In 2 Kings 5:1-19, Naaman met Elisha, the mighty prophet of God and he was supernaturally healed.
Naaman was the commander of Syria’s (Aram’s) army and well regarded as a military man, but he had leprosy. His Israelite servant girl suggested he go to Elisha to be healed.
Instead of Elisha coming to the door to greet Naaman, he sent a messenger to him saying,
Naaman Seeks Special Treatment
Naaman arrives with chariots to pay Elisha honor. Through his riches and social standing, he hopes to convince the prophet that he is worthy of a healing.
He even stops at the door like a beggar for alms, humiliating himself in hopes that Elisha will return the favor and stoop down and give him a healing.
Naaman was furious with the message and turned away in a rage. His pride was bruised because he expected Elisha to greet him, lay hands on him and miraculously heal the leprosy. He wanted special treatment for his faith.
Naaman’s servants urged him to reconsider, and Naaman wisely did. After dipping himself in the Jordan River seven times, he was completely healed as Elisha had said. In fact,
2 Kings 5:14 his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy
Naaman had decided how God should heal a man as important as himself. He was not about to wash in the dirty Jordan River! Naaman was about to lose his blessing when he was entreated by his servants to obey the prophet. Naaman repented. The scripture says his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child.
What can we learn from Naaman?
1. God Doesn’t work on our terms
2. Salvation is the same for everyone
3. God doesn’t do distinctions between people
Just like Naaman, we are in need of a cure, the same cure given to everyone who will come to Christ.
Jesus mentioned this story
Jesus used the story of Naaman and Elisha as an illustration of Israel’s problem of unbelief.
In Luke 4:27, Jesus tells the crowd in the synagogue of Nazareth, “There were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”
The lepers of Israel overlooked the healing that could have been theirs through Elisha, so God healed a Syrian instead. In the same way, the Israelites of Jesus’ day were missing the Power right in front of their eyes. But God is no respecter of persons, and the Gentiles eventually received the gospel that Israel rejected.
Naaman cured of leprosy