CLEAN – podcast 7 (The Leprosy of Naaman)

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Scriptural study: 2 Kings 5:1-19

Note: Naaman is also mentioned in the NT (Luke 4:27).Syria = Aram = Syria, not AssyriaHis qualities:LeadershipCourageAnd the flaw of leprosy (both visible and humiliating).Physical and spiritual health are found in the land of Israel (not Syria, where false gods are worshipped).See how God works through circumstances, through people, through conversations!Naaman is willing to pay! He knows that cleansing is worth it! (Do we?)He proceeds to the king of Israel, to whom this looks like a trap.Elisha finds out what has happened, and invites Naaman to come to him (v.8).Elisha's instructions are humbling. In the presence of Naaman's entourage, to follow the prophet's instructions would have been humiliating.Instead of responding in humility, Naaman has a strong and negative emotional reaction. Furthermore, his reasoning is defective.He received some sound counsel – again, from a servant (v.13). Notice the role servants play, as opposed to the roles of the powerful!The miracle leads to his conversion.It is also a nice prefiguring of baptism, as the early Christians did not fail to notice (Irenaeus of Lyon, fragment 34).He was probably already circumcised so didn’t need to be circumcised again!SeeCircumcision in ancient Syria.Naaman requests a double load of Israelite dirt – so that he may worship "in" the land of Israel.The problem of his accidental bowing when his master enters the temple of the god Rimmon could be a problem, but Elisha tells him to go in peace.

Application

Cleansing comes when we obey God’s message.God’s messengers are often humble persons. Don’t be too proud to listen.When we are cleansed, the proper response is a life of devotion towards God.All of us who are true Christians have been cleansed from spiritual leprosy.