Naaman is a pitiable man. He has everything one could wish for: a respected job, the best connections to the king, and endless money. But he is a leper! Leprosy is a serious skin disease that at the time was probably incurable.
In his house in Syria works a girl from Israel who was kidnapped during a war. She says an impressive sentence to her mistress: “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy” (2 Kings 5:3). In doing so, she cannot draw on experience, because the prophet has never yet healed a person of leprosy. Her faith in God’s great power and her compassion for her sick master lead her to speak this way. In this way, she gives Naaman the impetus to set out for Israel.
When Naaman arrives at the prophet’s house, a messenger tells him that the prophet Elisha has told him to immerse himself seven times in the Jordan to be cleansed.
Naaman had expected a spectacular healing by the prophet himself and left angrily. But his servants encouraged him to follow the prophet’s advice. When Naaman immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, he suddenly became completely healthy. Now he is very thankful to the prophet and to God.
In the Bible, the disease of leprosy is a picture of sin, which makes every person unclean and leads to death if it is not washed away (Leviticus 13–14). In the words of the New Testament, one would say: Without confession of sin and cleansing through faith in the Lord Jesus, every person is lost forever.
Four people or groups are involved in the rescue. Each carried out an important task:
• The young girl drew attention to the possibility of cleansing. We do not know her name. In society, she is insignificant as a slave, yet her faith has a wonderful result. Perhaps you are also young and inexperienced, but you too can point to the Savior Jesus Christ through a few words or a flyer you pass on.
• the prophet’s messenger: We know nothing about him either, except that he delivers exactly what the prophet instructed him to do. We all have a Bible and can pass on God’s words. Even if you do not, or do not yet, know much to explain or expound, you can still quote Bible verses if you have learned them and are willing to do so.
• The prophet himself is a picture of an experienced, mature Christian who, guided by God, passes on a message that fits this situation and the current problem precisely. From a lived fellowship with God, he gives the decisive pointer to salvation. In doing so, he steps into the background and values neither personal honor nor economic advantage. On the contrary!
• Naaman’s servants heard and understood everything. They were God’s last instrument leading to the breakthrough. If they had kept silent, the whole journey would have been in vain. As important as clear spoken and written sermons by gifted servants of God are, the follow-up work of “ordinary Christians,” if one may apply the advice of the servants for once, should not be missing or underestimated.
God, the Holy Spirit, leads sinners to repentance. But very often He uses people to do so. God wants to use you and me in the position we are in right now so that the lost will turn back. In which of the four persons (groups) do you recognize yourself? And are you ready to work along?
So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were appealing to us; we beg you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.
2 Corinthians 5:20
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