2Ki 5:11 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 recover the leper.
2Ki 5:12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
2Ki 5:13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
2Ki 5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
2Ki 5:15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
2Ki 5:16 But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
2Ki 5:17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.
2Ki 5:18 In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.
2Ki 5:19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
2Ki 5:20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
2Ki 5:21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
2Ki 5:22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
2Ki 5:23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
2Ki 5:24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
2Ki 5:25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
2Ki 5:26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
2Ki 5:27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
God’s expectation for the body of Christ, and all of humanity in time, is clearly stated in these two verses: (Jer 29:11, 1Co 15:22), and yet our flesh has many preconceived notions as to the way we think (1Pe 4:12, Heb 12:6) we should go that is pleasing to God in order to find this expected end (Pro 14:12, Luk 18:21-22).
Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, [Isa 55:8] saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Pro 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death [That way in our flesh excludes the process of judgment that stems from the affliction, the persecution, the tribulation, the suffering, of which God says is necessary if we are going to overcome and enter into the kingdom of God within us day by day (Luk 17:21) as we die daily – these things (affliction – persecution – tribulation – suffering) represent what will bring death to our old man, and going in the way that seems right to us is what will keep our old man alive and bring death to Christ in us (Heb 6:6)].
Luk 18:21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
Luk 18:22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all [Mat 16:25] that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
Luk 18:23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.[It was a “certain ruler” in this parable (Luk 18:18) who represents the fleshly pulls of our life that want to rule over us, who was rich in a self-confidence or a self-righteous spirit that did not acknowledge his need to be continually dragged to Christ who is the only one who can do the work within us of overcoming (Php 2:12-13, Joh 15:5) – Both physical riches and doing many wonderful works can blind us from our need to continually acknowledge our blind and naked condition in this life, causing us to go back into the world (Joh 9:41, 1Ti 6:8-10, 2Ti 4:10). Without following Christ and His body, the church (Eph 5:30, Heb 10:24-25), we will surely experience that blindness of (Joh 9:41), which will keep us from seeing truth that, if continued in, will set us free (Joh 8:31-32)]
God is dragging the elect out of Babylon in order for us to learn what it means to have the true patience and faith of the saints which is realized through a lifetime of much tribulation leading to our ultimate deliverance from these bodies of death (Rom 7:24-25) in the first resurrection, Lord willing (Rev 14:9-12, 2Th 1:4-5, Act 14:22, Rev 20:6).
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.Rev 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: [Rev 14:9-11] here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.[Keeping God’s commandments and having the faith of Jesus is why we will be hated of all men for His name’s sake, His word (Mat 10:22)]
2Th 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
2Th 1:5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: [2Ti 2:12]Act 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue [abide – keep] in the faith, [the faith of Jesus] and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
In type and shadow, Naaman, who is a type of the elect, is showing us in this section of scripture how if we are God’s kind of first fruits, despite ourselves we will be dragged to Christ (Psa 118:27, Joh 6:44) and go through a process of judgment that will wash away our leprous condition and make us ready or mature us to be in the first resurrection (Luk 13:32, Rev 19:7). Being made completely ready is symbolized by Naaman being dipped seven times in the Jordan river, and all such spiritual increase comes from God alone, the giver of every good and perfect gift (1Co 3:6, Jas 1:17). Those gifts are given to us from our Father through Christ who is typified by Elisha who, when Naaman finally listened, was able to be washed: “Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God.“
Luk 13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.
Rev 19:7 Let us [those who are being judged in this age and going through a process that is leading to maturity] be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
2Ki 5:11 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 recover the leper.
This reaction of Naaman towards Elisha is a shadow of how we at first despise God’s goodness that leads us to repentance (Rom 2:4) not knowing that the work that God is doing in the body of Christ has nothing to do with a fleshly outward show: “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“. Rather, we come to see that it is not by might nor by power but by the spirit of God (Zec 4:6, 2Ti 1:7) that we are given the ability to mortify the deeds of the flesh, destroying the inward man of perdition who wants to rule and reign on throne of our hearts (Rom 8:13, Rom 3:20, 2Th 2:8).
Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Naaman “was wroth“, and this anger is directed toward Elisha, who is a type of Christ that Naaman wants to know after the flesh, as was indicated with these words: “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 recover the leper.” No, none of those things happened. Instead, Elisha “sent a messenger unto him” which is symbolic of the comforter coming to us to do a work that requires that we hear the still small voice of God through our prayerful and repentant relationship that is our strength (1Ki 19:12, Isa 30:15).
1Ki 19:11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
1Ki 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.Isa 30:15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
2Ki 5:12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
We all just naturally look at the outward appearance and don’t look at the heart of a matter the way Christ did and can through us (1Sa 16:7, Joh 7:24).
1Sa 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
Joh 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
2Ki 5:10 and Elisha [my god is salvation] sent a messenger unto him, saying, go and wash in Jordan [descent] seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. (PNBkjv)
2Ki 5:12 are not Abana (unchanging/H71 ‘stony’) and Pharpar(rapidsH6554 ‘swift probably from H6565 [break up/violate/frustrate] in the sense of rushing’), rivers of Damascus(sack of blood/H1834 ‘silent is the sackcloth weaver’), better than all the waters of Israel(he will rule with god) may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he [Naaman(pleasantness)] turned and went away in a rage. (PNBkjv)
When we judge a matter in the flesh, as we can see even with the definitions used of all these names in the ‘Proper Names Bible’ version above, we are looking to be washed by what the strength of our flesh can offer, symbolized by “Abana (“unchanging”) and Pharpar (“rapids”), rivers of Damascus (sack of blood”)“. Then Naaman asked the question, “May I not wash in them, and be clean?” to which Christ tells us emphatically, “No, there is only one place where we can be washed and find living waters (Heb 13:10) and that is through Christ where we are baptized into his death to be given living waters to never thirst again.” (Rom 6:3, Mar 1:9, Joh 4:9-14)
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Mar 1:9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.
Joh 4:9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
Joh 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
Joh 4:11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
Joh 4:12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
Joh 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
Joh 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
When flesh doesn’t get its way, it foams up in a rage (Jud 1:13, Jas 4:5); but if Christ is working within us He can and will still those raging seas and bring a calm to us (Psa 107:29-31), a peace that passes all natural understanding that is carnal and in battle against the spirit (Rom 7:24-25). Naaman is us turning away in a rage, “So he turned and went away in a rage” until God mercifully sends someone his way to restore him from this condition (2Ti 2:25-26).
Jud 1:13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
Jas 4:5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Psa 107:29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Ti 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
2Ki 5:13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
2Ki 5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
The servants in this part of the story also represent the spirit of God that is helping Naaman or leading him into all truth (Joh 14:26) to gain a right perspective in regard to what is being asked of him, and what is being asked of him is to “Wash, and be clean” and it really is not, as he says a “great thing” what is being asked of him, reminding us of (Rom 8:18, Lev 26:40-42, Mic 6:8). When we humble ourselves and obey God’s commands [Jordan H3383 ‘descent’ from root H3381 ‘go down/come down/sink/be prostrated] we will receive of his holy spirit (Act 5:32, Heb 5:8) and be washed and cleansed, but God is the one who must do the dragging and converting which is what this story of Naaman is a shadow of and written for our sakes upon whom the end of the ages are come (1Co 10:11).
Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Lev 26:40 If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me;
Lev 26:41 And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:
Lev 26:42 Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.Mic 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Act 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
It is after Naaman is convicted of what the servant says to him that he went down and “dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” The spirit that Christ is forming in us is that of a little child (Mar 10:15, Heb 12:25) in the sense that a little child is teachable and humble as Naaman demonstrated by humbling himself in going down and dipping himself in the Jordan seven times. The seven times dipping is the same principle as the seven sneezes that are needed to drive the evil spirits out of the child that was dead but raised to life by the prophet Elisha (2Ki 4:35).
Mar 10:15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: [“Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God.“]
2Ki 4:35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
2Ki 5:15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
2Ki 5:16 But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
2Ki 5:17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.
Naaman sounds like Nebuchadnezzar when he says what he said after the fiery furnace experience of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: “Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.”
Naaman is convicted, but in type and shadow he is not a mature son, and the proof of that is expressed by his not freely receiving this gift of healing but wants rather to pay something back to Elisha: “I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.” Elisha, a man of God, simply tells him, “As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.” (Mat 10:8)
Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers,[Naaman] raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Then Naaman’s request to take back with him “two mules’ burden of earth” to “henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD” is also written for our sakes to remind us of what God’s word does for us today: Our citizenship is in heaven (Php 3:20 – CEV, CLV) and taking this earth from Israel to Syria on a beast of burden is symbolic of how we are in the world [earth] and not of it (Joh 17:16) and able as such to worship God in spirit and truth (Jer 22:29, Psa 107:20, 1Pe 5:7, Joh 4:24). The earth symbolizes the spiritual plot of land that we sojourn in while on this earth called Jerusalem above the mother of us all (Eph 2:6, Gal 4:26).
Jer 22:29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.
Psa 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
The gift of being healed and liberated from idolatry and false worship is the true reward that cannot compare to any gift in the earth (Psa 50:10), “For thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD” (Act 3:6).
Psa 50:10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
Act 3:6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
2Ki 5:18 In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.
2Ki 5:19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
Naaman confesses his fault of bowing himself in the house of Rimmon, a Syrian deity, after his master who is worshiping there leans on his hand “In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon.” This confession of Naaman comes after he is cleansed of his leprosy and is now convicted of his wrong behavior that he is giving an account of to Elisha (Rom 2:4). His master ‘leaning on his hand’ is symbolic of how Babylon wants to rule over us and does so until we are healed and confess our idolatrous ways which we embraced in Babylon. The end result of his confession to Elisha are these words from the prophet “And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.” God’s peace comes to us when we are abased and confess our faults (Pro 16:6-7, Pro 3:3-4).
Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Pro 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
Pro 16:7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.Pro 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
Pro 3:4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
2Ki 5:20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
Gehazi’s doublemindedness comes out with this opening statement, “Behold, my master hath sparedH2820 Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.” Out of his own mouth he is being judged here, saying he knows that this was an act of mercy on the part of the prophet “in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. Yet in the next breath he says, because of avarice and greed in his heart, “I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.“
sparedH2820 [H8804 = Qal] to withhold, restrain, hold back, keep in check, refrain
Gehazi carries out these lust-filled actions thinking no one can see him, when in truth nothing is hidden from the Lord with whom we have to do (Heb 4:13, Act 5:1-5, Act 5:9-10).
Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Act 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
Act 5:2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Act 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Act 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
Act 5:5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.Act 5:9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
Act 5:10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
2Ki 5:21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
2Ki 5:22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
2Ki 5:23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
In the book of James we’re told, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust [“I will run after him, and take somewhat of him” (2Ki 5:20)], and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived [“My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.“], it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. [“And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him“] (Jas 1:13-15).
Naaman is none the wiser regarding the lies of Gehazi who has orchestrated all these deceitful actions to his fleshly benefit. His master did not send him as he declared. It was his own lust that drew him after Naaman’s gift intended for Elisha. Gehazi receives “two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments” from Naaman that two servants bear before him. Gehazi does not bear the burden of repentance that these two talents of silver and changes of raiment signify. He just wants the reward now in this life without seeing the need to bear his burden, which is typical of believing in a substitutionary death of Christ (Jud 1:11, Col 1:24).
Jud 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:
2Ki 5:24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
2Ki 5:25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
2Ki 5:26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
2Ki 5:27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
Gehazi ‘used the system’ to his advantage like Babylon does to make riches off of others, making merchandise in this instance of Naaman, and using his servants to do all the heavy lifting to this end: “And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed“. The tower[H6076 = stronghold] represents the pride of Gehazi which we know always comes before a fall (Pro 16:18-19).
Pro 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Pro 16:19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Gehazi, still being plagued with a lying spirit, tells Elisha when asked where he had been, “Thy servant went no whither.” Then Elisha, a prophet of God who is able to be given to know his servants whereabouts (Amo 3:7), says this: “And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?” ‘Is this the time to receive gifts’ is the question Elisha asks him, and the answer is ‘no, not at this time’, telling us there is a time to receive gifts under the right circumstances (1Co 9:11) and there is a time to not receive them (Ecc 3:1-11) as was the case with Gehazi (2Ki 5:26) who not only had “gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward” (Jud 1:11), but had done so with a lying spirit on top of everything else that he had done wrong (Gen 14:23, 2Th 3:7-9).
Gen 14:23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
2Th 3:7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
2Th 3:8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
2Th 3:9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
Elisha pronounces upon Gehazi the punishment that he deserved for sowing to his flesh as he did: “The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.” This leprosy represents death, just as was pronounced on Ananias and Sapphira for their deceitfulness (Act 5:1-10).
The lesson for God’s elect is that our heart is deceitful and desperately wicked and must die and be put off daily (Jer 17:9) in order to be cleansed of our leprous condition known as ‘being in flesh’, which is wretched in the sight of God but able to be subdued and worked with through Jesus Christ our savior (Rom 8:7-9, Rom 7:24-25).
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
"His Branch" 