stew or they died.

“Meal” is the Hebrew word, gemah, a form of flour or meal. It was used of both a very coarse and very fine flour (Gen. 18:6) and of the ingredient for unleavened bread or cakes (Jud. 6:19). The normal word for very fine flour is selet, the type used with all the animal sacrifices. But as a form of flour, it had definite symbolical significance.

Meal or flour is used in making bread and Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life. Further, there were the Old Testament meal offerings which stood for the person of Jesus Christ, but they were always offered with the animal sacrifices, a picture of the death of Christ (cf. Num. 15:1f). This demonstrates the absolute necessity of both the person and work of Jesus Christ. There can be no salvation and forgiveness apart from both. But from the standpoint of the offerer, the meal offering represented the offerer’s property, his possessions which, when presented with the animal sacrifice, showed the connection between pardon from sin and devotion to the Lord. Devotion to the Lord flows out of our pardon for sin. Being saved to serve is the obvious picture.

So the meal stands as a picture of Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God, the Bread from heaven, who of course is revealed only in the Bible, the written Word.

The point of the lesson is that only God’s Word which reveals Jesus Christ is the antidote to the death in the pot. Only Jesus Christ can give life and remove the spiritual famine of the world or feed us in the midst of famine.

But note the last part of verse 41, “Pour it out for the people that they may eat.”

First, please note that in order to live, they had to eat of the now harmless, life-giving pot of stew. We must feed on God’s Word and its precious revelation of Jesus Christ. The prophets had to believe God, and by faith eat of this stew in order to be delivered from the poisonous stew.

Second, notice there is no neutral position. Either one feeds upon Jesus Christ or he must starve and die as he attempts to live off the pottage of the world. A neutral position toward the Word is really a positive position for the world. Either we feed off God’s life-giving Word or we feed off the poisonous words of the world.

Rom 8:5-7 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so;

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

1 Corinthians 1:20-25 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For indeed Jews ask for signs, and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

12:1 I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

God’s people must constantly be transformed by God’s Holy Word, the Bible.

---

43 Craig Brian Larson, Contemporary Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers, and Writers, Baker Books, Grand Rapids, 1996, p. 112.

Portraits of How God Saves

Introduction

The healing of Naaman, the Leper is not just a story of the healing of a man from one of the most dreaded diseases of ancient times, but it is a story of salvation, one which illustrates the spiritual salvation man finds only in Jesus Christ and how men come to find that salvation in Christ. In Naaman’s healing there are a variety of people who play different parts; some good and vital to the salvation and healing of Naaman and others not so good. All illustrate the various good and evil persuasions of people that either aid or hinder bringing men to Christ.

As we step into this scene, we leave the land of Israel, a nation that was to be a light to the Gentiles and a nation of priests. We step into Syria to the north, a heathen (pagan) nation surrounded in darkness, a place of idolatry and heathen blindness. In these verses there is an anticipation of the gospel that would go out from Israel through Messiah and then out from the church carrying the light of Jesus Christ to the Gentile nations. Naaman’s healing was an illustration of what God would later do in the ministry of the Lord Jesus and His church. Here, then, is a classic illustration of God’s Love, of how He reaches out to a people in utter darkness and uses their afflictions to draw them to Himself if they will only respond to His pre-salvation work of grace wherein God seeks to bring men to repentance (Rom 2:4).

The Description of Naaman
(5:1)

Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and highly respected, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper.

In this we have a picture of the sinner before he comes to God.

Naaman comes from the Hebrew verb naem, “be delightful, pleasant, beautiful.” It has the idea of “gracious” or “well formed.” Because of the significance of names in Scripture, this tells us something about the man. His name suggests he had undoubtedly been a handsome man, at least before the leprosy. Further, the implication is that he was also a gracious and delightful man. But his name became a reproach and a striking contrast to his appearance and probably also to his disposition because of the disease which had attacked his body. It provides a striking picture of mankind created physically and spiritually beautiful in God’s image before sin began to take it’s toll on both the disposition and physical body of man.

The way Naaman is first described gives us a picture of him as he was seen by people who tend to look mostly on the outward appearance.

(1) His position. He was “captain of the army of the King of Aram.” This means he was the General of the Syrian or the Aramean Army, second in command to the King. He was a man of great authority and position.

(2) His popularity and prestige. This is noted in the words, “a great man with his master, and highly respected . . .” Here was a popular man. He was a national hero as the general who had been victorious over the enemies of the nation of Aram. Upon his head were the laurels or wreaths of victory and upon his chest, medals of honor and valor. But would you also note the biblical perspective and truth regarding the source of victory and valor; it is the sovereign plan and power of God. He was a man whom God had used as He had Pharaoh and the Kings of Assyria and Babylon. Here again we see how the Lord uses the saved and unsaved alike to carry out His purposes and plans. But being so used does not save a person.

(3) His problem. He was a Leper. “But he was,” italicized in the NASB, is not in the Hebrew text. In the original Hebrew text we find only the word “leprous,” which highlights or emphasizes Naaman’s problem--the dreaded disease of leprosy.

In Scripture, leprosy is a portrait of sin and man’s true spiritual condition without the saving grace (spiritual healing) of God’s salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. Regardless of how men may see us or we may see ourselves, in God’s Holy eyes, we are leprous without the righteousness of Christ imputed to us through faith in the person and work of the Savior. This one word gives us God’s perspective of the true condition of this man regardless of how he was seen and thought of by man. Here we see a holy God’s perspective of man without Jesus Christ and the ravages of sin.

The principle we need to see is that “many today are perishing from the loathsome leprosy of sin. One may be great, successful, wealthy, honorable and mighty, but spiritually lost. To realize one’s lost condition before God, and to desire to escape from it are the first steps toward salvation. Naaman discovered this.”⁴⁵

But what exactly does leprosy in the Bible teach us about our sin and its effect in our lives? What can we learn from this story about man’s condition in sin and what God does for man in Jesus Christ to heal him from the leprosy of sin? Before we continue, let’s look at the subject of leprosy itself.

An Explanation of Leprosy

The biblical instructions for leprosy, the separation, isolation, and cleansing of the leper and thus the biblical foundation as a picture of sin are described for us in Leviticus 13-14. The Hebrew word for leprosy, x`r^A^T, was actually used of a wider range of skin diseases as well as what is today called leprosy or Hansen’s disease caused by the bacillus mycobacterium leprae. The Greek word is lepra from lepw which means, “to peel off in scales.” It is equivalent to psoriasis, only it was far more serious than the psoriasis we think of today. Scholars are somewhat in disagreement regarding biblical leprosy, but it appears that there were two main types. “The first, and by far the more dangerous, is called lepromatous; and the other, a more benign type, is designated as tuberculoid . . . Both start with discoloration of a patch of skin. This patch may be white or pink. It is most likely to appear on the brow, nose, ear, cheek or chin.”⁴⁶

(1) The Lepromatous Type: As this form begins to spread, portions of the eyebrow may disappear, then spongy tumor like swellings appear on the face and body. The disease is systemic and involves the internal organs as well. It is deep seated in the bones, joints and marrow of the body resulting in the deterioration of the tissues between the bones. The results are deformity, loss of feeling in the appendages, and in the fingers and toes eventually falling off. This form is incurable and lasts until the victim finally dies often by the invasion of other diseases because of the weakened condition. They may live for twenty or thirty years in this miserable condition.⁴⁷

(2) The Tuberculoid Type: This form is less severe and begins much like the lepromatous form with a change in skin color in one area and then spreading to other areas. This form is limited in its effects and often only lasts from one to three years. The person with this form, unless miraculously healed, could return to the priest and be declared cleansed or healed after observation. Other types of skin diseases were observed and when found not be to true leprosy or they disappeared, the people with these forms were also declared clean. Other than by God’s direct intervention, it appears the Hebrews had no cure for leprosy. In modern times there are very effective medicines available, and leprosy patients are usually not isolated.⁴⁸

One thing is certain, the term leprosy referred to several types of skin diseases which were rooted in the blood stream. When they were the lepromatous type, they were incurable and led to horrible consequences. Because of this, specific directions were given for leprosy in Leviticus 13-14. This was done first as a protection against possible spread in case it was contagious, but there was also a ceremonial or spiritual reason. Leprosy stood as a picture of sin and all its features and effects upon man and upon his relationship with God.

The Significance of Leprosy in the Bible

(1) The leper was considered unclean and had to be isolated from society to a certain degree. Wherever he went he was to cry out, “unclean, unclean,” and he had to wear black with a hood covering his face and live outside the city walls.

(2) Whenever the Lord Jesus healed a leper he always pronounced the person, not healed, but cleansed.

(3) True leprosy was incurable by man in Bible times just as sin is incurable for man (Jer. 17:9, “desperately sick,” “beyond cure” or “incurably sick”; see also Isa. 1:5-6). There is nothing man himself can do to deal with his sin problem. Further, his sin separates him from God and even from intimate fellowship with people (cf. 1 Cor. 5:9-13; 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1). When the Lord healed a leper, therefore, the picture should have been obvious. His power to cleanse a leper demonstrated He was the solution to man’s sin and defilement; He alone was and is the means of reconciliation, peace with God and man.

(4) The rite of purification in the Old Testament did not cure, it only recognized the fact a leper was cured, he was clean of the disease, or that he never really had the incurable type of leprosy. He could then be reconciled to society.

(5) Leprosy, like sin, begins within (with what we are) and then erupts on the skin (on the surface). As such, it clearly reminds us of the principle that men are, by an inherited nature, sinners and that it’s not just what we do that is so bad, but what we are. The point is the mouth speaks and hands do as a result of what the heart is and thinks (Luke 6:43-45; Ps. 51:5; 58:3; Matt. 12:33-34; Eph. 2:1f). With this in mind, compare Leviticus 13:1-4. Even the slightest blemish in the skin, a swelling (a boil), a scab (a small tumor), or a bright spot (a red or scaly place) was to be carefully observed to see if it was the product of something deeper, i.e., some form of true leprosy.

(6) The priest was to examine the skin and pronounce the person clean or unclean depending upon his observation of the facts. So today, since Christ has provided cleansing from sin, every believer as a believer priest is to detect sin in their own life and pronounce it sin when it first appears (1 John 1:8-10).⁴⁹

(7) The pain of leprosy, at least in certain forms, was not acute because it also killed the nerves in the affected area, but it kept the victim restless, miserable, and frustrated as they felt the stigma of the disease. They saw portions of their bodies become numb, muscles atrophy (waste away), tendons contract making the hands like claws, and then the ulceration of the fingers and toes and hands and feet resulting in their loss bit by bit until the whole hand or foot was gone. We must not miss the picture God wants us to see from this emphasis in Scripture. Sin is like this. Because of man’s separation from God, because of his spiritually dead condition and the hardness of his soul, he becomes insensitive, callused, restless and never satisfied. He often does not experience severe pain from his sin and waywardness, only insensitivity, restless misery, and futility, ever seeking some means of fulfillment running from one thing to another (cf. Isa. 57:20-21; Eph. 4:16-19). Even in apparent prosperity and happiness, not only is there a certain amount of inner peace and true happiness missing, but their ultimate plight is death, loss, and the judgment of separation (Ps. 1:4-5; 73:1-28).

(8) Because of the nature of the disease, the leper was often considered as dead; it was a kind of living death though physically alive. So men without Christ are nothing more than the living dead; though walking about they are spiritual zombies (Eph. 2:1).

(9) Regardless of one’s position, honor, power, possessions, or wealth, leprosy, like sin, is no respecter of persons. Naaman was a man of position and prestige, but he was also leprous.

(10) As seen previously, in Israel, according to the Law, lepers were excluded from society as a picture of sin and its effects. God used this to remind Israel of His holiness. Cleansing a leper meant being restored back to a normal life. The term “cure” in 2 Kings 5:3 literally meant, “to receive back.” This provides us with a fitting picture of our reconciliation to God and to one another (cf. Isa. 59:2 with 2 Cor. 5:18-21).

(11) Finally, the leprosy of sin destroys the pleasantness and beauty God meant for mankind in His creation. Sin deforms us, but in Christ we are made new creations and can be transformed into His glorious likeness (2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 12:1-2; Gal. 4:19). See also 2 Kings 5:14.

Namaan held a high position, but had a very great problem. We need to understand that God often uses the personal failures, sicknesses, and problems of men as a means so bring them to the end of themselves and to a knowledge of the Lord and His salvation. (Ps. 119:67, 71, 73). God uses problems in life to force us to face our deeper problem, the problem of sin, and the need of God’s forgiveness and salvation in Jesus Christ. This chapter illustrates this. Naaman went from his problem to God’s solution which was more than simply the healing of his leprosy. As we will see, Naaman came to know the true God. So, with verses 2 and following we will see how God worked in various ways, through the disease and through people to bring Naaman to the Lord. In these verses we have portraits of how God saves.

The Little Maid in a Foreign Land
(5:2-3)

2 Now the Arameans had gone out in bands, and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 And she said to her mistress, “I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.”

Here we see how the Lord always has His messengers of the Word. When there is a person whose heart has been prepared, God always has his messengers. Here, God’s messengers begin with a little captive slave girl. In fact, by His matchless grace, God worked through the unrighteous deeds of Naaman’s own army to bring this little slave girl into his own home to be the instrument of God’s Love.

But what kind of messenger does God use? He uses those who are available--those who know and love the Lord. Here was a small girl, humble, obedient, insignificant to men, living under dire conditions, but with a Romans 8:28 mental attitude; she was a girl using the problems of life as opportunities or as open doors to witness for God.

Though small, weak, and insignificant, this little girl knew the omnipotent and sovereign Lord of the universe with whom there was healing. She was willing to point others to the most significant Being of the universe, YAHWEH OF ISRAEL, who alone could cure Naaman’s disease.

Why do you suppose Naaman listened to her? After all what could a slave know? May I suggest that he listened because perhaps her life spoke volumes! Her life had been such a testimony that it gave credibility to her words.

Naaman’s Journey to Israel
(5:4-7)

4 And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus spoke the girl who is from the land of Israel.” 5 Then the king of Aram said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” And he departed and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold and ten changes of clothes. 6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 And it came about when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me.”

In verses 4-7, we have an excellent illustration of how salvation cannot be obtained. Oh, how these verses reveal the natural tendencies and perspective of the carnal mind. Here is a typical man who recognized his need to some extent, but he wanted to have a part in his healing. He was trusting first in power, position, and riches. Instead of thinking in terms of God’s grace, he naturally thought in terms of favoritism, the leverage of power, wealth, and what one can earn or buy.

First, in verse 4, Naaman went into the king with the news and to get permission from his king to go to Israel. The king was willing to help, and that’s good, but they immediately thought in terms of political and financial clout (vss. 5-6). They thought they could buy the favors of God from the prophet of Yahweh through the king of Israel. So Naaman was sent to the king of Israel rather than to the prophet of God. With him he took a large amount of silver, gold and clothes as payment. This was the typical cultural pattern of that day (and ours as well), but it is not God’s pattern.

So now with verse 7 we see the response of the king of Israel. First, this was the wrong response for the king. Though he had power, position and wealth, yet unlike the little slave girl, he had no witness. Instead of immediately pointing Naaman to Elisha, the prophet of God, he was paralyzed with fear; he was paranoid. He thought that the king of Aram was seeking some cause to create an incident and reason to attack. Instead of seeing this as an opportunity to demonstrate the power of the Lord, he thought only of himself. What a contrast to the little slave girl who thought of others rather than her own plight. Note that she could have thought, as many would, that he was getting just what he deserved. Or she could have tried to strike a bargain in exchange for her freedom.

Like the king of Israel, how quick we are to read things into situations and expect the worst rather than take life’s situations as opportunities to serve the Lord and to see Him work. Why? Because we are blinded and paralyzed by our self love.

But wait a minute, maybe there is a lesson for us here. It’s the lesson of the growth potential of accountability, service, and suffering. Through her accountability to her master, her service to his wife, and her own suffering being uprooted from her home and family, this little girl had learned to trust the Lord and then to think of others and their needs. The king, on the other hand, considered himself accountable to no one (a serious error). Further, he was always served by others and failed to see himself as a servant of the people. Thinking only of himself was simply a natural product of the kind of luxurious life he lived.

But from Naaman’s standpoint, what did this do for him? It shattered part of his trust in his human resources. That which he thought would buy his cure was worthless. He was literally left holding the bag, the bag of money in his leprous hand. He needed to learn, as all of us do, that we must never trust in the uncertainty of riches, or power, or position, but instead, to trust only in God’s grace and work in His Son. Compare Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; 1 Tim. 6:17f; 1 Peter 1:17-21; and Revelation 3:17-18.

Money, power and wealth cannot save us, make us spiritual, effective witnesses, or deserving of responsibility or leadership in the body of Jesus Christ. Only God’s grace and his gifts and blessings in Jesus Christ can do that.

The Invitation of Elisha
(5:8)

8 And it happened when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Now let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

Does this not illustrate God’s loving concern for the sinner. Again, God has his messengers. Though some will fail in their responsibility and ministry, the Lord watches over the seeking soul and at just the right moment, he sends one of his own with whatever is necessary to take the seeking person another step toward the Lord and salvation (cf. Rom 2:2-8).

Naaman represents the seeking soul, one in need of the Lord. Remember, God was using his leprosy as a means to bring him to a knowledge of the Lord. Elisha on the other hand represents the Lord. And Elisha, as God’s representative, said “let him come to me,” words which the Lord wants to speak to every unsaved person. For Naaman to come “to know that there was a prophet in Israel” was to come to know that the God of Israel was the only true God, and the only real hope in life (cf. John 7:17; Jer. 29:13; Acts 17:27; Rom. 2:2-8; 1 Pet. 3:9; Matt. 11:28; Rev. 3:20).

The Actions and Command of the Prophet
(5:9-12)

9 So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots, and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman was furious 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 wave his hand over the place, and cure the leper.’ 12 “Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.

In these verses we have a picture of the simplicity of salvation and of the necessity of humility in finding the Lord.

Naaman Goes to Elisha (vs. 9)

This must have been an imposing picture. Naaman in his chariot with his fine horses, with his gold and silver and fine clothes standing in front of the prophet’s house which was probably very unimposing by Naaman’s standards. Naaman was a proud man. He was proud of his accomplishments, talents, power, position, and wealth. He rode up arrogantly and thought, surely this lowly prophet of Israel will come out to me, Naaman the great warrior; and he will wave his hand over the area of my leprosy and I will be cured. We see his pride expressing itself in verses 9, 11 and 12, but especially in his anger at being told to go and wash seven times in the Jordan.

But who was Naaman? He was a sinner and a mere creature of God, who drew his breath from two small slits in his face (Isa. 2:22). Even the power, the victories he had enjoyed, and his accomplishments were given him by the Lord of the universe (so the importance of verse 1). What does the Scripture teach about the pride of man?

• God hates “haughty eyes, or the proud look” (Prov. 6:17).
• “When pride comes, then comes dishonor . . .” (Prov. 11:2).
• “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling” (Prov. 16:18).
• “A man’s pride will bring him low . . .” (Prov. 29:23).

Naaman had to be brought low; he had to be knocked off his high horse! (cf. Obadiah 3 and 4). God cannot and will not bless us as long as we are full of pride.

Why will a man’s pride bring him low? James gives us part of the answer. After telling us about the grace which God gives, he also reminds us that “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Who can experience God’s grace? The humble! Then from whom does God withhold his grace? The proud! Who are the proud? Those who are indifferent to God’s plan, who refuse to commit themselves to God’s plan, who attempt to handle life by their own abilities or strategies.

The Actions and Commands of Elisha (vs. 10)

That which the prophet does in this passage may seem rude; in fact, he would be severely criticized by many church members today and our politically correct society. His actions would be viewed as unloving, rude, and arrogant. But what Elisha did was really an act of love. It was a means of showing Naaman his pride so he could receive God’s grace and begin to count for God himself.

Sure Naaman reacted and snorted off. But note that Elisha didn’t run after him; it appears he simply turned it over to the sovereignty of God who then worked through the life of another to bring Naaman to his senses. As long as Naaman was proud, he would never obey the Lord in humble belief or faith.

Self conceit and the various ego trips of men are typical of the unregenerate heart and even of the carnal mind of the regenerate. It is so hard to realize just who we are, mere creatures, and to submit to God’s plan. We must let God be God!

The Reactions of Naaman (vss. 11-12)

First, let’s note what Naaman said as he went away in his fury in verse 11, “Behold I thought.” What verse of Scripture comes to your mind here? “There is a way that seemeth right unto man, but the ways thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12). Irving Jensen says of this: “This leprous, dying man had actually the presumption to devise in his own mind exactly the plan by which he wanted his cure to be affected.”⁵⁰

But that’s not all. Naaman had contempt for God’s solution and plan. To him it was base and foolish. He was thinking, why should I go wash in the muddy Jordan River in Israel when I have clear streams of water in Damascus? Of all the absurd ideas! Note the human reasoning here. The implication is: If a cure comes through bathing in a stream, then I have better streams in which to bathe myself.

But read Paul’s comments about man’s wisdom and solutions versus God’s wisdom and plan of salvation in the cross of Christ in 1 Corinthians 1:20-31. The world’s standards and ideas of salvation seem so much more logical in comparison to God’s which seems foolish and so simplistic. “Go wash in the Jordan seven times . . . and you shall be clean.” A very simple thing to do, surely, but Naaman objected. And so the Bible teaches, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). But simple faith is not so simple; men object. Ironically, Naaman “was willing to pay any price, willing to do any great deed of prowess, to make any fatiguing pilgrimage, but he was unwilling to obey a simple command ‘wash and be clean.’”⁵¹

What was the issue here? The washing? No. Would that cure him? No. It was the obedience of faith. It was personal faith in the command of the prophet and not the evidence of his faith, washing, which cured him. It was his simple faith in the word of God, the root. Washing was simply the fruit, the result.

So today, men are saved simply and solely by the obedience of faith, by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as one’s personal Savior. The obedience God asks is the obedience of faith in Christ. So Acts 6:7; Romans 1:5 and 16:26;⁵² 1 John 3:23 (here “believe” is the root and “love” is the fruit).

Man is so self willed. By his ego, his reason, by his own experience and desires, he wants things his own way; he wants to be saved his way; he wants to be spiritual his own way; he wants the church to operate his way, and on the list goes. But man must submit humbly to the wise plans of God or there can be no salvation, no real joy and fruitfulness, no deliverance.

Jensen says:

Verse 12 shows that in Naaman’s heart a struggle was going on between faith on the one hand and unbelief on the other. It was the crucial moment for Naaman, and Satan was trying hard to get the victory, as he does with every person on the point of making the great decision. Satan first appealed to Naaman’s reason: “See how unreasonable this remedy is! If bathing is the cure for leprosy, there are far better streams than this Jordan in which to wash.” He argued, “Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?”

Satan also played on Naaman’s pride, and pointed to the way in which he had been treated. Naaman, a great personage, 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 in this way, without any display or notice, to wash in the muddy Jordan River! So he turned away in a rage, and it seemed as though Satan had won.⁵³

Application

What are some of the key lessons we can glean from this story?

(1) God is constantly at work to lead people to Himself, no matter how dark their condition.

(2) God uses any committed believer, no matter how ordinary or insignificant he may be. How? Because of the mighty God who indwells us. This makes us significant as His instruments of light.

(3) The grace of God cannot be bought with silver and gold or power or position. We must come to God in faith and believe His revelation in the Scripture.

(4) In fact, power and position, silver and gold, can be a hindrance and an impediment to coming to Christ, as well as to effective service.

(5) Two of the greatest hindrances to experiencing God’s blessing for believers and unbelievers alike are: (a) our pride--Naaman almost lost out because of his pride, and (b) our opinions--Naaman almost lost out because his thinking was contrary to Scripture.

All appeared to be lost, it appeared Satan had won and that Naaman would go away without healing and without the saving knowledge of the Lord. But something happened. In the following, another part of the picture of how God saves comes into focus.

The Persuasion of Naaman’s Servants
(5:13)

Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”

This verse gives us an illustration of the value of loving care and of the importance of the right words at the right time to the unsaved (cf. Prov. 15:23, 28-29, 31; 16:21, 23). First, though we need to be praying for the Lord of the harvest to thrust out laborers into the fields, these verses illustrate how God somehow finds agents for His purposes. Perhaps these servants were themselves believers in the Lord of Israel and knew the power of the Lord, but probably not. Other than the fact they were attendants to Naaman, we know nothing about them. Still, they had wise counsel for the general.

Nevertheless, this may also illustrate the importance of wise and timely persuasion needed in personal evangelism. Notice the following points about the wisdom of their answer, an answer of the tongue as a timely word with sweetness of speech, yet honest and courageous evaluation.

(1) They were courteous. They called Naaman “my father,” showing respect and submission. They chose their words carefully that they might persuade Naaman and help him.

(2) They spoke from what they knew about Naaman. He was proud and courageous; they knew he was willing to do a great deed.

But, it was precisely this, Naaman’s pride and his personal opinion which was keeping Naaman from being healed. So, the four concerned servants tactfully sought a way to show Naaman that it was not his greatness, by which he would be healed, but by the greatness of the God of Israel. They were able to see from their more humble state and perspective that this was designed to demonstrate the power of the God of Israel. Should he not, then, heed the simple instruction of the prophet.

Finally, this simple command beautifully illustrates the simplicity of the gospel message of salvation in Jesus--that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone (Eph 2:8-10). The invitation of the gospel is “come, purchase without money and without price . . .” (Isa. 55:1). And how do you do that? By faith. The way of faith is the way of humiliation and repudiation of self worth, human ability, or religious works, which then casts us on the grace of God (Rev. 21:6; 22:1; Rom. 4:1-5; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:4-5). Faith is the one thing we can do without doing anything. Faith is the recognition of God’s ability and the repudiation of ours. Of course, there are those who read this passage and use it to promote baptismal regeneration, but the analogy of Scripture and the abundance of clear passages teach us that water baptism, as important as it is, does not save us. If that was true, then water baptism would be a part of the gospel message but the apostle Paul repudiates that idea in 1 Corinthians 1:14-17.

14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 that no man should say you were baptized in my name. 16 Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void (emphasis mine).

The Cleansing of Naaman
(5:14)

So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

The immediate cleansing illustrates the complete and instantaneous nature of salvation. We note that he was cleansed “according to the Word.” Salvation is always and only according to the Word, and never according to our feelings or emotions or human reason (cf. Rom 16:25-26). He was cleansed instantly and completely so that his flesh became like that of a little child, but not only his flesh, but his heart also. He became a new creature by faith in the Lord of Elisha the prophet.

The Gratitude and Response of Naaman
(5:15-16)

When he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now.” 16 But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

These verses provide us with an illustration of the first fruits of salvation. First, he confessed and acknowledged his faith in the Lord (vs. 15). From a grateful heart he wanted to give a present to Elisha to express his appreciation for what God had done.

However, Elisha, carefully and wisely refuses. Why? Elisha had accepted help from the Shunammite woman and her husband, and Scripture teaches it is right for those who are taught the Word to share all good things with him who teaches (Gal. 6:6) So why did he refuse to accept a gift from Naaman? Because there were other implicating issues that would be compromised by receiving a gift at this time. He wanted Naaman and all those watching to know he was a servant of Yahweh and not like the greedy heathen priests in the service of Baal. He also wanted them to understand that salvation and all of God’s blessings are free, they cannot be bought nor can they be earned (Rev. 21:6; 22:1; Rom. 4:1-5; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:4-5). Elisha refused to take anything lest he compromise the name of God and His grace (cf. 1 Thess. 1:5; 2:5; 2 Thess. 3:7-8 with Phil. 4:15-17).

Naaman’s Concern Regarding His Master’s Worship
(5:17-19)

17 And Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant at least be given two mules’ load of earth; for your servant will no more offer burnt offering nor will he sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD. 18 In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this matter.” 19 And he said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him some distance.

This certainly illustrates the kind of concern God’s people should have regarding their worship, their testimony and the appearance of evil. Naaman knew that he would have to return to his old environment and live in the midst of idolatry and evil. He was concerned that he might have a proper means of worship for he could no longer worship in the house of Rimmon. He would not compromise Yahweh. He needed a place and a means for worship, so he asked for permission (note the sudden change in attitude) to take two loads of soil back home. The exact reason is not specified, only implied. Some believe it was so he could erect an altar to Yahweh for a memorial or witness to the God of Israel in his own land. On this he could offer sacrifices as an evidence of his determination to forsake all other gods.

Another suggestion is, “Naaman asked Elisha whether two mule loads of Israelite soil might be taken with him back to Syria so that whenever circumstances forced him to bow ceremonially to the Aramean gods with his king, he might in reality be placing his knees in the soil of the true God of Israel.”⁵⁴ Regardless, Naaman was concerned about what God would think about his presence in the house of Rimmon.

Elisha’s only response was, “Go in peace.” This implies Elisha’s assurance that God understands. The issue was his attitude and heart. Perhaps this illustrates the principle of separation versus isolation. Believers are to infiltrate or penetrate the world for the Lord. As the Lord put it, we are to be in the world, but not of it (John 17:15-17).

So Naaman knew he would have to go back into the world and face the evil of that day. It was his responsibility, but he knew he needed fortification through the true worship of the true God if he was to be an effective witness.

---

45 Irving L. Jensen, II Kings With Chronicles, Moody Press, Chicago, 1968, p. 27.

46 The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, Vol. 2, Merrill C. Tenney, general editor, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1975, p. 138.

47 Ibid, p. 138-139.

48 Ibid, p. 139.

49 1 John 1:8-10 deals with confession of three issues: (1) confession of the principle of sin, the fact of a sinful nature (vs. 8), (2) confession of the particular, personal sins (vs. 9), and (3) confession of the practice, we are sinners (vs. 10).

50 Jensen, p. 29.

51 Jensen, p. 28.

52 There are always those who claim that we are saved by human obedience, the obedience of water baptism and other good works. They seek to support this with passages like Acts 5:32, “. . . whom God has given to those who obey Him,” Romans 1:5 and 16:26, “the obedience of faith.” But the obedience mentioned in Acts 5:32 is obedience to the command to believe in Christ, to put one's faith in Him as an abundance of Scripture shows. Compare John 3:16-18, 36; 6:29; 1 John 3:23; and Acts 6:7, “were becoming obedient to the faith.” Further, Romans 1:5 and 16:26 can mean, “the obedience produced by faith,” or “the obedience which is faith.” The obedience required is faith, faith defines the obedience. In the light of Paul's theology of salvation and sanctification, probably both ideas were included in Paul's statements; his goal as an apostle was to bring men to faith in Christ, but then through their new life, to be full of good works. For the issue of water baptism, see the studies on “Assaults on the Gospel” in lesson 7, Part 3 of the ABCs Series,

53 Jensen, p. 29.

54 NIV Bible Commentary, electronic media.