Gtcotr/ws100720
Around 860 years before Christ, the 10 northern tribes of Israel were being ruled by an evil king and a wicked queen, King Ahab, and Queen Jezebel. This ungodly duo is still well-remembered today and spoken of for their utter cruelty, idolatry, and sinfulness. Together they led the Children of Israel in idol worship and away from God. The Bible gives us an account of their horrible reign in the Old Testament Books of 1 Kings and 1 Chronicles.
The first century Jewish historian, Josephus, included an account of the death of King Ahab in his writings. It is confirmed by the Biblical accounts that King Ahab made an alliance with the King of Judah, King Jehoshaphat, and they together went to war with the King of Assyria. This act was against the prophetic word given through Micaiah who foretold the king’s defeat and death.
Ahab thought he would outsmart the prophetic word and so he dressed like a common solider and convinced King Jehoshaphat to wear his royal apparel and stand in the place of the King of Israel. Surely this would fool anyone God sent to kill Ahab. As the battle increased the Bible says:
1 Kings 22
34 Now a certain man drew a
bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. …
37 So the king died, and was
brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria.
38 Then someone washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood while the harlots bathed, according to the word of the LORD which He had spoken.
Wow – you just cannot outsmart God.
The Bible does not tell us the name of the man who drew the bow at random and struck Ahab with his arrow. However, Josephus does. Jewish history teaches that it was an Assyrian soldier named Naaman, our Bible character for tonight.
Perhaps 5 to 7 years after the death of King Ahab and after the departure of the prophet Elijah, the prophet Elisha is living in Samaria and Ahab’s son Jehoram is king over Israel. Let’s read the account from:
2 Kings 5 NKJV
1 ¶ Now Naaman, commander of
the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his
master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a
mighty man of valor, but a leper.
2 And the Syrians had gone
out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of
Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife.
3 Then she said to her
mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in
Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”
4 And Naaman went in
and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from
the land of Israel.”
5 Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
Please take time to read the rest of the story, it has provided so many wonderful insights and several life principles to me through the years. I have attempted to pattern some of my life and leadership strategies from what I see in the life of Naaman.
Allow
me to tell the rest of the story:
·
Commander
Naaman chooses men to accompany him on this 100-mile journey from near Damascus
in Syria to the city of Samaria in Israel.
·
He
presented the letter from King Jehoshaphat to King Jehoram.
·
King
Jehoram suspected it was provocation for war. How could he heal a leper?
·
The
Prophet Elisha heard of the King’s dilemma and sent word for Naaman to come to
his house and be healed.
· Commander Naaman and his companions arrived at Elisha’s house and Elisha did not even come out to greet him but.
2 Kings 5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.”
·
Naaman
suspected he was being teased and made sport of. He rode away in anger.
· Naaman said there are cleaner and better rivers in Damascus. The Bible says Naaman went away in a rage.
2 Kings 5
13 And his servants came near
and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to
do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then,
when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”
14 So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
15 ¶ And he returned to the
man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said,
“Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in
Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”
16 But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.
The rest of the account adds so much to the story and affords several other powerful and important life principles. However, for this evening, allow me to share just 3 Life Principles I have learned from Naaman.
1.
I have learned to surround myself with people
who are strong and unafraid to speak their counsel.
a. Not everyone who
agrees with you is your friend.
b. Not everyone who
agrees with you is doing you a favor.
c. Naaman chose these men
as companions.
i. They were not yes men.
They were yes sir men.
ii. There is a difference
between pre decision counsel and post decision support.
d. Choose supporters who
are strong and unafraid to speak up.
e. Do not allow people in
your close circle of friends who do not believe in you.
2.
I have learned that I am not always right … I
need help.
a. Your best may not
always be in you.
b. The ability to change
your mind when you recognize a better way, or a greater wisdom is often a
saving grace.
c. Pride comes before a
fall and both God and man resist the proud.
d. Humble yourself in the
sight of God and He will exalt you in due time.
e. Safety is in the
multitude of counselors.
f. You may not always be
right but most likely neither are you always wrong …
g. Anger and rage seldom
speak the greatest wisdom.
h. Decisions made in
anger and haste are often wrong decisions.
i. Do not be afraid to
listen, especially when you are angry, upset, frustrated, afraid, hurt, or in a
rage.
3.
I have learned to be thankful.
a. Naaman returned to the
person who had previously angered him to offer him thanks.
b. Be thankful.
c. Show thanks.
d. Give credit where
credit is due.
e. God may use you to
bless your enemies and He may use your enemies to bless you.
f. Be especially thankful
for those who helped you for nothing.
