Naaman’s Miracle

2Kings 5:1-15 - Water Baptism

by Rick Welborne

2 Kings 5:1 (NKJV)

1 Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.

1. Naaman’s Condition.

–Naaman had a lot going for himself. (Commander of the Army)...nothing is supposed to go wrong with those who seem to have it all together. We all have our issues.
–He was great and honorable in the eyes of his master...we all need and truly desire the affirmation of those around us...He had that.
–As commander of the army God had even used him to bring victory to Syria. A mighty man of valor. This dude had it going. Really?
–He had a problem, a condition - leprosy - a bacterial infectious disease that attacks the skin, the flesh, and the nerves. It is contagious. Sounds like sin.
–How could he lead his army, how could he be great, how could he be honorable, how could he be a man of valor with this thing eating away at him?
–How many among us walk around everyday with spiritual leprosy asking ourselves how can I serve God, how can I serve people, how can I do anything with this in my life?
–Guilt and shame has a way of neutralizing any of us who succumb to its grip.

2. Naaman’s Commission.

2 Kings 5:2-5 (NKJV)
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.

–Naaman’s commission was planned out by a captive girl (whom God used) who was at the right place...at the right time.
–I do not want to divert very far from Naaman, but wasn’t this a captive girl who was a slave, in a foreign country? How can God use us when life has not be fair!
–These verses were given when God’s people were being carried off into captivity.

Jeremiah 29:10-14 (NIV)
10 This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place.
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

–Naaman’s commission was encouraged by the testimony of this girl...we may need to listen to the small voices around us who have our good in mind.
–Notice how the king said "Go now!!" There is such an urgency for us to fulfill the great commission.
–Partial obedience is disobedience, delayed obedience is disobedience...we must do what God says, when He says, and do it with the right attitude.
–Naaman goes to the king of Israel with a letter stating that he (the king) will heal him of his leprosy...amazing how information gets twisted...
–The slave girl had told them there was a true prophet in Israel who would heal him not a king...Elisha hears of the kings distress.

3. Naaman’s Confusion.

2 Kings 5:9-12 (NKJV)
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.

–Naaman became furious because Elisha did not even come out to pray for him...sent a messenger. Our tests have a way of causing what is in our spirit to come to the surface.
–Our preconceived ideas of how God works brings lots of confusion to many...we already know and have figured out what the miracle looks like and anything less will not do.
–He perceived that the washing in the river was what Elisha was saying that healed - not so - obedience to do what he was instructed was what would heal him...God would heal him.
–So many times we can be filled with facts (rivers clean as we wash) but not filled with faith.

Hebrews 11:1&6 (NKJV)
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

 --Jesus said, " If you love me keep my commandments." Obedience.

4. Naaman’s Cohorts. His companions or associates.

2 Kings 5:13 (NKJV)
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'?"

–It is highly important of whom we surround ourselves with...many of us will surround ourselves with only people who agree with us or will not challenge us when we are wrong.
–To his credit Naaman had surrounded himself with people who could approach him... people he trusted.
–He had people who could speak their heart. One of the reasons he was great.
–You need to hang with people who will encourage obedience or you will be hung with those who encourage disobedience to God’s Word.
–You can always find those (even in the church) who will tell you, "It is your life, you are an adult, you do what is best for you!"
–A true friend or brother or sister in the Lord is not someone who will tell you what you want to hear but will tell you what you need to hear. Amen!

5. Naaman’s Cure.

2 Kings 5:14-15 (NKJV)
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."

–To those being baptized...His cure came not through water (baptism) it came through humility & obeying. Your salvation will come the same way.
–His humility and obedience (his repentance of his bad attitude) led to God being glorified (No God in all the earth).

–Naaman requested to take two mule loads of dirt back to Syria so he could worship the true God on the land he brought back from Israel. That is a changed heart!