5th.: Naaman the Leper
Naaman was a great man. He was the top general in the Syrian army.
Yet, he had a handicap. He had leprosy.
During their many wars, the Syrians had captured a young Israelite lady.
She became a slave to Naaman’s wife. She told Naaman that there was a great prophet in Israel called Elisha.
She told him that Elisha could cure that leprosy. So he went to Elisha the prophet (see 2nd Kings 5:1-14).
After being cured, Naaman asked Elisha one thing,
“Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel … In this thing, the Lord pardon thy servant.
That 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 [the false god] Rimmon, when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon,
the Lord pardon thy servant this thing.” (2nd Kings 5:15b, 18).
As a Syrian general, Naaman knew that his official duties required him
to attend certain religious activities to false gods.
Yet, he wanted to make sure the Lord was ok with his attending these official activities.
Elisha assured him, “Go in peace.” i.e. God will not hold that against you (2nd Kings 5:19).
Since Naaman was the only leper cleansed in Israel at this time (see Luke 4:27),
we infer that God approved Naaman’s request. God can be merciful with special requests.
Return to Home“Concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols,
we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.”(1st Cor. 8:4)