Cleansed Lepers and Floating Axe Heads

She had been taken away after an Aramean raid. Perhaps her parents were dead. She probably had no hope of returning home. She was living out her days in the service of a foreign person in a foreign land. Yet she stands as a wonderful example to us. She’s aware of Naaman’s condition. Concerned for his welfare and confident in God’s work through Elisha, she tells her mistress that someone can cure the commander. This word was passed up to Naaman, who then went and received permission to go to Israel in hope of being cured.

Never underestimate the power of words. Never think God can’t use you where you are. Point people to Jesus within the ordinary rhythms of your workweek. You never know who might respond and how God may be glorified. That’s the legacy of this little evangelist.

Today this might look like something as simple as giving a Christian book to someone at your school or in your office. It might involve simply inviting someone to corporate worship with you on a Sunday. It might involve your simply asking if you could pray for your sick neighbor or taking the family some soup. If you want to do great things, great! But most Christians need to start with small things. This small girl did the small task of telling someone about Elisha, and it made a huge difference. Don’t think you need a position in a church or in a corporation to be used of God. God loves to use ordinary people to accomplish His extraordinary purposes. Live every day with gospel intentionality.

A Great Word (vv. 5b-13)

In contrast to the faithful servant girl, we now meet a pathetic servant. This time the servant has position, influence, and power, but he’s useless. Naaman goes off to Israel with an official letter from Aram’s king and a lot of goods, clothes, and gold. Presumably the Aramean king thought that there would be a close relationship between the prophet and the king’s court. But Israel’s king (Joram? 2 Kgs 3) is no help whatsoever. He responds with mourning and panic. His assumption is that Aram wants to fight again. The slave girl has faith, but the king of Israel doesn’t.

Israel’s king doesn’t seek out the prophet, but when Elisha hears about the situation, he responds: “Why have you torn your clothes? Have him come to me, and he will know there is a prophet in Israel” (v. 8). Following this invitation, “Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house” (v. 9).

Isn’t it interesting that this man Naaman is coming to the country where Yahweh’s chosen people live, but the king in the country doesn’t even truly know Yahweh? How similar is this to people who grow up in religious environments but never become real Christ followers? Proximity doesn’t always lead to salvation. Your name may be on a church roll, but what matters is whether it’s in the Book of Life (Phil 4:3).

Now for the great word of Elisha. His word is a word of salvation, but like the gospel this word can offend.

Elisha sends his messenger to Naaman instead of going himself. Imagine this scene. A royal entourage is at your door, and you stay at your desk, sending someone to speak for you! The writer doesn’t interpret Elisha’s actions, but surely this act was a bit humbling to Naaman. But if this didn’t humble Naaman, Elisha’s instructions surely did. In fact, they disturbed him. Naaman anticipated a faith-healing event, like the waving of the hand, an incantation, and boom—leprosy gone! But that’s not what happens. Elisha tells him to go to the Jordan and wash seven times. Elisha treated this man like any other leper who needed to be healed, and Naaman didn’t like it (Davis, 2 Kings, 90).

The gospel must first humble us before it heals us. Everything about the gospel humbles us. It crushes our pride and our cultural assumptions. You must first humbly admit that you’re a desperate sinner. Proud, morally relativistic people don’t want to recognize this fact. You must humbly accept that Jesus, the One hung on a tree 2,000 years ago, is the only way of salvation. Proud, intellectual people don’t want to embrace this fact either. You must also humbly acknowledge that you can’t do anything—anything!—to earn salvation. Proud “self-made” people don’t want to admit this either. They want to justify themselves. They want to work out their own self-salvation projects. Indeed, everything about the gospel humbles us. But for all those who do humble themselves, they will find grace and be exalted (1 Pet 5:5-6).

Naaman is being humbled in this account. He’s bothered by Elisha’s dogmatism and “narrow-mindedness.” He’s bothered that he has to go into the Jordan, Israel’s major river, instead of some other body of water, maybe one in his own country. Will Naaman stumble over this message, or will he submit to this message?

Paul tells us that many stumble over the cross, but others find salvation in it (1 Cor 1:23-24). Some scoff at the message of a bloody cross while others sing about it. Scoffers find it too embarrassing, too uncivil, too stupid, too simple, and too narrow. Believers find it altogether glorious, infinitely wise, hope giving, and powerful. The cross of Christ divides the human race into two categories, and it unites all believers. To sing about the wonders of the Savior, one must first humbly submit to the word of the Savior.

Naaman eventually submitted to the prophet’s word. His servants tell him that instead of scoffing at the message, he should rejoice in its simplicity and experience the promise of responding in faith. By God’s grace, we then read of his conversion.

A Great Transformation (vv. 14-18)

After washing in the Jordan, Naaman’s skin is transformed. He’s healed instantly and fully. It’s a beautiful picture of his new status and his new identity. The miracle wasn’t due to any magical powers in the Jordan River, either. His transformation can only be attributed to the power and grace of God.

Bible teachers disagree over whether or not one should see this account as having some baptismal significance. While we should avoid making this story a key text for an argument regarding baptism views, it’s hard not to see some similarities. Even those who practice a different mode of baptism than me see this text as saying something about it. Leithart goes so far as to say, “The story of Naaman is the richest Old Testament story of baptism and anticipates Christian baptism in a number of specific ways” (1 and 2 Kings, 192). One could argue that Naaman’s “baptism” anticipates the baptism of thousands of future Gentiles. Naaman’s baptism, like Christian baptism, also identified Him with God and His people. And his baptism was a picture of death to life, like Christian baptism.

In verse 15 we see that Naaman’s skin wasn’t the only thing that changed. His mind and heart changed also. What an awesome confession of faith and change of heart! Naaman confesses that Yahweh alone is God. He also calls himself a “servant” of Elisha. Finally, he wants to give an offering as a sign of his love and loyalty. That’s quite a shift from his initial reaction.

But there’s even more evidence of his transformation. The next part of the passage might puzzle you, but I think it makes sense. Naaman essentially explains that he’s not adding Yahweh to his already existing pagan gods, but rather he’s turning from all false gods and replacing them with Yahweh. The situation he describes in verses 17-19 might not first appear to say this, but I think that’s exactly the point. Naaman says that he’s committed to worshiping Yahweh exclusively, but he wants pardon in advance because he knows that he will be going to the pagan temple with his master. Is Naaman, then, not committed to Yahweh? No, I think the opposite is true. This was simply part of Naaman’s job description. Naaman is implying with the “soil sample” that even though he will be in the temple with his master, he will not worship his master’s idol. Because of his work expectations, he asks for pardon.

So I don’t think we should take this negatively. Elisha takes it as no big deal, saying, “Go in peace.” He simply leaves it at that. Davis rightly says that verse 18 actually shows a mark of conversion, namely, a “sensitive conscience” (2 Kings, 94). Naaman is bothered by his workplace expectations. Too bad more Israelites weren’t as sensitive as Naaman. Naaman lost not only his leprosy but also his paganism (ibid.).

A real conversion involves turning from idols to the living God exclusively (1 Thess 1:9-10). It involves a change of status. It involves new desires. It involves a sensitive conscience. It involves generous giving. All of these things are expressed in this remarkable conversion story. Leithart summarizes it well:

The story of Naaman’s conversion is one of the most detailed and one of the most sociologically and psychologically rich conversion stories in the Bible. Almost for the first time, the Bible depicts the change of mind and heart, as well as the change of status, that occurs when a sinner turns to the God of Israel. (1 and 2 Kings, 193)

Indeed, everything changed for Naaman, and everything changes for anyone else who truly repents and believes in Christ.

Paul told the formerly unclean Corinthians, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come” (2 Cor 5:17). Becoming a Christian isn’t about becoming a nicer person. It’s not about turning over a new leaf. It’s about becoming a new person. That’s the change Christians have experienced, and that’s the message we hold out to the world. So, like this little slave girl, let’s keep telling everyone about the One greater than Elisha that can make them new and clean.

Unfortunately, the whole story of Naaman’s conversion doesn’t end positively for everyone. While Naaman experiences the wonder of God’s gracious salvation, Gehazi experiences a negative transformation. In the first story Naaman is healed from leprosy; in the second story Gehazi, because of his great sin, is struck with the same disease. We read of Gehazi’s greed and lack of gospel understanding and appreciation in verses 19-27. This whole account is sad. Elisha refuses to receive anything from Naaman, but Gehazi is looking to cash in on the matter, reminding us of the sin of Achan (Josh 7) and Simon the Magician (Acts 8:18-24).

Gehazi makes up a story about Elisha. His lie is carefully told, for it doesn’t come across as excessive but believable. Naaman had previously offered much more. Naaman agrees and hands over the goods to Gehazi.

Motivated by greed, Elisha’s servant lies and takes what doesn’t belong to him. Then he lies again when Elisha asks him where he has been. Elisha informs Gehazi that he knows what has happened. Elisha then informs him that such great sin has consequences, and in this case it results in leprosy.

What’s probably most deplorable in this episode is that Gehazi distorted the gospel. God’s grace was coming free of charge to Naaman, yet Gehazi tried to put a price on salvation. Davis says, “Gehazi’s greed implied that Yahweh was a ‘taker’ like all the other deities that littered the Near East. . . . This explains why Gehazi’s punishment is so severe, why God deals so harshly with him” (2 Kings, 97-98).

Grace is free. We must not distort it. Paul warned the Galatians about adding anything to the saving grace of God. The apostle taught that if anyone distorted the life-changing gospel of grace, they should be under a curse (Gal 1:8).

Stand in joyful awe of Naaman’s conversion; stand in fear of Gehazi’s greed and distortion. Celebrate the gospel. Preach the gospel. Believe the gospel. Don’t use the gospel for your own selfish gain. Don’t communicate false ideas about the living God. God really is gracious and sovereign, and He really delights in saving people. May everything we do and say commend the Redeemer to the nations.

God’s Supplying Grace

2 Kings 6:1-7

The “God of all grace” (1 Pet 5:10) not only saves us by grace but also graciously supplies all our needs. God’s power is at work in Elisha, and God cares about supplying the smallest of needs for all His servants.

At first glance this story seems unnecessary. Who cares about a floating axe head? Someone cared about it! We aren’t given his name, but one particular prophet would never forget this story about God’s miraculous provision. God cares about world events, and He cares about giving us daily bread . . . or an axe head. Be encouraged by this fact. This was a simple need, but it was a real need.

These seminary students really needed more space. They needed tools. After the axe falls into the water, the student cries out for help because of his need. The fact that he didn’t own an axe probably meant he couldn’t afford one. Losing the axe would only add to his financial burden, since they were probably expensive (Davis, 2 Kings, 105). So God in His mercy works a miracle. Elisha strikes the water. The iron rises to the surface, and the student picks up his tool and presumably goes back to work.

I love this story. I think it teaches us that we can take every care to God as we seek to fulfill His will for our lives. He is a God you can call out to in your emergencies and trust that He provides for His children. He may provide in mundane ways or miraculous ways, but either way, it comes from our good and gracious God. Trust Him. Seek Him. Believe He responds to our cries. God’s servants can rely on Him to supply their needs.

As we wait for the day that God makes all things new, let us keep our eyes on the One greater than Elisha, Jesus Christ. Soon we will dwell with Him forever, where all the redeemed from every tribe and tongue will sing praises to His name. On that day there will be no more lepers. No more Ebola sufferers. No more pain. No more tears. All the redeemed, who experienced God’s saving grace and who lived on God’s supplying grace, will exalt the One who rescued them. Former lepers will be able to lift their new hands in praise to the King. Like the little girl, let’s tell everyone of this good news. A Savior for all nations has come, and He will come again.

Reflect and Discuss