Posted by Chester Morton / Wednesday, 17 February 2016 / No comments
The story of Naaman, Elisha and Gehazi
THE STORY OF NAAMAN
Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army. He was a man of valour, loved by his king and highly regarded by the people of Syria because he had brought so many victories home but he was a leper.
Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army. He was a man of valour, loved by his king and highly regarded by the people of Syria because he had brought so many victories home but he was a leper.
On one of his raids on Israel’s
territory, Naaman captured a Jewish girl. This girl was sent to Naaman's house to serve his wife. One day, the Jewish girl told her madam that there was a Prophet in Samaria who
could heal Naaman of his leprosy if only he could go there.
When Naaman got this information,
he told his master, the king. The king asked Naaman to go and get healed; he
gave Naaman a letter to be given to the king of Israel. In the letter, he asked
the king of Israel to get Naaman healed of his leprosy. Naaman took with him ten
talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten festal garments.
When the king of Israel read the
letter sent to him, he was disturbed. He concluded that the king of Syria was
looking for a pretext to attack Israel again. He tore his clothes and cried out
that he was not God to heal people. When Elisha heard that the king had torn
his clothes, he inquired and was told the reason. Elisha asked the king to send
Naaman to him so that he may know that there was a God in Israel.
Naaman was sent to Elisha. When
he got to Elisha’s gate, the prophet sent someone to tell him to go and dip
himself in the Jordan River seven times and he would be healed. Naaman was
disappointed that the man of God did not come out to meet him, to lay his hands
on him, to call on his God for him to be healed. He only asked him to go take a bath in the Jordan. Naaman said there
were better rivers in Syria. He mentioned Syrian rivers like Pharpar and Abana.
If he knew that was what the prophet was going to say, he would have washed his body in those rivers. He turned and started back to Syria.
On their way back to Syria, one
of his servants asked Naaman that, if the man of God had asked him to do
something difficult, would he not have done it? The servant said the prophet
only asked him to go and wash in the river seven times. With these words,
Naaman was persuaded and he turned back and washed in the river Jordan seven
times. On the seventh time, Naaman was healed. His skin was restored like that
of the skin of a baby.
Naaman, realizing that he had
been healed, went to Elisha and confessed that there is no God in the whole
world except in Israel. He offered some gifts to Elisha but he refused to take them.
Naaman asked that he should be given two mules load of Israel sand so that he
could send back to Syria and worship on it. He vowed not to offer sacrifice to
any God other than the God of Israel. Then Naaman left.
Gehazi was Elisha’s servant. He was not pleased that his master had left Naaman to go without collecting anything for the healing he received. He followed Naaman. When Naaman saw someone approaching them from afar, he dismounted his chariot to meet him. When they met, Gehazi told Naaman that his master had
received some visitors from Ephraim soon after he, Naaman, had left. Gehazi
said his master wanted some of the gifts Naaman had offered earlier so that he
could give to the visitors.
Naaman gave Gehazi, two talents
of silver, and two festal garments. When Gehazi got home, Elisha asked him
where he had been. Gehazi answered that he had not been anywhere. Elisha said
he had followed Gehazi in the spirit and had seen him receive the gifts from
Naaman. Elisha told Gehazi that the leprosy that had left Naaman would come
upon him and his descendants forever. Immediately, Gehazi became a leper.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1. a. Narrate the story of Naaman
and Gehazi.
b. State three consequences of greed.
2. a. Narrate the story of Naaman.
b. Mention two important lessons Naaman
learned from the story.
3. a. Relate the story of the
healing of Naaman.
b. How was the name of the Lord glorified
through Naaman’s misfortune?
4. a. Discuss the circumstances
that led to the healing of Naaman.
b. State Naaman’s reaction to his healing?
c. What incident followed this reaction?
d. Identify two virtues that can be learned from the entire episode.
5. a. How did Gehazi acquire
leprosy?
b. What three character traits of Gehazi were
revealed in the account?
6. a. Narrate the story of how
Gehazi became a leper.
b. Mention three ways in which assistant Pastors
act in a disloyal way to their main pastors.
7. a. Give an account of how
Elisha healed Naaman.
b. State three moral lessons that Christian
leaders of today can learn from this episode.
c. In which three ways do Christian leaders
of today raise money to run their church?
