Most are familiar with the story of Naaman. He was the proud commander of the armies of Syria. He was a man that we might truly fear. As the Bible tells us, Naaman was a great and honorable man, a man who needed nothing from God. His very name means “Pleasant”, which is an unusual name for a general of one of the enemies of Israel. And why are we told that, “The Lord had given deliverance to Syria?” (2Kgs 5:1). Perhaps he was not a leper until we meet him here in 2 Kings, and was being punished for his attitude during his victories over Israel. His story is well known: his leprosy caused consternation in his household, and one of the Israelitish maids of his wife wondered if “The prophet in Samaria” would be able to heal him. So Naaman caused great disquiet when he arrived at the court of Jehoram, King of Israel. Elisha the prophet heard of this, and sent to Jehoram to tell Naaman to come see him, Elisha.
Now Naaman was not poor, or weak, or anything we would consider as a man in need of God… yet he was. He was a leper. An outcast. A man whom the Jews, and all his contemporaries, would shun. Yet, out of the misery of his life there came hope. Perhaps his previous military victories acted as a salve on his sores. A temporary balm over the hurt he felt inside. But this inner hurt led him to a man, to Elisha, to the prophet of the Living God. Elisha was so certain of the power of God, that he did not come out of his house. Rather, he instructed his servant to tell this great and mighty general that God would not accept him unless he bathed in the River Jordan.
It is quite instructive to listen to Naaman. He says, “Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?” (2Kgs 5:12). He didn’t think the waters of the Jordan were worthy of bathing in so that he could be healed. He equated the purity and majesty of the rivers of Syria, his homeland, to healing, and despised the rivers of Israel.
He questioned the judgment, nay, the commandment, of God, and was angry about it. He wanted to go to the best and cleanest waters to be cleansed, waters that would reflect his high standing.
God told him “no” through his servant, but why?
Naaman is a lesson for us because he is us. Look at Noah, Hezekiah, David. Look at Jesus. Was obedience easy for any of these men of faith? Why would Naaman expect things to be different for him? Except he did. He was prideful, he was arrogant, he did not want to go God’s way.
Naaman wanted to come to God on his own terms. God showed him otherwise. It was His rules, His way, not Naaman’s. Naaman wanted physical purity. Naaman perhaps wanted his washing to be viewed by his countrymen, not a few passers-by in a backwoods corner of the world. But God wanted inner purity. He wanted humility. The dirty Jordan into which Naaman bathed is a metaphor for us.
God, in the beginning, created the world; the world became evil, but God baptized Noah in the muddy waters which enveloped the world. Later on He enveloped Naaman, the Syrian, the man of pride, in waters he did not expect. And Naaman was saved.
We also seek to come to God
We too may approach God as Naaman, looking into that muddy water, thinking it should be cleaner. Maybe cringing like Naaman, that the water is so dirty and maybe idly wondering how we ended up in a muddy river. But faith, real trust in the Living God, will guide us through. That is the lesson of Naaman.
How often have we stared at the water? Not seeing the bottom, only thinking of our distaste for the task ahead. Jesus was right to warn that the way to the Kingdom was narrow, yet the path to destruction was broad. For indeed it is. We can like be like Naaman staring, thinking, that wow, this does not look like fun, why couldn’t God have chosen a nicer looking place or an easier thing to do.
It is also instructive to look at the response of Elisha. We can see Naaman, we can walk in his shoes, we can think of times in our lives where God is asking us to have faith and we have walked where we may not have wanted to. (Conversely, at least for myself, I can also think of many times where I needed more faith, I needed to be a Naaman!)
But also, look at Elisha, for he provides an instructive example. A type of Jesus if you will, and a good example for us.
After Naaman is healed, Naaman does two things. He recognizes the supremacy of God, and he offers God’s servant gifts. Mule loads of gifts. If you have ever seen a mule, they sure can pack a ton of stuff! Elisha’s response is telling,
“But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused” (2Kgs 5:16).
I think it is telling, because it is contrasted immediately afterwards with the behavior of Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, who runs after Naaman to get those same gifts. The lesson is important because it illuminates James’ discussion in the New Testament of good works. Good works are done not for gifts (whether they be Naaman’s or God’s or someone else’s). Good works are done because of internal character and a desire to do what it is right by God. I think Elisha and his actions, in contrast to Gehazi’s, preview the discourse James delivers. The lesson for us is stark in its clarity, simple in its outcome, but also difficult in its application.
In business school, I took a course in organizational behavior; one of the things it touched on was motivation. There are extrinsic and intrinsic motivating factors. Money, rewards, promotions can provide extrinsic motivation. It is the intrinsic motivation, though, which is more powerful, but it is also harder to manage because it comes from character. God, through Elisha, through Jesus, and through His good book is trying to instill that character in us.
The Lord’s Comment
The character of Naaman, Elisha, and of His son: It is that son whom we come to remember, the son of man, who submitted to punishment, put away pride, and was hung up on the cross and died. He died full of faith that God would resurrect him, and through his faith, he has saved us all. He has bridged what was broken; he brought salvation and a conclusion to the baptism of the earth in the flood. Hear what he has to say about Naaman.
“Then he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’ … Then he said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian’ ” (Luke 4:20-27 NAS).
Many are called, but few heed the call. Many are in need of healing, but few find the healer. Indeed, many have no interest in the healer. That is Jesus’ point.
As we direct our thoughts towards the table of our Lord, we think of Naaman’s baptism in the muddy waters of the Jordan, and the powerful example he provides of faith and redemption. A great story of the character God is building in us. It is our choice, we see the broad path, we see the clean waters, but God has called us to the narrow path and the muddy waters — it is up to us to answer the call.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One