2 Kings 5:1-19 The Healing of Naaman 2 Kings 5:1-19 ( NKJV ) 1Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.  2And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife.  3Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”  4And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.” 5Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.  6Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said,         Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy. 7And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.” 8So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house.  10And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.”  11But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘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 heal the leprosy.’  12Are not the £Abanah and the 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.  13And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”  14So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.” 16But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 17So Naaman said, “Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord.  18Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord please pardon your servant in this thing.” 19Then he said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a short distance.

The Healing of Naaman Leprosy is a type or figure of SIN. Unclean – required cleansing (Lev. 14:1-2) So with sin (Acts 22:16; 1 John 1:9) Contagious – required separation (Lev. 13:45-46) So with sin (2 Cor. 6:17-7:1) Deadly – no cure except by God’s power So with sin (Eph. 2:1; Rom. 6:23) 2 Kings 5:1 ( NKJV ) 1Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.  Leviticus 14:1-2 ( NKJV ) 1Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,  2“This shall be the law of the leper for the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest.  Acts 22:16 ( NKJV ) 16And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’ 1 John 1:9 ( NKJV ) 9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  Leviticus 13:45-46 ( NKJV ) 45“Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’  46He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. Isaiah 59:1-2 ( NKJV ) 1    Behold, the Lord’S hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. 2    But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear. 2 Corinthians 6:17 ( NKJV ) 17Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”£ 18 “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”£ 2 Corinthians 7:1 ( NKJV ) 1Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Ephesians 2:1 ( NKJV ) 1And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,  Romans 6:23 ( NKJV ) 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Healing of Naaman The little girl is a type of how the Good News is shared She had been torn from home, family and freedom (life of suffering and heartache) She was full of faith and hope in God (these could not be torn from her) She returned good for evil (felt compassion for the human condition) She served God in her youth (played an important part in Naaman being converted to the Lord) 2 Kings 5:1-4 ( NKJV ) 1Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.  2And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife.  3Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”  4And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.”

The Healing of Naaman The way Naaman was healed is a type of the way God saves us. God’s prophet called Naaman to him for cleansing (5:8) – Jesus calls us – Matt. 11:28-29 Naaman sought out God’s prophet (5:9) – we seek Jesus – Matt. 7:7-8 Elisha didn’t speak to him directly but sent a messenger (5:10) – apostles – 2 Cor. 5:20-21 Naaman was told to do something which had no power in itself to heal him (5:10) – baptism – our faith in God’s working - Col. 2:11-13 Matthew 11:28-30 ( NKJV ) 28Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 7:7-8 ( NKJV ) 7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  8For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  2 Corinthians 5:20-21 ( NKJV ) 20Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.  21For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Colossians 2:11-13 ( NKJV ) 11In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,  12buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.  13And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 

The Healing of Naaman The way Naaman was healed is a type of the way God saves us. Naaman had preconceived ideas about how he should be healed (5:11-12). Prejudiced in favor of his own country. Became angry when told to do differently from what he thought. Only when Naaman finally complied with God’s command was he healed (5:13-14) Naaman stopped worshiping other gods and offered gifts (5:15-17) 2 Kings 5:9-19 ( NKJV ) 9Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house.  10And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.”  11But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘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 heal the leprosy.’  12Are not the £Abanah and the 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.  13And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”  14So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.” 16But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 17So Naaman said, “Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord.  18Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord please pardon your servant in this thing.” 19Then he said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a short distance.

The Scriptures Teach: Matthew 28:19 (NKJV) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit… Matthew 28:19 (NKJV) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  Mark 16:16 (NKJV) He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Acts 2:38 (NKJV) Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Acts 22:16 (NKJV) And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’ 1 Peter 3:21 (NASB) And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you – not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Corinthians 12:13 (NKJV) For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Romans 6:3-4 (NKJV) Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.   Galatians 3:26-27 (NKJV) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. John 3:5 (NKJV) Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  Colossians 2:12-13 (NKJV) In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 

The Scriptures Teach: Mark 16:15-16 (NKJV) Matt. 28:19 The Scriptures Teach: Mark 16:15-16 (NKJV) Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Matthew 28:19 (NKJV) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  Mark 16:16 (NKJV) He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Acts 2:38 (NKJV) Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Acts 22:16 (NKJV) And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’ 1 Peter 3:21 (NASB) And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you – not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Corinthians 12:13 (NKJV) For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Romans 6:3-4 (NKJV) Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.   Galatians 3:26-27 (NKJV) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. John 3:5 (NKJV) Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  Colossians 2:12-13 (NKJV) In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 

What MUST One Do To Become A Christian? Examples of Conversions in Acts Believed Repented Confessed Baptized Pentecost – Acts 2:14-41 2:37,38 2:38,41 Samaria – Acts 8:5-13 8:12 8:12,13 Eunuch – Acts 8:35-39 8:36,37 8:37 8:38 Saul – Acts 9,22,26 22:16 Cornelius – Acts 10:34ff 10:43 10:48 Lydia – Acts 16:13-15 16:14 16:15 Jailor – Acts 16:30-34 16:31 16:33 Corinthians – Acts 18:8 18:8 Ephesians – Acts 19:3-5 19:5

The Biblical Pattern For Baptism THE SUBJECT Must “Believe” and “Repent”. NOT Babies. THE MODE Immersion in water. NOT Sprinkling or Pouring. THE PURPOSE “For the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38; 22:16); To be “Saved” (1 Pet. 3:21), To get “into Christ” (Rom 6:3-4; Gal. 3:27). NOT Because Already Saved, NOT to Join a Church, NOT to Show Faith.

Why Were You Baptized? Were You “Sprinkled” as an Infant? Did You Think You Were Already Saved? Was it an “Outward Sign” of Your Salvation? Was it to Join a Local Church? Was it to Become a Member of a Denomination? Was it to receive Forgiveness, be Saved, enter Christ, and be added by Christ to His church? To become a Christian!

Will You Become A Christian? Hear the Gospel (Rom. 10:17) Believe that Jesus is the Son of God (Mk. 16:16) Repent of Your Sins (Acts 17:30) Confess Jesus as Lord (Rom. 10:9-10) Be Baptized for Forgiveness of Sins (Acts 2:38) Live Faithfully until You Die (Rev. 2:10)