how did naaman get leprosy

So he went, taking with him ten units of silver, 6,000 shekels of gold, and ten suits of clothes. Money, power and wealth cannot save us, make us spiritual, effective witnesses, or deserving of responsibility or leadership in the body of Jesus Christ. They may live for twenty or thirty years in this miserable condition.47, (2) The Tuberculoid Type: This form is less severe and begins much like the lepromatous form with a change in skin color in one area and then spreading to other areas. 2 Kings 5-6 NIV - Naaman Healed of Leprosy - Bible Gateway Since there was no cure, it was all downhill from there. 23By all means, take two talents, said Naaman. I appreciate your feedback. May I suggest that he listened because perhaps her life spoke volumes! A man named Naaman commanded the king of Aram's army. We see his pride expressing itself in verses 9, 11 and 12, but especially in his anger at being told to go and wash seven times in the Jordan. All illustrate the various good and evil persuasions of people that either aid or hinder bringing men to Christ. 10) means "the plantings of Adonis." Naaman was a distinguished general who had often led the Syrians to victory. . Here was a popular man. Thank you so much for sharing Dorcas. But his name became a reproach and a striking contrast to his appearance and probably also to his disposition because of the disease which had attacked his body. He lived up to his name. Naaman and His Leprosy - Preachers Corner As we step into this scene, we leave the land of Israel, a nation that was to be a light to the Gentiles and a nation of priests. This point is a whole sermon all by itself. 54 NIV Bible Commentary, electronic media. NAAMAN - JewishEncyclopedia.com And he was very wealthy too. Again, God has his messengers. 4:1-5; Eph. Naaman's leprosy is cured - Catholic Courier Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and highly respected, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. Elisha supported his new found faith walk by allowing him to take the soul. 12:33-34; Eph. Elisha Heals Naaman of Leprosy - 2 Kings 5 Bible Study (3) His problem. How a Servant Girl Helped Naaman to Be Healed | Teach Children - JW.ORG But his servants reasoned with him and got him to do as Elisha had said. He thought that the king of Aram was seeking some cause to create an incident and reason to attack. Verse 12 shows that in Naamans heart a struggle was going on between faith on the one hand and unbelief on the other. According to the Bible, Naaman was a commander of the army of Syria. Pride shows up in many ways. Because we are blinded and paralyzed by our self love. The humble! 3 And she said to her mistress, I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! 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 was furious and went away and said, Behold, I thought, 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 cure the leper. 12 Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? , Thank you for the sermon and God bless you and give you more wisdom to interpret the Lords word to many people, Youre welcome Naomi. (E) 6The 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., 7As soon as the king of Israel read the letter,(F) he tore his robes and said, Am I God? Cleansing a leper meant being restored back to a normal life. Although he was valiant and respected, Naaman was a leper. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.. . (Prov. Thank you, Wairimu. Here is a typical man who recognized his need to some extent, but he wanted to have a part in his healing. Sometimes lifes most timely and powerful advice comes from unlikely places. At the end of the lesson the class will lose their spots just like Naaman did. So today, since Christ has provided cleansing from sin, every believer as a believer priest is to detect sin in their own life and pronounce it sin when it first appears (1 John 1:8-10).49. Naaman was highly esteemed by the king of Syria (or Aram) because of the many victories won by the Syrian army. In those days, leprosy was said to be contagious. He was a national hero as the general who had been victorious over the enemies of the nation of Aram. Naaman was angry and would have left, but his servant asked him to try it and he was healed. The Bible tells us he was a great man and honorable throughout the land, but he was a leper. The first, and by far the more dangerous, is called lepromatous; and the other, a more benign type, is designated as tuberculoid . It was just a horrible and humiliating and absolutely slow and painful way to die. The obedience God asks is the obedience of faith in Christ. Naaman had a disease that wouldn't go away. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. Just like what happened in John 2, at wedding at Canna. AS HONOURABLE AS NAAMAN WAS .HIS BUT WAS THAT HE WAS A LEPER, THIS MADE A HINDERANCE TO HIMSELF AND THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM. He could then be reconciled to society. In fact, by His matchless grace, God worked through the unrighteous deeds of Naamans own army to bring this little slave girl into his own home to be the instrument of Gods Love. 344, 361, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Naaman&oldid=1151262581, This page was last edited on 22 April 2023, at 22:45. Instead of thinking in terms of Gods grace, he naturally thought in terms of favoritism, the leverage of power, wealth, and what one can earn or buy. (2 Kings 5:11-12). Unfortunately, he was a leper. He did not want to wash in the Jordan because it was the muddiest, dirtiest river around. James gives us part of the answer. If you are a Bible study teacher, you are free to allow this content to influence the lessons you teach or the sermons you present. Does leprosy have pain? Abraham Appeared To Have It All Washing was simply the fruit, the result. Regardless of how men may see us or we may see ourselves, in Gods Holy eyes, we are leprous without the righteousness of Christ imputed to us through faith in the person and work of the Savior. Who are the proud? 6:14-7:1). 18But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning(Y) on my arm and I have to bow there alsowhen I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this., After Naaman had traveled some distance, 20Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. His Israelite servant girl suggested he go to Elisha to be healed. New Living Translation Because you have done this, you and your descendants will suffer from Naaman's leprosy forever." 14:12). He was trusting first in power, position, and riches. 21So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. How Did Naaman Get Leprosy? In all these respects it resembled sin. After all what could a slave know? They thought they could buy the favors of God from the prophet of Yahweh through the king of Israel. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. Thank you so much for sharing. But what exactly does leprosy in the Bible teach us about our sin and its effect in our lives? (1) The leper was considered unclean and had to be isolated from society to a certain degree. 24When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. Youre welcome J. Glad you found this useful. . The whole Elisha and Naaman story is way more exciting than this summary. Naaman is one of the most popular characters who had leprosy in the Bible. Ultimately, everybody is a potential tool in the hand . But wait a minute, maybe there is a lesson for us here. He was concerned that he might have a proper means of worship for he could no longer worship in the house of Rimmon. But simple faith is not so simple; men object. 3:4-5). YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Josephs coat of many colors: Meaning, significance and lessons learned. Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet(J) in Israel. 9So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elishas house. Naaman, a great personage, had come to make a request of a king and pay handsomely for services rendered. My master sent me to say, Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. But the Bible doesnt tell us how Naaman got leprosy. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. And just because he was not receiving the kind of respect and welcome that he was accustomed to, he was about to give up on his blessing. A Bible Story for Adults. His soul was washed as well. We must not miss the picture God wants us to see from this emphasis in Scripture. Because the nerves can no longer alert the body to danger, fingers and toes fall off because of infection and other things. Often lepers were quarantined in communities away from society, as we see in Luke 17:11-19. Expect God to do weird things in answer to our desires. Because of mans separation from God, because of his spiritually dead condition and the hardness of his soul, he becomes insensitive, callused, restless and never satisfied. The passage ("because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria," II Kings 5:1) upon which the identification of Naaman with Ahab's slayer is based by the Rabbis is referred by G. Rawlinson, however, to the Syrian triumph over Shalmaneser II. There was no cure! No matter how feeble or misguided our faith, he is looking for that one step that shows Him that we believe in his existence and His power. If youre all in, God is all in as well. Scholars believe that the victory ascribed to the Lord in this passage is the one mentioned in 1 Kings 22 . Naaman was not happy with Elishas instructions. Only Gods grace and his gifts and blessings in Jesus Christ can do that. Jesus was talking Jews who were raised to believe gentiles were created for hell. His name suggests he had undoubtedly been a handsome man, at least before the leprosy. No matter the difference in economic or social status, everyone has something to contribute to our lives. Though small, weak, and insignificant, this little girl knew the omnipotent and sovereign Lord of the universe with whom there was healing. This says something about the kind of relationships he had with them. Yet Naaman was a leper. Further, the implication is that he was also a gracious and delightful man. We now delve into some lessons from the story of Naaman. By faith. 5:1 Naaman a great man had leprosy Previous Next 2 Kings 5:1 "Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was the commander of the army for the King of Syria. But consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me.. Leprosy stood as a picture of sin and all its features and effects upon man and upon his relationship with God. But Naaman went away angry and said, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 45 Irving L. Jensen, II Kings With Chronicles, Moody Press, Chicago, 1968, p. 27. They saw portions of their bodies become numb, muscles atrophy (waste away), tendons contract making the hands like claws, and then the ulceration of the fingers and toes and hands and feet resulting in their loss bit by bit until the whole hand or foot was gone. This one word gives us Gods perspective of the true condition of this man regardless of how he was seen and thought of by man. Youre welcome. He stood before him and said, Now I know(U) that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Remember, God was using his leprosy as a means to bring him to a knowledge of the Lord. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper. Thanks Siabeenzu . Listen to the seemingly insignificant voices. It is so hard to realize just who we are, mere creatures, and to submit to Gods plan. To realize ones lost condition before God, and to desire to escape from it are the first steps toward salvation. Sin deforms us, but in Christ we are made new creations and can be transformed into His glorious likeness (2 Cor. Naaman and Leprosy in the Bible - Knowing God through His Word If that was true, then water baptism would be a part of the gospel message but the apostle Paul repudiates that idea in 1 Corinthians 1:14-17. Lesson 35: Naaman Is Healed - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day 22Everything is all right, Gehazi answered. (3) True leprosy was incurable by man in Bible times just as sin is incurable for man (Jer. Gehazi's Greed and Leprosy 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, "Look, my master has spared this Aramean, Naaman, while not accepting what he brought. Who was healed of leprosy by washing in the River Jordan? Here again we see how the Lord uses the saved and unsaved alike to carry out His purposes and plans. 17. The Life and Times of Elisha the Prophet The Healing of Naaman (2 Naaman in his chariot with his fine horses, with his gold and silver and fine clothes standing in front of the prophets house which was probably very unimposing by Naamans standards. Wherever he went he was to cry out, "unclean, unclean," and he had to wear black with a hood covering his face and live outside the city walls. Does this not illustrate Gods loving concern for the sinner. Naaman complaining by river. According to the narrative, he is called a mezora (), a person affected by the skin disease tzaraath (, tzara'at). In this post we will be exploring six things we can learn from Naaman. This was done first as a protection against possible spread in case it was contagious, but there was also a ceremonial or spiritual reason. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling (Prov. From a grateful heart he wanted to give a present to Elisha to express his appreciation for what God had done. A plague to rule them all, leprosy is very likely the oldest infectious disease in human history. In these verses we have a picture of the simplicity of salvation and of the necessity of humility in finding the Lord. Youre welcome Rosalind. First, this was the wrong response for the king. 17 And Naaman said, If not, please let your servant at least be given two mules load of earth; for your servant will no more offer burnt offering nor will he sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD. This is another lesson from the story of Naaman. Because of the mighty God who indwells us. Go wash in the Jordan seven times . ALTHOUGH POWERFUL AND MIGHTY, HE WAS A LEPER . He is the commander of the Syrian army, one who was " great and honorable man in the eyes of his master " because, wonderfully, " by him the Lord had given victory to Syria " (see 2 Kings 5:1 ). The king was willing to help, and thats good, but they immediately thought in terms of political and financial clout (vss. Is leprosy contagious? That which the prophet does in this passage may seem rude; in fact, he would be severely criticized by many church members today and our politically correct society. Naaman tells his lord this and he is sent to Israel with a letter to the king. The new baptism takes place in the Jordan River where Jesus of Nazareth, also called the Christ by his followers, was baptized many centuries later. But, it was precisely this, Naamans pride and his personal opinion which was keeping Naaman from being healed. Naaman | Encyclopedia.com Why? He needed a place and a means for worship, so he asked for permission (note the sudden change in attitude) to take two loads of soil back home. It was the obedience of faith. 10Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, Go, wash(K) yourself seven times(L) in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed., 11But Naaman went away angry and said, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand(M) over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. . Naaman comes from the Hebrew verb naem, be delightful, pleasant, beautiful. It has the idea of gracious or well formed. Because of the significance of names in Scripture, this tells us something about the man. It was a means of showing Naaman his pride so he could receive Gods grace and begin to count for God himself. get to know the Bible better! First, lets note what Naaman said as he went away in his fury in verse 11, Behold I thought. What verse of Scripture comes to your mind here? But who was Naaman? Required fields are marked *. Though some will fail in their responsibility and ministry, the Lord watches over the seeking soul and at just the right moment, he sends one of his own with whatever is necessary to take the seeking person another step toward the Lord and salvation (cf. The way of faith is the way of humiliation and repudiation of self worth, human ability, or religious works, which then casts us on the grace of God (Rev. This patch may be white or pink. [15][11], The request of Naaman to be permitted to carry away two mules' burden of Israelite earth for the purpose of erecting upon it an altar on which to offer sacrifices to Yhwh, reflects the belief of those days that the god of each land could be worshiped only on his own soil. God bless you. So now with verse 7 we see the response of the king of Israel. She says: 'If Naaman were in Samaria, Jehovah's prophet Elisha could make his leprosy go away.'. This statement was a compliment to the faith of gentiles like Naaman which made these Jews angry. But would you also note the biblical perspective and truth regarding the source of victory and valor; it is the sovereign plan and power of God. How did Elisha heal Naaman the leper? - BibleAsk It was his simple faith in the word of God, the root. And how do you do that? 15:23, 28-29, 31; 16:21, 23). New Living Translation So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. 1:4-5; 73:1-28). Naaman was a leper ( 2 Kings 5:1) Naaman's wife had a young Israelite girl as a servant, who knew about Elisha and believed the prophet could heal Naaman of his leprosy, and who had told her so ( 2 Kings 5:2-4 ). Namaan held a high position, but had a very great problem. One thing is certain, the term leprosy referred to several types of skin diseases which were rooted in the blood stream. 3:20). 13. The Healing of Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-19) | Bible.org God had a mission to fulfill through Syria, hence the victories He gave her. Isa. Learn how your comment data is processed. (The mikveh is a bath used for ritual immersion in Judaism. Midrash Shoer Tov to Psalms 60; Arama, "'Aedat Yia," chapter 61, "Speaker's Commentary"; compare Rawlinson, "Ancient Monarchies," ii. Blessings. In these verses we have portraits of how God saves. He was very upset about this instruction and initially refused to do it. It provides a striking picture of mankind created physically and spiritually beautiful in Gods image before sin began to take its toll on both the disposition and physical body of man. All appeared to be lost, it appeared Satan had won and that Naaman would go away without healing and without the saving knowledge of the Lord. Even the power, the victories he had enjoyed, and his accomplishments were given him by the Lord of the universe (so the importance of verse 1). Perhaps these servants were themselves believers in the Lord of Israel and knew the power of the Lord, but probably not. (G) Can I kill and bring back to life? xvii. (3) The grace of God cannot be bought with silver and gold or power or position. He was captain of the army of the King of Aram. This means he was the General of the Syrian or the Aramean Army, second in command to the King. But from Naamans standpoint, what did this do for him? Upon his head were the laurels or wreaths of victory and upon his chest, medals of honor and valor. His disease was called leprosy (everyone say "leprosy"). Naaman also renounces his former god Rimmon after being cured by Elisha - acknowledges solely the God of Israel. The person with this form, unless miraculously healed, could return to the priest and be declared cleansed or healed after observation. Thanks for sharing, Stephen. He lived up to his name. The king of Israel didn't know what to do, yet Elisha (Eliseus) sent a message to the King, advising that the King tell Naaman to come to see him. Both start with discoloration of a patch of skin. Naaman took a step in the right direction and God acknowledged it. 1 Thess. Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. Naaman - Wikipedia Naaman discovered this.45. He often does not experience severe pain from his sin and waywardness, only insensitivity, restless misery, and futility, ever seeking some means of fulfillment running from one thing to another (cf. He was a Leper. Naaman complained that the Jordan River was not as good . He demonstrated his complete obedience and submission to God in this act. Take care. The results are deformity, loss of feeling in the appendages, and in the fingers and toes eventually falling off. Klostermann, while supplying, with the Alexandrian codex, the word , connects this passage with Naaman's departure with the loads of earth, and renders the passage as "and he carried away from him about a cor of the earth of Israel."[16][11].

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