Don’t Ignore the Young Voices: Naaman’s Lesson
Shared on August 18, 2024
Are you one to ignore the voices of young people? To ignore the young can and often is a tragic mistake. Join Pastor McCrary this week as a man is saved because of the thoughtful words of a young girl. Once again this week, we see that God can and will use anyone, whether man, woman, boy, or girl, to save a soul.
Introduction
In last week’s lesson, I spoke about how young people, children, often go ignored in the church. Yet, as we saw in last week’s lesson, God will raise up young people to be future spiritual leaders. So, younger generations shouldn’t be ignored but listened to, right? Once again, listening to the younger generation is going to be a focus in our lesson this week.
Naaman’s Need for Help
We are introduced to the commander of the army of Syria in this week’s lesson. We are told that his name was Naaman and that he was a great and honorable man in his master’s eyes (2 Kgs. 5:1).
What was it that made him so honorable? The scripture tells us that it was by him that the Lord had given victory to Syria. Now, this is a very interesting statement for a couple of reasons. The first reason being that Syria was enjoying victory over Ahab and Israel (1 Kgs. 22:29-40). So, God used Naaman to defeat His own people! This brings up the second reason of interest in that the Syrians were an ungodly people!
Now, what I have just shared with you may not sound right, especially to those who gloss over scripture. Some of you may be thinking to yourself, why did God want His chosen people to be defeated? The answer is that Ahab was a man that had forsook the Lord and even saw to the death of many of God’s prophets. Ahab had led the northern kingdom further away from the Lord and this was God’s judgment against him.
Once again, Naaman stands as proof that God can and is willing to use anybody when it serves His divine will. I repeat to you that Naaman was not a God-fearing man, at least not at that point. Naaman was what we would call a heathen. However, a door was about to be opened to him.
In need of physical and spiritual cleansing
Though Naaman was considered a mighty man of valor, we are told that he was a leper (2 Kgs. 5:1). Being a leper, especially in Old Testament times, was like living with a curse (plague). Lepers were cast out of the community because it was seen as a curse and also thought to be contagious. So, Naaman was a man that would certainly desire to be cured of his leprosy.
So, scripture tells us that some Syrians, after defeating Ahab, went on raids. During one raid they brought back with them a young girl of Israel who served Naaman’s wife (2 Kgs. 5:2). I want to make a note that no information is given about this young girl – we don’t know her name or her age! I believe she was just a young child since it’s not said she was given in marriage or anything else along those lines.
This young girl took notice of Naaman’s condition and believed that something could be done for him. So, she said to her mistress, “If only my master (Naaman) was with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he (the prophet) would heal him of leprosy (2 Kgs. 5:3).” Whatever age she was, this young girl was a girl of faith! She believed in what the prophet of God could do!
Now, Naaman’s wife could have easily ignored the young girl because the words of little children are often ignored. You know, we often think that young children are talking silly but they are actually some of the best teachers! The innocent ignorance of a child is a mind that is open to seeing and believing things that the stubborn mind of the wise has closed off. Children, every now and then, will ask a question or say something that will make you pause and think.
Learning to Believe in God
Whether it was out of desperation or not, Naaman’s wife relayed what the young girl said and then Namaan relayed it to the king (2 Kgs. 5:4). So, the king of Syria sent Naaman, with a letter, to the king of Israel to find the prophet (2 Kgs. 5:5).
Walk by faith and not by sight
When Naaman arrived to the king of Israel, he believed the king of Syria had sent Naaman for him to heal (2 Kgs. 5:6). The king of Israel had no such power and tore his clothes because he thought this was a ploy to start another war (2 Kgs. 5:7). However, we know the opposite was true, Naaman really did desire to be healed by the prophet.
Fortunately for Naaman, Elisha, the prophet, had heard about the king’s predicament (2 Kgs. 5:8). This led to Naaman going to the house of Elisha to seek his help(2 Kgs. 5:9). Rather than going out to meet Naaman, Elisha sent word to him to wash in the Jordan River seven times and be healed (2 Kgs. 5:10). Simple instructions, right?
While the instructions were simple, we will see that Naaman felt a certain way about not being seen by Elisha. Naaman said of Elisha, “He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lodr his God (2 Kgs. 5:11).” Naaman desired to see the prophet come out and wave his hands over him. Naaman, being a heathen, was looking for a magic show and if there was no show then nothing would be done.
People now and people back then were quicker to believe in the magic show than the work of God. Why do you think the Lord had to plague the Egyptians? Why do you think Jesus had to perform so many miracles? Why do you think so many people today ask for God to show them a sign?
True faith is not about seeing a sign from God. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). Faith is believing in the assurance of the Lord through His only begotten Son who the disciples are eyewitnesses of (2 Pet. 1:16-19). One is to walk by faith and not by sight which is a lesson Naaman needed to learn and a lesson that many people today need to also learn.
Lean not on your own understanding
Another lesson we will see that Naaman needed to learn was not to lean on his own understanding. Naaman pointed to the rivers of Damascus and wondered if he could wash in them rather than the Jordan (2 Kgs. 5:12). Naaman said that the rivers of Damascus were better than all the waters in Israel. I imagine he would’ve believed anything of Syria to be better than what was Israel.
Now, the fact of the matter is that he could’ve gone and washed anywhere as Elisha wasn’t forcing him to do anything. Had Naaman gone to wash in those rivers, that would have been him leaning on his own understanding. Do you think he would have been healed of his leprosy had he gone to the rivers of Damascus?
This is a reminder to you: disobeying God’s instructions does not end with a blessing from the Lord. I want to tie this into God’s instructions for gaining salvation. Salvation has only been promised to those who believe in God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16). By no other means can anybody be saved but by Christ. Should you try to gain salvation or righteousness by another way, you will fail greatly.
So, after he went away in a rage, Naaman’s servants came and spoke to him. His servants asked him if Elisha told him to do something great, would he have done it (2 Kgs. 5:13)? This question points out that Naaman also had a problem with the cure being a simple task. So, this man went in expecting Elisha to wave his hands and for his healing to be grandiose. This, again, reiterates to us just how far off his understanding of the Lord was.
There are many people in the world today who are just like him in their understanding of the Lord. Some believe that a magical warm feeling will come over them when they come to the Lord. Some believe that as a child of God, their days should be nothing but sunshine and rainbows. This understanding is far from the truth and what one should expect. We must not lean on our own understanding but learn to trust the Lord.
Naaman Blessed by God
After pondering his servants’ question, Naaman relented and dipped seven times in the Jordan. This is a picture of just how hard it can be for some of us to relent from our own understanding. You see, it’s not always easy for one to move in faith. Many of us like to say that we believe but moving in that belief and not by our presumptions is not easy.
I can recall when I first began dialysis after suffering renal failure, getting up and moving was not easy. Like Naaman, I recall being upset and angry and that anger caused me to sit still for a while. I believe that as he pondered the question of his servants, there was a moment when Naaman looked at his skin. I believe it was in that moment where the desire to be healed outweighed his own presumptions.
I remember there was a day when I looked at my condition and said to myself, enough. I was done sulking and being upset. I was done questioning the Lord and feeling bad for myself. It was at that moment when I leaned on my faith and said to myself, I’m going to make it through this. Five years later, I received my transplant and came through that storm.
I’m not sure if it was a matter of minutes, hours, days, or weeks but Naaman finally relented and moved. Scripture tells us that after he followed Elisha’s instructions, his flesh was restored like that of a little child and he was cleaned (2 Kgs. 5:14). Again, all it took for him to be healed was for him to heed the instructions of the prophet of God.
Do you realize that everybody can be healed today if they simply listen to the prophet of God? The prophet that I am speaking of is God’s only begotten Son. There are many that are in need of a spiritual healing todya that can be healed but aren’t because they refuse to listen.
Naaman was healed, came back to Elisha and said to the prophet, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel (2 Kgs. 5:15).” This brings to mind what David said in Psalm 34:8 we encouraged the people to tase and see that the Lord is good. God is good and you should give him a try.
And to think, Naaman’s healing would not have been possible if he chose not to listen to the words of a young girl. I really do wish local churches were filled with more young children as it was when I was growing up. I truly do believe their innocent outlook and openness is missing in the church. The spirit of a child, I do believe, can help be a spark to many souls in the world today.