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THE KING’S BUSINESS
go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel." Naaman thought that if there was anything in Israel that could help him, it must be the king, but the humble prophet was far mightier than the king; for he knew God and had faith in Him, and the king did not. “And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment." The Syrian king fancied that the great salvation for Naaman was to be purchased, but be fore Naaman got through he found it was all of grace (v. 16; cf. Eph. 2:8). vs. 6-7. “And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is. come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy. And it came to pass,, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alwe, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy?" When Naaman came with his letter to the King of Israel, the latter was filled with dismay. He thought that the King of Syria was simply seeking a quarrel. It never occurred to him that while it was true that God alone could heal a leper, that it was possible for man to approach God in prayer, and thus obtain his healing power. Not know ing God, he was in dismay. | v. 8. “And it was so, when Elisha the man o f. God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel." While theJung was filled with dis may, there was a man in Israel who was not in the least afraid, because he knew Jehovah and His power to heal. Elisha, in saying, “Let him come now to me,” stands forth here as a type of Christ who today is saying to all lepers and to all other unfor tunates, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” When we are in conscious union with God, as Elisha was, we too can con-
companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife." There was no one in all Naaman’s household that could help him except an obscure slave girl. She could and she did. It always pleases God to use the weak things to confound the mighty (1 Coy. 1 :26-29). Her seeming mis fortune was in reality an opportunity io r service, and has won for her enduring fame. If she had not, been Carried away captive as a slave, no one would ever have heard of her. The reason why she could help when all of the mighty ones of the palace were unable to help, was because she kne\V the- Lord. v. 3. “And she said unto her- mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria; for he would recover him of his leprosy.” The little maid had a forgiving and loving heart: though Naaman had carried her away captive, and robbed her of her home, and father and mother, her heart went out toward him in. sym pathy in his great sorrow. She longed to do something for him. She could not heal her master, but she could point him to one who could. We have in her action an il lustration of what a child can do. Though only a child she was of more help to Naaman than all the mighty leaders and officers in his household, or even than the king with whom he was very popular. God used many persons in the healing of the leper just as He us#s many in the salvation of the sinner, but the “little maid” was the first link in the chain. She testified for her God; she did it while at her work. She could not preach, but she could say a word to those with whom her work brought her into contact. This illustrates what a ser vant can do for God, or what' any of us can do for God. Many a master and mis tress have been led to Christ by a faithful servant girl. The maid’s faith was great! She had never seen a leper healed, nor heard of a leper’s being healed (cf. Luke 4:27), but she had no doubt of Jehovah’s healing power. v. S. “And the king of Syria said, Go to,
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