Coming to God - Walking From God

2 Kings 5:1-27

Chapter 5 of 2 Kings is a wonderful picture?of the person who has nothing, hears about Yahweh, and in goes ?all in? and in responding, is given a gift beyond their ability to comprehend. It?s the process of salvation in picture form. Side by side we have the picture of someone who has access to it all, goes ?all in? to the flesh, and end ups worse off than they could have ever imagined.

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It all involves who you are listening to and who you are obeying. With one person, we see them listening to the proclamation of the gospel, trusting beyond themselves to get a benefit that is a gift from God. Then you have someone who listens to their own heart, rejects the word of God, and tries to get benefits for themselves when God has specifically said it isn?t His will.

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1 ? 5a

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Naaman is an amazing person. He is the picture of the person who comes to Christ.

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First, he?s working for Israel?s enemy, yet it is the LORD who gives him victory?God?s enemies teaching God?s people a lesson because of their disobedience. As we?ll see, Naaman is not far from the kingdom and actually becomes converted through this situation. He must have sensed something else was going on in his life, some other force at work, just as the Lord draws us with ?cords of kindness? and ?bands of love.? (Hosea 11:4)

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Second, he is stained by leprosy, which separated him from everyone around him.? Leprosy is a picture of sin. We might not see it, but sin marks us and rots us, not from the outside in, but from the inside out, even as Jesus said ?For out of the heart of man come evil thoughts ?? (Mark 7:21).

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Naaman hears of possible hope for his condition, not realizing the full implications of what this will mean for his life, just as when we first hear the gospel we don?t really understand just what propitiation means, but we hear hope for our desperate situation and we want to jump on it.

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I like this girl. She?s been taken captive by is not bound by her enemy. In her place of difficulty she still reaches out with love to those who have enslaved her.

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This reminds me of what Paul said in Romans 12:14-21

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14? Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15? Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16? Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.? Never be conceited. 17? Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, \"Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.\" 20 To the contrary, \"if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.\" 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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I?m not sure given the same circumstances that we would act the same. We?d be calling down curses on the evil Syrians. We might be amazed what good could come if we pray for and find ways to bless those who treat us badly.

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So Naaman goes to his king?and this is amazing too. Instead of treating Israel as an enemy and not taking any benefit from them, the king sees value in the life of Naaman and does anything he can, including ?bowing? in a way before Israel, to see him helped and sending him with valuable treasures, 750 pounds of silver ($156,000 @ $13/oz) and 150 pounds of gold ($2.1 million @ $915/oz).

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6 ? 7

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Apparently Ben Haddad II made no mention of Elisha in the letter and Joram basically thought this was an occasion for war. That?s why he tears his clothes. It should have been a reminder to this king who God really is but Joram took it personally and politically, rather than spiritually. It could also have been an opportunity for peace between these two nations, with Yahweh in the center. Perhaps there was nothing about Elisha in there because Ben Hadad II assumed that all Israel must follow Yahweh and would know all about the healing He offered.

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8

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Elisha either heard of or was given supernatural knowledge of what happened in the palace. Basically he says, ?You should have rejoiced in the opportunity to give God glory. Have him come to me so that he will know who God really is.?

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9 ? 10

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Naaman probably prepared himself for a grand spectacle?the gifts received, the prophet coming out to him in pomp and circumstance. But Elisha doesn?t even come at all, but sends a messenger with instructions that seem ludicrous. It?s the message of the gospel, not its presenter that matters, and at first the cross seems foolish.

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1 Corinthians 1:18-19 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: \"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.\"? NIV

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11 ? 14

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It makes sense from a human perspective, especially considering our nature to earn everything we get, and Naaman?s recognition of the seriousness of his condition, that he would have expected a great trial or grand ceremony to cleanse him. He underestimated the power of God. Also, God needed to take the final step with Naaman, which was to humble him. He needed to be baptized in the Jordan River?in the River in the land of Yahweh. This is of course rich with symbolism. He comes out with skin like a little child. What a trip!

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15 ? 19a

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Here?s a man who has been converted. No longer to impress, his gift is simply to say ?thanks.? But God cannot be bought. What he wants is not the treasure of our hands but the treasure of our hearts, belonging to Him. Naaman is thinking ahead. He knows he has to keep serving his boss Ben Hadad II, but when he bows, he wants to do it on Israelite soil and really worship Yahweh. He would be a secret believer like Nicodemus. Elisha grants the wish. I?m not sure there is a spiritual principal for us to apply here, except that there are times when in our lives we feel like we are serving the world, say if we are a school teacher, or a government worker?constrained from speaking for the Lord in the workplace. But by living our lives as believers, God still gets glory, even if we can?t speak out all the time.

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19b ? 27

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20 ? Gehazi misunderstood the grace of God (?he was too easy on him?)

20 ? He saw ministry as an opportunity for personal gain (Jude 11)

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Jude 11 Woe to them! For they walked in? the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain? to Balaam?s error and? perished in Korah?s rebellion. ESV

22 ? He misrepresented God?s Word for his own purposes

23 ? He thought minimizing the sin made it better

24 ? He thought by hiding the sin he could get away with it

25 ? He lied to the Lord (through Elisha) when confronted and did not repent

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Conclusions

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Naaman (the gospel is free, and no work or treasure can buy salvation)

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Starts out stained and separated

Does his best given great handicaps

Knows his condition is lacking

Hears hope for a cure, without knowing all the details, only where to go to find it

Gives his all to get there (goes to the king, letter, treasure)

Hears how simple it is and disbelief and even anger erupts

Finally, as pride is the last barrier to fall, he finds healing

Intense gratitude expressed for the incredible gift of life

Ends up clean as a baby and worshipping God

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Evidence for Naaman?s conversion: Humility (washing, getting down off the chariot to greet Gehazi), Allegiance (neither the king of Syria or Rimmon were more important), and Selflessness (giving the gift out of gratitude)

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Gehazi (the gospel is free and no man should benefit from it except as God provides)

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Starts out knowing the truth and being close to the source

Let?s temptation get the best of him (?I will get something from him?)

Lies about his master, then lies to his master

Justifies himself by taking only some of the treasure

Lies turn to theft which in turn leads to deception (hiding the goods)

God knew his heart and his actions

He ends up unclean and separated ? and would infect future generations as long as he was not repentant.