2 Kings 5:1-5 says, “Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor but a leper. And the Syrians had gone out on raids and brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaaman’s wife.
Then she said to her mistress, “if only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy”
And Naaman went in and told his master saying “thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel”
Then the king of Syria said, “go now and I will send a letter to the king of Israel”
So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten changes of clothing”.
“Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria… “According to the present day ranking of army officers, Naaman would be called General Naaman. We are told that he was the commander of the army of Syria. He was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, which means that in government, the king of Syria recognized and respected General Naaman. He was great. He was honorable. That was because by his hands, the lord had given victory to Syria.
He was also a mighty man of valour. In terms of military tactics, in terms of planning and execution of battles, in terms of monitoring the enemies that were against Syria in those days, General Naaman was a mighty man of valour. Naaman had got to the climax of his career. Actually, Naaman was next to the king of Syria, if the king of Syria was to suddenly have an accident, or he was to travel out of Syria, General Naaman would take over immediately. In terms of force, Syria was a nation that had oppressed the nation of Israel for several years. So when the Bible said Naaman was a mighty man of valour he had fought international battles and he had brought victory to Syria.
But towards the end of the outline of his credentials it was noted that he had a particular problem that his position in government could not handle. What was that? “But he was leper.” That baffles me a lot; those men in high position of authority could be struggling with a matter under their uniforms that ever the force of a gun cannot handle. This was a commander; who when he said, move!’ everybody moved. When he entered anywhere people stood up and gave him salute.
However, he could command people to move but he could not command his leprosy to move. That required a greater force than the whole force of Syria.
Judging by his position in government, medical treatment abroad was not a problem. Whatever it would cost the government of Syria to cure him of his leprosy, they were ready to sponsor his treatment. Actually he did not need to pass his application through anybody to the king of Syria.
He took his application directly to the king and it was approved immediately. But this man had a problem that even money and international medical specialists could not handle.
Perhaps you also are someone who have a lot of power to your command but under your clothes and your external appearance, there is a matter that defies all your force of command. You need a greater force. Naaman though a commander, was a leper and he was watching his life waste away with leprosy helplessly.
Imagine how he managed it. He was always wearing gloves and socks. Officially he dressed from neck to toe and he was always in his military uniform dress so you wouldn’t know that something was chopping his toe under the socks.
In those days if anybody was declared to be a leper he was removed immediately from the community and sent far way to the lepers’ camp.
But because of his past achievement, and his contribution to the military and to the security situation of his country, his leprosy was covered and contained. The Syria government kept bearing it because they could not afford to lose Naaman. They were willing to sponsor his treatment anywhere they could get it. This is evident from the way the king handled his trip to Israel for treatment inter-governmentally.
“Go and visit the prophet, the king told him.
I will send a letter if introduction for you to carry to the king of Israel.
So Naaman started out, taking gift ten $20, 000 in silver,
$60, 000 in gold, and ten suits of clothing.
The letter to the king of Israel said:
“The man bring this letter is my servant Naaman;
I want you to heal him of his leprosy.”(2 Kings 5:5) (LB)
Twenty thousand dollars! Yet that was ordinary “Estacode”. That was not the cost of treatment because the cost of treatment would be credited to the foreign reserve of Syria. He was not going as an ordinary citizen. He was going on the recommendation of the government. He went with twenty thousand dollars in gold, ten changes of raiment. He went with a complete wardrobe. He had to go with many horses and chariots. He had so many luggages to carry. In modern day terms, he would need cargo aircrafts to lift his luggage from Syria to Israel. The government was not sure how long it was going to take.
Now read the official letter from the king of Syria, not to the doctor but to the king of Israel. Can you imagine what I am talking about? If an ordinary person is to go abroad for treatment, he is told to see a doctor to give him a referral letter to the doctor abroad. Not so with Naaman. It was not a doctor that was referring him to another doctor.
It was the king, the president of Syria addressing the letter to the king of Israel. That is how important Naaman was. He was a man of the force. But he had a problem that required a greater force.
“Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel
Which said, Now be advised. When this letter
Comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my
Servant to you that you may heal him of his leprosy” (2 Kings 5:6).
It was signed by the president of the Republic of Syria. It was an inter-governmental issue. He had reached the climax. What that man was nursing under his dress required a greater force – Jesus!
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