who told naaman about the prophet elisha

21 So Gehazi hurried after . I would also like to suggest that Gehazi was Ananias-like (Acts 5:1-11). 15 He and his entire entourage returned to the prophet. He sought to show his appreciation by offering Elisha the payment for services rendered which he had brought with him. Naaman came from a country that worshipped false gods, and yet after his healing, he was able to confess, I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel (verse 15). He was highly favoured; in fact . 17So Naaman said, If you wont take it, please have someone give me as much dirt as a pair of mules can carry. He believed that Jesus could heal his servant, and he was also convinced that the Lords authority was so great that distance would not hinder Him. Elisha was in the prophet-making business (the school of the prophets); Gehazi was in the profit-making business (getting some of Naamans wealth). Neither one of them were right in their relationship to God. I would not be surprised if Naaman gave this young girl her freedom. I will give you a letter to take to the king of Israel., Naaman left and took along 30,000 pieces of silver, 6,000 pieces of gold, and 10 new outfits. Gehazi was looking out for himself. In Israel, there is a prophet of Jehovah named Elisha. Invite a student to read 2 Kings 5:9-10 aloud. Aside from having skin restored to perfect condition, Naaman received so much more: 1) The revelation that the God of Israel is the only God. The silver alone which Naaman brought was worth five times this much, and that does not take into account the gold and the clothing. It seems you would be happy that he simply said, Wash and you will be healed. 14 So he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, as the prophet had instructed. I fear that there was a Judas-like spirit in Gehazi. Couldnt I wash in them and be clean? So he turned around and left in anger. PDF ELISHA THE PROPHET AND NAAMAN - Bible Storytelling In 2013, there was another particularly special find. For less than $5/mo. And when he comes forth after dipping the final time, his skin was like that of a young child. Jacob took special notice of the ground on which the ladder in his dream had restedthis Israelite soil on which he had spent the night. 18May the Lord forgive me when my master goes to the temple of Rimmon to worship, leans on my arm, and I have to bow down in the temple of Rimmon. As the reader can see, it was really not a problem at all, but the king of Israel failed to see the solution.113 The king of Syria assumed that there was a close relationship between the king of Israel and the prophet of Israel, as there should have been. As commander of the army of the king of Syria, it would seem that he was also the kings bodyguard. Besides, paying well for his healing would keep Naaman on higher ground(i.e., higher status), thus enabling him to maintain his dignity. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him and asked, Is everything okay? 22 He answered, Everything is fine. The Lord had given Aram a victory through Naaman. a brave and helpful servant a girl who remembered the power of the God of Israel KEY VERSE Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.Psalm 37:5 PROLOGUE Things were definitely not good in Israel. 17. The Life and Times of Elisha the Prophet The Healing of Naaman (2 While leprosy may have been a burden to Naaman, it brought him to Israel to the prophet Elisha who told him about the one true God. Elisha means "God is salvation ." He was anointed by Elijah while plowing in his father Shaphat's field with 12 yokes of oxen. It would take several weeks for her to see her primary care doctor. His words betray a strong sense of racial pride and prejudice. He was committed from that day on to worship and to live as God instructed. Gehazi chose instead to tell yet another lie. He had brought with him 10 units of silver, 6,000 shekels of gold, and 10 suits of clothes (verse 5). He is still highly esteemed by his master, the king of Syria, but there is hardly a disease which could be more devastating to Naaman. Naaman anticipated that the miracle would then be performed immediately, in some dramatic fashion (not unlike some religious folks perform for their television audiences today). The Holy Bible: CEV Your Young Christian's First Bible, Hardcover, CEV Leather Presentation Bible: Contemporary English Version, Leather, CEV Economical Bible, Paper, Blue - Slightly Imperfect, CEV Extreme Faith Youth Bible, Paper - Slightly Imperfect. I will send a letter to the king of Israel. So he went, taking with him ten units of silver, 6,000 shekels of gold, and ten suits of clothes. All of you should realize and understand that hes trying to pick a fight with me., 8But when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a messenger to the king. His solution was to take some Israelite soil with him. This man was a good soldier, but he had a skin disease. There is a radical change in this mans attitudes and actions after his healing. As the servant of Elisha, he had seen the hand of God at work through his master, and he had heard the Word of God. Sir, would you please accept a gift from me?, 16I am a servant of the living Lord, Elisha answered, and I swear that I will not take anything from you., Naaman kept begging, but Elisha kept refusing. March 06, 2020 For those of us who attended Sunday school as kids, we may have heard a story about Naaman. Elisha spent some of his time with the kings of Israel and on one occasion . What is the problem? . 5Naaman, the commander of the Aramean kings army, was respected and highly honored by his master. Worshipping God is no longer a matter of being in the right place, but of believing in the right personJesus. Elisha Heals Naaman 5 Naaman, the commander of the Aramean king's army, was respected and highly honored by his master. 5 Insights for Interpreting the Deaths of Ananias and Sapphira. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More. That is, it was not the appropriate time to accept gifts from Naaman. His skin and body were healthy! It is true, however, that our author (as other Hebrew writers) is not always as concerned with chronological sequence as we are, and thus all of the incidents we find in this book may not be chronological. Elisha replaced Elijah as Israel's chief prophet and also performed many miracles through the power of God. The gospel does not seek to flatter our egos, but to humble us with the knowledge of our sin and condemnation. Then the prophet could cure him of his skin disease.. It was not Elisha who made the request, and it was neither Elisha nor two young men from the hill country of Ephraim that would benefit from this gift. They both had a problem with the contemporary issue of the relationship of church and state. The king of Syria mistakenly viewed the state as having power over the church, and thus he assumed that by sending a letter to the king of Israel, this king could instruct the prophet to heal Naaman. A ray of hope came from a most unlikely sourcean Israelite slave girl, the servant of Naamans wife. God's love and mercy is showered on all men and women in all the earth, no one being exempted from it. He did not seem to understand grace at all. Then he would cure him of his skin disease.. Elisha Cures Naaman's Leprosy. God's blessing is on the Gentiles as well as the Jews. They sought to persuade Jesus to heal the centurions servant, mainly on the basis of his deedsdeeds from which they benefited greatly. For less than $5/mo. He was a servant of the people, demonstrating God's love and compassion. The inference is that these men are in great need (or, perhaps, that those from whom they had just come were in need as well) and that a contribution from Naaman would meet their needs, and yet still not be a gift to Elisha. How could you accept silver, clothes, olive orchards, vineyards, sheep, cattle, or slaves? ELISHA AND NAAMAN - Living Truth He lived up to his name. There will be more on this in the next message. In 1 Kings 16:24, we are told that king Omri of Israel paid Shemer two talents of silver for the hill on which he then built the capital city of Samaria. When I read Naamans words here, I cannot help but think of the words of another Gentile in Jesus day, the words of a centurion: 5 When he came into Capernaum a centurion came to him asking for help, 6 saying, Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible anguish. 7 Jesus said to him, I will come and heal him. 8 But the centurion replied, Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 3 She told her mistress, If only my master were in the presence of the prophet who is in Samaria! New King James Version Naaman agreed that the God of Elisha was the one true God and promised to only serve him. Let Naaman come to me. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me. While Elisha asked Elijah for a double portion of his spirit (2 Kings 2:9), it would seem that Gehazi wanted nothing to do with the spirit of Elisha. I am inclined to think that Gehazi came out and began to convey Elishas message to Naaman before this Syrian commander had the chance to say anything. Lesson 102: 2 Kings 5-13 - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day As a prophet (or seer) of God, Elisha would not necessarily have had to be told why Naaman had comehe could have known (see 2 Kings 5:26). 112 Great, KJV; well-to-do, NIV; prominent, NAU; notable, NKJ; wealthy, NLT; woman of rank, NJB. He was a former scholar-in-residence at Logos Bible Software. He was good because He was both God and man. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. Whereas Elijah had been a solitary figure, spending much of his time alone without even a servant ( 1 Kings 19:3; 2 Kings 1:6) Elisha was often found in the company of the "sons of the prophets" ( 2 Kings 4:38-41; 6:1-7) and even with the elders of Samaria (6:32). Send him to me so he may know there is a prophet in Israel. 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood in the doorway of Elishas house. I have already suggested that Gehazis sin was Judas-like. [ a] 2 Now the Arameans had captured from the land of Israel in a raid a little girl, who became the . 15Then he and all his men returned to the man of God. He had been incredibly successful in leading the Syrians in their attacks against Israel. Way back in the Book of Genesis we read of Jacob fleeing from his older brother, Esau, because he had bargained him out of his birthright and had also stolen his blessing. And Naaman left. Syrian general whose miraculous recovery from leprosy is told in II Kings v. . The king of Israel had the opposite problem. The display of power, so transparently without sacrifice or incantation, awakens Naaman to the fact that Yahweh of Israel is the true God. There is one final thing that is most distressing about Gehazi in our text. SCRIPTURE:2 KINGS2:1-14; 5:1-19 MEMORY VERSE:PHILIPPIANS4:19 BIBLE STORY: Elisha was a companion and helperto the elderly prophet Elijah. . Old Testament 4, Lesson 6: Naaman and Elisha - Seeds of Faith Podcast 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. Suddenly, Gehazi's skin became white with leprosy, and he left. The money, which meant nothing to Elisha, meant a great deal to Gehazi. Naaman's servants convinced him to go ahead and follow Elisha's advice. As Naaman left to return to his homeland, it was apparent that he had gained much and had lost nothing but his arrogance and his leprosy. He said, I thought he would at least come out of his house, stand somewhere, call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the infected place, and heal the skin disease. He had a letter from the king of Syria, and he had just come from the king of Israel, with whom he had an audience, even though he had dropped in unexpectedly. My Book of Bible Stories. The problem is that we dont usually have anyone at the top to whom we can appeal. 4Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. This is not the proper time to accept silver or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and male and female servants (2 Kings 5:26b). 6He also carried the letter to the king of Israel. 15 And I am with you, and will protect you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. 2 Kings 5:19 "Go in peace," said Elisha. But after Naaman had traveled Heres where the story usually ends in our telling, but that would result in the omission of one very odd detailwhat Naaman asks to take back home. The biblical meaning of Naaman means "pleasant". This man was a good soldier, but he had a skin disease. The Lord had helped him and his troops defeat their enemies, so the king of Syria respected Naaman very much. Right before we tour Ahab's ivory palace (which I dub the White House), we retell the story of Syrian General Naaman's meeting with Elisha, Prophet of Israel. What does God's mercy have to do with Naaman? But now that He has come to the earth, He is the ladder. Sir, from now on I will offer sacrifices only to the Lord. 2 Kings 5 NIV - Naaman Healed of Leprosy - Bible Gateway Jesus used the story of Naaman to illustrate the point that: No prophet is accepted in his own country. Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me." Gehazi is like too many people whose livelihood is obtained through the exercise of their religion. Naamans words are exactly what we would hope for in a new believer. Gehazi hid this treasure in the house, where he was sure Elisha would not see it, but his sin was already known to the seer. When Gehazi went in and stood before Elisha, the prophet asked him where he had been. Not surprisingly, Naaman and his master, the king of Syria, chose the top down approach. 2 Raiding parties went out from Syria and took captive from the land of Israel a young girl, who became Naamans wifes servant. May we do likewise. The centurion knew that he was unworthy of our Lords presence, and so he modified their request to one that was consistent with his assessment of himself and of Jesus. 18 May the LORD forgive your servant for this: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to worship, and he leans on my arm and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD forgive your servant for this. 19 Elisha said to him, Go in peace.. Now it is time for him to pay, and pay well. I think this helped to salve the conscience of Gehazi, as he did this evil thing. 2 Kings 5 NIV - Bible Hub As certainly as the LORD lives, I will run after him and accept something from him. 21 So Gehazi ran after Naaman. he was advised by a captive Israelitish maiden that the prophet Elisha could cure him. Would you cure him of his leprosy?, 7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes in fear and shouted, That Syrian king believes I can cure this man of leprosy! This man sends someone to me so that I can cure his skin disease! Immediately after Babel, Yahweh called Abraham and the nation of Israel was created. In seeking her masters best interests, I believe she experienced Gods blessings as well. Naaman stood in front of him and announced, Now I know that the God of Israel is the only God in the whole world. Was it wrong for anyone to possess such things at that time? Bible Lesson: Elisha and Naaman - Kids Bible Lessons He asked, Am I God? It has been lightly edited. Here was a man who was committed to worship the God he had just confessed as God alone. The kings words, Am I God? Gehazi also has to concoct a story, which is a complete fabrication. Copyright 2023 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. If Gods presence was associated with the land of Israel, then how could Naaman possibly worship God on Syrian soil? 11 When he came on a place he spent the night there because the sun had gone down. What can help you to have courage to tell others about Jehovah? Please give them a unit of silver and two suits of clothes. 23 Naaman said, Please accept two units of silver. Naaman assured Elisha that even though he might be bowing down with the king, he would no longer be worshipping Syrian gods. BibleGateway+ less than $5/mo. As he was about to leave Israel, he had a dream in the night: 10 Jacob left Beersheba and started to go to Haran. 2Once, when the Arameans went on raids, they had brought back a little girl from Israel. I urge you to follow Naamans example and to accept Gods only means of cleansing and salvationfaith in Jesus Christ. Listen to them carefully: Look, my master did not accept what this Syrian Naaman offered him (verse 20). The reader knows that both Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24) and Elisha (2 Kings 4:18-27) have raised someone from the dead. After Naaman had gone only a short distance. 117 You will note that this text in Lukes Gospel is a parallel passage that is cited in Matthew 7:1-10 earlier in this message. Somehow to him, it seemed terribly wrong. He had gone only a short distance, International Standard Version "Go in peace," he said. The rest of the Old Testament is the story of Gods intention to reclaim every nation on earth. The word young in verse 2 is translated little in several versions of the Bible (KJV, NAU, NJB), and young in others (NET Bible, NIV, NKJV). Naaman stood in front of Elisha and said, Now I know that theres no god in the whole world, except the God of Israel. Stay up to date with the latest Christian news! Naaman was a powerful warrior in the Syrian army who had leprosy. This means that for all intents and purposes, Naaman will be admitting that his gods are powerless to heal him, and that only Israels God can do so. But he does tell Naaman a story which seems in keeping with the character of Elisha, who refused to accept any gratuity from Naaman. When Jesus sent out His disciples, He expected that people would provide for them and support them, as an expression of their faith. He was called to follow Elijah in 1 Kings 19:19, and he spent the next several years as the prophet's protg, until Elijah was taken into heaven. When the two meet, Elisha tells him rather dismissively that he needs to take a bath in the Jordan River. 12What about the Abana River[c] or the Pharpar River? Scholars believe that God delivered Israel from wicked Ahab through the bow of Naaman, thus the words of 2 Kings 5:1. Gehazi is just as determined to do so. The rest of 2 Kings 5:1-19 tells us how a young Israelite girl, whom Syrians took captive and was made to wait on Naaman's wife, told her mistress that a prophet in Israel can heal his master's leprosy. 3The girl told her mistress, If only my master were with the prophet in Samaria. All rights reserved. The first thing we are told about Naaman is that he was a great man, highly esteemed by his master, the king of Syria. Then you'll be completely cured., 11But Naaman stormed off, grumbling, Why couldn't he come out and talk to me? There were those similarly minded who came before himlike Balaam, just as there would be those like Simon Magus who would come after him (Acts 8:9-24). Naaman was a great and mighty man who seemingly has his put life together. He gave His life on the cross of Calvary, to bear the penalty for our sins. He would certainly call on the name of his god115 and wave his hand over the diseased area, healing Naaman with the style and dignity that suited a man of his stature. Bible Lesson: Elisha and Naaman - Ministry-To-Children Indeed, he sends Naaman back with the wealth he brought to Israel. His skin became healthy again like a little childs skin. Eventually, she was unable to go to work. They cannot demand a have it your way kind of salvation; instead, they must humbly submit to that salvation which God has provided. 19Go on home, and don't worry about that, Elisha replied. Why does he ask me to cure a man of his skin disease? He saw that the presence of God was particularly associated with the land of Israel, and thus even though he was leaving that land, it was his intention to return to it.116. Can I kill or restore life? Perhaps he finds some consolation in this. was healed! Naaman grasps the logic of the argument and concedes the point. I would have to say that the answer must be No. The Shunammite woman was quite wealthy, and we would assume that she and her husband possessed all these things. It may be that Gehazi later repents and is restored, because we shall find him again in chapter 8. This is shown spectacularly in the life of a Syrian commander named Naaman. Let us not forget who Gehazi washe was Elishas servant. Elisha the Prophet Built on the Miracles of Elijah - Learn Religions It was humiliating enough for a Syrian celebrity to come to Israel and to seek healing from an Israelite prophet. He tells Gehazi that it is not the time to accept these things. This Gentile centurion had faith that was greater than most Israelites, and so did the Gentile, Naaman. And yet he chose to forsake his master for material things, to cling to lies rather than the truth, to seek to gain rather than to give. If Naaman was willing to do something great, why would he not happily do something small? This also places Naaman in the very awkward position of having to travel to Israel, a country that he has often entered in his official position as commander of the armies of Syria. A letter from the top down got immediate results. Naaman tied up 150 pounds of silver in two bags with two sets of clothing. He was there all the time, in spirit, observing his servants sin. When he had gone a short distance, 20 Gehazi, the prophet Elishas servant, thought, Look, my master did not accept what this Syrian Naaman offered him. He was a giant in the mind of his master, the king of Syria. "please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord." How can this be? And of course the prophet could also have been informed by someone who had been there when Naaman appeared before the king of Israel. 13But Naamans servants went to him and said, Master, if the prophet had asked you to do some extraordinary act, wouldnt you have done it? He goes to the Jordan and dips himself seven times in its waters. Then he sent the men on their way. If he were to be saved from his incurable disease, he wanted to be saved his way, in a way that was easy on his ego, and which left him in control of the situation. This is why Jesus can speak as He does to the woman at the well (John 4:21-24). He was willing to pay a very high price, or to do something very difficult, if necessary. They have been given His promises and they have turned away from Him and ignore His messengers the prophets. 5 The king of Syria said, Go! 2 Once, when the Arameans went on raids, they had brought back a little girl from Israel. And so he requested that Jesus heal his servant long distance, by the mere speaking of a word. He did not have a commitment to tell the truth. But because the kings of Israel had ceased to seek divine guidance, and because they assumed that the prophets always spoke against them,114 it never entered this kings mind to turn to Elisha for help when he was in trouble. There was no need for the king to tear his garments; all the king needed to do was to send Naaman to Elisha to be healed. In 2 Kings 5:17, Naaman follows the request with an explanation: for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the Lord. The dirt and Naamans new allegiance to the God of Israel are related. Elisha - Wikipedia Naaman is Healed | Teach Us the Bible Get a roundup of new Word by Word articles in your inbox each Friday. Requests for help from the bottom up (i.e., from the patient) had not been taken seriously. TERMS OF USE Naaman - Wikipedia This would have been hard for anyone to believe, but surely Gehazi should have known better than to try and deceive a prophet. Elisha, Prophet - Amazing Bible Timeline with World History He received a personal knowledge of God because of what he experienced. He does not ask for all of the treasure that Naaman has brought with him. He would have liked to have been able to point out that he had come with silver and gold and fine garments to pay for Elishas services. We certainly know that Naaman possessed such things, and Elisha does not require him to give them up. He was a good commander and was held in favor because of the victory that God brought him. 19 "Go in peace," Elisha said. Her master is responsible for many raids against Israel, and therefore the death of many Israelitesperhaps even this young girls parents. We do not find it difficult to understand why he would say that it was not the time to accept silver or clothes. It is the system of choice. Then he dismissed the men, and they left. But why don't you take twice that amount of silver? He convinced Gehazi to take it all, then put the silver in two bags. Naaman, standing outside of Elisha's house, was furious when he was greeted by a messenger instead of the prophet himself. It did not even occur to him that he should seek the help of Elisha, who as a prophet of God, was able to heal Naaman. There seem to be only two possible approaches. Answer. Please click here to learn how. Can you imagine her joy when she saw her master returnhealed, and a believer in her God? Naaman was concerned about his worship in another way, which concerned his work. Where Are Giants in the Bible Other Than Goliath? Naaman was a brave soldier, but he had leprosy. Naaman tried to pay Elisha, but Elisha refused the gifts.

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