2 Kings 5:1-12 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 2 Kings 5:1-12. As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first. See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
2 Kings 5:1-12 (NIV)
1 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.
2 Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.
3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”
4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said.
5 “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing.
6 The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!”
8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house.
10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”
11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.
12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.
On verses 1-12: Naaman was a high-powered commander of Aram’s army, yet he had a disease that his influence, intelligence and experience could not solve. He had leprosy. So with the recommendation of an Israelite slave girl in his house, Naaman gets permission from the king of Aram to go to the king of Israel to see if Elisha the prophet can heal him. Naaman brings with him a huge amount of gold and silver. He brings about 70 kgs of gold, which in today’s currency would be worth over US$4 million as well as about 340 kgs of silver, which in today’s currency would be worth about US$225,000. At first the king of Israel is offended by this request, but Elisha is willing to help. When Elisha tells Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan River, Naaman is angry because he expected Elisha to do something far more “spiritual” like praying a prayer or commanding sickness to go away. So Naaman left in a rage.
What can we learn from this?
1. Like Naaman, we all have a sickness that our intelligence, influence and experience cannot heal. That is the sickness of sin, which will kill us if we are not cured.
2. Just as the Israelite slave girl knew someone who could help Naaman find healing (Elisha), you and I know someone who can cure our disease. His name is Jesus.
3. Don’t jump to conclusions like the King of Israel did, assuming who give you difficult requests are just trying to make life difficult for you. Try to understand the heart behind their request and you will have an easier time responding to the request and loving the person who made the request.
4. Like Naaman, we all may have preconceived notions of how God should work. But when God does not work the way you expect, it doesn’t mean that there is no God. It just means YOU’RE not God. So be open to God working in ways that are other than what you expect. Otherwise you might miss some of the greatest miracles and blessings He has for your life.
Father, thank You that You are always working. Thank You that You are working everything out for my good and for Your glory, even if the way You’re doing it is not what I would expect. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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