The Cleansing of Naaman

2 Kings 5:1-27


In the story of Naaman, the Lord showed me many ways this passage can relate to salvation in the world today. In Chapter five, verse one, we learn that Naaman was a great man, a captain of the host of Syria. He was honorable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria. He was also a mighty man of valour. He was highly respected, and great in the eyes of many people. But the Bible says that he was a leper. You know, a person may live a good life, and be highly respected, and even great in the eyes of so many, but he's still a sinner.

In verse two and three, we learn that a little maid was brought out of the land of Israel and held captive in the house of Naaman. The little maid worked for Naaman’s wife. She was just a little maid, but she had a big heart. She was just a little servant, but she knew the answer to Naaman’s problem. She told Naaman’s wife in verse three, “Would God, my Lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria, for he would recover him of his leprosy.”

Notice that she didn’t say she thought maybe the prophet could heal him. She was sure. There was no doubt in her mind at all that Elisha could heal Naaman. What faith that little girl had!
You know what? You may be nothing but just a little maid, a little servant, but you know where to send people so they can get cleansed. We should care about people’s souls just like that little maid cared for Naaman. She could have been bitter about being a servant. She could have said, "Serves him right for taking me captive."

She did not have to tell Naaman about the prophet. She could have just let him die. You know, the Lord doesn’t make us tell others about the one who can cleanse them. We can keep our mouth shut and let them die in their sins. But see, God used this little maid as an example to show us how we should be. What a heart that little maid must have had, and don't you know that it pleased the Lord tremendously. We need to point people to Jesus Christ, just like this maid pointed Naaman to the prophet.

In verses four through eight, the Bible tells us that the King of Syria sent a letter to the King of Israel asking him to cleanse Naaman of his leprosy. After the King of Israel read the letter, he rent his clothes, and said, “Who does he think I am, a god, that I can kill, and make alive? Does he really think I can recover this man of his leprosy?! I think he just sent me this letter to pick a quarrel with me.”

The king of Israel thought that the king of Syria just wanted to pick a fight, but the King of Syria was only confused. Some how, he got the information all mixed up.

Sometimes people go about trying to get saved the wrong way. They get all confused. They think it's by some works they can do or by someone they know. Folks need someone to point them in the right direction. We as Bible believers know the way. We know that the only way to get cleansed from our sins is through the blood of Jesus Christ . (1 John 1:7, Colossians 1:20, 1Peter 1: 18 & 19.)

Well, when Elisha heard that the King of Israel rent his clothes, and was all worried about the letter he had received, Elisha told the king not to worry about it and to just send Naaman to him. Elisha knew the one who could heal Naaman. He knew him personally. Isn’t it great to know the one who can cleanse and save? I’m glad I know my Savior personally. He didn’t just wash me from my sins, but he talks with me, and walks with me. He knows all my cares, and he understands my heartache. He’s a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Elisha told the king, “When Naaman get’s into town, just send him my way, and he’ll know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

So Naaman came with his extravagant chariot and all his horses and stood at the door of Elisha. Boy howdy! he was standing there expecting to see this honorable prophet of God come to the door. He was expecting to see some great miracle take place right in front of his eyes. But to his surprise, a servant came to the door with a message from Elisha. Naaman wasn’t too pleased with the message at all. It said, “Go and wash in the river Jordan seven times, and thou shalt be clean. “

Naaman was mad. He said in verse 11, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me, and stand, and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over this place, and recover me.”

Some people want a big show when they get saved. Naaman was a bit prideful here in verse 11, wasn’t he? Naaman thought since the prophet didn’t come out to him, the least he could do was send him to cleaner waters, after all, he was a captain. He deserved better waters than that old muddy Jordan River.

Some people just get all outraged and indignant when they learn that salvation is as simple as trusting in the blood of Jesus. Some think that their good works aught to be worth as much as what Jesus did. They don't like the fact that salvation is just as simple as plunging into that crimson flow. Some people want something they can do to get some recognition and glory. That way of thinking is called self righteousness. Another word for it is pride.

In verse 12, Naaman went away outraged. He was not going to wash in the muddy Jordon. Then in verse 13, One of Naaman's servants stopped him and said, "If the prophet would have asked you to do some great thing, wouldn't you have done it? "

You know why some people don't want to get washed from the sin in their life? They want to get saved by doing some great thing. By doing something that they might get some recognition for. Naaman had to humble himself in front of his men. He had to have faith and humility before God. We have to humble ourselves in order to get saved. The Bible says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but by his mercy he saved us. For by grace are we saved through faith, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.”

God likes using small things so that he alone can recieve the glory. In verses 14 and 15 we can see that he wanted to use the unlovely waters of Jordan, so that he could show Naaman that he was the true God, and that he alone could cleanse him.

So Naaman humbled himself and went down to Jordan. He dipped himself seven times, and his skin became clean, and soft. There was not a spot of leprosy left on him anywhere. In verse 15, Naaman says, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel.”

Naaman tried to offer Elisha some gifts, but the prophet knew who did the cleansing, and was not about to recieve any credit for it. He would not accept Naamans gifts. Salvation is a free gift from God, just as Naamans cleansing was a free gift from God.

But I fear some Christians are like Gehazi. Do you know what Gehazi did? He ran after Naaman, and told him that Elisha sent him to ask for a talent of silver, and two changes of garments because two young men of the sons of the prophets were coming in from Mount. Ephraim for a visit. When he got back with the goods, he hid them in the house, and stood in front of Elisha as if nothing was wrong. Elisha asked , “Where did you go Gehazi?”

Gehazi lied again, and said, “I went nowhere.”

Then Elisha said, “I know where you went, because my heart went with you. Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cleave to you and to your seed forever.”

Get your Bible out and read verses 20 to 27, and find out what happens to Elisha’s servant for lying and receiving gifts from Naaman. That sin not only cost Gehazi, but it cost his children, and their children, and their children’s children, and his whole generation forever. We can't take the glory away from God without expecting to pay a price. We also learned in this lesson that our sin does not only affect us, but others as well.