The Story of Naaman

by:  Matt Allen

 

FILING INFORMATION:

96044

08/18/96 - Cyclone, KY

 

I.  Introduction.

A.  Our text this evening is found in the book of 2 Kings 5.  We want to examine the story of Naaman tonight and see how it can have meaning to us today.

B.  During this time, Israel had been a divided land for sometime.  There had been several kings in power since the nation had split in two, but none of the northern kings were faithful to the Lord.

1.  Started with Jeroboam.  built altars in unauthorized places b/c too inconvienient for them to go to Jerusalem.

2.  Ahab & Jezebel - perhaps the two most evil people to ever rule a kingdom together.

a.  incident with Naboth.

b.  killed all the servants of YWHW

c.  this progression of evil kings continued.

C.  God had told the nation back in the book of Deuteronomy that when they turned unfaithful to the Lord that He would raise up their neighbors against them.

 

II.  Some of the Characters in the Text:

A.  Naaman - 5:1

1.  Durning the time of our text (2 Kings 5) Syria was one of the great enemies of Israel & during this time had carried off some of the northern and eastern provinces on the frontier to serve them as slaves.

2.  Had become one of the most formidable powers in the region during this time.

a.  Ben-Hadad, the king, was both respected & feared.

B.  Naaman was one of the kings most respected military leaders. (5:1)

1.  Had the highest rank in the military. - commander (captian) equivilent to the general...

2.  Was an honorable man.  could be trusted.

a.  when given a task, he attacked it with everything he had.  The king could depend upon him.

b.  was well respected - prob. not only by the king, but by the people as well.

c.  also read in v. 1 that the Lord had blessed him with many victories.

1.  found this interesting.  the Lord blessed this man and at the time the man prob. never realized he was being blessed.

2.  You know the Lord sends blessings on all men - regardless whether they are faithful or not.

a. passage - he sends rain on both the just and the unjust.

d.  Was a mighty man of valor - a pure fighting machine - educated in all the skills of war that day - BUT....

1.  he was a leper.

e.  this fact overshadowed everything he did.

3.  Leprosy is still a dreaded disease in many 3rd world countries today.

a.  In Naaman’s time, leprosy was a death sentence.

b.  In Israel they were to be isolated from society & be social outcasts.

1.   Lev. 13:45

2.  Luke 17:12-13

c.  still no cure for the contagious disease.

B.  The girl - v. 2 tells us that Syria had brought away captives to serve them.  Among those, Naaman took a young girl to serve his wife.

1.  Facts about her:

a.  Don’t know her name; age; anything about her family.

b.  We do know  that she was in the household of one of the most important men in Syria.

1.  a man who could have been the next king.

2.  Consider her fate:

a.  deprived of home - the enemy nation had come and taken her on as a slave - wasn’t gurarnteed life or death!

b.  deprived of family - perhaps marriage & children, happiness & freedom to be her on person.

3.  Yet consider her attitude: v. 3

a.  was it revengeful?  was she mean-spirited?  was she rebelling against those in her house? 

1.  she was concerned for the very man who had taken her into captivity.  She wanted this man to be healed of his disease.

b.  was making the best out of a terrible situation.

1.  She was concerned for others.  What a lesson for us today!

2.  too many of us are so concerned with “looking out for # 1” that we don’t concern ourselves with others. - even when those others don’t persecute us as she was...

c.  Others who made the best out of bad situation:  Paul, our Lord, Steven.  What a great lesson for us to consider thisevening.

1.  Phil 2:2-4 good passage to go along with this.  This is one of the themes of Christianity.

4.  Note this young girls faith: - v. 3

a.  no doubts; no hesitation, she said HE WILL RECOVER!

b.  We need to approach our problems today in the same manner.

1.  James 1:6-8

2.  Luke 11:9-11 - From these passages we know that we can trust in the Savior, and that he WILL deliver. 

a.  is our faith as strong as this young girls?

5.  She had compassion on a fellow human being who was in need.

a.  could have felt sorry for herself.

1.  could have been bitter - let him die.

b.  Our Lord had compassion on those in need - Mt. 9:35-36

c.  Parable of the good Samaritan - Luke 10:25-37

1.  Do we make automatic assumptions about people and then pass them over to spread the gospel?

a.  these may be the ones who need to gospel the most!

2.  Do we look down on those who don’t dress as nice, live in the nicer areas of town, don’t know our familes?

a.  we are not moving on people with compassion.

6.  Her attitude reveals the teaching of her parents. - v. 3

a.  in a foreign country, serving a foreign master, away from anyone who would correct her if she didn’t follow the Lord, yet she stands up here and tells this man of the prophet back home in Israel.

b.  attitude is a DIRECT reflection of her parents teaching.

1.  What an example for us to follow after today in our lives.

c.  her parents had raised her up to RESPECT the teachings of the Lord.

1.  as parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles are we influencing our children to have a respect for the Lord?

2.  children are the future of the church.  We aren’t reponsible for our children after they grow up and start on their own, but we are responsibile about how we raise them!

a.  do we teach our children to have a proper respect for the Lord?  I’m afraid not!

b.  do we teach them to have RESECT for the Lord’s house and those others who are worshipping by sitting & listening to the Word of God being taught?

1.  by doing what’s right ourselves?

2.  Our actions speak louder than words.

c.  it is possible that our children’s lack of respect for the Lord DIRECTLY comes from our own lack of respect for Him.

3.  We wonder about the future of the church.  It is ALL our responsibilities to ensure the healthy future of the church.  This is done by teaching our children repsect for The Lord & the Lord’s house & the Lord’s commandments. 

4.  Certainly we can see that she had a great respect in the Lord & great faith for him.

d.  oh what an example and the great lessons we can all learn from one little girl

 

III.  The Method of Cleansing Naaman’s Leprosy.

A.  Namaan had tried probably everything he could to mitigate this disease.  This dreaded disease overshadowed everything he did.  He was willing to try anything that would cause this problem to go away.  v. 4

1.  King of Syria said, “go!”  - read v. 5-12.

B.  Naaman was about to learn a very important lesson - it’s one that we all need to learn:  what we expect from God is not always what we receive.

1.  Here is Naaman - one of the most powerful men of Syria

a.  equipped ith gold, silver, and fine clothes.

b.  comes back into a nation which they regarded as low-class people - and he wants something great to be done to him.

2.  v. 9 - comes up in might to Elisha’s house - expects a great show.

a.  Elisha doesn’t even come out of the house.  Sends messenger.

b.  instructed to go out to Jordan dip seven times.

3.  when he doesn’t get what he wants, he gets made.

a.  rivers of syria - v. 12

C.  We do the same thing today sometimes.

1.  many of us get upset & furious & discouraged when something doesn’t work out in the way it is supposed to - in our minds.

a.  got something we want really bad - don’t get it. 

b.  God sometimes blesses us with unanswered prayers!.  Remember the Lord knows what is best for us.

1.  may not make sense at the time - like washing in the Jordan did to Naaman.

D.  Many expect grand entertainment, or big things in the worhsip.

1.  naaman wanted a big show - v. 11

2.  many want this today.

a.  mezmorized by:  huge crowds, huge offerings, awesome drama acts, beautiful music, emotions stirred.

b.  God is wants worship that is pleasing and accept. to Him!

1.  mus example:  liked it better w/o

E.  Took a dose of humility: v.13

1.  From a servant.  From someone who wasn’t necessarily bestowed with the great honor that this man was.

2.  From someone who still had his feet on the earth.

3.  Naaman finally realized that he couldn’t lose by atleast trying!

 

IV.  Naaman’s Obedience - v. 14-19

A. Naaman goes down to the water.  The Jordan.  Muddy, insignificant, unimpressive.

1.  Wades out into the water.  “What was I thinking trusting in this little slave girl of mine?”

2.  Notice the diff. between the word dip in v. 14 and wash in v. 10?  He still was not really sure this would work.  Dips once - still there.

a.  dips twice - still there.

b.  dips the sixth time - still there.  Just as white as it always had been, the rotten flesh still just as stinky & smelly as it had always been.

1.   then he dips that 7th time.  Read v. 14 again.

B.  Naaman’s leprosy wasn’t clean until he satisfied the command.

1.  When he did, he was so happy! 

2.  offered Elisha riches and mat. things.

3.  Became a believer in the Lord.

C.  Perhaps because of this, the Lord spared Israel a little longer.  They had an ally in high places.

D.  We need to realize today that God is not satisfied with us until we have completed the commands he gives us.

1.  may say we believe all we want.

2.  May respond, preacher, I believe everything you preach.

a.  may hear everything there ever was to hear - but if we/re not doing his commandments, we are satisfying to him.

3.. Naaman didn’t receive relief from leprosy until he had COMPLETELY satisfied the commandment.

a.  Many start out ...if like him might dip themselves 3 or 4 times - but quit.

b.  Not going to receive the promise if we quit.  God doesn’t reward for parital effort (like we did in school) IT’S ALL OR NOTHING.

1.  no back 40’s in heaven.

2.  no weaker less hot fire in hell

c.  it’s either heaven or hell were going to.  one place or the other.

 

V.  Where are You Going?

A.  We have talked about many things tonight.

1.  having compassion for others.

2.  having respect for the Lord.

3.  following Him in obedience

B.  Are you lacking in these areas?  Then you need to make corrections in your life.

1.  Don’t mortgage your time remaining here on earth living in an unacceptable manner with Jesus Christ - Accept Him, Accept His commandments, and make up your mind to follow them.

a.  the Lord is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

b.  If we are faithful unto death, we are promised the crown of life?

C.  Would you like the chance to receive the crown of life?

1.  Then you have the opportunity to come to Him now before it is everlastingly too late.