Conversion of a Captain

Introduction

We find in 2 Kings 5:1-19 a man who seems to have everything going for him. At the beginning of this chapter we are introduced to a man named Naaman. The Bible describes him as a man of position, power, and popularity in his native land of Syria. He had won many victories over the enemies of his nation, due to his skilled leadership. Naaman’s military leadership had earned him the respect of Syria’s king, as well as its people.

In spite of all Naaman’s good qualities, all was not well. Like a dead fly lying on top of a freshly baked lemon meringue pie, there was one problem that marred everything else in Naaman’s life - he was a leper. Naaman’s position, prestige and power could not change the stark reality of this disease. And if it continued unchecked, it would eventually result in a horrible end.

In the Bible, leprosy is often used as a type of the destructive nature of sin. With this thought in mind, I would like for us to take a look at Naaman’s life and see a type, or picture if you will, of the lost sinner, who is under the ravaging effects of sin. If he continues on unchanged, he faces certain spiritual death. But if he accepts God’s cure, joy and eternal life will be his.

The story of Naaman is a beautiful picture of what God does for sinners who will trust His remedy for their spiritual condition. Naaman’s story involves three progressive stages. I want us to take a look at those all-important stages today.

I. Haaman Hears of a Remedy

A. He Had A Horrible Disease

2 Kings 5:1, “Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.”

Be careful to notice that in spite of Naaman’s prestige, he was still a leper; in spite of his position, he was still a leper; and in spite of his power, he was still a leper. In the same way, sin afflicts everyone, regardless of who they are, what they’ve accomplished, or where they live. The Bible is perfectly clear on that fact when it says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Rom.3:23).

Notice also that though Naaman was held in high esteem by the king of Syria, and though he was an honorable man, he was still a leper. In the same way, a person’s admirable qualities do not change what they ultimately are in the eyes of God—a sinner. Just like the leper of old, “…We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…” (Isa. 64:6a).

B .He Heard Of Help From A Damsel

2 Kings 5:2-4, “And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.  4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.”

Let me be quick to point out a significant spiritual truth illustrated in these three verses. That truth is simply this: Before one can be saved they must hear the good news of the Gospel; they must hear of God’s remedy for their problem, for “…faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom.10: 17).

Syria and Israel were enemies, but apparently at this point in time there existed a truce. However, during the earlier conflict, the Syrians had taken a little maid captive. If we were to stop reading at verse two, we would no doubt view this young girl only as a prisoner. But as we read verses three and four, we find that she was actually God’s plant. God had His message bearer in the right place  at the right time. Again the Scriptures tell us, “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things” (Rom.10:15).

The only survivor of a shipwreck washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He cried out to God to save him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a rough hut and put his few possessions in it. But then one day, after hunting for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; he was stung with grief. Early the next day, though, a ship drew near the island and rescued him.

“How did you know I was here?” he asked the crew. “We saw your smoke signal,” they replied. Though it may not seem so now, your present difficulty may be instrumental to your future happiness. John Yates, Falls Church, Virginia, quoted in Leadership, Winter Quarter, 1992, p. 57

If anyone was undeserving of God’s goodness, it was Naaman. He was an enemy of God and His people. But the Lord had set up this whole situation in order to show mercy to an enemy of His kingdom.

Ephesians 2:12-13, “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

II. Namaan is Humbled by God's Requirements

A. Naaman’s Presumption

1. Naaman Thought Deliverance Could Be Purchased

2 Kings 5:5, 15c-16, “And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver (approx. $52,800), and six thousand pieces of gold (approx. $384,000), and ten changes of raiment. 15c …now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant. 16 But he (Elisha) said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.”

Here is a biblical illustration of the fact that salvation is by grace through faith. Elisha was offered great riches for what God alone had done, but he wouldn’t hear of it. But though salvation is free, it was not cheap. God gave the best that heaven had to offer—the blood of His Holy Son on the cross. As the old hymn says, “Jesus paid it all, / All to Him I owe;/ Sin had left a crimson stain, / He washed it white as snow” (Mrs. H.M. Hall and John T. Grape).

Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Here’s a good short definition of grace - Grace is everything for nothing to those who don’t deserve anything. Our Daily Bread, Sept.-Nov. 1997, page for October 31.

2. Naaman Thought Deliverance Would Involve Grandiose Procedures

2 Kings 5:11-13, “But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?”

You see folks; Naaman thought his healing would be accomplished by going through some elaborate ritual, or by using some sort of religious hocus-pocus. Maybe he thought Elisha was going to wave his hands over the leprosy and say, “Presto-chango! You’re healed!” The Word of God is clear when it says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” (Titus 3: 5). You see things weren’t at all like Naaman presumed them to be.

It seems there was a pretzel stand out front of an office building in New York. One day, a man came out of the building, plunked down a quarter, and then went on his way without taking a pretzel. This happened every day for three weeks. Finally, the old lady running the stand spoke up: “Sir, excuse me. May I have a word with you?

The fellow said: “I know what you’re going to say. You’re going to ask me why I give you a quarter every day and don’t take a pretzel.” And the woman said, “Not at all. I just want to tell you that the price is now 35 cents.” From a speech by William Schreyer, chairman of Merrill Lynch, Speaker’s Idea File, p. 13.

In verse 12, Naaman seems to imply that if washing was all that was needed; then any ole river would do. As a matter of fact, he liked his choice of rivers better than God’s choice of the muddy Jordan. Many people of our day seem to feel the same way; but they’re wrong.

Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Notice the argument of Naaman’s servants in verse 13. They knew their master was a man of action. If Elisha had required that he perform some heroic deed, Naaman would no doubt jumped at the chance. Then he could have bragged about the whole thing. The fact was that this wasn’t happening like he thought it should, so he goes off in a huff. One can’t come to God for salvation and leave singing, “I did it my way” (Frank Sinatra). Salvation is not about what we can do, but about what Christ has done.

B. Elisha’s Prescription

2 Kings 5:9-10, Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.”

III. Naaman Was Healed By His Obedient Response

A. Naaman Was Cured

2 Kings 5:14, “Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.”

B. Naaman Was Converted

2 Kings 5:15a-b, 17, “And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. 17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord.”

What do we mean by the term “conversion?” I think the following definition explains it best:

The decisive act in which a sinner turns away from sin in genuine repentance and accepts the salvation that Christ offers. The imagery in conversion is that of turning. A person is going along a road and realizes that he or she is on the wrong track. They will never reach the destination if they continue in that direction. So the person “turns,” or “is converted.” He or she ceases to go in the wrong direction and begins going in the right one. Conversion changes the direction of one’s course of life from the wrong way to the right way, the way that God wants. Walter A. Elwell, Editor, The Shaw Pocket Bible Handbook, Harold Shaw Publishers, Wheaton, IL; 1984, pg. 347.