So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
Naaman was a Syrian commander afflicted with leprosy who came with his horses and chariot and stood waiting at the door of Elisha's house to seek healing, having been directed there by the testimony of the captive Israelite maid that God's power worked through the prophet. Elisha answered him at the door through a messenger with direction to wash seven times in the Jordan, and by obeying he was cleansed of his leprosy and enlightened to know the true God. His was the only cleansing of a leper in Elisha's time, when many lepers in Israel were passed over, so that no like healing occurred again until Christ's ministry. God thus manifested Himself to a heathen Gentile foreigner because Naaman had lived faithfully by the best light he had, with a felt need and a heart ready to receive grace, showing that divine blessing was not limited to Israel. A person's standing before God depends on the use made of received light rather than the amount received, while the lepers of Israel closed the door to good by unbelief, unrighteous life, and pride that would have perverted grace to self-exaltation.
Visit and Healing Described
Naaman was a Syrian nobleman and commander, a leper who came with his horses and with his chariot and stood and waited at the door of Elisha's house to seek help and healing. His visit followed the testimony of the captive Israelite maid that God's power worked through Elisha to give the help Naaman needed. Elisha answered Naaman at the door through a messenger, directing him to wash seven times in the Jordan to be healed of leprosy.
Naaman was cleansed of his leprosy and came to know the true God, being enlightened in divine truth.
His was the only cleansing of a leper in Elisha's time, when many lepers in Israel were passed over. Jesus' later healing of a leper was therefore unprecedented since that event.
Grace Beyond Israel
Naaman stood at Elisha's door as a heathen, a Gentile, a Syrian foreigner and nobleman, yet one who had lived faithfully by the best light he possessed, following his convictions of right, feeling his great need of help, and opening his heart ready to receive God's grace and instruction. God therefore manifested Himself to him and favored him, cleansing him of leprosy and enlightening him in divine truth, showing that God's blessings and the ministry of His prophet were not limited to Israel but were sent beyond Israel. A person's standing before God depends on how received light is used rather than how much light has been received, so one with little light who lives by it is regarded with greater favor and counted more righteous than those with great light and spiritual advantages whose lives contradict their profession.
The power of God displayed through faithful prophets was not labored for the salvation of an unbelieving, hard-hearted people, but was especially given to those with hearts that could feel and faith that would grasp the evidences God gave. The many lepers in Israel were passed over because their unbelief and unrighteous lives closed the door of good to them. Instead of making right use of God's blessings they slighted and despised their privileges and would have perverted tokens of grace to exalt themselves in pride, boastfulness, and self-sufficiency, placing themselves where the Lord could not manifest His power for them. Jesus held up this history to expose wicked unbelief and corrupt life and to show His ministry would not meet the expectation of national deliverance. It struck home as a terribly severe rebuke that first awakened reverence and then stirred scorn from those who would have no king without riches and splendor and a grand and imposing army.
God has reasons for directing feet to a particular place, because there someone may need the help His representative can give, as when the little Israelite maiden was sent to Naaman the Syrian captain. Work that is not personal choice is still to be accepted as God's choice and the nearest duty done whether pleasing or unpleasing. God still sends men, women, and youth today as His representatives to those needing divine help and guidance.
Naaman was a Syrian commander afflicted with leprosy who came with his horses and chariot and stood waiting at the door of Elisha's house to seek healing, having been directed there by the testimony of the captive Israelite maid that God's power worked through the prophet. Elisha answered him at the door through a messenger with direction to wash seven times in the Jordan, and by obeying he was cleansed of his leprosy and enlightened to know the true God. His was the only cleansing of a leper in Elisha's time, when many lepers in Israel were passed over, so that no like healing occurred again until Christ's ministry. God thus manifested Himself to a heathen Gentile foreigner because Naaman had lived faithfully by the best light he had, with a felt need and a heart ready to receive grace, showing that divine blessing was not limited to Israel. A person's standing before God depends on the use made of received light rather than the amount received, while the lepers of Israel closed the door to good by unbelief, unrighteous life, and pride that would have perverted grace to self-exaltation.
Visit and Healing Described
Naaman was a Syrian nobleman and commander, a leper who came with his horses and with his chariot and stood and waited at the door of Elisha's house to seek help and healing. His visit followed the testimony of the captive Israelite maid that God's power worked through Elisha to give the help Naaman needed. Elisha answered Naaman at the door through a messenger, directing him to wash seven times in the Jordan to be healed of leprosy.
Naaman was cleansed of his leprosy and came to know the true God, being enlightened in divine truth.
His was the only cleansing of a leper in Elisha's time, when many lepers in Israel were passed over. Jesus' later healing of a leper was therefore unprecedented since that event.
Grace Beyond Israel
Naaman stood at Elisha's door as a heathen, a Gentile, a Syrian foreigner and nobleman, yet one who had lived faithfully by the best light he possessed, following his convictions of right, feeling his great need of help, and opening his heart ready to receive God's grace and instruction. God therefore manifested Himself to him and favored him, cleansing him of leprosy and enlightening him in divine truth, showing that God's blessings and the ministry of His prophet were not limited to Israel but were sent beyond Israel. A person's standing before God depends on how received light is used rather than how much light has been received, so one with little light who lives by it is regarded with greater favor and counted more righteous than those with great light and spiritual advantages whose lives contradict their profession.
The power of God displayed through faithful prophets was not labored for the salvation of an unbelieving, hard-hearted people, but was especially given to those with hearts that could feel and faith that would grasp the evidences God gave. The many lepers in Israel were passed over because their unbelief and unrighteous lives closed the door of good to them. Instead of making right use of God's blessings they slighted and despised their privileges and would have perverted tokens of grace to exalt themselves in pride, boastfulness, and self-sufficiency, placing themselves where the Lord could not manifest His power for them. Jesus held up this history to expose wicked unbelief and corrupt life and to show His ministry would not meet the expectation of national deliverance. It struck home as a terribly severe rebuke that first awakened reverence and then stirred scorn from those who would have no king without riches and splendor and a grand and imposing army.
God has reasons for directing feet to a particular place, because there someone may need the help His representative can give, as when the little Israelite maiden was sent to Naaman the Syrian captain. Work that is not personal choice is still to be accepted as God's choice and the nearest duty done whether pleasing or unpleasing. God still sends men, women, and youth today as His representatives to those needing divine help and guidance.