A Taste of God’s Favor

2 Kings 6:8-23

 

We have been in a great section outlining the miracles of Elisha.

 

Without a doubt a central and important theme has immerged.

God is blessing those who seek Him.

 

No matter if you are rich or poor, in the ministry or not…

No matter if it is a little problem like an axe head or a big problem like a dead child…

 

God has been seen as one who is

Coming to the aid of those who seek His face and love Him.

 

The contrast has been to those who have not sought God,

But who sought the world.

 

Those, like Gehazi, who wanted the world worse than the wanted God,

Did not find the blessing they desired, but instead found a curse.

 

And so we have learned that it is infinitely valuable

To be one who seeks the face of God.

 

But this morning we move into a new section of the book of 2 Kings.

 

We are leaving the miracle section behind

And moving towards the prophecy section.

 

Elisha is no longer dealing with those who have trusted God,

But is now about to deal with those who have denied Him.

 

And for them, Elisha gives the benefit of fulfilled prophecy.

 

We know that God’s Word is His power for salvation.

 

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

 

Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

 

It has always been the word of God that led the lost to faith,

Not the miracles of God.

 

And so while dealing with the faithless,

Elisha uses prophecy to turn their hearts back to God.

 

This morning we see the first person Elisha works on.

It is the King of Israel.

 

Though he is not listed by name we know him as Joram, the son of Ahab.

You are probably familiar with what type of king he is.

 

2 Kings 3:1-3 “Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. He did evil in the sight of the LORD, though not like his father and his mother; for he put away the sacred pillar of Baal which his father had made. Nevertheless, he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin; he did not depart from them.”

 

And so he was a man easily characterized as one

Who “did evil in the sight of the LORD”

 

He was a man who had no use for God,

And lived a life contrary to one that was pleasing to God.

 

What Elisha will do is give this man a taste of the things of God.

He will allow him to taste the blessing of having God on your side,

With the hope that King Joram will turn to the Lord.

 

This type of attempt is not at all foreign to Scripture.

 

The Psalmist said:

Psalms 34:8 “O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!”

 

God does this still today for many.

TURN TO: HEBREWS 6:1-8

 

There are still today those who are afforded a taste of the blessed life,

Before they ever fully accept it.

 

• They are given understanding to the Word of God.

• They are allowed to see the blessing that God’s people enjoy.

• They are allowed to participate in things like corporate worship and fellowship.

• They even feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

 

The intention is that they will latch on to what they have tasted

And make it fully theirs.

 

It is most certainly an act of divine grace and mercy

That God would even do this.

 

And that is precisely what is happening for Joram in our text today.

 

And there are three things God will afford Joram a taste of today.

#1 A TASTE OF GOD’S FAVOR

2 Kings 6:8-12

 

The writer actually sets the context for us in the first sentence of verse 8.

 

“Now the king of Aram was warring against Israel;”

So allow me to paint the context.

 

When you read the Kings, please understand that what is written

Is not necessarily in chronological order.

 

Certainly you have seen the reigns of various kings intermingled.

 

But even more so, in this section we are in,

It is best to see the events pulled out of chronological order

And put back to back in order to reveal the theological point.

 

For example:

It is doubtful that all of the miracles we saw happened at the beginning of Elisha’s ministry. Most likely the occurred throughout his ministry.

 

But the writer pulled them out and presented them in rapid fashion

So we could more easily see the theme of God’s blessing.

 

I tell you that because it helps us put all these events in context,

And to better understand the story and the participants in it.

 

It is likely that this event happened early in the ministry of Elisha,

And there are several clues to that.

 

The first is this warring that Aram is doing with Israel.

 

Later in the chapter we see what they were specifically doing.

(23b) “And the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel.”

 

And so the “warring” mentioned here is these small bands of warriors

Infiltrating Israel and plundering them.

 

And we know this is the case.

 

Remember the girl that informed Naaman of the God of Israel?

2 Kings 5:2 “Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.”

 

And so we are able to put this story in it’s context.

 

This most likely occurred even before Naaman was healed.

 

And so we see these small raiding bands of fighters

Who were making it extremely fearful to live on the border of Israel.

 

No doubt all of Israel was fearful and concerned.

If the risk of having a child stolen was true,

Then certainly there was much anxiety on the part of those living in Israel.

One would also assume that if King Joram had any affection for his people

He was also perplexed about the situation.

 

This is undoubtedly the inroad Elisha used

In order to offer a taste to the King of Israel.

 

But we see the incident occurring.

“Now the king of Aram was warring against Israel; and he counseled with his servants saying, ‘In such and such a place shall be my camp.”

 

So the King is preparing another attack,

And his point of entry has been determined and planned.

 

Now notice how Elisha steps on the scene.

(9) “The man of God sent word to the king of Israel saying, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Arameans are coming down there.”

 

God had revealed to Elisha the sword

And Elisha is doing the work of a faithful watchman.

 

One of the most convicting passages I read on a regular basis

Addresses this very issue.

 

Ezekiel 3:16-21 “At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. “When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. “Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself. “Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. “However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself.”

 

And that is precisely what Elisha is doing.

He warns the king of this physical danger.

 

And notice the King’s response:

(10) “The King of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God had told him; thus he warned him, so that he guarded himself there, more than once or twice.”

 

It is quite frustrating why the King will heed

Elisha’s physical warnings but disregards his spiritual ones.

 

So do many today.

You could warn them about physical death and the immediately respond,

But warn them about spiritual death and they totally disregard you.

But Elisha’s warnings have delivered him several times.

 

And obviously this did not set well with the king of Aram.

VERSES (11-12)

 

I hope you caught what the king of Aram said.

“Will you tell me which one of us is FOR the king of Israel?”

 

Even the king of Aram recognized

That Joram had someone’s special favor.

 

We know that favor did not come from Aram’s servants, but from Holy God.

 

God has graciously given Joram a taste

Of what it is like to have Him on your side.

 

We call it the favor of God.

And it is something that is vitally important.

 

The King of Aram did not have a chance,

For he was actually fighting against God.

 

We have seen this before.

When the chief priests were trying to silence the followers of Jesus:

Acts 5:33-39 “But when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and intended to kill them. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time. And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men. “For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. “After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered. “So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.”

 

In regard to Saul of Tarsus:

Acts 26:14 “And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’”

 

What these men learned was that when someone is

A recipient of God’s favor, you have not shot at defeating them.

 

When people received God’s favor:

 

Genesis 6:8 “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.”

 

Genesis 39:21 “But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.”

 

Exodus 12:36 “and the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have their request. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.”

 

Later in Kings

2 Kings 13:4-5 “Then Jehoahaz entreated the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them. The LORD gave Israel a deliverer, so that they escaped from under the hand of the Arameans; and the sons of Israel lived in their tents as formerly.”

 

David understood it:

Psalms 118:5-9 “From my distress I called upon the LORD; The LORD answered me and set me in a large place. The LORD is FOR me; I will not fear; What can man do to me? The LORD is FOR me among those who help me; Therefore I will look with satisfaction on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in princes.”

 

Psalms 56:8-11 “You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book? Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call; This I know, that God is FOR me. In God, whose word I praise, In the LORD, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

 

Psalms 90:17

“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; And confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands.”

 

When people received God’s favor:

• The Red Sea parted as a way of escape…

• The wall of Jericho fell down flat…

• Axe heads float…

• Oil never stops pouring…

 

We understand it as well.

TURN TO: ROMANS 8:31-37

 

What a blessing to have God FOR you.

What a blessing to have God on your side.

 

And that is why God’s people have sought His favor.

Galatians 1:10 “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.”

 

Paul even encouraged the Colossians to do the same:

Colossians 1:9-10 “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, TO PLEASE HIM in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

 

It is extremely beneficial to have God’s favor.

For who is able to thwart the will of God?

 

 

And Joram has been given a taste of this wonderful reality

That is enjoyed by those who seek and love God.

 

So first, he is given A Taste of God’s Favor

#2 A TASTE OF GOD’S PRESENCE

2 Kings 6:13-17

 

Now of course you have probably already recognized that king Joram

Was not a DIRECT recipient of this great revelation.

 

He was however an indirect recipient as he reaped the blessing

Of having God’s presence in his country.

 

The direct recipient here was the servant of Elisha.

 

And if this even did occur prior to the healing of Naaman then we know who this servant was. It was none other than Gehazi.

 

Knowing what we know now, it is easy to see why God

Would choose to give Gehazi a taste of the blessing of His presence.

 

But none the less, here we see a foolish king in Aram.

And I hope to help you see how foolish he is.

 

His decision makes no sense at all.

 

Either he believes that Elisha is revealing his secret plans or he doesn’t.

 

• If he believes that Elisha really has this power, then does he suppose this plan will be hidden from him?

 

• If he doesn’t really believe Elisha has this power, then why bother with him?

 

The point is this decision makes no sense on any level,

But he goes forward anyway.

 

And as his troops surround Dothan, Elisha’s servant goes out and sees it.

 

And instantly he is overcome with fear.

(Fear is the opposite of faith)

 

And notice Elisha’s answer.

(16) “Do not fear, for those who are WITH us are more than those who are with them.”

 

Of course then Elisha prayed that his eyes be opened

And that he would be allowed to see the “unseen”.

And have we ever talked about that.

 

Last week we saw the very definition of faith.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

 

Last week we learned that it is beneficial to trust in God,

Even when we can’t see a possible way of deliverance,

For our God brings forth what is seen from what is unseen.

 

Here we learn again that just because we can’t see it,

Doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

 

Elisha had a faith that saw the unseen, his servant did not.

He “walked by faith, not by sight”

 

“For the things which are seen are temporal,

but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

 

But what we learn again is the infinite value of God’s presence.

 

It is not just having God ON your side, but having God AT your side.

 

And the most direct application reveals to us

That the presence of God should mean the absence of fear.

 

Elisha told his servant, “Do not fear”.

 

And that is a common command in Scripture.

 

When Israel was sandwiched between Pharaoh and the Red Sea:

Exodus 14:13-14 “But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. “The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.”

 

When Assyria threatened to destroy Judah:

2 Chronicles 32:7-8 “Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. “With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”

 

When Jeremiah was threatened by those who hated him:

Jeremiah 20:10-11 “For I have heard the whispering of many, “Terror on every side! Denounce him; yes, let us denounce him!” All my trusted friends, Watching for my fall, say: “Perhaps he will be deceived, so that we may prevail against him And take our revenge on him.” But the LORD is with me like a dread champion; Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, With an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten.”

 

When Paul was harassed in Corinth:

Acts 18:9-10 “And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”

 

When we face the threat of persecution:

Matthew 10:28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

 

In fact, there is no situation that warrants our fear.

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

 

And the reason we are not to fear is because we have God with us.

 

1 John 4:4 “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

 

TURN TO: ISAIAH 41:10-16

 

TURN TO: PSALMS 46

 

The point is that it is valuable to have God at your side,

And Gehazi and Joram are given a taste of that here.

 

A taste of God’s favor A taste of God’s presence

#3 A TASTE OF GOD’S DELIVERANCE

2 Kings 6:18-23

 

And if you wanted, you could see deliverance on two fronts.

1) God delivering the armies of Aram into Joram’s lap.

 

Elisha prays that this army be struck with blindness, and they were.

 

The word for “blindness” here is a word that actually means “to blind with light”.

 

It is used one other time in Scripture.

When the perverts of Sodom were pressing against Lot

To have him bring out the angelic men to them.

 

Genesis 19:10-11 “But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. They struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway.”

 

The apparent truth is that it was the brightness of the heavenly host

That actually blinded these men.

 

It is most likely the same kind of blindness that Saul received

On the road to Damascus.

But these men are struck blind by the brightness of the angelic host

And led by Elisha right into Samaria, where they were clearly outnumbered.

 

And so, Joram is able to taste the great deliverance of God.

Simply because God was on his side, and God was at his side,

HE DIDN’T EVEN HAVE TO MUSTER AN ARMY.

 

And the army of Aram was delivered to him in a state of defeat.

 

God is able to deliver your enemy into your hand,

Because no one defeats God.

 

But there is another way in which we see deliverance

2) The deliverance which God extends to the captives.

 

You will notice that when the army arrives

Joram is beside himself.

 

(21) “Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?”

 

He sort of resembles a bouncing Chihuahua.

 

Elisha says “No”, they aren’t your prisoners, they are God’s prisoners

And no one murders prisoners of war.

 

And once he allows the army to leave, we see a wonderful truth.

 

(23b) “And the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel.”

 

God completely delivered Joram from the attacks

That had so upset his kingdom.

WHY?

 

God was giving Joram a taste of the blessing

That rests on those who seek and trust God.

 

• The blessing of God’s favor…

• The blessing of God’s presence…

• The blessing of God’s mercy…

 

And of course the implication is that Joram

Should immediately respond to God entirely.

 

In fact we would call him foolish for not fully submitting to God.

 

Yet, that is what many do today.

 

• They are offered a taste of redemption…

• They are offered a taste of mercy…

• They are offered a taste of the abundant life…

 

And then turn and walk away and choose rather

To crucify Christ than to submit to Him.

 

Hebrews 6:4-6 “For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.”

 

Perhaps you have been with us for the past several weeks

And have seen clearly that there is extreme blessing

In forsaking this world and seeking God.

 

But for some reason you have so far failed to do so.

 

 

 

 

This morning let me encourage you to

“taste and see that the LORD is good”,

And then fully surrender your life to Him.

 

The Floating Axe Head

2 Kings 6:1-7

 

We have been systematically working through the miracles of Elisha,

And we have continually seen that

GOD IS GOING OVER AND ABOVE TO INTERVENE

IN THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO SEEK HIM.

 

• Poor Widow

• Prominent Woman

• Prophetic Witnesses

• The Foreigner Naaman (Leprosy)

 

Those that were willing to seek out God and to trust Him

Were never disappointed.

 

This morning we see that God doesn’t mind doing it over and over again.

For this morning God revisits a group

That He has already worked for twice.

 

The sons of the prophets

 

And again we see the extreme benefit of

Not only having God ON your side,

But also the benefit of having God AT your side.

 

IT IS THE BEAUTY OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

 

But last week was a different lesson:

LAST WEEK WE SAW THE DANGERS OF GREED,

As Gehazi was actually inflicted with the leprosy of Naaman.

 

Gehazi sought this world, and when he received it,

He was certainly disappointed,

And so we saw the extreme importance of contentment in this life.

 

When you contrast then Gehazi (a man cursed by God)

With the others who were all blessed by God,

A NATURAL TEACHING POINT EMERGES.

 

THAT OUR MINDS SHOULD BE SO SET ON ETERNITY,

THAT OUR DESIRE IS NOT THIS WORLD, BUT THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

 

HOW DO WE DO THAT?

 

Consider what Jesus said:

Luke 12:33-34 “Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Wouldn’t it be great if we all eagerly longed for the return of Jesus?

Wouldn’t it be great if we were ready to kiss this world good-bye?

 

I know at times we are ready (suffering, pain, sorrow)

But by in large, most of us are so comfortable here

That we can go several days without ever really longing for Jesus.

 

Jesus gave us the solution to that problem.

Store up more treasure in heaven, than heaven on earth.

 

Picture a man owning two houses.

• One is full of his treasures and enjoyments…

• One is an efficiency apartment…

WHICH DO YOU THINK HE DESIRES TO BE AT MOST OF THE TIME?

 

That is precisely how we tune our hearts toward heaven.

We make sure that our nicest house is there, not here.

We make sure that more treasure is deposited there than here.

 

It naturally causes our heart

To shift away from this place and toward that one.

 

That is what Jesus meant when He said:

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

 

When you make investments for eternity, then eternity is what you seek.

 

That was what Gehazi failed to see, while the others all understood it.

 

So we are learning that as Christians

We must shift our perspective to realize

That our greatest treasure is not this world, but the presence of God.

 

This morning we see those who had this very perspective.

 

They are the opposite of Gehazi.

They didn’t desire gold, they desired the presence of God.

 

While Gehazi’s desire for the world led him to judgment,

These prophets desire for God brings about deliverance.

 

Let us quickly look at this illustrative story this morning.

 

3 things

#1 THEIR DILEMMA

2 Kings 6:1

 

You see their dilemma,

There is not enough room for them where they are dwelling.

This is not just some discontented attitude

In which they are tired of their surroundings and want newer ones.

 

What we have occurring here is a wonderful thing.

 

• The nation is in extreme moral decay…

• The nation is rapidly headed towards Baal worship…

• The word of God is not particularly popular…

 

Yet more and more young men are answering the call of God

To preach the word to a lost and dying world.

 

It reminded me of Paul’s admonition to Timothy.

2 Timothy 4:1-5 “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

 

These young prophets were the real deal.

 

In a world that was hostile to their message,

So many have answered the call,

That the school where they dwelt was too small to hold them all.

 

It is a simple dilemma that must be addressed.

#2 THEIR DECISION

2 Kings 6:2-4

 

Now you see their plan of action.

• They don’t expect a grant from the government…

• They aren’t looking for a “bailout”…

 

They have a plan to go and physically chop down trees, hew timbers,

And construct a new facility.

 

They are humble men willing to work, not supposing

That their calling earned for them a life without labor.

 

And they first run this plan past Elisha,

And he consents that it is a good idea.

 

BUT THEY DIDN’T JUST WANT HIS APPROVAL

 

(VERSES 3-4) “Then one said, “Please be willing to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I shall go.” So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan they cut down trees.”

They were not just interested in Elisha’s approval,

What they really wanted was Elisha’s presence.

 

And there again a continual theme has emerged.

 

Earlier we found them starving yet sitting at Elisha’s feet,

Now we find them working, yet still wanting Elisha there.

 

Elisha is not God, but Elisha is symbolic of God’s presence.

He was their teacher…

He introduced God to them…

Furthermore, God worked through him in a mighty way…

 

And these men had learned his value.

 

When most would have recruited lumberjacks and construction workers these men recruited a prophet of God.

 

And so please note that their desire was for God’s presence.

They wanted God involved in everything they did.

 

And you will see that it paid off.

 

#3 THEIR DELIVERANCE

2 Kings 6:5-7

 

As one man is chopping down a beam, he loses his axe head.

 

Now you and I know why.

These men aren’t loggers, they are preachers.

Ever seen a preacher chop wood?

 

Ordinarily it would have just been the cause of some embarrassment.

 

But remember these men are poor.

They didn’t have enough to buy food, let alone axes.

 

And so this axe was borrowed, and now that he lost the head,

He also did not have the means of repayment.

 

To us it may not seem like a major dilemma,

But to the man who did it, it was.

 

Let us there learn that God is interested in our lives

Not just with our major catastrophes.

 

Billy Graham’s prayer – “And let me find my hat.”

 

Our God is not just concerned about our major problems,

But all of our minor ones as well.

 

Philippians 4:6 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

 

Paul doesn’t tell us to take care of our minor problems

But only to bring the major ones to God.

 

Paul said not to let anything cause us anxiety,

But to bring all of our requests to God.

 

1 Peter 5:6-7 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”

 

He doesn’t tell us to cast some of our anxiety on God,

But to cast it all there.

 

It is the relationship of a child to a parent.

And kids understand this well.

 

Kids will drive you crazy presenting requests to you.

• They have learned that there is no need to look for shoes if mom is around, just ask here…

 

• They have learned that there is no need to get up and get a drink if mom is around, just ask here…

 

So it is with these prophets.

They made sure Elisha was near in case such an incident occurred.

 

And so they take the problem directly to him.

 

And you already know his solution.

 

(6) “he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron float.”

 

A MIRACLE, BY DEFINITION,

Is something that transcends the laws of nature.

 

Many today claim miracles of things that are not miraculous.

They are the providence of God, but they are not miracles.

 

But Elisha worked miracles

And in many ways this is Elisha’s most undeniable miracle.

 

There are many skeptics in the world that love to explain away miracles.

 

William Barclay (renowned Scottish theologian) considered by many to be an expert on the New Testament.

 

He will drive you crazy explaining away the miracles in the Bible.

 

The gate that opened for Peter – “No need to see a miracle here.”

Jesus feeding the 5,000 – “Probably just inspired generosity in the crowd”

Jesus walking on water – “Probably close to shore so that it appeared to be so.”

 

But certainly it had also happened to Elisha.

 

“The widow probably just had more oil than she realized…”

“The prominent woman just finally got pregnant…”

“Her son probably wasn’t really dead, but only sick…”

“The stew wasn’t dangerous, it just tasted that way…”

 

And you can hear skeptics argue away his miracles.

 

Perhaps that is why this one is included.

There is no way to explain

How an axe head comes to float on the top of the water.

 

But the point of the story is this.

THEY WANTED ELISHA NEAR,

AND HIS PRESENCE PAID OFF.

 

Contrast them to Gehazi.

 

Gehazi wanted the world and he found ruin.

The sons of the prophets wanted God and they found deliverance.

 

We learn a valuable lesson from this.

And one that people have learned throughout the ages.

 

TURN TO: PSALMS 73

 

Don’t you love his concluding statement.

“The nearness of God is my good.”

 

Asaph learned true contentment.

I am fine with what I have as long as I have God.

 

TURN TO: EXODUS 33:1-17

 

Notice the people realizing that God

Was more important than the things of this world.

 

 

THE POINT IS THAT WHEN GOD IS AROUND,

PROBLEMS ARE NOT TOO BIG

AND SOLUTIONS ARE NOT IMPOSSIBLE.

 

TURN TO: HEBREWS 11

 

This is a marvelous chapter

To teach us the value of having a desire for God and a trust in Him.

 

I want you to especially key on the term “not seen”.

It is a key word in this chapter.

 

We first see it used in the preachers definition of faith.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

 

In other words, true faith does not rest on measurable evidence.

Christians have no proof, they only have a promise.

 

By faith we believe what we do not see.

 

Now to many this would seem like a foolish thing.

 

• Why in the world would you believe something when you cannot see it?

• Why would you look at an impossible situation as though there is a solution?

 

Because our God is in the business

Of bringing what is seen out of what is unseen.

 

Hebrews 11:3 “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”

 

If you need proof that God can change a situation, look at creation.

There was nothing and God made something come.

 

He has the power to speak into a situation

And bring forth what is seen out of what is unseen.

 

That is the basis for our faith.

 

And it is that faith that the ancients were commended for.

 

VERSE 7

• Noah had never seen rain…

• Noah had never seen a global killer…

 

But he knew God had the ability to bring forth what is seen out of what is unseen, and so he trusted God and it paid off.

 

VERSE 24-27

• Moses could see Pharaoh, he could not see God…

 

Yet Moses chose to fear God more,

Because He knew the unseen God had more power

Than the Pharaoh before his eyes.

 

And this is the point to all these saints.

 

When given the opportunity to choose

What they could see or to trust what they could not,

They chose to trust what they could not see.

 

They forsook what was seen and INVESTED in what was not seen, and they all reaped enormous benefits for it.

 

VERSES 13-16

 

And we learn from them, just as we learn from Asaph and Gehazi and the sons of the prophets.

 

Do not set your eye upon attaining this world,

There is only ruin and misery there.

 

Instead realize that “the nearness of God is my good”

And set your eye on Him.

 

Surrender what is seen for the sake of attaining what is “not seen”

And find the blessing of having God in the middle of your dilemma.

 

And so it is a simple decision.

 

Which is more valuable, the riches of the world, or the presence of God?

 

Which house are you investing in?

 

Psalms 73:25-28 “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works.”

 

The Greed of Gehazi

2 Kings 5:20-27

 

Still studying the section of the miracles of Elisha,

This morning our story takes a strange and unexpected turn.

 

We still see a miracle, but it is one that is very unnatural.

For this miracle does not occur to bless a life, but to curse it.

This miracle is not for the purpose of deliverance, but for bondage.

 

It is a miracle meant to serve as punishment.

 

What we see is that Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, is cursed

That he and his descendants forever will wear the leprosy of Naaman

 

That is a stiff judgment poured out.

But it is far from the only time things like this happen in Scripture.

 

On the mild side,

• Zechariah was mute for about 10 months until the day of John’s birth.

• Saul of Tarsus wore blindness for 3 days before the scales fell from his eyes.

 

On the severe side:

• Nebuchadnezzar eating grass like a cow for 7 years…

• Ananias and Sapphira being struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit…

• Lot’s wife being turned into a pillar of salt…

 

And from each of those judgment type miracles, we learn valuable lessons.

• Zechariah teaches us not to doubt God…

• Saul taught us to pay attention to the truth…

• Nebuchadnezzar teaches us to humble ourselves…

• Ananias and Sapphira teach us not to lie to God…

• Lot’s wife taught us to flee the world without regret…

 

And therefore you get the point.

 

Incidents like this serve as vivid reminders and illustrations

To warn us against specific sins that people committed.

 

Gehazi is no different.

 

Here was supposedly a man of God.

Just as Elisha was the servant of Elijah and his eventual successor,

Now Gehazi is the servant of Elisha and is expected to one succeed him.

 

But Gehazi was not up to the task.

He had a certain wickedness in him that rendered him unfit

To ever fill those shoes of prophecy and ministry.

That wickedness was a greedy and covetous heart.

 

Such wickedness is forbidden among the servants of God.

 

Paul wrote of preachers:

1 Timothy 3:2-3 “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.”

 

Peter wrote of shepherds:

1 Peter 5:2 “shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;”

 

And so this morning, Gehazi becomes a vivid illustration of

The dangers of pretending to be a minister for God

While harboring a covetous heart.

 

Jesus said it very clearly:

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

 

And we will see that this is certainly the case for Gehazi,

The servant of Elisha.

 

There are three divisions in our text this morning.

#1 THE DESIRE OF GEHAZI

2 Kings 5:20

 

And at this point, you remember the story from last week.

 

After Naaman was cured of his leprosy

He desperately tried to pay Elisha for his services.

 

2 Kings 5:15-16 “When he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.”

 

Naaman wanted to pay Elisha,

But Elisha would not take money for this miracle.

His goal was not to get rich, his goal was to bring glory to God.

 

And for whatever reason, Elisha (although a poor man) knew that God would be better glorified if Naaman were healed for free.

 

What now becomes apparent to us, is that during that conversation,

Gehazi can’t believe what he is seeing.

• It is bad enough that Elisha has let this Naaman escape from his grasp…

• Worse still that Elisha has actually cured this general who had defeated Israel…

But now, Elisha even refuses to plunder the man…

 

It is obvious that Gehazi is in total disagreement with Elisha’s decision.

 

In fact verse 20 gives us insight into Gehazi’s thought process.

“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”

 

It is clear that Gehazi was taken back by the treasures Naaman brought,

And he saw this as a great opportunity to get more comfortable in life

 

So Gehazi has an idea.

“As the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”

 

And in one small decision,

We instantly see the heart of Gehazi revealed.

 

He reminds us of Simon the Magician

Who thought he could buy the Holy Spirit from Peter.

 

Acts 8:20-23 “But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! “You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. “For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”

 

Until that point Simon had seemed genuine,

For he believed the preaching of Philip and was even baptized.

 

However on this one occasion the true intention of his heart was revealed

And Peter called him a fraud.

 

So it is with Gehazi.

Until now, he seems to be suitable side kick to Elisha

Until his greed gets the better of him and he is revealed a charlatan.

 

LET US SAY IT VERY CLEARLY:

There is no room for covetousness or greed in the redeemed heart.

 

We as believers are adamantly told not to love this world, let alone desire it.

 

1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

 

John saw the desire for worldly riches and comforts

As an indicator of an unredeemed heart.

IT WAS OBVIOUS TO JOHN THAT SUCH PEOPLE HAVEN’T DIED TO SELF.

• They are too comfortable here…

• Their heart is here…

• Their desires are here…

And therefore they are not children of God.

 

It is therefore by no mistake, that much of the Bible

Deals with the topic of greed, coveting, and wealth.

 

It started on Mt. Sinai with the final of the 10 Commandments which says:

Exodus 20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

 

The Psalms came along and said:

Psalms 49:10-12 “For he sees that even wise men die; The stupid and the senseless alike perish And leave their wealth to others. Their inner thought is that their houses are forever And their dwelling places to all generations; They have called their lands after their own names. But man in his pomp will not endure; He is like the beasts that perish.”

 

The theme carried into the prophets as Isaiah would say:

Isaiah 5:8 “Woe to those who add house to house and join field to field, Until there is no more room, So that you have to live alone in the midst of the land!”

 

Then Malachi would echo:

Malachi 3:8-9 “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. “You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you!”

 

When John the Baptist came on the scene he simply told people to repent.

When those to whom he preached wanted him

To be more specific in regards to what they should do, this is what he said:

 

Luke 3:10-14 “And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “Then what shall we do?” And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.” And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.”

 

It is by no coincidence that each thing John spoke of

Had to do with money.

 

John understood that if God could get a hold of person’s wallet,

He could get control of a person’s heart.

 

Which is of course what Jesus said:

Matthew 6:21 “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

 

That is also why when Jesus came on the scene

Much of His teaching had to do with covetousness and greed as well.

Luke 6:24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full.”

 

TURN TO: Luke 12:13-21

 

Jesus said to “be on your guard against every form of greed”

 

Jesus saw greed as a sin that would steal your heart from God.

He saw this world as the ultimate harlot to lead you to be unfaithful.

 

That is why James wrote:

James 4:4-6 “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

 

James would then give a grave warning to those

Who had spent their lives in pursuit of worldly riches.

 

James 5:1-6 “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.”

 

And so it is apparent that there is absolutely no room

For greed or coveting or love of the world in the redeemed heart.

 

It is apparent that regardless of one’s religious exterior,

When such sins are present a person has not been redeemed.

 

It was this that exposed the Pharisees.

Matthew 23:25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.”

 

Even James said, when such greed or ambition is present,

It is evidence of evil not redemption.

 

James 3:14-16 “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.”

 

On the flip side,

• It was the disciples who left everything to follow Jesus…

• It was Abraham who left Ur looking for a better city, a heavenly one…

• It was Zaccheus who gave back all his stolen wealth…

• It was John the Baptist whose very lifestyle condemned the world…

 

Throughout the Bible we reminded over and over again,

That covetousness, greed, love of the world, and things like this

Are not indicators of a redeemed heart,

But are instead indicators of a person still in love with the world.

 

That is precisely where Gehazi is.

Despite his position as Elisha’s servant…

Despite his record of service in the ministry…

 

Gehazi’s greed exposes him as a fraudulent prophet,

Worthy of judgment.

 

And so first we see Gehazi’s desire.

#2 THE DECEPTION OF GEHAZI

2 Kings 5:21-25

 

Is it any wonder that Gehazi moves from greed to deception?

Certainly not!

 

DECEPTION IS NOTHING FOR A HEART CONTENT WITH GREED.

 

Gehazi wants this wealth so bad that he will lie to get it,

And that is precisely what he does.

 

(Verse 22) “He said, “All is well. 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. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.'”

 

And once again we see that he has more characteristics

Of a false prophet than a true one.

 

Peter and Jude described false prophets.

2 Peter 2:3 “and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

 

Is that not what Gehazi is doing to Naaman?

 

He continues:

2 Peter 2:14-16 “having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he received a rebuke for his own transgression,for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.”

 

Jude would sound a similar alarm:

Jude 16 “These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.”

 

And this is precisely what sort of behavior we see from Gehazi.

Luke Achan in the old testament,

His heart goes after worldly wealth and he is not happy

Until he can deposit it in a safe place for later enjoyment.

 

His desire has now born disastrous fruit as it has led him into deception.

 

The Desire of Gehazi

The Deception of Gehazi

#3 THE DISCIPLINE OF GEHAZI

2 Kings 5:26-27

 

Now it is time for Gehazi to become and example

To any who would follow in his foot steps.

 

He goes in very innocent manner before Elisha

As though he is still a righteous man.

 

But “the eyes of the Lord move to and fro”

And God chose to reveal to Elisha all that occurred.

 

And therefore Elisha immediately confronts the greed of Gehazi.

(Verse 26) “Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money and to receive clothes and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and oxen and male and female servants?”

 

Some would say, that Elisha is too hard on Gehazi,

For Gehazi did not ask for olive groves or vineyards

Or sheep or oxen or servants.

 

But you and I know, it was just a matter of time.

GREED NEVER SAYS ENOUGH.

 

Ecclesiastes 5:10 “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity.”

 

In fact in Proverbs we see some modern day symbols of greed.

Proverbs 30:15-16 “The leech has two daughters, “Give,” “Give.” There are three things that will not be satisfied, Four that will not say, “Enough”: Sheol, and the barren womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, “Enough.”

 

Greed is contagious.

There is no satisfying it, and so Elisha knew that

Two changes of clothes was just the beginning.

 

It would grow and eventually he would even fall into the sin of Ahab,

Who would kill a man for a vineyard.

 

And Elisha calls his servant on his sin.

“Is it a time to receive money…”

 

Elisha was trying to set Gehazi straight,

That our aim is not to get rich, nor to be comfortable.

 

Our aim is righteousness in our own lives and in the lives of others. We long to see God glorified.

 

But we certainly do not do what we do

For the purpose of getting rich.

This is no time to be concerned about wealth.

 

WHEN IS THE TIME?

Revelation 22:12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.”

 

Matthew 6:20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;”

 

There is a time to store up treasure, and that time is eternity.

 

Gehazi had missed the point.

He had fallen miserably because of his greed.

 

And now comes his discipline.

(Verse 27) “Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.”

 

Remember, when you want the world,

You did not get to pick and choose which parts you receive.

 

This world has many things that sparkle and catch the eye.

But this world is also fallen and beset with many labors and hardships.

 

Be careful when you want to attain the world, for that is what you might get

 

Gehazi received Naaman’s riches,

But he also received Naaman’s disease.

And not only Gehazi, but all his descendants.

 

No doubt Gehazi would now learn to hate this life

And look forward to the next one.

 

And so the proverb is certainly true for Gehazi:

 

Proverbs 21:6 “The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.”

 

AND FOR US, WE GAIN A VALUABLE LESSON.

 

There is no room for greed in the Christian life.

And attaining the world is now glorious prize.

 

1 TIMOTHY 6:3-19

 

Could Paul make it any clearer?

 

• Don’t have wealth? – Don’t crave it, rather flee from it!

• Have wealth? – Share it!

 

 

“storing up for [yourselves]

The treasure of a good foundation for the future,

So that [you] may take hold of that which is life indeed.”

 

Naaman The Leper

2 Kings 5:1-19

 

We are presently in the “miracles” section of the book of 2 Kings.

We are systematically dealing with the works of Elisha.

 

Thus far we have said that he is working miracles

For those who are seeking him.

A Poor Widow

A Prosperous Woman

The Prophetic Witnesses

 

This morning we continue on this theme, although

We come upon a situation that is unique to the other three.

 

This morning the miracles of Elisha travel beyond the borders of Israel.

 

We know that when Jesus came to earth,

His miracles were primarily for the lost sheep of Israel,

Yet on occasion His miracles ventured out to the Gentiles.

 

And when they did, those Gentiles

Proved to be a sort of condemnation towards Israel.

 

Remember the Centurian who trusted Jesus authority?

 

To him Jesus said:

Matthew 8:10-12 “Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. “I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

 

And of course, this Centurion is just one example.

 

We could also talk about the Samaritan Leper who came back to give thanks…

We could talk about the Canaanite woman who saw her daughter healed of a demon…

 

And each of these are included in the gospel record

As a sort of condemnation against Israel.

 

The Messiah was sent to Israel, and they would not believe.

The Messiah was not primarily sent to the Gentiles

And yet you couldn’t stop them from believing.

 

Naaman is exactly that kind of an illustration.

In fact, he is even mentioned by Jesus in the New Testament.

 

After Jesus preached in His hometown, He made an observation.

TURN TO: Luke 4:22-30

And so we see exactly why the Naaman story is included in Scripture.

Not only does it add to the resume of Elisha,

But it also reveals the hard-hearted and blind condition of Israel.

 

There were not many in Israel who would take advantage

Of the presence of God, nor that would listen to His word.

 

As a sort of condemnation to them,

God extends His blessing away from them and into a foreign nation.

 

And so with that, we know how

To approach this miracle done for Naaman the Leper.

 

I have divided this text up into 6 parts this morning.

#1 NAAMAN INFORMED

2 Kings 5:1-5

 

Before we get into the actual flow of this story.

The writer wants us to know exactly

Who it is we are dealing with in this Naaman.

 

We have already seen that he was a foreigner, which is quite significant, but beyond that we see:

• He is quite an individual.

• He is a high-ranking military leader.

• He holds high status with the King, and has quite a reputation.

 

• “Captain of the army of the king of Aram”

• “a great man with his master”

• “Highly respected”

• “by him the LORD had given victory to Aram”

• “A valiant warrior”

 

It is fairly safe to say that this Naaman was a national icon to his nation

 

“but he was a leper.”

 

Matthew Henry said this:

“Naaman was as great as the world could make him, and yet the best slave in Syria would not change skins with him.”

 

He was a good and successful man, but a hopeless man.

 

How many Naamans there are in the world.

Highly successful, yet utterly miserable.

 

Zaccheus – The Rich young Ruler – Cornelius

 

These were men who were worldly successful,

Yet absolutely miserable in life.

And our world is full of them today.

 

Namaan reminds us you can only go so far in your own strength.

 

There are many problems in this life that only have God as their solution.

Israel needed to understand this, Naaman is about to.

 

It is at this point, that Naaman’s life is about to change.

VERSES 2-5

 

We see again that Naaman must have been a good man,

For this servant girl holds him no ill will.

 

In fact, she reveals a means by which Naaman could be healed.

And the interesting thing is that Naaman believes her.

 

Many would say,

“What can this dumb little slave girl know. Every doctor in Syria tells me this is incurable, there is no way I’m going to Israel to some sort of “Faith Healer””.

 

But not Naaman.

He heard truth, he heard good news,

And it did not matter to him that the messenger was a slave girl.

 

Many today should learn this.

There are many who disregard the gospel because they don’t trust

Or don’t like the messenger

 

But Naaman had no such prejudices.

He was informed and he immediately took the news to the King,

Who bid him good luck.

 

Naaman informed

#2 NAAMAN INQUIRING

2 Kings 5:6-7

 

So we see that Naaman has listened to the slave girl and has determined to seek out deliverance if indeed deliverance is possible.

 

And so Naaman inquires of the King of Israel.

 

The interesting thing here is the King of Israel’s response.

 

The King of Israel at this time was Jehoram.

He was the son of Ahab.

 

He was the one who according to 3:3 “clung to the sins of Jeroboam”.

He had rejected the Law of God,

He embraced the false gods of Jeroboam.

And the result was that he was a powerless, nervous wreck.

 

When Naaman shows up the King of Israel is beside himself.

He is certain that he is about to be in a war he cannot win.

 

GOD IS RATTLING HIS CAGE

God is reminding the king of Israel that he is impotent

And that all of his false gods are as well.

 

God is still working in Israel

To get them to turn from their false gods and turn to Him,

And He takes this opportunity to reveal Himself.

 

Naaman Informed

Naaman Inquiring

#3 NAAMAN IN A RAGE

2 Kings 5:8-12

 

You really have to like this.

It is Elisha to the rescue.

 

He approaches the king with a message.

 

“he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

 

That is a message for Naaman that is also intended for Israel.

They had forgotten this truth.

 

More than even Naaman, God wants Jehoram to know

That there is a prophet in Israel.

 

And when Naaman shows up, he expects a great performance.

 

But Elisha won’t even come to the door to see him.

Instead Elisha gives him a simple, effortless command.

 

And it infuriates Naaman.

(11) “But Naaman was furious 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 wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’ “Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.”

 

And you see that while Naaman is seeking,

His old carnal nature is still shining through.

He doesn’t like Elisha’s answer because it is not spectacular enough.

 

He struggled with the simplicity of God’s command.

 

And we see this as well today.

 

Some men will not come to God unless they can also attain glory

For what they did to aid God in deliverance.

 

It is not enough to testify of God’s grace.

They want some of the credit as well.

 

“God saved me because I…”

“God delivered me when I…”

 

They are trying to hold on to a reason to boast and attain glory.

 

But you and I must remember that when God delivers,

God gets the glory.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For 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.”

 

Romans 4:1-2 “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.”

 

Perhaps you remember that age old story

In the Old Testament about Gideon.

Judges 7:1-2 “Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him, rose early and camped beside the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley. The LORD said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me.’”

 

We see that throughout the Bible.

That God ordains deliverance in such a way

That He is the One who gets the glory for it.

 

And in this case, God gets glory because

There is nothing impressive about what Naaman is asked to do.

 

But it upsets Naaman.

 

Naaman informed

Naaman inquiring

Naaman In a rage

#4 NAAMAN CALMED

2 Kings 5:13

 

It is obvious that Naaman had good and wise servants.

Being servants they understood simple obedience and humility,

So they taught it to Naaman.

 

We have to learn it as well.

There is no room for arrogance or obstinance

In regard to responding to God.

 

We simply humble ourselves before Him and do whatever He asks.

• And like it or not the salvation of God is not mystical.

God doesn’t require some ecstatic show or display.

 

• It is also not partial, in which He requires any help from you.

God doesn’t require some extra work to help Him save you.

 

The salvation of God requires only faith, all the power belongs to Him.

 

And the good news is that Naaman listens to their advice.

 

#5 NAAMAN CURED

2 Kings 5:14

 

There we see that by simply trusting the command,

Naaman was cured of his leprosy.

 

It was all about the power of God.

In fact, Elisha wasn’t even present at the miracle.

 

God has the power, God has the willingness,

And when we follow His directives, then deliverance occurs.

 

 

And there is one more thing I want you to see in this story.

 

#6 NAAMAN CONVERTED

2 Kings 5:15-19

 

Now Naaman returns to Elisha and the mission has been accomplished.

 

“Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel;”

 

You may remember that that is what Elisha said he would know.

It was the main objective and Naaman is convinced.

 

And Naaman even tries to pay for his cleansing,

But you and I know grace better than that.

 

WHAT PAYMENT COULD BE MADE FOR REDEMPTION AND DELIVERANCE?

 

There was no payment necessary or adequate.

 

And so Naaman makes requests.

 

“two mules load of earth”

 

He is a little mistaken about the omnipresence of God.

He can be worshiped anywhere, not just on Israel soil.

 

And he is a little mistaken about total surrender,

For he asks a pardon in advance for questionable behavior.

 

It is clear that Naaman is a little confused as a baby Christian,

But the fact that he has truly been converted

Is evidenced by Elisha’s statement to “Go in peace”

 

Naaman was a hopeless man in need of God.

 

When he was willing to believe the good news, seek out God,

And humble himself before Him, he found deliverance.

 

He wasn’t perfect…

He still had some misconceptions…

But God clearly blessed his willingness to seek and trust.

 

And according to Jesus, Naaman was a judgment before Israel.

 

Luke 4:27 “And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

 

It is certainly not that God loved Syrians more than Israelites,

But rather that none of the Israelite lepers

Were willing to do what this Syrian leper did.

 

The difference between Naaman and Israel?

 

Naaman listened to the good news, Israel did not.

And that is a major distinction.

 

TURN TO: Matthew 7:24-27

 

Of course Israel was like the foolish man,

Who had Elisha in her midst and couldn’t even see it.

 

They would make the very same mistake when Jesus showed up.

 

Luke 19:41-44 “When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. “For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

 

What a tragedy when we fail to recognize the nearness of God

And to take advantage of His available word.

 

Amos actually speaks of the end result of resisting God too long.

Amos 8:11-12 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the LORD. “People will stagger from sea to sea And from the north even to the east; They will go to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, But they will not find it.”

 

Amos actually saw those who refused to seek God

Eventually losing the ability to find Him at all.

 

Certainly Israel is here today as they have been broken off and by in large today have rejected the Messiah.

 

No wonder Isaiah says:

Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.”

 

What Isaiah says there is what Israel should have recognized.

They should have called on God, and they would not.

 

But for those who recognize the nearness of God and take advantage of it, there is blessing and deliverance to be had.

 

 

TURN TO: PSALM 32

 

 

There again it is the importance of seeking and trusting God.

 

 

Don’t resist God, He blesses those who humble themselves and seek Him.

He is looking for those whose heart is completely His.

 

Turn to Him and trust Him with your life,

But do not miss your time of visitation.

 

2 Kings 4:38-44

 

We are in a unique portion of Scripture

As we study through this book of 2 Kings.

 

A rapid fire listing of the many miracles and fulfilled prophecies of Elisha.

 

As we have said a couple of times now.

• The miracles are done for those who are seeking God.

• The prophecies will be to convince those who are not seeking God.

 

So far we have seen two miracles on behalf of God’s people.

 

1) We saw God miraculously provide for a poor widow.

She was a faithful woman.

She was a desperate woman.

She was a poor woman. (about to sell her two sons)

 

But God saw this woman and sent Elisha to supernaturally meet her need

By multiplying her oil so that she could sell it and get our of debt.

 

2) Next we saw God bless a prominent Shunammite woman.

She was prominent

She was hospitable and generous

She was also barren.

 

God blessed her with a son, and then allowed that son to die

To prove that this woman was “wholly devoted” to God,

And then God raised her son back from the dead.

 

In many ways these women were opposites.

One was prominent, one was poor

One was married, one was a widow

One was childless, one had children

 

But the unifying characteristic is that they each

Had a sincere love and fear for God, and God blessed them.

 

As we said last week:

2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His…”

 

God isn’t just looking for the wicked that He may punish them.

God is also looking for the committed, that He may bless them.

 

Such is certainly true in Israel during this time.

 

You may remember that of all Israel,

God saw that there would only be a faithful remnant.

 

By in large, most of Israel would turn apostate.

God told Elijah.

1 Kings 19:18 “Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

 

God had allotted that in all of Israel, the number of people

Who were wholly devoted to Him would be a rather small number.

 

Isaiah will come on the scene in a few years

And God will reveal to Him the exact same truth.

 

Isaiah 6:9-13 “He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.’ “Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.” Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered, “Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, Houses are without people And the land is utterly desolate, “The LORD has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. “Yet there will be a tenth portion in it, And it will again be subject to burning, Like a terebinth or an oak Whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump.”

 

God revealed to Isaiah that the remnant would only be a tenth.

 

Yet despite the fact that there are not many,

God is systematically seeking them out

In order to deliver them,

In order to bless them,

In order to provide for them.

 

They have not forsaken God, and God has not forsaken them.

 

As I thought about this, I was drawn to a verse I recently learned.

 

Dennis in prison taught me this verse

 

Psalms 37:23-26 “The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread. All day long he is gracious and lends, And his descendants are a blessing.”

 

That verse does not promise that the righteous will not suffer.

(The book of Job enlightens us to that truth)

 

In fact that passage even mentions “When he falls”.

 

Hardship may indeed come, and the righteous may fall,

But even when they fall, they are never forsaken.

 

The sons of Korah said:

Psalms 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”

 

I once heard Adrian Rogers say:

“God doesn’t promise to get you out of trouble.

God promises to get into trouble with you.”

 

And certainly you understand the point.

 

In Israel the faithful are few and far between,

Yet God has not forsaken them.

 

This morning we see it happen again.

• First it was for a poor widow…

• Second it was for a prominent woman…

• Today it is for the prophetic witnesses.

 

I want to simply take you through what occurs in this incident,

And then spend a little time reminding you

Of how faithful God is to those who seek Him and trust Him.

 

There are two main miracles here, let’s look at them.

#1 GOD’S SUPERNATURAL PROTECTION

2 Kings 4:38-41

 

You will notice as we read that Elisha makes a trip back to Gilgal,

And there is a school for the sons of the prophets.

 

And Scripture says they “were sitting before him”

 

There was a famine in the land, but their hunger was for the word of God.

 

To them, the spiritual was much more important than the physical.

They are an illustration of the faithful.

 

We see this same attitude in Mary.

Luke 10:38-39 “Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.”

 

Now Elisha determined that he needed to feed these devoted listeners.

 

When the 4,000 showed up to hear Jesus, He said:

Matthew 15:32 “And Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, “I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.”

 

There was a group of people who were hungrier for the things of God

Than they were for physical food.

 

Yet, it is the compassion of the teacher

To be concerned about their physical needs

And so it is here.

Elisha wants to feed them.

 

A servant goes out for herbs, and as he was looking,

He finds some wild gourds that he brings and throws into the pot.

 

As the prophets eat, they realize that the stew is dangerous and actually say, “there is death in the pot.”

 

At that point, Elisha throws some meal into the pot and cleanses it.

 

WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS GOD’S SUPERNATURAL PROTECTION.

And it is seen in two ways.

 

In a NATURAL way and in a MIRACULOUS way.

 

The natural way:

BY GIVING DISCERNMENT

 

The prophets obviously had a limited knowledge of edible gourds.

But they were still able to discern danger when it was before them.

 

We call it discernment, and it is a gift from God.

God had given them enough discernment

To recognize the danger that was in front of them.

 

Now in one sense we are commanded to be discerning.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

“But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.”

 

1 Peter 5:8 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

 

Romans 13:11 “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.”

 

Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.”

 

Matthew 10:17 “But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues;”

 

Throughout Scripture we have admonitions

To be alert, or sober, or awake, or to be ware.

It is God calling us to be discerning people.

 

And the unique thing is that it is God

Who gives us the ability to be discerning.

 

He has shown light into our hearts to rescue us from darkness

And now we are able to discern.

 

God has given you wisdom and a brain

To help protect you from the dangers around you.

Use your wisdom, use your knowledge of the Bible, and avoid danger.

 

And this was the first way in which God protected these prophets.

He gave them discernment.

 

It was not miraculous, but it was God protecting none the less.

 

But God also protected in a miraculous way.

BY CLEANSING THE STEW

 

This was a miracle in which God supernaturally made

Unfit food fit for consumption.

 

God did this in the New Testament during the apostolic age as well.

Mark 16:18 “they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

 

It was a miracle from God in which

He protected them from danger and deadly food.

 

Sometimes we use our God given discernment to avoid danger.

Sometimes God supernaturally changes the situation to safety.

 

Psalms 46:8-11 “Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has wrought desolations in the earth. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.”

 

The Psalmist saw the Lord as the one who could

Defuse hostile situations and protect even in the midst of great danger.

 

Certainly God did that for these prophets.

He responded to these righteous men with supernatural protection.

 

There is a second miracle.

#2 GOD’S SUPERNATURAL PROVISION

2 Kings 4:42-44

 

God was working for more than just one meal.

 

God is a God of provision.

Matthew 6:31-33 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

And here again we see God’s provision

Once in a natural way, and then in a miraculous way.

 

BY BLESSING A FAITHFUL FARMER

 

Now I do realize that the food this man was not much,

But you do realize that in the midst of a famine

There are a lot of farmers who have no crop.

 

But this man did, and because Israel had no temple to bring “first fruits” to,

This man had determined to bring them to the prophets.

 

Sometimes God’s provision is in such ways.

Rain, A paycheck, Generosity

 

They don’t seem miraculous, but it is real provision none the less.

 

And God provided here for a faithful farmer

Who would in turn bless His people.

 

But the story does not stop there, there is a miraculous element here as well.

BY MULTIPLYING FOOD

 

This obviously goes far beyond the natural provision of God.

 

God multiplied the food.

(Very similar to the miracles of Jesus, except here Elisha did not do it,

In the New Testament Jesus was the one who did it.)

 

And God works in this way many times for us.

 

There are instances in which God

Goes beyond our ability to simply work for money.

 

God makes tires go a little longer…

God makes energy bills come in a little cheaper…

For my parents God actually had to

Sell some of the worst cedar beds you ever saw.

 

Malachi 3:10-11 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. “Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes,” says the LORD of hosts.”

 

Have you ever met the “devourer”?

Travis worked on Sunday and blew out two tires…

 

We call that “the devourer”.

• He ruins water heaters…

• He breaks air conditioners…

• He blows out tires…

• He gives out speeding tickets…

 

But when we walk in God’s will, God supernaturally keeps him away.

And it is just another way in which God supernaturally provides.

 

So God supernaturally protects and God supernaturally provides.

That is not difficult to see from this passage.

 

And it reinforces the Scripture we read to begin.

Psalms 37:23-26 “The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread. All day long he is gracious and lends, And his descendants are a blessing.”

 

Psalms 127:2 “It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.”

 

And the point to this whole sermon is that

It is a good thing to be a person who seeks and trusts God.

Because God never forsakes those who trust Him.

 

We by no means have the time to cover all the passages that reinforce this,

But I do want to make sure to show you some of them.

 

TURN TO: JEREMIAH 17:5-8

 

PLANTED – “planted by the water”

PROVIDED FOR – “extends it roots by a stream”

PROTECTED – “will not fear when heat comes”

PERSEVERANT – “its leaves will be green”

PEACEFUL – “will not be anxious in a year of drought”

PRODUCTIVE – “nor cease to yield fruit”

 

TURN TO: PSALM 1

 

Verse 3 gives four characteristics of a man who trusts in God and loves His word.

 

PLANTED – “firmly planted by streams of water”

PRODUCTIVE – “which yields its fruit in its season”

PERSEVERANT – “its leaf does not wither”

PROSPEROUS – “in whatever he does, he prospers”

 

And there you get the same point.

God takes care of the righteous even in the midst of hard situations.

 

 

 

TURN TO: PSALMS 146

 

This time the Psalmist reminds us of who God is.

 

Verses 5-7

GOD IS POWERFUL – “who made heaven and earth”

GOD IS FAITHFUL – “who keeps faith forever”

GOD IS RIGHTEOUS – “executes justice for the oppressed”

GOD IS MERCIFUL – “who gives food to the hungry”

 

You see it over and over and over again,

That God does not forsake the righteous.

 

Psalms 34:8 “O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!”

 

Psalms 84:11-12 “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in You!”

 

Psalms 92:12-14 “The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the LORD, They will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still yield fruit in old age; They shall be full of sap and very green,”

 

Psalms 2:12 “Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”

 

Psalms 103:15-18 “As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer. But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, To those who keep His covenant And remember His precepts to do them.”

 

I just want you to see that it is worth it to trust God and to seek Him.

God never forsakes His own.

God never lets go of them.

God never fails to take care of His own.

 

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

 

When we seek God, it matters to Him, and He comes through.

He delights in coming through for you.

 

Place all your trust in Him and let Him come through for you.

 

Psalms 37:23-26 “The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread. All day long he is gracious and lends, And his descendants are a blessing.”