The dangers of Disobedience

I would like to share with you a passage in the Bible. The passage is from 2 Kings 5.

Gehazi was the servant of Elisha. Unlike Gehazi, when Elisha was a servant of Elijah, he was seeking spiritual things. We learnt how Elisha asked Elijah to grant him double of the Spirit of God that was upon him (2 Kings 2:9).

Naaman was the captain of the host of Syria. And we learnt that it was by him, God gave deliverance to Syria (2 Kings 5:1). Nevertheless, Naaman was a leper. At that time, the Syrians went out and took captives of the children of Israel. And among those brought as captives was a little maid who knew how God had been using Elisha to the glory of His name. So, this little made knowing that Naaman was a leper, approached the wife of Naaman and told her that the husband could be healed by a man of God [Elisha] from Samaria, Israel.

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. (2 Kings 5:3, KJV)

The message reached the king and he sent a letter to the king of Israel requesting him to heal his servant Naaman. The letter came to the King of Israel, but when he opened the letter and read its content, he said “ …..[Am] I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me” (2 Kings 5:7b).

But, when Elisha heard how the king rent his clothes because of the letter, he sent to the king and told him that he should allow Naaman to come for healing. So, the king accepted Elisha’s counsel and allowed Naaman to go and see Elisha for healing.

However, when Naaman came to Elisha for his healing, he was to be told by Elisha to go and wash himself in the Jordan River seven times. He was angry 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.[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.” (2 Kings 5:11-12, KJV).

How many times have we not missed God’s blessings simply because it is not packaged the way we want it? This is a typical example from this passage.

Because Naaman was angry he didn’t wash himself in the Jordan River 7 times. So, he remained a leper until a servant of his questioned his anger and he went and washed in the River. To the glory of God, he became hold and went to thank Elisha. But, Elisha refused to take his gifts. He even pressurized him into taking the blessing but he still refused. The reason is only known to Elisha.

Nonetheless, we learnt that Gehazi [the servant of Elisha] went after Naaman to collect the gifts. When Naaman asked him “Is all well?” and he lied to him that Elisha sent him to come and collect the gifts (2 Kings 5:22). So, he thought it was Elisha who sent him and he gave him the gifts.

For disobeying his master [Elisha] and lying against him, Elisha cursed Gehazi.

“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 remained a leper till his death. That leprosy and death were what he reaped for disobeying his master and for lying.

^{Brethren, what lessons are there for us to learn from this? Let us stick to the principles and hold on fast only to the things of God. The things we see now are temporary. Let us not waist our time on unnecessary things. Let us boldly come to the throne of Grace and seek His face. Spiritual things should supersede earthly things in our lives.}

 

^{May the Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit Be with You!}

^Amen!

Best Regards,

Lagogo International
[It shall be well]