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THE KING’S BUSINESS
fidently invite lepers and all the afflicted to come to us for help. It was in order that God might be glorified that Elisha invited Naaman to come to him. When we are seeking God’s glory and God’s only, He will work through us. When we seek our own glory He will leave us to our confusion and shame. v. 9. "So Naaman came." Wise Naaman. How many hear the invitation of God’s man, “Come unto me,” but they won’t come, and so they are not healed. Naaman had much to learn but he had sense enough to come just as 'he was. That is the way that the sinner must come to Christ if he is to get help (Matt. 9:12, 13; 1 Tim. 1:15). Naaman came, however, with much pomp and pride, and it was necessary to humble this before he could be healed. “And stood at the door of the house.of Elisha." The great general had to come and wait at the door of the lowly Man of God (cf. ch. 3:12; 6:32). We have here a foreshadowing of that coming day when the great of earth shall come and bow be fore God’s people (Isa. 60 :l-3; Rev. 3 :9). v. 10. "And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, aying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee and thou shalt be clean.” Elisha was not in the least afraid of Naaman’s magnificence. It is true Naaman was the honored representative of Syria’s king; but Elisha was the representative of the “King of Kings” (2 Kings 3:12-14). A true man of God treats rich and cultured sinners with no more deference than he treats poor and ignorant sinners. But Elisha in this instance had a gracious purpose in treating Naaman in this curt manner, namely, to lower his pride. Jordan is the type of judg ment on sin, and sin must be judged 'by confession and renunciation before we can be cleansed (1 Cor. 11:31; Isa. 55:7; 1 John 1:9; Job 33:26-28). God Himself .has judged sin in the cross (Rom. 8:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13). In going down into Jordan, Naaman would take the sinner’s place, as Jesus took it for us at a later day (Matt. 3:13-15; cf. 2 Cor. 5:21).' We must each
of us take the sinner’s place if we would find pardon and cleansing (Luke 18:10-14: 1 Jno. 1 :9). v. 11. “But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, he will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place and re cover the leper.”' There was a good deal of the fool left in Naaman yet, but he acted just as most sinners act when God’s way of salvation is set before them. It seemed .altogether too simple. Furthermore, Naaman did not like it that more deference was not paid him. Gen. Naaman was not used to that sort of thing. It was very humiliating to a military man. And even so, many fool sinners today will not come to Christ be cause they think the preacher or the evan gelist does not-show them enough defer ence, but they are willing to lose their souls rather, than humble their pride. Further more, Naaman had his own philosophy—"I thought .” There is no greater obstacle to salvation than our thoughts, "My philoso phy." If a man wishes to be saved, he must throw his own thoughts to the winds—“let the unrighteous forsake his thoughts” (Isa. 55:7). Our thoughts, our philosophy and wisdom, are often a greater obstacle to our salvation than our sins (1 Cor. 3:18; 1-26- 29). v. 12. "Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, batter than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.” National pride, also had much to do with Naaman’s refusing Elisha’s way of deliverance. The dashing rivers of Damascus had not enough attention paid to them by the prophet of God, and Naaman was not going to dip in any muddy stream like Jordan of Israel. And so instead of going away pleased, he went away mad, just as many a man today leaves the house of God mad rather than saved because he will not humble his pride and take salva tion in God’s way. v. 13. "And his servants came near, and Spake unto him, and said, My father, if the
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