2Ki 5:11 | KingComments | STEP | Naaman is very upset about this treatment. How does Elisha dare to treat him like this! As a great man, he wants to be treated with respect, even when it comes to his healing, which he cannot achieve himself. He also wants to pay for it. He is doubly offended: he is not treated in the way he wants, as well as being expected to do something that he considers to be below his dignity. The words “behold, I thought” indicate that Naaman has his own ideas about his healing; Elisha had to come out and perform a fitting ritual to heal him. But Elisha treats him like a leper and Naaman doesn’t want that. Naaman has written the script for his healing and thinks that the prophet would want to do it that way. That’s all. He expects a spectacle, a dazzling show from this miracle worker. How often do we already have an idea of how God should solve our problem? And if it does not go according to our expectations, are we not disappointed in God? We not only want God’s blessings, but we also want to indicate how He should give them to us. Thus we want to make the sovereign God our ‘messenger boy’. Or we see God as a dispenser: throw in a prayer and you can take out your desired article. Naaman has two problems: his leprosy and his pride. He must first be freed from his pride and then be cleansed of his leprosy. Naaman has his arguments for not simply doing what the prophet has said. Why the Jordan? Why that way? Why not in another river? He knows rivers that are bigger and cleaner. But he does not know the difference between these rivers and the Jordan. What makes the Jordan different from any other river is that the Jordan speaks of death, the death undergone by the Lord Jesus. Only there you can find salvation. In other rivers, which also speak of death, the result is destruction without healing. Those rivers do not help. Naaman gets angry because he has not surrendered to grace. He has yet to learn that. Naaman must learn to see himself as a corrupt Syrian (cf. ). The Israelite must also learn this. Religious flesh wants to be caressed, but it must be judged. What Naaman, in the picture, must learn is that salvation can only be found in the foolishness of the cross. Paul preached this foolishness in Corinth ( ), where the believers also thought so highly of themselves. Many people – and sometimes also believers! – do not like that the gospel demands humility. They do not like the simplicity of the gospel, nor the narrow way of the gospel. It may seem foolishness to put your trust in Someone Who died on a shameful cross, the ultimate example of weakness and misery, but it is the only way to be saved. He is salvation; or else you will be lost forever.

‏ 2 Kings 5:11

Naaman’s Response

Naaman is very upset about this treatment. How does Elisha dare to treat him like this! As a great man, he wants to be treated with respect, even when it comes to his healing, which he cannot achieve himself. He also wants to pay for it. He is doubly offended: he is not treated in the way he wants, as well as being expected to do something that he considers to be below his dignity.

The words “behold, I thought” indicate that Naaman has his own ideas about his healing; Elisha had to come out and perform a fitting ritual to heal him. But Elisha treats him like a leper and Naaman doesn’t want that. Naaman has written the script for his healing and thinks that the prophet would want to do it that way. That’s all. He expects a spectacle, a dazzling show from this miracle worker.

How often do we already have an idea of how God should solve our problem? And if it does not go according to our expectations, are we not disappointed in God? We not only want God’s blessings, but we also want to indicate how He should give them to us. Thus we want to make the sovereign God our ‘messenger boy’. Or we see God as a dispenser: throw in a prayer and you can take out your desired article.

Naaman has two problems: his leprosy and his pride. He must first be freed from his pride and then be cleansed of his leprosy. Naaman has his arguments for not simply doing what the prophet has said. Why the Jordan? Why that way? Why not in another river? He knows rivers that are bigger and cleaner.

But he does not know the difference between these rivers and the Jordan. What makes the Jordan different from any other river is that the Jordan speaks of death, the death undergone by the Lord Jesus. Only there you can find salvation. In other rivers, which also speak of death, the result is destruction without healing. Those rivers do not help.

Naaman gets angry because he has not surrendered to grace. He has yet to learn that. Naaman must learn to see himself as a corrupt Syrian (cf. Deu 26:5). The Israelite must also learn this. Religious flesh wants to be caressed, but it must be judged.

What Naaman, in the picture, must learn is that salvation can only be found in the foolishness of the cross. Paul preached this foolishness in Corinth (1Cor 1:22-25), where the believers also thought so highly of themselves. Many people – and sometimes also believers! – do not like that the gospel demands humility. They do not like the simplicity of the gospel, nor the narrow way of the gospel. It may seem foolishness to put your trust in Someone Who died on a shameful cross, the ultimate example of weakness and misery, but it is the only way to be saved. He is salvation; or else you will be lost forever.