Old Testament Characters: Lesson 2: Naaman 2 Kings 5:9-12

Leprosy & Sin Are Two Bad Diseases

Leprosy as a Disease 1. Leprosy is contagious and incurable. 2. Leprosy led to isolation. 3. Leprosy has caused untold misery and death

Sin as a Disease There is no human cure for sin. O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. Jeremiah 10:23

Leprosy & Sin’s Similarities 1. Both cause distress. 2. Leprosy destroys the body, while in similar fashion sin destroy the soul. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28

Leprosy & Sin’s Similarities 3. Leprosy can send the body to the grave while sin can send both body and soul to hell. 4. Neither are healed by any earthly power.

Leprosy & Sin’s Similarities 4 then the priest shall command to take for him who is to be cleansed two living and clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop. 5 And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water. 6 As for the living bird, he shall take it, the cedar wood and the scarlet and the hyssop, and dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water. 7 And he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose in the open field. Leviticus 14:4-7

Leprosy & Sin’s Similarities 5. Both sin & leprosy start small but spread rapidly. 6. Both are hardly noticeable – at first. 7. Leprosy was regarded as a disgrace, sin is also a disgrace.

The result of Both There was no escape from leprosy, and there is not escape from unrepented sin. Then Jesus said to them again, " I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come." John 8:21

The result of Both The result of leprosy was death, sin has the same result. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Mistakes of Naaman

Naaman Went to the Wrong Place. A. He failed to listen to the little maid’s instructions. 3 Then she said to her mistress, "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy." 4 And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, "Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel."5 Then the king of Syria said, " Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.“ So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.

Naaman Went to the Wrong Place. 6 Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy. 7 And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, " Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me." 2 Kings 5:3-7

Naaman Went to the Wrong Place. B. In the N.T. some disciples also went to the wrong place. 66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, " Do you also want to go away?"68 But Simon Peter answered Him, " Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." John 6:66-69

Naaman had already Decided what Elisha Should Do But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, " Indeed, I said to myself, 'He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy. ‘ 2 Kings 5:11

Naaman had already Decided what Elisha Should Do 1. Naaman expected things to be done a certain way. 2. Not unlike some today, he became upset when things went differently. Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage. 2 Kings 5:12

Naaman wanted to substitute. 1. Instead of washing in the Jordan, he wanted to wash in Abana or Pharpar back in Syria. 2. But to dip in these rivers was not being obedient to God’s commands.

Lessons for Us Today

What Healed Naaman 1. What healed Naaman was not the water of the Jordan. 2. His leprosy remained until he did EXACTLY what was commanded by God’s prophet. 13 And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ' Wash, and be clean ‘?” 2 Kings 5:13

What Healed Naaman 3. Today, we will not be pleasing to God until we do EXACTLY what He has commanded.

Conclusion 1. Naaman was cured by the power of God, by obeying God’s command. 2. Men today are saved and forgiven of sins when they obey the gospel and not before.

Conclusion 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. Romans 6:17-18

Conclusion For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Romans 1:16