The power of hearing from God and obeying his word
Last week we heard how Elijah’s protégé Elisha had craved a double portion of the spirit of God that was present in his master.
This week we see Elisha in action, but really the story is of Naaman. And to understand the lessons of Naaman we need to understand the man and the context.
Naaman was commander of Aram (Syria) at a time when there was a rude peace with Israel – the two nations were not actually at war but there were occasional border skirmishes. In these Aram had the upper hand – and this with God’s help (despite no professed faith) was Naaman’s doing. He was nothing short of a national hero. In addition to his victories, the opening verses of 2 Kings 5 talk of Naaman as “a great man in the sight of his master” and “highly regarded”. He was a “valiant soldier”.
I’m thinking Russell Crowe at the beginning of Gladiator. A man of stature and bravery, a skilled military strategist, an effective leader on the battlefield; a man commanding his army with respect and earning their devotion.
But – there was a problem – his leprosy. Probably not leprosy as we medically know it now but certainly enough to cause the pain, disfigurement and social consequences the word leprosy conveys implies. Not by a long chalk the only flawed individual in the bible - Paul had all those preaching gifts but had his thorn in the side, David was the Lord’s anointed but had Bathsheba (his bit on the side), Naaman vanquished all comers but had his Leprosy. It is the human condition. As the C18th bible scholar Matthew Henry notes we all have “some but or other in our character, something that blemishes and diminishes us, some allay to our grandeur, some damp to our joy; we may be very happy, very good, yet, in something or other, not so good as we should be nor so happy as we would be. Naaman was as great as the world could make him, and yet the basest slave in Syria would not change skins with him.” So part of the story of Naaman for us is that whatever the weakness in our character God can and does work despite it. The bigger part of this story for us, is that if we hear and obey his words, he will work to change us.
There are three encounters that Naaman has with the word of God.
The first one is utterly spontaneous – it comes out of the blue from his wife’s young strip of a slave girl. (v3) “If only my master would go and see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” He has not asked for this advice, he would have had access to the finest advisors and doctors available. He could so easily have dismissed the suggestion as the whimsy or fantasy of an immature mind – he could have allowed sexism, racism, ageism, his social standing, his been there done that man of the world arrogance, his pride or any number of other habits to filter out what was, in fact, God speaking. Who do you listen to? Do you predetermine how God speaks to you? We all have our preferences – people we know or trust and that’s fine. But God might be speaking to you through someone else. So do we discipline ourselves to be humble enough to hear God’s word through the youngest, the least socially attractive, the stranger at the bus stop, the person with whom we have the least natural affinity? In this regard he is the God of surprises – but only if we allow it.
So Naaman gets this intelligence of weapons of mass grace and reverts to military type. He puts together a strategy: he gets permission from his commander in chief; gets a letter of introduction and diplomatic authority; assembles a delegation; orchestrates the horses and chariots; packs supplies for the journey; plans that a humungous gift of silver and gold – a third of a tonne! And off they go to see the king of Israel assuming in his authoritarian worldview that Elisha will be subject to the King.
As so often in these biblical narratives there’s a beautiful dramatic irony in Naaman – from a Gentile land with no cultural predisposition to listen to the one true God, but doing so – off to see Jehoram, king of God’s own land who had no excuse not to listen but was actively rejecting God’s word.
Elisha’s old boss Elijah had once sent Jehoram a letter:
“This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘You have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa king of Judah. But you have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and you have led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab did. You have also murdered your own brothers, members of your father’s house, men who were better than you. So now the LORD is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow. You yourself will be very ill with a lingering disease of the bowels, until the disease causes your bowels to come out.” (2 Chr 21)
With all this as backplot – as well as more than a little military trouble with his neighbours to the north Jehoram gets the hump when Naaman turns up on his doorstep demanding his leprosy gets cured. And that could have been the end of it – but God’s not ready to give up yet - so the story continues. Just like Meshuda’s moving testimony a few weeks back of how despite set back after set back God’s plan wins through.
Elisha gets wind of the king’s harrumph and sends note that he should send Naaman down to Samaria where Elisha is. It’s another journey but off they go. They get to Elisha’s house and this great military commander with his chariots and horses and entourage and his silver and gold are met not by Elisha but by his servant and this Naaman’s second encounter with God’s word. “25 miles..muddy river..seven times”. Maybe it was the need for a third journey, maybe the unpleasant, dirty ordinariness of the Jordan, maybe the simplicity of washing, maybe the diplomatic sleight of the servant not the master relaying the message, maybe just the surprise of this “wasn’t what I thought I’d asked for”. Ever had that from God? You’re in good company!
Here’s the point – just because we sometimes don’t like God’s answers doesn’t make them wrong. I don’t know about you that – like Naaman – it’s the simplest things that are the most difficult to do. It takes neither time, nor energy, nor money nor skill to say “sorry” or “thank you” or “please help me” and we lose God’s blessing when we deny those prompts. It is in obedience that we find the richest blessing.
Matthew Henry again: “Note, It is common for those that are wise in their own conceit to look with contempt on the dictates and prescriptions of divine wisdom and to prefer their own fancies before them; Naaman talked himself into such a heat (as passionate men usually do) that he turned away from the prophet’s door in a rage, ready to swear he would never have any thing more to say to Elisha; and who then would be the loser? Those that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercies. Proud men are the worst enemies to themselves and forego their own redemption”
I suspect as hissy fits go, this one would have been a corker. Think Russell Crowe again – you’re going to stand back. Again that could have been the end of it – but God wasn’t ready to give up yet - so the story continues.
So to Naaman’s last encounter with God’s word is via another un-named bit part player – again it’s the servants, the lower orders who speak up: “if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” After the violence of the rage, a small, calm, un-named loving voice gently reproaches – and so brings God’s plan back on track.
So in addition to the practice of humility in listening, the discipline of obedience to what he says, the final point is our role in helping others hear God’s word. What else have we heard in our readings today? “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace’ ”. “If someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently”. God speaks through action “carry each others burdens” – “let us not become weary in doing good”. We are a part of this.
So unstop your ears and listen to the good things he has to say; be obedient to what he says to enter the blessing; and know your role in his blessing for the people around you.