NOTES for Ki2 5:1-15

People have different attitudes toward their illnesses: some think about them all the time, while others try to forget about them. Some complain, while others keep silent and pretend they are not sick. But almost everyone still wants to be healed. True, that desire also takes different forms. Naaman was deeply eager for healing. He longed for it and believed it was possible. It was this faith that opened his ears to the words of a young servant girl. He not only heard her words about the prophet; he believed them and dared to speak about it with the king.

Yes, he was "a great man before his master." But the higher you stand, the more frightening it is to make yourself look ridiculous, to be disgraced. And when he reached Elisha, Elisha did not even come out to the threshold to meet Naaman, but sent instructions through a servant. Naaman was disappointed, became angry, and refused to accept the way the Lord had decided to act in this situation.

How often we have a similar reaction when our carefully thought-out plans do not come to pass. But, fortunately, God gave Naaman the gift of listening to the people around him. Even though they were only servants, the desire to be healed and trust in God lead Naaman farther. And the Lord rewards the trust of His children with healing of body and soul.

Naaman's reaction is very understandable in human terms. He had been sent to a great prophet and expected great and fearsome deeds from him. Naaman supposed that so great an event as healing from leprosy would be attended by fitting pomp and solemnity. Elisha requires something almost impossible from Naaman: complete trust and complete humility. He does not even come out to meet Naaman himself, but sends a servant. And Naaman storms off in a rage. Interestingly, he agrees to follow Elisha's advice on the principle that "it can do no harm." In other words, at the moment when he immerses himself in the waters of the Jordan, there is not the slightest trace of either trust or humility. Nevertheless, the Lord acts and grants healing, and it is then that Naaman receives God into his heart—the God who does not stage spectacles where they are not needed, but simply shows mercy and saves those who turn to Him.

How much a person wants a miracle, a real one, dropped down from heaven! I am sick, so let healing descend on me. I feel awful, so I urgently need a shoulder to cry on. I have no job, so why should one not simply fall into my lap? What? Dip seven times in the Jordan? Do I not have water at home? What a thing to suggest, and from believers too! I need a miracle. What kind of advice is this: go to a doctor and take the medicine he prescribes; stop whining about yourself and look at others; start looking for work, learn something simpler?

We badly want something for nothing from God. We badly do not want to take disgusting medicine, get up, go, and search. We badly do not want to rejoice. But most often miracles happen only when we do not simply ask to win the lottery, but finally go and buy a lottery ticket.

Why does distrust of God or distrust of a man of God arise in a person? There can be many reasons. But there is one that appears to occur more often than others. The issue is love for everything unusual, extravagant, and striking to the imagination.

It is hardly possible that the Syrian who came to Elisha did not know who prophets were and what could be expected of them. Prophets in those times existed not only among the Jews; there were many of them in the pagan world as well, where they usually spoke in the name of the supreme gods of their pantheons, most often in the name of the sun god or the thunder god. And almost always these prophets either demonstrated certain miracles, often of a quite magical character, or offered those who turned to them participation in rites that were very extravagant even in the eyes of their contemporaries, connected with the service of the gods in whose name and on whose behalf they spoke. But Naaman had heard about the God of the Jews that He was greater than all the gods of other peoples, that He was more powerful and higher than they. And he expected from the prophet of such a God something unusual, something that in his eyes had to correspond to the majesty of the God whose servant Elisha was. Elisha, however, offers him only to wash in the Jordan. To the high-ranking Syrian such a proposal seems mockery: does he not have enough rivers in Syria, and what rivers, not to be compared with this Jordan, which in its upper course in summer looks more like a stream.

But his servants and assistants advise him not to rush: what if? After all, the prophet is a man of God; what he says is in any case worth listening to. What if all this is not mockery at all? This is where the main thing lies. What if? What if the God of this strange prophet will still help? What if the prophet is right?

And Naaman decides. And receives healing. For he did trust the God of Elisha, the God of Israel, though not at once. And such trust never remains unanswered.

From what arises man’s distrust of God or the distrust of the man of God? Probably, the reasons can be many. But there is one that we meet, it seems, mostly than others. It is about love to all which is extraordinary, extravagant, striking imagination. It is hardly that the Syrian who had come to Elisha did not know who the prophets are and what can be expected from them. The prophets in that period were not only among the Jews, they were many in the pagan world, where they usually augured in the name of the supreme gods of their pantheons, mostly on behalf of the sun god or of the thunder god. And almost always these prophets, either, made certain miracles, often of completely magic character, or proposed to those who address to them the participation in very extravagant even in the sight of the contemporaries rites connected with the service of these gods, in the name and in the person of whom they acted.

Naaman thus understood that the God of the Jews is bigger than the gods of the other peoples, that He is more powerful and superior to them. And, certainly, he expected from the prophet of such a God something extraordinary, something that in his eyes had to correspond to the greatness of the God, the servant of whom was Elisha.

Elisha the meantime suggests to him just to wash in the Jordan. Such proposal seems a mockery to the high-ranking Syrian: are the rivers in Syria few for him, and which ones again - this Jordan is nothing, the summer in the upper course it is more similar to the brook! But the servants and aides advise him not to hurry: what if?

Indeed, the prophet is a man of God, what he says at least worth consideration. What if all this was not a joke? And here is the important. What if? If really it is God, Who helped this strange prophet? What if the prophet was right? And Naaman then decides. And he obtains the healing. Because he trusted after all the God of Elisha, the God of Israel, though not immediately. And such trust never remains without answer.