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10/07/2022
He's a non-profit prophet.
“Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.
Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’
Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said.
‘By all means, go,’ the king of Aram replied. ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’
So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: ‘With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.’ “
- 2 Kings 5:1-6 NIV (2007)
Glorious
As we stumble into the coronavirus pandemic, there’s something in us that wants both a quick solution and a grand gesture.
We don’t just want this over with, and now. We want it to end a certain way.
With a Hollywood blockbuster-style moment. One where over-the-top heroics beat out impossible odds. With a special effects-laden spectacle that will fix everything. In an undeniable moment of awesome.
It makes for great entertainment. And it’s an understandable impulse. Because it scratches an itch that’s at least as old as the Bible.
Which is why yesterday’s first reading is so timely. In it, we meet Naaaman. Naaman is a VIP, the commander of the king’s armies. He’s used to public spectacles and grand gestures.
So when Naaman gets sent to the prophet Elisha to cure his leprosy, Naaman is expecting that the cure will require something just as glorious as he is.
Which is why Naaman is disappointed to the point of anger, when he finds out that he doesn’t need to climb the highest mountain.
All he has to is wash. In the local river. Again. And again. Until the disease has run its course. And he’s healthy again.
There’s nothing special about that. It’s all simple things. Stuff anyone can do.
That’s the point. And the takeaway for us.
The things that are going to see us through this crisis are not the stuff of Hollywood blockbusters.
It’s all simple things. Wash our hands. Again. And again.
Keep your distance, yes. But keep an eye on each other.
Find out if your neighbors need anything. Help them get it, especially if they’re elderly or vulnerable.
Pray for them. And let them know that someone is praying for them.
Offer to bring them communion. Especially if masses are cancelled in your area.
Be the one that keeps medical isolation from becoming personal and spiritual isolation.
It’s simple things. Stuff anyone can do.
The very things that will see us through this.
The very things that God is calling us to do.
The very things that actually are glorious.
Today’s Readings
The Power of Servants
Once again in the books of Kings we have a subtle lesson in the text giving us the real message of the narrative. The 5th chapter opens with Kings, conquering Generals, and the prophet of Israel. We are invited to see the life of a Syrian commander stuck in a desperate situation. 2 Kings 5:1 (ESV) 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.
The first thing we should note is this narrative focuses on a foreign general who has been responsible for victories against other nations, most likely one of them is Israel. Yet, for all his glory and fame he had an incurable disease - leprosy which serves this passage as an analogy for sin.
Though we should conquer the world and win accolades of the crowds, we all have a condition that will undermine all we accomplish and eventually finish us, that spiritual disease of sin which brings death.
Now the journey of Naaman's deliverance begins not in the halls of power but in the simple suggestion of a servant girl.
2 Kings 5:2–4 (ESV) 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.”
This servant girl goes down in history as one of the noblest people to have ever lived. She's a captive and she's separated from everything she knew and loved. But she is not so bitter as to wish death upon her captors. No, in fact, she wants to help them. And the voice of the servant begins to move Naaman toward healing. We should also notice how the king of Syria misses this completely, sending Naaman with a letter to the KING of Israel and not to the prophet.
2 Kings 5:5 (ESV) 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.
The king of Israel is overwhelmed with this request, tearing his clothes when Elisha sends him word to not worry but requests that Naaman be sent to him for healing. When Naaman arrives with scores of valuables in his ancient motorcade Elisha instigates another interesting twist in the story.
2 Kings 5:10 (ESV) 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.”
Another servant brings word that intends to move Naaman toward healing. But he's offended. First, perhaps at the manner of reception Elisha offers, not even coming to the door for this great man. But secondly, at the suggestion that Jordan's waters can offer anything of value. To be honest, Naaman has a point here as anyone who's been to the Jordan will tell you, it is one unimpressive river.
Thankfully, MORE servants speak and move him further toward healing...
2 Kings 5:11–13 (ESV) 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’?”
The theme is clear. Naaman is overcome with a condition for which he needs miraculous healing but he will not achieve it through his notoriety, reputation, importance or achievements. He will only receive the healing as he listens to the servants whom God keeps using to bring him to the Jordan.
This is how salvation works. We do not arrive at salvation because of who we are or what we have done or what we may do in the future. Some Christians base their salvation on God's foreknowledge of their future choice for God. That is another form of works-based salvation dependant on YOU and it is anathema to the Gospel of grace.
No, Naaman offers us a picture of Biblical salvation, which is undeserved, unmerited and freely offered to us by God's chosen servant who speaks. When we listen and obey we are healed and cleansed as Naaman was in this chapter. Thankfully, God uses ordinary servants to accomplish his purposes in saving this man. He can use you as well.
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Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. — 2 Kings 5:1 | King James Version (KJV) The King James Version of the Holy Bible is in the public domain.
2 Kings 5:14-16
So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. 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 Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.” The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.
NAAMAN
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