Naaman and Elisha Part II: Naaman’s Challenge

Naaman and Elisha Part II: Naaman’s Challenge

2 Kings 5:9 – So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood in the doorway of Elisha’s house. 10 – Elisha sent out a messenger who told him, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan; your skin will be restored and you will be healed.”

verse 11 – Naaman went away angry. He said, “Look, I thought for sure he would come out, stand there, invoke the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the area, and cure the skin disease. 12 – The rivers of Damascus, the Abana and Pharpar, are better than any of the waters of Israel! Could I not wash in them and be healed?” So he turned around and went away angry.

Verse 13 – His servants approached and said to him, ‘O master, if the prophet had told you to do some difficult task, you would have been willing to do it. It seems you should be happy that he simply said, “Wash and you will be healed.” 14 – So he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, as the prophet had instructed. His skin became as smooth as a young child’s and he was healed.

Naaman’s response was complicated. Notice how he came up with his own solution: “invoke the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the area, and cure the skin disease.” He even came up with ‘better’ suggestions for rivers to wash in. He went away angry because the solution insulted his pride. The solution was something completely simple, completely outside of anything he would have come up with, and completely outside the realm of science. All he had to do was believe the words of the prophet Elisha and do the actions asked of him.

We all have a fatal condition called sin. There is no medicine made by mankind that can cure it. The cure for sin is something completely simple, completely outside of anything we can come up with, and completely outside the realm of science. All we have to do is believe the words of God and do what He asks of us.

1 John 1:5 says – This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 – If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 – But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Verse 8 – If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God is the great physician. Our diagnosis: we are sinners. Our treatment: the blood of Jesus Christ. How is it applied? Confession of our sins to Him and He is faithful and just to apply His blood to our lives for forgiveness and cleansing. Let’s take up Naaman’s challenge and believe what God says regarding our diagnosis and treatment today.