II KINGS 5-8 OBSERVATIONS

CHAPTER 5

Naaman’s Leprosy Healed

• Naaman was commander of the Syrian army
• Lord had given victory to Syria
• A young Israeli girl was taken captive during the war, and became the personal assistant to Naaman’s wife
• Naaman was a mighty man of valor, but was a leper
• When the young Israeli girl heard that, she told Naaman’s wife
• 2 Kings 5:3 (NASB) ³She said to her mistress, “I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.”
• Note: How she was willing to bless Naaman, even though he was an enemy.
• So the king of Syria sent Naaman to king Jehoram (Israel in Samaria) to be healed.
• Jehoram’s response:
• 2 Kings 5:7 (NASB) ⁷When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me.”
• Note: Jehoram asks, “Am I God?” …. But consider, if you “know” the God that can do these things … you would look at this as an opportunity instead of being fearful that the enemy is seeking to do an end run around you?? The real problem here is that Jehoram doesn’t really “know” God.
• When Elisha hears about this and that Jehoram has “torn his clothes” in despair, he offers to let Naaman visit him.
• Naaman comes to his house.
• But Elisha just sends a servant out telling him, “Go wash in the Jordan 7 times”
• Naaman is furious, thinks he deserves more respect, and goes away in a POUT saying:
• 2 Kings 5:12 (NASB) ¹²“Are not Abanah and 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.
• Note: the real issue here is are you willing to obey? Your not the one prescribing the cure, your coming to the one who is…you need to get it straight about who is in control here…not you but Elisha…so you need to listen to (God through) him.
• But his servants suggested that if Elisha had told him to do something great…he would have complied immediately…why not do the little thing he has asked?
• So he concedes, goes down to the Jordan, dips 7 times, and comes out healed!!
• He then gives God glory saying:
• 2 Kings 5:15 - 16 (NASB) ¹⁵When he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now.” ¹⁶But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.
• Note: The purpose of this miracle was to get Naaman to give God glory.
• He then offers to pay Elisha a great sum of money
• Elisha refuses
• Naaman then shows how much his heart has changed resulting in a change in actions, by stating:
• 2 Kings 5:17 - 18 (NASB) ¹⁷Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant at least be given two mules’ load of earth; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering nor will he sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD. ¹⁸“In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this matter.”

Gehazi Becomes Greedy

• Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, hearing all this thinks this is too much to pass up
• So he chases after Naaman and overtakes him as he is leaving the area, and begins a series of lies saying:
• Two men just came to Elisha from the mountains (lie); can you give them a talent of silver and 2 changes of clothes?
• Naaman quickly agrees and gives them to Gehazi.
• When Gehazi returned to Elisha, Elisha asked him:
• Where did you go?
• G: No where (lie)
• Note this is typical answer of a child responding to a parent’s question, when the child has done something wrong.
• Do we respond often the same way thinking that God doesn’t see? How foolish!!
• Elisha then responded saying:
• 2 Kings 5:26 - 27 (NASB) ²⁶Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female servants? ²⁷“Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
• Then the leprosy that was on Naaman came to Gehazi.
• Lesson: Don’t mess with God’s solutions or try to get personal gain from what God is trying to get glory for Himself from…God will not share His glory.

CHAPTER 6

Floating Axe Head

• Elisha then performs a miracle my making an axe-head float that had fallen off it’s handle, into the water, during use.
• Elisha did this by cutting off a stick and throwing it in the water.
• The axe head then floated to the surface
• Elisha then asked them to “pick it up for yourself”
• Note: He asks them to participate in God’s answer to their need
• Lesson: Am I willing to participate in God’s answer to my need?

Blinded Syrians Captured

• King of Syria was making war against Israel
• When he would say, I am going to camp in such and such a place, the man of God would tell the Israeli king not to go near that place.
• This happened repeatedly
• The Syrian king became troubled, thinking that he had a spy in his inner circle
• But his servants then told him that Elisha, the prophet, was telling the king of Israel everything he whispered in his bedroom.
• Note: this is real power…from God.
• This disturbed the Syrian king, so he sent his troops to go get Elisha who was living in Dothan.
• When the troops arrived at the outskirts of the city of Dothan, Elisha’s servant asked Elisha in despair,
• “Master! What shall we do?”
• Elisha’s response:
• “Don’t fear. There are more with us than with them.”
• Elisha then prayed asking God to open his servant’s eyes
• The Lord did
• The servant saw the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
• Question: Do we realize there are often battles going on around us that we don’t immediately see?
• Comment: This is similar to what happened with Job
• Observation: There are often things going on in heaven that involve us…and we don’t see them…but they are none the less REAL!!
• When the Syrians finally came to get him, Elisha prayed
• “Lord strike this people”
• God did … with blindness
• Then Elisha was able to lead them directly into the hands of the Israeli king in Samaria
• King of Israel: “shall I kill them?”
• Elisha: “No! Why kill those you have taken captive? Let them eat and drink and then send them back to their master”
• Note: how he blesses the enemy!!

Syria Besieges Samaria in Famine.

• Ben-Hadad, king of Syria, besieged Samaria.
• There came great famine in Samaria--Women were eating their sons for food
• King of Israel went into mourning
• King felt it was because of Elisha, so he said:
• 2 Kings 6:30 - 31 (NASB) ³⁰When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes—now he was passing by on the wall—and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth beneath on his body. ³¹Then he said, “May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today.”
• COMMENT: WRONG RESPONSE
• INSTEAD he should have realized that Elisha as working with God, not against Samaria.
• Then the king sent a messenger ahead of him to get Elisha
• Elisha told the elders that were sitting with him, hold this servant until his master (the king) comes….and then hold the king too.

CHAPTER 7

Syria Besieges Samaria in Famine—Continued.

• Elisha then tells the king and all, tomorrow the famine will end.
• The king’s officer doesn’t believe.
• Elisha tell’s him it will be so, and he will see it with his own eyes, BUT HE WILL NOT EAT OF IT.

Syrians Flee

• There were 4 lepers sitting at the gate just outside the city.
• They said, we are about to die.
• If we go into the city, we will die
• If we just sit here we will die
• Let’s go surrender to the Syrians, and maybe we’ll be able to get food and live.
• Meanwhile, God
• Had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the great noise of chariots and horses.
• The thought a great army was coming on them
• They got up and fled at twilight, leaving all their camp and food intact.
• The four lepers enter the camp about that time and went from tent to tent eating till their hearts were content…. taking and hiding the gold, silver and clothing.
• Finally their conscience gets them and they realize
• We’re not doing right.
• This is a day of good news
• We are remaining silent
• If we continue this, we’ll all be punished
• Let’s go tell the king.
• Observation: IT’S NOT GOOD TO REMAIN SILENT WITH GOOD NEWS.
• Note: When you have good news, YOU MUST TELL OTHERS
• Note: they were UNSELFISH WITH THE GOOD NEWS
• They go tell the king
• The king DOUBTS, and thinks it’s a plot to get Israel to come into the city whereupon they will capture the Israelis.
• One of the king’s servants says, let us send a couple men and a couple of the 5 remaining horses to see what is going on
• King sends 2 chariots and men to see
• As they approach the Jordan, they find clothes and weapons that the Syrians have discarded laying all along the road.
• Once the word got back to the king, the whole city went out to the Syrian camp to see what was going on and to get into the “goods”
• Interestingly enough, the king appointed a guard to watch the gate, the same one who questioned if this famine could end by “tomorrow” and for whom Elisha prophesied he would “see it but not eat of it.”
• As the people rushed to the camp, they trampled him at the gate and he died, seeing it happen, but not being able to eat of it, just as Elisha had predicted.