2Kings 5:1-27
CLEANSED IN A DIRTY RIVER
2Kings 5:1-27
Key verse: 15b “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.”
This morning we learn how God healed a man with incurable disease called leprosy by being washed seven times in a dirty river. We will also learn about a little girl who taught a general to have faith in God.
First, a little girl’s faith (1-7). There was a general named Naaman. He was the commander of an army. He was such a good general that he always won when he fought against other armies. The king and everybody who lived in the country of Aram felt safe because of the mighty general Naaman (1).
One day this great general became sick with a disease that no would could heal or cure. It was leprosy. This disease caused his body to fall apart little by little. He may have lost some of his fingers, his toes, an ear and maybe his nose. Naaman had a servant girl that helped his wife. This little girl said, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy” (3). This little girl had faith in God and she believed God could heal general Naaman.
When Naaman went to Israel, the king of Israel did not have faith in God. He was scared and thought Naaman was coming to fight him. As soon as the king of Israel heard about this he said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!” (7).
Naaman was a mighty general. He could defeat anyone in battle, but he did not know how to fight against this disease that was taking over his whole body. This little girl had faith in God and loved Naaman. Naaman had become like a father to her since she lost her mom and dad. This little girl showed Naaman had to fight against this disease through going to the only God in all the world.
Even now, God uses little children to tell grown-ups to have faith in God and to believe in God. As children you may be little but children who faith in God can do great things by pointing people to God (Mk. 11:22; John 14:12a).
Second, God heals Naaman (8-27). Naaman went Elisha’s house. He knocked on the door, but Elisha did not come out. Instead, one of Elisha’s messenger came out and said to General Naaman, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed” (10). Naaman was so mad. Elisha did not come out. Elisha did not even pray over him. He just told to go take a bath in river seven times. Naaman thought, “I could have stayed home and taken a bath. The rivers are much cleaner where I live. This Elisha is a jerk!” Naaman was about to go home when his servants said to him, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” (13).
So Namaan went down to the dirty Jordan river. He stripped down to his underwear and went in. He dipped himself once and nothing happened. He dipped himself twice and nothing happened. He dipped himself third time and nothing happened. Finally, he dipped himself in the Jordan the seventh time. When he came up out of the water after the seventh dip, something miraculous happened. His skin was different. The leprosy was gone and he was completely healed. His skin was just like a little boy’s skin. It was brand new (14).
When Naaman was healed, he went back to Elisha to thank him. He told Elisha, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel” (15). Naaman also said, “…for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the LORD” (18). Naaman came to know that there is only one God in all the world. He is the Lord. He is the God that the Bible teaches. This God is the only God that Naaman would ever worship again for the rest of his life because only this God could heal him of his incurable disease of leprosy.
God is the only one who can cleanse of us of our bad thoughts and actions. When we come to God like Naaman we can be cleansed. Like Naaman we tell God the bad things we have done and he cleanses. God also cleanses us when we study the Bible. May God help you to be cleansed like Naaman as you study the Bible and tell God your sins (1Jn. 1:9). Let’s pray.