Don’t Dismiss the Old Testament

“Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man of valour, but he was a leper.”  II Kings 5:1

Some folks think that the words of the Old Testament are no longer appliable to today’s world.  Of course, the folks who lived in that time had different cultures, different languages, and somewhat different lifestyles, although the basic ways of men and women are still the same–love, hate, work, play, and so on.  However, a thousand years from now, if time as we know it stands, and that is looking doubtful, our cultures we now have on earth will be different in the future.  Who knows?  Bell bottoms and polyester leisure suits might make a comeback.  The way that things are going now at such a fast clip, the future really doesn’t look all that promising except for those who are followers of Christ.

The Old Testament is filled with accounts of the folks who lived back then, and in some of them, we could change the names to folks who are living now, but the events and outcomes would virtually be the same except, of course, for God’s supernatural prophets.  Elisha was one of those prophets whom God chose to take up Elijah’s mantle after he passed away.  Elisha, like Elijah, was given the ability to be the instrument through whom God did miracles.  One of these miracles concerned a man, a Syrian, not one of God’s chosen, who was the military leader of the Syrian army.  He was a highly respected officer who had led Syria to victory in battle, but only because God had allowed Syria to be victorious.  Even though he was not a worshiper of the LORD God, his character and demeanor were above reproach.  Even so, he was a sinner, and he also had leprosy, a debilitating disease which would get progressively worse.

Syria had captured some Israelites and brought them back to Syria to be used as servants.  Among them was a young girl, likely a teenager, called a “little maid”, who had been placed with the wife of Naaman to serve her as a handmaid.  Knowing that Naaman had leprosy, she remarked to her mistress that there was a prophet in Samaria who could bring a cure for her husband’s leprosy if God would allow it.  Somehow, her remarks were heard and delivered to Syria’s king, who depended greatly upon Naaman, thus to have him healed would be a wonderful thing.  The king told Naaman that he would send him along with a letter to Israel’s king explaining the reason for his visit.  A generous gift was also sent which consisted of silver, gold, and garments.  It is not clear as to the identity of Israel’s king.  Either he was Jehoram or Ahaziah, both sons of Ahab, a vicious and cruel king, and both were evil, as well, but whichever one it was, he did not receive the letter very well.

Naaman set out for Israel with the letter and gifts for the king.  Upon Naaman’s arrival, the letter was given to the king of Israel, who read it, but misinterpreted it.  It was the intention of Syria’s king for Israel’s king to make sure that Naaman would be directed to Elisha for healing, but that is not what the letter said.  It plainly asked the king to heal Naaman of his leprosy, and, according to the law of Moses, a person with leprosy was not to come near an Israelite.  Here stood Naaman right before the king, who became highly upset and angry, tearing his clothes and asking, “Am I God, to kill and make alive?”  Israel’s king was suspicious that this whole episode was a plot by Syria to start a war with Israel.  Or, even more serious, Israel’s king feared that he would be accused of blasphemy by pretending to have powers that belong to God alone.  That wasn’t his intention, but the people might have assumed their king was assuming deity.  By his reaction, even though he promoted idolatry, deep down he knew that God was the real King.

When word got out that the king had torn his clothes, the people knew that something had occurred which disturbed Israel’s king.  When Elisha heard that Naaman had come to Israel with a letter from the king of Syria asking for healing of Naaman, he knew that the request was meant for him.  He sent word to the king to assure him that he would take care of the matter.  He called for the king to send Naaman to him, and Naaman would become completely aware that there was only one true God who could heal him by way of His prophet.  We wonder why the letter was so ambiguous.  Perhaps Syria’s king did believe that Israel’s king could heal Naaman since Syria’s king did not know the God of Israel.  (I think every person, even the staunchest atheist, knows deep down that God exists, a one and only sovereign Lord of all creation but they just won’t admit it because they know that to admit His existence makes them accountable to Him.  The easiest person to fool is oneself.)

Next time:  Naaman questions Elisha’s method of healing.