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Kings and Prophets
Elisha, Naaman & the offence of the cross.
By I Gordon
Introduction
There is a wonderful story in 2 Kings Chapter 5. You may know the one… The cast of characters includes a true prophet of God, a small Israelite girl kidnapped from her home, and a high ranking commander in the Syrian army who is badly in need of a wash! Well, seven washes to be correct, but that’s getting ahead of myself. As the story unfolds I’m sure you will agree with me that there is, in this passage in 2 Kings, a wonderful picture of salvation and the need to come to God on His terms. Let’s have a look!
Naaman - The man who had it all…
2 Kings 5:1 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the
king of
Right from the start of this chapter we are introduced to our main character. You might know him. His name is Naaman and he is a man who has it all. You see, through his hard work, courage, and dedication, Naaman has risen to the top! He is the commander of the Syrian army and has earnt the respect of all around him. He has got wealth, power, and honour. In short, Naaman is a winner! Who could ask for more you say? He has got it all… well, apart from that one small ‘but’ that scripture reveals…’but he had leprosy’!
I said in the previous paragraph that you might know him. To be more accurate, you might know many ‘Naamans’… They are people that seemingly have it all! They have wonderful homes, wonderful jobs, and wonderful families, and yet there is emptiness inside[1]. In short, there is always a ‘but’![2] Now, in scripture, leprosy is often used as a picture of sin,[3] and as such, it gives this whole passage a whole lot more meaning for us. You see, we all know people who despite their elevation in the eyes of the world, still have not answered the question of their own sinfulness, their own leprosy. So let’s look at how Naaman had to deal with that question.
And a child shall lead them…
2 Kings 5:2-5 Now bands from
Leprosy is incurable. Naaman knew that. You
can imagine his surprise then when he heard from a small Israelite girl that
she knew someone who could cure the incurable! Here was this girl… kidnapped
from her family and taken as a slave into a foreign land. And yet her simple,
yet rock solid faith in God and His prophets never wavered. For Christians, their
responsibility is to play the role that this girl did. That is, to point the
way, in simple faith, to the only one who can help… God! ‘I know a man who can
cure you’ she said. ‘The incurable is curable when God is involved!’ And so it
is with ‘curing’ the burden of sin that weighs upon all that don’t know the
Lord. For man it is an immoveable load. Yet God can move it.[4] So an
excited Naaman set out! And with him he took gold, silver and ten sets of
clothing. ‘Materialism’ had served him well in the past… why not this time?
‘Surely he should pay for his cure’ Naaman thought to himself. Well, we’ll see
if Naaman’s money was going to help him later. In the mean time, let’s look at
the reaction of an ‘unbelieving’ king of
The girl who was greater than a king!
2 Kings 5:6-8 The letter that he took to the king of
So Naaman came to
Naaman and his high horse…
2 Kings 5:9-12 So Naaman
went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house.
Elisha sent a messenger to say to
him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the
So Naaman finally arrives at the home of
Elisha. Unfortunately, Naaman brought his high horse with him. It was his
favourite, and one that he was reluctant to get off! You see Naaman, as we have
already seen, was held in very high regard. Both by those who knew him in
The stone of stumbling and the rock of offence
2 Kings 5:13-14 ‘Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to
do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when
he tells you, ‘
The New Testament tells us of something called ‘the offence of the cross.’ In a similar vain, it speaks of the ‘stone of stumbling’ and the ‘rock of offence’. (See Gal 5:11, Rom 9:33, 1 Pet 2:8, 1 Cor 1:23) What is it talking about? What is this stone or offence that people trip up on? Well, good question, for it is the same offence that Naaman felt oh so many years ago. Naaman was offended because he was willing to ‘do some great thing’, but he didn’t want to humble himself and simply wash in a river. That was too far beneath him. It is the same for those today that come to the Lord. Salvation cannot come to those who will not humble themselves[7] and acknowledge that there is nothing they can ‘do’ to purchase their salvation.
‘…the Gentiles…
have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but
This remains the most crucial issue facing those who seek salvation. Who do you trust in? Yourself or Jesus? ‘Religious’ people hate this[8]. It is as offensive to them as it was to Naaman in the days of Elisha. They always have to have their list of ‘great things’ which they have done to ‘help’ in their salvation. A simple faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus on their behalf is not enough for them.
But what about our friend Naaman… did he
come to his senses? Thankfully we read in verse 14 that he listened to the advice
of his servant and ‘went down and dipped himself in the
Salvation and healing are not for sale…
2 Kings 5:15-16 ‘Then Naaman and all his attendants went
back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in
Just finally we see the response of Naaman after his healing. He finally sees that the God of Israel is the only true God in the entire world. And isn’t that the truth! He also felt that he should, in some way, pay for the healing he had just received, and offers Elisha a gift. Elisha is adamant however… ‘I will not accept a thing!’ The blessings of God are not for sale. They are free gifts[9] of God to those who humble themselves and acknowledge their need of God.
Conclusion
Scripture says that ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ We have seen that there was healing for Naaman, but he had to get off his high horse first! So it is today. The worst of sinners can be forgiven when they come to God on His terms. How important is it that we believe the true gospel! ‘Many’ Jesus said, will come to Him at the judgement, and speak of all the great things they did. (Even things done for Jesus, and in His name). Yet He will say ‘Depart from me you workers of iniquity… I never knew you!’ Why? Because they had never truly been saved. They had never seen their lost state and their absolute need of Jesus’ work on the cross… plus nothing.
Reader, do you know that assurance of your salvation that the Holy Spirit brings to those that are His? (See 8:15-16). Have you descended from your high horse to see that your absolute need to Jesus?