Daily Devotional For Monday, August 5, 2024

Good morning Southside. It is Marvelous Monday. I say that because you are entering a new week with the Lord with all kinds of experiences He has lined up for you. Seize them and do them this week for His glory. Sometimes God’s ways do seem strange to us. God puts it this way in Isaiah 55:8-9:“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. (9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts” (ESV). 

This verse reminds us that we can only see what we actually see. God sees into the future. He knows everything that is going to happen, why it happened, how it happened and how to guide us in it and through it. Therefore, we must be ready for His leading us through situations that might seem strange, or awkward or uncomfortable. In the Old Testament there is a story that shows us this clearly. It is a story about a man named Naaman.

Here it is in 2 Kings 5:1-14:

“Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. (2) Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman's wife. (3) She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” (4) So Naaman went in and told his lord, “Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.” (5) And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 

(6) And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” (7) And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.” (8) But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.” (9) So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and 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, and you shall be clean.” 

(11) But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. (12) Are not Abana 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. (13) But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” (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” (ESV).

Leprosy was one of the worst diseases to get in that day. It is highly contagious. Today we call it “Hansen’s Disease.” It is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. The disease affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosal surfaces of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes. Leprosy is known to occur at all ages ranging from early childhood to old age. Since it kills the nerves, in biblical days people would be disfigured. They could cut off a finger for example and not know it because the nerves were dead. Since you cannot feel pain in the affected areas, you have less of a way to know an injury has occurred. 

Advanced stages of leprosy can cause blindness, paralysis of your feet and hands, sores on the soles of your feet that do not heal, burning and tingling skin and shorter toes and fingers. Naaman, his name means “gracious, which is something God will be with him, if he will obey God’s prophet.. Here is a man who is highly successful in his Syrian military career, but is being defeated by leprosy. Since he is still active, he either hid his leprosy or it was not visible to others. If it was known, he would not have been allowed to continue in his military career. He would have been put in isolation from his family, friends, and etc. Now the Bible is clear it was the Lord who gave Naaman his victories. Now this may bother some people because Naaman was not Jewish. But the writer of 1 & 2 Kings lets us know this as a way to prove that God is sovereign over all nations and their leaders. 

Raiding parties into Israel provide Naaman a source to be healed. It is a young Israelite girl, who could have been filled with hatred, revenge and kept silent since she is living in exile from Israel as well. She is the servant to Naaman’s wife. God uses her to get word to Naaman about the prophet Elisha. When he gets word, he tells his king. It seems that what God had been doing through Elisha had speed from the lowest levels all the way to the top in the Syrian Empire. Old Testament scholar Paul R. House writes this:

"Syria’s king acts the only way he knows—like a king. He writes a letter of introduction and demand, loads Naaman down with gifts, and sends his commander off to be healed. He does not know that true prophets do not work for money, nor are they paid by the king, nor does the king have authority over them. Thus, sending Naaman to Israel’s king does Naaman no good. Israel’s king certainly understands the futility of the letter, for he knows he is no healer. He too thinks like a king and suspects that Syria is looking for an excuse to renew old hostilities. He has no idea that deep personal pain and a child’s pure motives have caused this trip” (Source: Paul R. House, The New American Commentary, Vol. 8, “1 & 2 Kings,” p. 272).

Elisha sees this as a way to prove to Syria that Israel’s God is Lord of all and he is God’s legitimate prophet. He decides to help his enemy, Naaman. To his shock, Elisha told Naaman to go to the Jordan River and dip 7 times in it and he would be healed. From Damascus, the capital of Syria, to the Hulah Valley in Israel, where the Jordan River starts, it was approximately 150 miles to travel. This means by horse or horse and chariot Naaman could not get there in one day. In biblical days they could travel, depending on the health and speed of the horse, up to 25-35 miles per day. So, we are talking 5-6 days of travel to go dip 7 times in your enemies’ main river rather than two beloved rivers in your own country. Old Testament scholar G.H. Jones writes this:

“Elisha “may have been demonstrating that he was not a wonderworker who expected payment, or else indicating he wished no political involvement with Syria, or again be deliberately testing Naaman’s faith” (Source. G. H. Jones, New Century Bible Commentary, “1 & 2 Kings,” Vol. 2, p. 416).

Naaman not only sees this as a test of humble faith but he misinterprets God’s solution as an insult due to national pride and personal expectations. He expected something magical or spectacular in terms of a display for his healing. So, instead of initially getting healed, he stomped away in rage. But it is Naaam’s servants who come to him and confront him about his pride with words of common sense. If he was willing to do something difficult to be healed, why not do something little or small to be healed. What could it hurt? He followed their advice and was healed. 

His conversion ranks up there with other Gentile conversions such Rahab (Josh. 2:9-13), Ruth (Ruth 1:16-18), and the sailors and Ninevites in Jonah (Jonah 1:16; 3:6-10). In the words of former radio broadcaster Paul Harvey, “And now the rest of of the story” in 2 Kings 5:16-19a:

““Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.” (16) But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. (17) Then Naaman said, “If not, please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the Lord. (18) In this matter may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, 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) He said to him, “Go in peace.”” (ESV).

Now healed in a way he never dreamed, Naaman is a convert to the God of Israel and he realizes his conversion leads to some new commitments:

• First, he tries to give Elisha a gift out of gratitude for his healing. Elisha refuses because Elisha knows he didn’t heal anyone. God did. Thus Elisha shows to Naaman he cannot take credit for something he did not do. All credit goes to the God of Israel. 
• Second, he asks if he can take some dirt home with him in order to build an altar to the Lord in his homeland. This was a common practice back then just as it is of pilgrims to the Holy Land to bring back souvenirs from it. 
• Third, Naaman requests Elisha give him one more indulgence  — forgive him for participating in worship of Rimmon when such participation is necessary for him to carry out his official duties. Rimmon was a Syrian version of Baal. Naamn makes it clear that this “worship” will not be real worship, since he has already confessed Yahweh’s sole existence and sovereignty. 

Elisha gives Naaman his blessing. Some argue that Elisha’s blessing is being too lenient or that the prophet Elisha was given into religious accommodation as we see today by so many people who call themselves Christians. Let me give you three reasons why I do not think that is the case here:

• First, Naaman simply asks if the Lord or God of Israel would forgive him. He does not ask permission to worship Rimmon, Syria’s version of Baal.
• Second, Naaman has stated his opinion of Rimmon and has declared his intention to serve and offer sacrifices to Yahweh.
• Third, Naaman must create what amounts to a personal outpost for the worship of Yahweh in Syria. He can pray, but there is no opportunity for community worship in Syria, nor is it likely that he can come back to Israel to worship. Elisha understands these realities and lays no more guilt on Naaman than Elijah did on Obadiah (see 1 Kings 18:1-15). Again, his commitment to the Lord is already greater than all but a remnant of the faithful.

In the rest of 2 Kings 5:19b-27, Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, certainly thinks Elisha has been too lenient. Why? Because Gehazi  focuses on financial, not spiritual, leniency. He is determined to get some of the goods “this Syrian” brought as a gift for Elisha. In this way he shows himself as greedy as Elisha is unaffected by wealth. As Old Testament scholar O.B. Long states:

“Further, his greed contrasts the generosity shown by Naaman, who is “the humble and charitable healed one, who still, it develops, wishes to reward his benefactor , , , Gehazi, on the other hand, appears “opportunistic and duplicitous, grasping at those outpourings of gratitude which a principled Elisha has refused” (Source: O.B. Long, 1 Kings With An Introduction To Historical Literature: Forms of Old Testament Literature, p. 74).

When he catches up to Naaman, Gehazi lies to get silver and clothing, then stashes the loot before he sees his master. Elisha confronts Gehazi by asking where he has been. Once more Gehazi lies, but this time he has lied to a man who knows he has lied. After reminding Gehazi of his special spirit, he rebukes him for accepting money for a healing ministry. Then Elisha pronounces a strict judgment. Gehazi will inherit Naaman’s leprosy, just as Naaman seems to have inherited Gehazi’s faith. 

One man goes away healed because of his obedience, while the other man, indeed the one who should have known what matters most, walks away with leprosy — the worst infectious disease of that day. Yet another Israelite has made the tragic mistake of choosing a substitute for the Lord, while a Gentile convert has discovered that what his servant girl said about the Lord’s prophet is true.

Naaman was insulted initially and left in a huff. Many church people have a similar problem: We think we know exactly how God should answer our prayers. But if He doesn’t do it our way, we get mad and walk away. Thankfully, Naaman’s servants were wiser than their master and convinced him to reconsider. Naaman relented, tried Elisha’s remedy, and was healed. Humbled, he went back to the prophet to offer his gratitude and thankfulness. Let’s be careful about presenting God with our preferred solutions. He is bigger than our imaginations, and He can answer our prayers in ways we don’t expect. On the one hand, Naaman was not only healed physically of leprosy, but he was healed spiritually by the Lord. Gehazi on the other hand, died physically by leprosy and died spiritually by the hand of the Lord.

Questions To Consider

1. Naaman is a mirror of us at times. We get, or someone we love gets a bad medical report and we immediately think we know how God should bring about healing. Do you ever question what God told you to do? Why or why not?
2. Have you ever been angry at God for something? What was it and how did you resolve your anger against God? What did the reaction of the king of Israel say to you when he read the letter from the king of Syria about healing his servant Naaman?
3. Yes, God could have told Naaman to go dip 7 times in either the Abana and Pharpar Rivers near Damascus. Why do you think God told Naaman to travel some 150 miles and dip 7 times in the Jordan River? 
4. Naaman expected some kind of show by Elisha. Read 2 Kings 5:10-11 again. Elisha is not like our modern day “faith healers,” who are about putting on a show. This disappoints and angers Naaman. Why do you tend to want a “show” rather than a simple statement from God about what our next step should be? Is God’s Word in Scripture enough for you to trust, or do you prefer more? However you answered, why?
5. In the end Naaman, at the persuasion of others, does what he is told. He is healed of his leprosy and converts to the God of Israel. What other actions and attitudes of Naaman proved this? What actions and attitudes prove you are a genuine disciple of Jesus Christ?
6. In the end, the roles are reversed. Elisha’s servant, who should have known better, got greedy and lied multiple times to Naaman to get the reward. Naaman, a Gentile and a pagan initially, understood what was happening and gave it to Gehazi anyway. God used Elisha to give Gehazi another reward for his greed and lying in the name of God — leprosy. What is the lesson to learn from this?
7. Who have you known that has walked about from God because God did not do what they wanted and how they wanted it done? How did you talk to them about this and what were the results?

Scripture to Meditate On: Isaiah 55:8-9, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.  “And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. (9) For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts” (NLT). 

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, I am so sorry when I question Your perfect and infinite wisdom. I know You know everything from the past, present and future. I know you know what is best for me, even the bad things You allow. I pray and ask You to help me trust You no matter what happens to me or comes my way. I love you Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside!—Pastor Kelly