“Then
Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him
and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.
Please accept now a gift from your servant.”
2
Kings 5:15
At
this point, Naaman understands very little about the God of Israel. The only
thing he really knows is that a few minutes ago he had leprosy, and now he has
been made whole.
His
lack of understanding is evidenced by his reaction to this experience. The
first thing he tries to do is reward Elisha! Naaman did not understand that his
healing was a merciful act of God’s grace. It was a priceless gift and Elisha
was simply the vessel God used. Elisha answered Naaman in 2 Kings 5:16:
“As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I
will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.”
Then
Naaman does something, which in our culture and time, may seem a little
bizarre. He asked Elisha for permission to take back as much dirt as two mules
could carry. In ancient cultures, the people associated gods with the physical
land they came from. Naaman wanted to take dirt back home with him so that he
could make sacrifices to God on soil that came from Israel:
“If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let
me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your
servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god,
but the Lord.”
2
Kings 5:17
Naaman
had not yet learned that God was looking for obedience and not sacrifice. He
was still very much influenced by the culture he had been raised up in. Then Naaman
asks for one last thing:
2
Kings 5:18
Naaman
asks for forgiveness (in advance) for what may appear, to God and others, as him
worshipping a false god.
Elisha’s
answer to Naaman: “Go in peace.”
Elisha
wasn’t condoning participating in pagan worship or holidays, or promoting any
spiritual significance to sacrificing on soil from Israel. Elisha understood
that these requests were motivated out of a limited, although well-meaning,
understanding of a new believer.
At
some point, Naaman would have to mature in his faith. The more he became
exposed to God’s Word and God’s will, more would be required of him as a
believer. This brings us to Gehazi!
Pastor Scott
Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com/
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