2 Kings Chapter 5 – The Cured & The Cursed
This chapter details a story most of us first heard of in our childhood. At such a young age, I failed to properly grasp the meaning behind this story, missing out many key teachings, taking away the events, then again only vaguely, that took place.
Now, I see that this chapter depicts the acts of two contrasting characters:
- Naaman – Commander of the army of the king of Syria
- Gehazi – Servant of the prophet of God, Elisha
Despite being polar opposites, one trait they have in common is a sense of pride toward themselves:
- Naaman – held by others and himself in high regard because of military accomplishments
- Gehazi – held himself in high regard because of his association with a well sought-after man of God
The timelines of the lives of both men overlap in this chapter to teach them (and us) humility and total submission to the work and sovereign will of God:
- Naaman – disregard his status/reputation and obey the God-given instructions of Elisha to wash; not once or twice, but seven times, in the Jordan, in order to be healed of leprosy
- Gehazi – disregard his greed for personal gain to give all glory to God
Through Naaman, we see how God works in the most unlikely and unexpected ways. All his honour aside, Naaman was a leper; one can only begin to imagine his day-to-day struggles – merely fidgeting could cause much discomfort. In those times, Israelites would have considered him as nothing but a ritually unclean foreigner.
Yet, his illness was of no hindrance to his performance as a commander. God raised him up and gave him favour and success to use him as an irrefutable testament of His omnipresence and might, demonstrating, time and again, that He is to be seen and acknowledged as the one true God, not only among His chosen people, but throughout all nations.
After experiencing God’s healing power, Naaman, once both a physical and spiritual leper, fully recognised that ‘there is no God in all the earth but in Israel’. His restored outer man now reflecting his renewed inner man.
Gehazi, on the other hand, had been, for quite some time, Elisha’s servant. He was a literal first-hand witness of what God can do, and should know, better than many, who God is. Regrettably, he gave in to the lusts of his flesh, only to be cursed and afflicted with the very sickness Naaman was cured of. His corrupt, deceitful inner man, finally reflected on his diseased outer man.
Points for Reflection – Are we willing and able to…
- See God in all aspects of our lives, extending beyond our interactions with fellow brethren, seeping into that with our colleagues, friends at school and work, people in authority (e.g., managers, teachers), etc.?
- Meekly obey the faithful word of God, no matter how inconvenient and seemingly illogical it may be for us to do so?
- Give all praise, glory and honour unto God for His unfathomable and incomparable grace, mercies and blessings in our own and the lives of those around us?
- Discipline our bodies, flee from temptations, instead of falling headfirst towards them to satisfy fleeting desires?
And for a number of us who have been followers of Christ for years, have we become unmoved, grown jaded, numb and indifferent to the easily overlooked everyday wonders of God?
Although contextually dissimilar, Paul’s encouragement in 2 Corinthians 4: 16, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” reminds us that daily spiritual nurture and rejuvenation is paramount so as to never be found disqualified from the salvation God has already freely given us.
May we persistently persevere in our esteem for that which is eternal and unseen.