The Yale expositor., 1911-03-30
ELISHA HEALS
NAAMAN
Sunday School Lesson for Apr. 2, 1911
Specially Arranged for This Paper

verses 10. H.
GOLDEN TEXT-"I.ook unto me. and
be We saved. all the ends OF the earth;
for ! am God. and there is none else. -
lisa 45:22
TiME-Most scholars place this event
In the reign OF Jehoram. the son OF Ahab.
king or Israel who reigned Il. G. 904-S94.
Others argue that IL occurred I'm the reign
OF Jehoahaz. b. c. S4-S4S.
PLACE-Damascus. the capital OF Sy-
ria. the oldest city in the world, famed
for its swords. Damascus blades" and
for its silks, "damask" Samaria, tho
capital of Israel about 10 miles dis
tant.
The miracles of Elisha were nearly
all miracles of kindly helpfulness.
What were some of these? Those i'm
mediately preceding and following our
lesson: healing the unhealthful wa
tiers OF spring; bringing water into
dry valley for the aid OF the three
kings; paying a poor widows debts
by increasing her oil supply; restoring
to life the son of the Shunammite
woman; making healthful some pot
tage into which a poisonous plant had
been put; feeding hundred men with
20 barley cakes and a few ears of
corn-this and the preceding being in
making lost ak head return to the
surface of the water
Who was Naaman? He was COM
manderin-chief under the king of Sy-
ria, Benhadad ii. Benhadad, who had
been wont in his youth and middle
age to lead his armies into the field in
person, seems now in his old age to
have found it necessary to entrust the
command to a general. Naaman had
gained renown by freeing his country
from a powerful foe, probably Assyria,
for the black obelisk mentions wars
of the Assyrians under Shalmanezer
III. again Israel and Benhadad.
Honored and powerful, what was the
flaw in Naaman's fortune? He was n
leper. LeDrosy is of slow develop
ment, and as Naaman retained his
military command his malady cannot
have reached a very advanced stage.
1t is not likely in any case, that the
Syrians observed the same strict rules
regarding it as the Jews. Leprosy.
however, is a terrible disease, fifty
used throughout the Bible as the SYM
Dol of sin and death. The disease is
contagious. 1t is most loathsome. 1t
is inCurable, at least In the present
state of our knowledge. Sin is cur
able, but not by man.
Naaman was great man, with
great need; and God prepared a great
deliverance for him, as he has a great
deliverance for all the great needs
of his children. But ii was brought
about by four very simple agencies.
Only inferior artists make parade of
complicated processes; the most skill
full workers use few tools and unpre.
tentious methods, and God is the most
skillful of all artists.
Why did Elisha bid Naaman to wash
seven times in the river Jordan? To
test and strengthen his faith. The
journey would give him time for medi-
tation, for the nearest point of the
Jordan was % miles in straight line,
but much farther in distance to be
Travelled, from the winding of the ra-
vines down which it must be reached.
Moreover, the simplicity Of the act
would turn Naaman's thoughts away
from outward forms to the true God.
He would be sure that the water itself
did not accomplish the cure, else there
would be no lepers in Israel. And he
would not, at the distance of % miles,
be likely TO ascrbe the cure to the
prophet.
Why was Naaman angry at this
message? How was he to tell that
this man of God did not design to
mock him by sending him on FOOLS
errand, so that he would come back as
a laughing-stock both to the Israelites
and to his own people? Naaman had
expected the prophet himself to como
forth respectfully and wave his hand
over the place" and go through some
mystic ceremony. The sting lay in
the fact that the prophet himself took
no part in the cure; that, instead OF
being proud to have so august pa
tient, he had calmly handed him over
10 one of his assistant physicians-to
the medical skill of the waters of Jor-
dan.
AS Naaman went away in a rage
how was he put in a more sensible
frame Of mind? BY one Of his serv-
ants; Naaman seems to have had
great fortune In his servants. My fa-
Their, said the servant with respectful
affection. IL the prophet had bid thee
do some great thing, wouldst thou not
have done It? Yes! or course he
would, and the greater the better.
What was the result of Naaman's
obedience? The result that always
comes when men obey Gods COM
mands, he was instantly and COM
pletely cleansed from his leprosy.
1t Is a shame that this beautiful
story must close with recital of Naa-
mans perfidy. We may be sure that
1t would never have been inserted IL
the tale were not a true one. Gehazi
is the Old Testament Judas. Gehazi
misrepresentei the true religion to
Naaman and the Syrian nation.
The story of Naaman has been said
IN he the best illustration in the Old