Sermon Tone Analysis

Elijah and Elisha 23.

You may recall, that last time I spoke, I told the story of Naaman, ….. well I didn’t finish it – pre-eminently, it is a story of [P] SALVATION.

I want you to keep that in mind as we complete this chapter [P]; because it may slip from view as we proceed – but salvation is the issue.

Picking it up where we left off: [2 Kings 5:14–27 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; [P] and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean.

(Naaman was delivered of his dreaded disease of leprosy by the Word of יהוה, made clean, saved!)

When he returned to the man of God with all his company, [P] and came and stood before him, he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; (the response to miraculous Divine deliverance is worship, praise – acknowledging יהוה as God, the only God) so please take a present from your servant now.”

(The response to deliverance is also one of gratitude – not paying for what was done, but an overflow of the heart in gratitude that has to be expressed in giving.

If God has done things for you; you will give.

A mean hearted Christian has not truly realized or experienced the wonder of what Jesus has actually done for him.

John testifies that was what the LORD did when he was saved: that Scottish thriftiness was transformed into a generous heart.

For many years I had the privilege of counting the offering at the Elim church.

It was a privilege, because you got to see people’s secrets, their hidden giving.

One thing that I noticed was that when someone had received a blessing, the response, so often, was a generous gift.

The grateful heart responds with generosity.)

But Elisha said, “As יהוה lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.”

(He would not accept payment, not accept a gift) And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant at least be given two mules’ load of earth; [P] for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering nor will he sacrifice to other gods, but to יהוה.” (He changed from a worshiper of Rimmon, to a worshiper of יהוה.

The common concept of that time was that there were many gods and, to allow for this, there was this idea that they were geographically constrained.

יהוה was the God of Israel, so he had to be worshiped on Israeli soil.

Naaman had come to realize that יהוה was the only God, but this concept of needing to be worshiped on His own soil remained) “In this matter may יהוה pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, [P] and he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, יהוה pardon your servant in this matter.”

(He was considering the cost, what would be entailed in following יהוה.

Rimmon no longer meant anything to him, but being head of the army he had certain political obligations.

He would have to accompany the king in public ceremonies that had association with their national god Rimmon.

You couldn’t live in Syrian society without some acknowledgement of that god.

But Naaman no longer worshipped Rimmon, it would mean nothing as he attended these rituals and so he asked for indulgence in this matter) He said to him, “Go in peace.”

(“שָׁלוֹם” – this concession was granted) So he departed from him some distance.

[P] But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, by not receiving from his hands what he brought.

As יהוה lives, (he did this in יהוה’s Name!)

I will run after him and take something from him.”

So Gehazi pursued Naaman.

[P] When Naaman saw one running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him [P] and said, “Is all well?” (“שָׁלוֹם” peace) He said, “All is well.”

(“שָׁלוֹם” – peace) My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim.

(it was an outright lie!) Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.’”

Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.”

(Naaman did not begrudge him, he was overflowing with gratitude and gave more than was requested) And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags (double what he asked for) with two changes of clothes and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him.

When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and deposited them in the house, [P] and he sent the men away, and they departed.

But he went in and stood before his master.

[P] (and we will all have to stand before our Master one day!)

And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” (it reminds me of יהוה’s question to Adam in Genesis 3: “Where are you?”

– יהוה knew, Elisha knew, Jesus KNOWS!)

And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.” (another outright lie!) Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? (God knows what we do, where we go – it is futile trying to hide from Him!) Is it a time to receive money (there is a time but this was not it) and to receive clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female servants?

(Did Gehazi receive olive groves, vineyards, sheep, oxen, servants?

No, but Elisha’s heart went with him – knew what was in his heart.

This is what Gehazi was scheming, imagining of getting with his windfall) “Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.”

[P] So he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

[P]] Out of the presence of Jesus, covered in sin – a tragic end to a wonderful story.

Wes has been speaking on the subject of grace.

[P] Naaman is a story of salvation and it is: [Ephesians 2:8–9 by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.]

Salvation is an act of grace – underserved favour bestowed on us, given by God.

[P] We saw last time that humility is the prerequisite for receiving the grace that we need in order to be saved – Naaman believed, took God at his word, dipped seven times in the Jordan according to the word of the LORD.

Was there naked with his leprosy exposed for all to see – the humbling of confession of sin.

He washed and he was made clean.

Naaman was a heathen Syrian, destroying God’s people – he didn’t deserve anything!

But יהוה did a miracle!

This was God! Naaman was converted.

Pure grace!

No longer was he a follower of Rimmon, he was now going to worship יהוה.

He knew that יהוה alone was God!

He said: “I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel!”

He confessed יהוה as God alone!

He became a monotheist.

“No God, but in Israel” – and here he reveals a misunderstanding.

[P] Yes, יהוה was the only God but He was “in Israel” – that is why he wanted some soil so that he could worship the God that was on Israelite soil.

His understanding was incomplete.

That was the common understanding of the time that there were different gods in different lands – you worshiped a god in its own land.

But Elisha doesn’t say, “You’ve got it all wrong!”

Naaman had come to a big turn-around in his concept of God but it wasn’t complete.

Neither is yours!

That is grace – God allows us to continue on despite our incomplete understanding.

Look, I came to the LORD when I was 3! [P] I could not have given you a doctrinally watertight account of justification by faith!

But, Jesus received me to Himself! Praise the LORD!

I came home from Sunday School saying that I had invited Mr Gowenlock into my heart – I was a bit mixed up!

My Dad is a bit of an intellectual, he’d come to the LORD as an adult, had studied Scripture, thought it through.

I don’t think he thought that a 3-year-old could have full understanding.

He checked out with my Bob Gowenlock, my Sunday School teacher, to see what had gone on, that I had full understanding.

He couldn’t deny that his 3-year-old son had become a believer.

God’s grace was poured out despite my incomplete understanding.

[P] We don’t have to have full understanding before God will receive us, we just have to come in faith – that is God’s grace.

Then Naaman asked to be excused for attending idolatrous worship with the king.

He was an official and he had to attend state functions.

But religion is tied into culture – you cannot be part of that society without contact with the religion.

And so, Naaman asked for a concession [P] – he had to attend these ceremonies but he did not want to be acknowledging Rimmon any more – his heart was not in it.

Like it or not, religion is intrinsically tied up in culture.

The culture in Israel involved יהוה worship, the culture in Aram involved Rimmon worship.

You could not fully worship יהוה in that culture – laws regarding Sabbaths, festivals etc. could not be observed; neither could Rimmon ceremonies be avoided.

Naaman couldn’t worship יהוה as he wanted, he was constrained by where he lived and the position he had.

So, Elisha granted him a concession.

It was grace.

Now, we live in New Zealand – let me tell you that it is not a Christian country!

The religion of New Zealand is secular humanism.

You cannot be part of our society without participating in things where man is celebrated, honoured, glorified, worshiped.

More esteem is given in this country to Edmund Hillary than to Jesus Christ!

Like it or not we brush shoulders with worship of false gods all the time.

For instance: “nearly all of New Zealand's red meat export slaughter premises are certified to undertake slaughter in compliance with halal requirements” (that is a direct quote).

Unless I become a vegetarian, I am involved in idolatrous religious ritual.

I have attended various prize-givings and official functions – almost without exception they are prefaced with a karakia, part of our culture – now those are prayers, but not to יהוה!

The wailing is calling on the dead: ancestor worship.

Now, you can be prickly like me and walk out; but that causes unnecessary offense.

We live in a non-Chrisitan society and we need grace, concessions, just in order to live in it.

For example, Scripture clearly states that a Christian should only marry a Christian.