The Sovereignty and Providence of God

in the Life of Naaman

2 Kings 5:1-15

1. A great man with a greater problem (v. 1).

1) What kind of man was he?

-Naaman was great & honorable. He was second in command in Syria.

-He was a hero – by him the Lord gave deliverance to Syria.

-He was a mighty man. He was brave, skilled, and valiant in battle.

-He was a man of good and noble character. We could say he was a noble.

2) What was his problem? Verse one said “…but he was a leper!”

-Leprosy was a most dreaded and loathsome disease of the skin

-Caused the loss of body parts, and eventually death.

-There was no known cure in Bible times other than a miracle from God.

-Leprosy was a type of sin in the Scriptures.

-Yes, he was a great man, but he was a leper.

-Why was he a leper? The same God who gave him victory in battle also allowed him to contract leprosy for His own purpose in grace.

3) Who might this man represent?

-Gentiles – Naaman was a gentile.

-Nobles – he was a noble. Not many nobles are saved, but thank God a few are saved!

-All sinners – All sinners need God’s spiritual healing and saving grace.

-However great men are, yet they are leprous sinners and need healing.

2. A little maid with a big solution (vs. 2-3).

1) Who was the little maid, and why was she a servant in Naaman’s house?

-A little Jewish girl, taken captive away from her parents by Syrian raiders.

-How old was she? Old enough to know that there was a prophet and God in Israel!

-Why was she taken captive. To serve in the sovereign will and purpose of God.

2) What was her attitude toward her owner?

-What might we expect her attitude to be, being kidnapped from her home?

-But what was her attitude toward Naaman? She desired his healing!

-All I can say is, what a blessed young girl she was!

3) What was her solution to Naaman’s problem of leprosy?

-To see the prophet in Israel, who would recover him of his leprosy.

-Perhaps more so, to find faith in the God of Israel.

3. A great nation with an ungodly king (vs. 6-7).

1) Israel was a great nation because it had a great God.

-Israel as a nation was not the greatest, but the least of any people.

-Israel was born of God out of the loins of a hand full of patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob).

-Therefore, Israel was a great nation only because God made them great.

-The only reason why any nation is great is because God makes it great.

-The only reason why the USA is great is because we started with God as our foundation.

-With our godly foundation rapidly crumbling away, how long will America remain great?

2) Israel had a wicked king, Jehoram, the son of a wicked king Ahab and Jezebel his wife.

-Prov. 14:34 “Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people”

-What great evil can be brought upon a nation because of evil leaders.

-I am made to think of some of our leaders in recent years.

-What a reproach and evil testimony they were to our God and our nation.

-What great evil can be brought upon a church with one bad pastor.

-What great evil can be brought upon a family with one bad husband (Nabal the fool).

3) Jehoram was an idolater, who minded not the things of God.

-As the head of God’s great nation, he couldn’t see the good purpose in Naaman’s visit.

-He had no spiritual sense or consciousness; he was spiritually blind.

-He didn’t even think to mention to Naaman that there was a true prophet in Israel.

-Again, what a fool and reproach that wicked, idolatrous leaders are to a godly nation!

-May God be pleased to help America, and remove the pagan leaders who are bringing us down.

4) Why was Jehoram king of Israel?

-No doubt Ahab’s family had a powerful dynasty.

-But I believe the sovereign God of Heaven had a will and purpose for his reign.

-We might question why God allows wicked rulers to be elected into office.

-But there is great consolation in knowing that God has a higher purpose for this world.

-It is comforting to know that God is still on His throne ordering all the kingdoms of this earth!

-Jesus is still King of Kings, and Lord of Lords!

4. A great prophet with a great cure (vs. 8-10).

1) Elisha was great because he was God’s prophet…

-Because he spoke according to the Word of the Lord;

-Because he had spiritual vision;

-Because he was a man of power with God;

-Because he believed that there was still a God in Israel.

-In spite of how far they had declined into idolatry and immorality, God was still with His nation.

2) Why was the cure so great?

-Because it required humility. Naaman had to be humbled to receive it.

-Because it required obedience. Naaman had to obey the prophet to receive it.

-Because it required faith. Naaman had to have faith in the cure to receive it.

-Because it was a miracle from God. All the works of God are great works!

-Because it worked repentance and faith. Naaman was brought to repentance and faith in God.

5. A great man humbled, and a humbled man healed.

1) The leper was offended (vs. 11-12).

-He was offended at Elisha, God’s prophet.

-He expected the prophet to honor him because of his wealth and high position in society.

-He expected Benny Hinn or Oral Roberts to smack him on the forehead and yell “heel”!

-He was also offended at the cure.

-He was offended at the waters of Jordan. Perhaps they were too muddy for his leprous body!!!

2) Next, the leper was humbled (v. 13).

-He was rebuked by his servants. It is humbling to be rebuked by our subordinates.

-He was rebuked for his pride. Pride was hindering his being cured.

-He heard their rebuke and followed their advice.

-In this he showed wisdom, in following the spiritual pricks of the prophet and now his servants.

3) He then obeyed Elisha’s orders and dipped in the Jordan seven times (v. 14).

-Naaman the leper was no longer a leper, but was completely healed.

-When God heals there is complete and instantaneous healing and total recovery.

-This is true of physical healing, and it is especially true of spiritual healing of the soul in salvation.

4) The miracle of healing brought Naaman to faith in the God of Israel (v.15-19)

-I believe Naaman came to know the Lord in salvation.

-He was brought to repentance of his pride. This was the work of the Holy Spirit.

-He was brought to the obedience of faith. This was also the work of the Holy Spirit.

-He was brought to receive God’s miraculous gift of physical healing.

-He was also brought to receive spiritual healing through faith in the God of Israel.

Conclusion:

In this true story we can see the sovereignty and providence of God at work.

-God allowed Naaman to contract leprosy.

-God allowed the little maid to be captured and sold to Naaman’s house.

-God caused the little maid to speak to Naaman about the prophet of Israel.

-God put it on Naaman’s heart to seek the cure through the prophet of Israel.

-God gave Elisha just the right cure for Naaman’s leprosy that would also humble his pride.

-God caused for Naaman to be humbled and to obey the instructions of Elisha.

-God healed Naaman’s body of leprosy, and his soul of sin.

The Lord has lead you here tonight by His sovereign will and divine works of providence. Perhaps it is His sovereign will to heal your soul of the leprosy of sin!

Regardless of why you think you came to this place tonight, maybe the Lord has a higher purpose of saving your soul, and making you His child, and allowing you to serve Him through His church.

Perhaps tonight you will be cured of your sin, by believing that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, that He was buried in the tomb, and that He rose again the third day.

Believe on Jesus now and be saved!