2 Kings 5:7
And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
When the king of Israel read the Syrian king's letter asking him to cure Naaman of leprosy, he tore his clothes because he knew such healing was beyond his power, for he was not God with power over life and death, and he feared the demand was a pretext for war. Naaman was captain of the Syrian host, a great and honorable man of valor who was a leper, whose hope of healing came through a captive Israelite maid who told of the prophet in Samaria. Although many lepers lived in Israel, they were passed by and none was cleansed, while Naaman the Syrian foreigner alone was cleansed when he came seeking help. Naaman was faithful to the light he had and open to receive God's help, while Israel's lepers were left unhealed through unbelief and despising of their privileges, which shut the door to God's power. People are judged by how they use the light they receive rather than by how much light they have, a lesson Jesus later taught from Naaman's healing to expose unbelief among those with great privilege.
Narrative Setting and Reaction
2 Kings 5:7 belongs to the story of Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, a great and honorable mighty man in valor who was a leper. At that time Syria under Benhadad had defeated Israel in the battle in which Ahab died and kept up constant border warfare against Israel. In one such raid a little Israelite maid was carried away and came to serve Naaman's wife, and God directed her feet to that very place because one there needed the help she could give. She witnessed for God by telling her mistress that the prophet in Samaria would recover Naaman of his leprosy, knowing the power of Heaven was with Elisha and believing Naaman could be healed by that power. As He sent her then, He still sends men and women and youth today as His representatives to those in need of divine help and guidance.
When the king of Israel read the Syrian king's letter asking him to heal Naaman's leprosy, he tore his clothes. He recognized the healing was beyond his power, since he was not God who has power over life and death to kill and to make alive. He suspected the request was a pretext by which the Syrian king sought to provoke a conflict with him.
Naaman's cleansing through Elisha was the precedent for cleansing a person with leprosy. No such cleansing was known from Elisha's time until Jesus healed the leper.
Mercy Beyond Israel
Though many lepers lived in Israel, they were passed by and none was cleansed, while Naaman the Syrian, a foreigner, nobleman, and Gentile, alone was cleansed when he came seeking help. His cleansing reached across national boundaries, showing that God's favor and mercy were not limited to Israel. Naaman was faithful to his convictions and to the light he had received, living by the light he had. He felt his need of help and recognized his need, and was ready, willing, and open to receive God's help, grace, and instruction.
By contrast, Israel's lepers were left unreceptive to God's power because of unbelief and misuse, abuse, and despising of their privileges and profession, which shut the door to God's healing power and kept Him from manifesting His power for them. God's chosen people had turned from Him, compromising principle for convenience and worldly honor with hard, unbelieving hearts. The power of God displayed through faithful prophets was not for the salvation of an unbelieving, hard-hearted people, but for those who had hearts that could feel and faith that would grasp the evidences God was pleased to give. This belongs to the history of the prophets, men God chose for a special and important work.
Naaman was therefore healed of leprosy and came to know the true God, being taught divine truth, enlightened, and given spiritual instruction. People are judged by how they use the light they have received, not by how much light they have received. One with less light who follows it may be more favorably regarded, more righteous, and more worthy of blessing than one with great spiritual advantages and profession of godliness whose life contradicts it. God's favor and mercy are not secured by belonging to His people.
Jesus later used Naaman's healing to teach this lesson and to challenge His hearers' unbelief and rejection of Him. He showed that a heathen who lives by his light may receive God's favor while those with greater light who contradict their profession may forfeit it. As God sent the maiden to one in need of divine help and guidance, He still sends men and women and youth today as His representatives to those in need of divine help and guidance.