Elisha refused the princely gift offered to him. We, too, should obey the Word of God, even when God’s way does not make sense to us.Īlso, those who serve God do not do so for financial gain but out of love and simple obedience to the Lord. Naaman’s pride was almost his undoing: too proud and stubborn to follow the prophet’s simple instructions, he almost bypassed the blessing that God had in store. Naaman came to be healed carrying rich gifts in fine chariots Elisha had no such finery, just the power of God. Second, we have a contrast between the pomp of Naaman and the lowliness of Elisha. First, there is a clear contrast between the faith of the young servant girl, who knew of Elisha and believed in his power and the distress of Israel’s king, who did not even think of Elisha and fretted over his own lack of power. The Lord had given Elisha insight, and the prophet told Gehazi, “Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever” (verse 27). Gehazi hid the loot and returned home, where Elisha confronted him. Naaman gave him “two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing” (2 Kings 5:23). However, Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, followed Naaman and deceitfully asked for a gift in Elisha’s name. Elisha refused the gift and sent the Syrian commander away in peace. Naaman returned to Elisha and said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel so accept now a present from your servant” (verse 15). In fact, “his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy” (2 Kings 5:14). After dipping himself in the Jordan River seven times, he was completely healed as Elisha had said. Naaman’s servants urged him to reconsider, and Naaman wisely did. 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” (2 Kings 5:11–12). “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. Instead, he sent a message to wash in the Jordan River seven times to be healed. Naaman then came to Elisha’s house with his chariots, gifts, and servants.Įlisha did not even come out to greet Naaman. When the prophet Elisha heard of the king’s distress, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel” (2 Kings 5:8). The king of Israel’s reaction was panic-how could anyone heal leprosy? The king of Israel thought Ben-hadad was trying to start a fight (2 Kings 5:7). Naaman left for Israel, taking a large gift with him and a letter from Ben-hadad, the king of Syria, asking the king of Israel to heal Naaman (2 Kings 5:1–6). His Israelite servant girl suggested he go to Elisha to be healed. Some of Elisha’s miracles were the turning of bad water into clean water ( 2 Kings 2:19-22), making a widow’s oil to fill many jars ( 2 Kings 4:1-7), and even raising a boy from the dead ( 2 Kings 4:32-37).Naaman was the commander of Syria’s (Aram’s) army and well regarded as a military man, but he had leprosy. He received the double portion he had asked for and performed many miracles in Israel. Elisha picked up Elijah’s mantle and used it to cross the Jordan again on dry land. Elijah was then carried straight into heaven by a chariot of fire. In 2 Kings 2, Elijah and Elisha traversed the Jordan River on dry land, and Elisha, understanding that Elijah would soon pass away, asked to be blessed with a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Elijah went to Ahaziah and declared the king would die from his sickness, a prophecy that was soon filled. The third group of men was led by a commander who pleaded for mercy and was spared retribution. In 2 Kings 1, Elijah again called down fire from heaven to slay two groups of 50 men sent from King Ahaziah. He did this, and Elisha promptly joined him ( 1 Kings 19:19-21). Reaching Mount Horeb, Elijah heard the voice of God tell him to anoint two kings as well as Elisha as a prophet. Rain fell, and Elijah retreated from the evil Queen Jezebel, who had sworn to kill him ( 1 Kings 19). When it is Elijah's turn he boldly soaks the sacrament with water to display his supreme trust in God to start a fire despite being wet.Īfter Elijah’s victory over the prophets of Baal when he called down fire from heaven, the drought ended. Ahab's prophets pray for hours to Baal but nothing happens. The challenge is to offer sacrifices to their own deities and see which starts a fire to show their divinity. Elijah dares Ahab to a challenge of his deity, Baal, versus the God of Elijah at Mount Carmel. The tale proceeds as Elijah confronts the evil king, Ahab, about being the cause of problems for the people of Israel.
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