March 12, 2005

• Am so tired today. had to get up at 4:30 this morning to get my son to school for the semi-finals of science olympiad. Am hoping he does well with the events that he has scheduled.

  
  

  My friend and I were discussing how Leviticus had so many instructions for the rites that the priests had to do when a leper was cured, but in the Old Testament the only one who was cured of leprosy was Naaman (2 Kings 5). We figured that these rituals were in place for when Jesus came on the scene and lepers were healed right and left. Often Jesus sent them to the priests to show their healings and receive the cleansing. In those days leprosy was a death, and a lonely one at that for the lepers could not be touched. It was awesome that Jesus would touch the lepers, and that may have been the first touch of kindness they received for years and years.

  
  

  Leprosy was a kind of sin, because we know that sin leads to death. Regarding Naaman, a few ideas. (2 kings 5)

  
  

  A slave of Naaman from Israel suggested that he go to visit Elisha. Elisha offers to let Naaman be healed so that he knows there is a prophet in Israel (v.8)

  
  

  Naaman’s pride wanted Elisha to come to him to heal him because Naaman was a man of valor. Instead Elisha sent a messenger to tell him to wash seven times in the Jordan.

  
  

  Naaman was going to refuse to do this because he wanted Elisha to come to him, he felt there were other rivers as good as the Jordan River, and so many other excuses.

  
  

  (Heather’s notes) How often, when we receive the spiritual guidance we receive from God, from our elders or pastors do we reject it because it seems so simplistic, not what we expected. I am so guilty of putting God into a box, figuring that not only can I come to God for healing, but that I can tell him how to go about it. Sigh, and sometimes the answer is so simple, just dip seven times in the River Jordan, Pray a Psalm, ask for help, give the problem over. But my mind is such that I have to know all the whys, wherefores, and a well laid out map.

  
  

  Fortunately for Naaman, his servant told him to do it, and Naaman gave it a chance and his flesh was restored like a child. And because of this, He knew that the God of Israel was the true God, for no other god on earth could cause such a healing.

  
  

  The word Jordan means Judgement, and 7 is a number of completion.  This is such a picture of salvation.

  
  

  1, Leprosy was a picture of sin – starts out as a tiny sore, and grows, and ends up eating away at the whole quality of a person’s life.

  
  

  2. The message of hope comes, from the servant girl, the weak things.

  
  

  3. The message is more important than the messenger. He did not have to see the messenger Elisha in order to hear the Word of God of Judgement (Jordan) and washing, he just had to obey the message.

  
  

  4. He became like a little child. We today need cleansing from our sin by washing in the blood of the lamb. And often when we are in error we are informed of it by someone we would not ordinarily listen to. (Sometimes a child, or a person that is not one we recognize in authority) so we must be ever alert to listen for the message. As we are cleanses we too become like a child.

  
  

  Elisha did not accept a gift for this healing because salvation is freely given,

  
  

  V. 20 Gehazi (which means denier in Hebrew) was the servant of Elisha. He comes up to Naaman and says that really Elisha could use with a few gifts,  Gehazi is a kind of type of Judas Iscariot., and we as servants of God must watch out that we do not act like him, or fall under the spell of one like Gehazi. Gehazi wanted to suggest to Naaman that the gift of salvation, healing is not a free gift of God, but one that we through works (garments and silver) must earn.

  
  

  1. Compassionless 2 Kings 4:27, he wanted to push Naaman’s servant away, and not bother his master with the needs of healing.

  
  

  2. Powerless, when the widow’s dead son, he could not raise him from the dead using Elisha’s rod, so Elisha had to come to pray for the son.

  
  

  3. Selfishness – firstfruits he wanted to keep the first fruits for himself instead of sharing with others.

  
  

  4. Covetousness, he wanted the silver and garments that Elisha refused.

  
  

  He was fooled because he thought that he could pull the wool over Elisha’s eyes by hiding the garments and money from Elisha in a secret place. (Heather’s note: how often do we think that if we sin in secret that somehow God doesn’t see us. He sees us, and we end up hurting ourselves and our walk.)

  
  

  Then he tries to lie to Elisha instead of confessing his sin. and the ultimate repercussion of his behavior is that he and his family forever had the leprosy of Naaman’s forever.

  
  

  No matter how good the teacher, no matter how much knowledge we have, it is so easy to stray from the path, to lose our focus and gain greed, or pride. No one is impervious to falling into sin.

  
  

  I will try to write more, but I have a son pacing the floor hoping for a chance at the computer. Not to mention a vacuum cleaner that is calling my name.

  
  

  Heather

  
  

   

  • 4:29 pm
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