Elisha succeeded Elijah as the LORD’s prophet to the ten tribes of Israel and he also endevoured to turn the people back to God. Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army but also a leper with no possibility of a cure until a captive Israelite girl spoke about Elisha, the prophet of YAHWEH. Naaman therefore obtained permission from his own king and that of Israel, who suspected a trick, to visit Elisha.
Naaman was an important person of those times and he expected to be received accordingly by Elisha and he also anticipated being asked to do some great deed in order to be cured of the leprosy. In the event, Elisha merely sent his servant out to Naaman to tell him to immerse himself seven times in the River Jordan. Naaman was incensed at this treatment and dismissed the idea of immersing in the Jordan when there were superior rivers in his own country of Syria. However his servants wisely persuaded him to obey the prophet’s simple instruction with the result he was healed of his leprosy. This is an instructive example of how human nature resists the simple commandments of God. People react in the same way today, being prepared to do great deeds in the hope of gaining eternal life and often making impressive sacrifices in their lives, confident that God will reward them accordingly. But the simple commandment is: “Believe the gospel and be baptized”. Mark 16:16Waiting for response for Mark 16:16 This is very similar to the instruction given to Naaman: immerse yourself in water. One would imagine that everyone professing discipleship of Jesus would obey his simple command to believe and be baptized, but most find excuses for not doing so and, like Naaman at first, refuse to take this simple step!
Naaman offered money to Elisha once his leprosy was removed, but Elisha refused it because the healing was a free gift from God. Leprosy is used in the scriptures as a metaphor for sin and, just as Naaman’s leprosy was removed by immersion in the water, so baptism removes a believer’s past sins: Acts 22:16Waiting for response for Acts 22:16 The price for our salvation from sin has been paid by the sacrificial death of Jesus 1 Peter 1:18-19Waiting for response for 1 Peter 1:18-19 and salvation is offered to us freely. Romans 3:24Waiting for response for Romans 3:24 Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, arranged to receive money for the healing of Naaman and since the days of Jesus men have made money out of the offer of salvation, taking cash from people to procure good livings for themselves. The consequence of such action is represented by Gehazi’s punishment.
Jesus referred to the incident recorded in this chapter concerning Naaman the leper, pointing out to the people of Nazareth that, while there were many lepers in Israel at that time, Elisha healed a Gentile. Luke 4:27Waiting for response for Luke 4:27