How a man of God should be? ?
2 Kings 5:1-19
How a man of God should be?
2 Kings 5:1-19, Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honourable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valour, but a leper. 2 And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” 4 And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.” 5 Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6 Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy. 7 And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal
him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.” 8 So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes?
Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 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 became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘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 heal the leprosy.’ 12 Are not the Abanah and the 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. 13 And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”
16 But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 17 So Naaman said, “Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord. 18 Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord please pardon your servant in this thing.”
19 Then he said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a short distance. Very familiar passage. I am sure you must have hard this sermon before, but I would like to look at in a different angle how a servant of God should be?
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 means, “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 its 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. 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. His popularity and prestige. He 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 honour and valour. 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.
His problem. He was a Leper. 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 Saviour. 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.
The principle we need to see is that “many today are perishing from the loathsome leprosy of sin. One may be great, successful, wealthy, honourable 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.
Slave Girl in Syria 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.
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.
Why do you suppose Naaman listened to her?
After all what could a slave know. He listened because perhaps her life had been such a testimony that it gave credibility to her words. Naaman’s Journey to Israel 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 favouritism, the leverage of power, wealth, and what one can earn or buy. V 8, So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
Elisha is convinced that Naaman will never forget meeting a prophet in Israel. Naaman can be imperial and exalt himself above everyone in the conquered nation， including even intimidating the king by his mere presence but that will stop when he meets the prophet. From Naaman's arrival until his departure Elisha ensures that this happens with the utmost impact.
The Invitation of Elisha When Elisha heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king. Asking Naaman to come to him, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. V 9, Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house.
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. Surely Naaman expected the “red carpet” treatment because he was a VIP.
He was a revered and feared military commander. He had a letter from the king of Syria. He had just come from the king of Israel. He had just met with the king of Israel one to one. Even though he had dropped in unexpectedly the king of Israel met with him.
Naaman had his own preconceived ideas about how his healing should take place.
He assumed that on his arrival, Elisha would be duly impressed with his power and prestige. 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. Even the power, the victories he had enjoyed, and his accomplishments were given him by the Lord of the universe.
What does the Scripture teach about the pride of man? God hates!
Proverbs 6:17, A proud look, A lying tongue,
Proverbs 11:2, When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.
Proverbs 16:18, Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 29:23, A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honour.
The Command of Elisha. What Elisha 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.
Elisha 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! What would have the modern-day preacher would have done? Why preachers so quick to take the people to share their pulpit? Why preachers are willing to put the celebrities in the pedestal? The same preacher gives lecture about pulpit as holy place not to wear the shoes but then they have no issues who are politician.
Why would the pastor pray for the politician to be elected?
Looking for a favour in return? Naaman obeyed the servant’s voice. He goes down and gets dipped 7 times and healed. Naaman come s back to meet with Elisha.
The man who did not even see Elisha when he first arrived outside his house now has a face-to-face conversation with the prophet. Elisha refuses to accept any gift. V 15, And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”
Naaman offering willingly.
What Elisha did not do? He did not organise a meeting to proclaim. He did not put a video. He did not send out newsletter. He did not put a testimony video. V 16, But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.
I will receive nothing! He urges him but he refused. The prophet refuses the payment despite his repeated pleas.
On the one hand, it appears that Naaman fears to leave a debt behind. On the other hand, that is exactly what Elisha wants to happen. The reason could be that Elisha wants Naaman to feel indebted to God, which could eventually diminish if he pays the prophet.
Conversely, he might want Naaman to feel indebted permanently in a way that dictates a change of lifestyle wherever he goes. A payment may not erase Naaman's sense of gratitude, but it could easily diminish his sense of commitment because as the story reveals, it will be quite difficult for him to live a life of commitment to the LORD.
2 Corinthians 11:7, Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?
3 John 1:5-7, Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, 6 who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, 7 because
they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. Elisha’s name in Hebrew means “God is salvation” V 19, Then he said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a short distance. We are here to bring peace between a sinner and the Holy God through faith in Lord Jesus Christ.