# Today’s lecturer is the co-pastor Mizuguchi.
1. Naaman goes to the enemy country
Today, we observe for the first time Sunday service in this provisional chapel. The place is provided by courtesy of one of our church members. We will keep gathering here every Sunday during the construction work of the new church building.
We are reading the books of Kings and today is the 5th session of the series. The reading part is 2 Kings 5:9-19a which tells the healing story of Naaman, a commander of Aram*. Aram, also called Syria, was a kingdom in the north side of Israel. Naaman was a highly honored general whom the Lord used to give victory to the Aramaean army. But he was suffering a skin disease. (see 2 Kings 5:1)
At that time, Aram and Israel were at war. It should be out of question for a Aramaean general to go to the enemy country for cure from a disease. But it realized. The cue was given by a little girl servant who had been taken as a captive in Israel. When she knew the concern of her master, ; - she said to her mistress, “I wish my master would meet the prophet who lives in Samaria. He would cure him of his disease.”(2 Kings 5:3)
The girl’s advice moved Naaman. He wished to be healed. But, naturally, it seemed difficult and dangerous for him to go to Samaria, the capital of Israel. To begin with, he needed a permission of his King to set out on the journey. Fortunately, it was unexpectedly easy. ; - The king of Aram said, “Go ahead, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left and took with him about seven hundred fifty pounds of silver, as well as one hundred fifty pounds of gold and ten changes of clothes.(2 Kings 5:5)
However, as an honored general, Naaman could have any treatments by Aramaean doctors. Moreover, the journey should put him at the danger of captivity, not only of the death. Israelites could get advantages from the king of Aram in exchange of Naaman’s life. It doesn’t seem to be very reasonable that he took such a risk. Then why did Naaman dared to do so? We guess that any Aramaean doctor could cured him from that disease. I might be even mortal. So much so he wanted to grasp the last chance, even though it must realize by a Jewish prophet. Thus he made his mind to set off to Israel.
*1 Aram (Syria) http://www.keyway.ca/htm2000/20001218.htm
2. Anger of Naaman and the advice of servants
We wonder now what was exactly the nature of his disease? According to the New International version 2001, it was leprosy. (see 2Kings5:1b) But, perhaps due to politically correctness, the New Century Version preferred the expression, “a skin disease.” The original Hebrew word came from “צרעת - leprosy,” which can indicate also religious impunity or mold in houses. Though the modern medical term for leprosy is “Hansen’s disease,” it isn’t suitable in the context of the Old Testament. Any way, we can understand that the disease was so grave that Naaman was willing to take the risks for the hope of cure.
Thus, ; - He(Naaman) brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “I am sending my servant Naaman to you so you can heal him of his skin disease.”(2 Kings 5:6)
The reaction of the king of Israel to the message was intense. ; - When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes to show how upset he was. He said, “I’m not God! I can’t kill and make alive again! Why does this man send someone with a skin disease for me to heal? You can see that the king of Aram is trying to start trouble with me.”(2 Kings 5:7)
He thought that no one in Israel could heal Naaman and the king of Aram should take revenge for the failure. The power of Israel seemed on the wane at that time. Therefore the king was easily upset facing any pressures of other sovereigns.
In contrast to the king, Elisha stayed in calm and said, ; - “Why have you torn your clothes? Let Naaman come to me. Then he will know there is a prophet in Israel.”(2 Kings 5:8)
Elisha was a very faithful man whereas the king had lost the belief in God. The king couldn’t trust in God’s help.
The story continues. ; - So Naaman went with his horses and chariots to Elisha’s house and stood outside the door. Elisha sent Naaman a messenger who said, “Go and wash in the Jordan River seven times. Then your skin will be healed, and you will be clean.” Naaman became angry and left. (2 Kings 5:9-11)
The feeling of Naaman can be natural. He took Elisha’s conduct as an insult. In Naaman’s mind, Elisha had to come out to pay respect and give treatments with his own hands. Moreover, water of the Jordan River was less clean than that of the Abana and the Pharpar, rivers of Damascus. (see (2 Kings 5:11-12)
We see sometimes similar reactions here. Certain persons come to church by expecting physical and mental healing in exchange of worshipping God. They seek to be relieved from earthy sufferings and pains. However promising those effects is not the first task of the church. Before all, the church is the place where we look for God’s words, not fulfillment of our desires. Besides, God words are often apparently meaningless to ordinary humans. Their disappointment is indirectly expressed in Naaman’s words, “Why can I wash in the Jordan River and become clean?” And many of our contemporaries might feel also the same anger as Naaman. Naaman wanted pompous and superficial religious rites from Elisha. Naaman couldn’t see yet that Elisha was given the Spirit of God.
Naaman’s reaction symbolizes human intention to utilize God’s power to satisfy their desires. But God will never behave to please humans. As a result, they are disappointed and probably leave the church without having the faith. Fortunately, Naaman was lucky because ; - “Naaman’s servants came near and said to him, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? Doesn’t it make more sense just to do it? After all, he only told you, ‘Wash, and you will be clean.’ “(2 Kings 5:13)
He gave up his pride of general and accepted their advice. ; - So Naaman went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, just as Elisha had said. Then his skin became new again, like the skin of a child. And he was clean.(2 Kings 5:14)
Elisha sent Naaman a messenger to pass the instruction, without seeing him directly. In that way, Elisha wanted to adjust Naaman’s secular pretensions. The episode teaches us that humans’ pride or arrogance hinder us from receiving salvation and mercy of God.
3. To believe the incredible
After being healed, Naaman altered completely the attitude. ; - He came to and stood before Elisha and said, “Look, I now know there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. (2 Kings 5:15)
A self-important general changed into a humble and faithful man. Elisha renewed more than Naaman’s body, also his spirit. So much so Naaman said Elisha, ; - “Now please accept a gift from me.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives whom I serve, I won’t accept anything.” Naaman urged him to take the gift, but he refused.(2 Kings 5:16)
However the request was declined. Then Naaman asked Elisha for other two things ; - Then Naaman said, “If you won’t take the gift, then please give me some soil—as much as two of my mules can carry. From now on I’ll not offer any burnt offering or sacrifice to any other gods but the Lord. But let the Lord pardon me for this: When my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship, he leans on my arm. Then I must bow in that temple. May the Lord pardon me when I do that.”(2 Kings 5:17-18)
Despite his faith in God, Naaman had to respect his king’s idolatry of Rimmon. For that reason, he wished that God would be tolerant. And Elisha accepted his words on God’s behalf. ; - Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.”(2 Kings 5:19)
We, Japanese Christians, face sometimes the similar situation. We wonder if it should be correct to observe Buddhist and Shintoist rites to show consideration of our relatives’ and neighbors’ feeling. And Elisha’s response to Naaman’s second request gives us a resolution: We have no need to behave like a fundamentalist.
Naaman understood that divine healing came from an invisible domain. A captured girl told him who could cure the disease. Since then, a series of miracles occurred. Those circumstances altered Naaman’s heart. He had to make a decision. And he did it in the right way, the belief in God. Jesus referred to that episode as Luke reported. ;- And there were many with skin diseases living in Israel during the time of the prophet Elisha. But none of them were healed, only Naaman, who was from the country of Syria.”(Luke 4:27 )
Only a Syrian general was healed by God during the time of the prophet Elisha, no other Israelites. In the time of Jesus, there were very few people who had authentic faith in God. For that reason, the unique healing act was carried out toward the humble gentile. We chose Ephesians 2:8 fro today’s invocation verse ; - I mean that you have been saved by grace through believing. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God.
Lecture of this session was on a Syrian general Naaman, a gentile, healed by Elisha. However, the key of the passage is not the result of Elisha’s healing act but Naaman’s belief in God. Naaman decided to go under the water of the Jordan River. Thus he could have the faith in God. The passage symbolizes the baptizement. Naaman was saved by submerging in the Jordan. But that the act wasn’t conducted by his own will. He was pushed by the power of God. Therefore Naaman recognized that the salvation was totally a gift of God. His words, “No God in all the earth except in Israel” came from the bottom of his heart. And when we say, “ No God in all the earth except that of Jesus Christ,” the story of Naaman will be our own story.
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