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Children of the Bible
Lesson 8
Lesson Text—II Kings 5:1-3
II Kings 5:1-4
1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of
the king of Syria, was a great man with
his master, and honourable, because
by him the LORD had given deliverance
unto Syria: he was also a mighty man
in valour, but he was a leper.
Lesson Text—II Kings 5:1-3
2
And the Syrians had gone out by
companies, and had brought away
captive out of the land of Israel a little
maid; and she waited on Naaman’s
wife.
Lesson Text—II Kings 5:1-3
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.
4 And one went in, and told his lord,
saying, Thus and thus said the maid
that is of the land of Israel.
Lesson Text—II Kings 5:4-6
II Kings 5:5-6
5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go,
and I will send a letter unto the king of
Israel. And he departed, and took with
him ten talents of silver, and six
thousand pieces of gold, and ten
changes of raiment.
Lesson Text—II Kings 5:4-6
6
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.
Lesson Text—II Kings 5:7-8
II Kings 5:7-8
7 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 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.
Lesson Text—II Kings 5:7-8
8
And it was so, when Elisha the man of
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.
Lesson Text—II Kings 5:9-10
II Kings 5:9-10
9 So Naaman came with his horses and
with his chariot, and stood at the door
of the house of Elisha.
10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto
him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan
seven times, and thy flesh shall come
again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
Focus Verse—II Kings 5:3
II Kings 5:3
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.
Focus Thought
A message given in simplicity,
sincerity, and humility reaps many
blessings.
I. The Little
Culture Connection
A FaithfulBackground
Testimony
Maid’s
A young, unnamed maiden
witnessed of her God’s healing power
to the wife of her master, Naaman.
Consequently, Naaman was healed of
his leprosy. What could your testimony
accomplish in the life of someone you
know—a friend, a co-worker, a
supervisor, or a total stranger?
I. The
In her article dated May 22, 2009,
and titled “The Power of a Personal
Little
Maid’s
Background
Testimony,” reporter Beth Seversen
wrote about campus staff member Lisa
Olson and the work God was doing
through personal testimonies.
Severson wrote, “God is doing an
amazing thing at the University of
Rhode Island (URI). . . .The InterVarsity
multi-ethnic chapter called Origins is
participating in a semester series on
the Book of Acts. Students share ‘How
God has Acted in My Life’ at chapter
meetings.
I. The
Faith journey stories from new
Christians
have sparked
student
Little
Maid’s
Background
interest in the gospel. . . . Lisa coaches
InterVarsity students when telling their
stories to be genuine, not pushy, and
to share from their own experience,
‘How God has changed them and how
he wants to bring restoration to
humanity.’ . . . URI students are hungry
to know God, and God is using
InterVarsity students to reach them.
God loves and is pursuing each and
every person on campus.
I. The
Sometimes all that is needed for
evangelism is for the students to tell
Little
Maid’s
Background
their friends the stories of how God is
acting in their own lives, thus creating
a space for God to work”
(www.intervarsity.org, accessed April
6, 2011).
People will only know the powerful
works of God if we are faithful to tell of
His wonderful actions in our lives. The
members of Christ’s body work as His
feet, hands, and mouth to go, do, and
tell others of His wonderful works.
Contemplating the Topic
I. The Little Maid’s Background
The problem that exists today
around the world between Muslims
and Jews is not new. It is virtually as
old as the two peoples and their
variant faiths. It all traces back to the
tensions within Abraham’s household,
which ultimately led to Abraham
sending away Hagar and Ishmael,
Abraham’s child born of Hagar.
I. The Little
Maid’s
Background
Tensions
like these
provide the
background for the story of Naaman’s
miracle. While modern weapons are
absent from the narrative, the
tensions of warring nations and
ideologies are just as true then as
now.
II Kings 5:1
“Now Naaman, captain of the host of
the king of Syria, was a great man with
his master, and honourable, because
by him the LORD had given
deliverance unto Syria: he was also a
mighty man in valour, but he was a
leper”
(II Kings 5:1).
I. The
Naaman was commander in chief of
the king of Syria’s army. When there
Little
Maid’s
Background
were no wars to fight, Captain Naaman
kept his leagues in shape by running
day missions over the border into
Israel, raiding cities and generally
terrorizing his enemy. Interestingly
enough, the Scriptures reveal he met
with success by God’s allowance (II
Kings 5:1). One of these invasions
proved beneficial in bringing back to
the Naaman household a girl who
became his wife’s maid. This story is
really about her.
I. The
“And the Syrians had gone out by
Little
Maid’s
Background
companies, and had brought away
captive out of the land of Israel a
little maid; and she waited on
Naaman’s wife” (II Kings 5:2).
Naaman does occupy the center
role of this story’s plot, but without
the little maid from Israel, there
would be no story.
Searching The Scriptures
I. The Little
Maid’s
Background
The Little
Maid’s
Background
The unnamed Hebrew maid of
Naaman’s wife was born into a world
of conflict. She probably had
personally witnessed much horror and
lived in terror herself. However, rather
than allow circumstances to shape
her, she lived her life positively in
spite of her circumstances.
Consequently, she altered history.
I. The
One must wonder about the home
life of this
maid before
her capture by
Little
Maid’s
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the enemy. While we know virtually
nothing about her, it is clear she had
parents who loved God. She
demonstrated knowledge of victorious
stories about God. Her family must
have followed the mandate of
Deuteronomy 6, which instructs
parents to weave the truths of God
into every part of their children’s life.
She knew about God’s power even if
she did not understand the details.
The Little Maid’s Message
II. The Little Maid’s Message
“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” (II
Kings 5:3).
Why focus on this little girl? She
only has one line in the dramatic
story of Naaman’s healing. She
seems to be only supporting cast,
not lead role in this narrative. But her
part makes the story.
I. The
Had she not spoken up, there would
not be aMaid’s
story to remember.
As far as
Little
Background
Naaman’s story goes, the unnamed
child was priceless.
What turns an insignificant person
into an individual of great value?
Property ownership? Business
influence? Simply, put, we are as
wealthy as the words we speak about
God. Paul wrote, “Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly in all
wisdom” (Colossians 3:16).
I. The
It all depends on how much of the
word ofMaid’s
Jesus Christ
dwells within.
Little
Background
For “we have this treasure in earthen
vessels, that the excellency of the
power may be of God, and not of us”
(II Corinthians 4:7). The little maid
was an invaluable vessel because
she treasured the things of God. She
spoke the word of hope to a man in
his time of need.
I. The
This story records her brave action
Little
Background
in spite Maid’s
of her obscurity,
not just to
commemorate her, but to set an
example to all believers. Jesus said,
“Except ye be converted, and become
as little children, ye shall not enter
into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew
18:3). Let us learn from this juvenile
hero of faith who did a work for God
in spite of the odds against her.
A. Her Insignificance
HadHer
this Insignificance
little maid thought about her
A.
situation, she probably would have said,
“Who am I to speak to such important
people?” These people were some of
the most well-to-do in the country. By
contrast, she was an orphaned waif who
could barely scrub the floors or make
the beds by herself. Perhaps this story
would seem more realistic if she had
just prayed for God to send someone to
whom they would listen. Instead, she
operated in a role of faith she may
not have fully understood.
I. The
In His desire to build His kingdom,
the LordMaid’s
is not limited
by a person’s
Little
Background
position. He does not need a believer
to be an influential executive or
president before He can use that
person to share the gospel. He only
needs that believer to be available. As
someone once suggested, the
greatest ability is availability. Whom
can we reach with the gospel? We can
only reach those whom our lives
touch.
I. The
Inferiority complexes keep too many
Little
Maid’s
Background
Christians
from doing
what they are
capable of doing for God, but God is
not inferior. The gospel is not inferior.
The Holy Ghost power in a believer’s
life is not inferior. Therefore, we must
not allow the enemy to intimidate us
into silence. Rather than looking at
ourselves, we must focus on the power
of the gospel to change lives. Simply,
we should just share the gospel with
all who will listen.
B. Her Spontaneity
B.
Her
Spontaneity
The little maid also seemed to share
the message of hope impulsively.
Premeditation keeps many people
from sharing their faith. They think
about it too long and end up excusing
themselves. Too often, strategizing
becomes procrastination. Jesus never
sidelined the gospel; at each
opportune moment, He proclaimed the
truth to all people. He openly shared
the gospel with the woman at the well,
Nicodemus, and the Pharisees.
I. The
He shared the gospel as part of His
lifestyle,Maid’s
not as an Background
occasional
Little
performance.
The gospel is more than a message;
it is abundant life. We live the gospel
and share it as often as we can. In
other words, the gospel is not a
dimension of our dialogue; it is the
fundamental truth that shapes our
very lives.
I. The
When we share the gospel, we do not
just discuss Jesus Name baptism,
Little
Maid’s
Background
receiving the Holy Ghost, and other
basic doctrines; rather, we share
doctrine within the context of the
fullness of the riches of life lived in
Christ Jesus.
We should communicate truth just
as naturally as we breathe. The
maiden simply shared her knowledge
of that which would help her master in
his dilemma. Through her testimony of
truth, she changed the course of a
man’s life, his fortune, and his faith.
C. Her Compassion
If aHer
person
lived with the individuals
C.
Compassion
responsible for killing his parents, he
probably would harbor some anger
and resentment towards them. With
that in mind, the Syrians were the
people who had torn apart the little
maid’s life. She could credit them with
her nightmares and sleepless nights.
Naaman and his people had brought
her into a strange land far away from
home and family. Would she not be
justified in taking delight in her
master’s turn of fate?
I. The
The young Hebrew maiden could
Little
Maid’stoBackground
have responded
the news of
Naaman’s disease with something like,
“Serves him right.” As she turned
away, she could have thought, “Well,
justice is served; Naaman’s getting a
taste of his own cruelty.” Further, it
would have been considered normal
for her not to say anything at all. She
could have waited out the natural
processes for him to suffer and
eventually die.
I. The
He would not even have the honor of
dying asMaid’s
a hero in Background
battle. In such a
Little
circumstance, most individuals would
struggle with bitterness and
vindictiveness, but that was not the
response of this young maid.
How can a believer present God’s
love while being a bitter, vindictive
person? Like Christ’s miracles, our
works should demonstrate a
motivation of loving compassion and
empathy for those who have been
derailed by troubles.
I. The
We must do more than prepare to
share the word of faith; we must
Little
Maid’s
Background
prepare our hearts to care for those
who have not heard the gospel. Selfseeking, me-first people do not share
the gospel. They are too busy looking
out for themselves. However, believers
with humble hearts reach out in love to
those who do not know the hope of
eternal life and the power of the new
birth.
“And one went in, and told his lord,
saying, Thus and thus said the maid
that is of the land of Israel” (II Kings
5:4).
D. Her Reception
D.
Her
Reception
While the girl’s behavior seemed
exceptional, one also could find the
pagan’s response almost
unbelievable. Who would have
listened to a little girl like this? If a
child at the supermarket happened to
mention to a cancer patient he could
be cured if he would move to Mexico
and go to a certain doctor, what are
the odds the person would head to
Mexico? Very slim.
I. The
It is unlikely many people would
Little
Maid’s
Background
make major
decisions
based on the
word of a servant girl. However,
Naaman received the hope she
offered.
Surely Naaman and his household
embraced the girl’s counsel because
it aligned with what they had
observed in her life, her faith, and
the reputation of her God. How
important it is for our lives to align
with our testimonies rather than
undermine them!
E. Her Effectiveness
E.Apparently,
Her Effectiveness
the servant girl had not
worn out her benefactors with
incessant talk or religious debates
about her God. She simply lived out
her faith and shared it when the
opportunity arose. Too many
Christians are guilty of talking too
much when no one is listening and
keeping their mouths shut when
people need a word from God.
“And the king of Syria said, Go to, go,
IIsend
Kings
5:5-6
and I will
a letter
unto the king of
Israel. And he departed, and took with
him ten talents of silver, and six
thousand pieces of gold, and ten
changes of raiment. 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”
(II Kings 5:5-6).
I. The
We should speak the truth clearly
Little
Maid’s
Background
and to the
point. For
example, we
should be explicit that water baptism
must be administered in Jesus’ name
and that speaking with other tongues
is the initial evidence of receiving the
Holy Ghost. However, the listener does
not always comprehend even clear
commands and direct messages. The
little girl spoke directly about the
“prophet that is in Samaria”; however,
Naaman went to the king.
I. The
When we have explicitly shared the
Little
Maid’s
Background
gospel with a co-worker and he returns
the following week having incorrectly
attempted to follow it, we have to
gently guide him back to the original
message of truth. Misunderstandings
are only permanent if they remain
unchanged. If a person listened to our
heartfelt counsel in the first place, he
will listen to us again as we speak the
truth in love.
“And itIIcame
to pass,
Kings
5:7 when the
king of Israel had read the letter,
that he rent his clothes, and 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” (II Kings
5:7).
I. The Little
Maid’s
Background
While it might be natural to get
exasperated with misdirected
seekers, we must remember the
extreme patience our Father has
shown us while waiting for our own
submission.
The Man of God Intervened
III. The Man of God Intervened
Certainly the king and his army
must have been nervous about this
enemy commander coming into town.
He had brought valuable gifts with
him. Perhaps the king suspected
Naaman’s motives, for things just did
not add up. However, the real
conundrum was that Naaman went to
the wrong person.
I. The Little
Maid’s
Background
Fortunately,
even
though the little
maiden could not correct the
misdirection of her master, the
prophet did. Elisha pointed out the
mistake and invited the king to send
Naaman to him.
A.
A. Naaman’s Arrival with
Naaman’s Pomp
Arrival
Pomp
andwith
Ceremony
and
Ceremony
“And it was so, when Elisha the
man of 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. So Naaman
came with his horses and with his
chariot, and stood at the door of the
house of Elisha” (II Kings 5:8-9).
I. The
Like many people who come to
God for Maid’s
the first time,
Naaman must
Little
Background
have been fully absorbed with
himself. He came with the full
entourage and splendor of his
position, but God’s prophet was
neither impressed nor intimidated.
God’s trophies are little girls who
strongly live out their faith away from
the limelight, not big-name
personalities who grasp for attention.
B. The Prophet’s Message
B. The Prophet’s Message
“And Elisha sent a messenger
unto him, saying, Go and wash in the
Jordan seven times, and thy flesh
shall come again to thee, and thou
shalt be clean” (II Kings 5:10).
I. The Little
Maid’s
Background
Through
Elisha, the
Lord sent word
that Naaman should go out of his
ordinary routine, humble himself, and
wash in the Jordan River seven times.
Surely, Naaman would make a
spectacle of himself, and the message
insulted him. If Naaman was to
experience the desired miracle, it
would require his obvious obedience
to Israel’s God.
C. Naaman’s Angry Departure
C. Naaman’s
Angry
Departure
“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. 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” (II Kings 5:11-12).
I. The
Many individuals want God to help
them, but
how many
of them want to
Little
Maid’s
Background
obey Him? Humans often desire God
to do “their thing,” but seldom do
they want to do “His thing.” Most
individuals who have needs prefer
comfortable intervention and painless
remedies instead of sacrificial
participation, which is what God
requires.
I. The
Lives are not changed without
effort, sweat, and tears. We must work
Little
Maid’s
Background
with God and allow Him to work
through us in order to see real spiritual
changes occur. Too often, we want Him
to effect change by waving a wand
over our troubled relationships,
difficult coworkers, and insensitive
spouses. But God wants us to learn
patience, compassion, and grace
through adversity. The real miracle is
not just what God can do, but what He
can do through us.
D. Unexpected Intervention
D. Unexpected Intervention
“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?” (II Kings 5:13).
I. The
An obscure little girl made the
difference
in Naaman’s
life. Other
Little
Maid’s
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unnamed persons saved Naaman
from impending doom by speaking up
at the right moment. So many lives
have been saved and futures
salvaged by someone speaking a
well-timed encouragement: “a word
spoken in due season, how good is
it!” (Proverbs 15:23).
What if someone had never invited
Charles Mahaney to church?
I. The
What if no one had ever shared the
message
of JesusBackground
Name baptism with
Little
Maid’s
Andrew Urshan? What if C. P. Kilgore
had never heard the gospel? What if
no one had ever invited you to come
pray and receive the Holy Ghost?
Destiny is determined in obscure
moments. Sometimes there is no
lifeguard to save the drowning
person—an amateur becomes a hero
in an obscure moment. How many
things would have never happened
had someone never spoken up?
I. The
Jack Phillips’s life teaches us the
importance
of justBackground
doing what needs
Little
Maid’s
to be done and not leaving it until
later. Jack was the Titanic’s radioman
who received the warning about
icebergs in the path of the giant ship,
but he was too busy to get the
message to those in charge. Not only
did it cost the lives of more than
fifteen hundred passengers, but his
own as well.
I. The
We must be careful not to wait for
Little
Maid’s
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strobe lights and earthquake
moments to do something for God.
We deliver the gospel message at
every possible moment. Far more has
been done for the Lord in backstreets
and under shade trees than ever
happened in amphitheaters and on
network television.
D. Delayed Obedience
E. Delayed Obedience
“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” (II Kings 5:14).
Transparency 3
I. The
Naaman finally consented to obey
Little
Maid’sMost
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God’s message.
of us are
reluctant and timid to conform
immediately to God’s plan, but God
patiently works with us to build our
faith and confidence in Him. We
should be just as patient with others
as God is with us. We need to give
people time, while continuing to love
them and pray for them. Further, we
should expect a great conversion
when they finally surrender to God’s
plan for their lives.
IV.
Results of the
ResultsLittle
of the
Little
Maid’s
Maid’s Message
Message
Never again does the Scripture
mention the little Hebrew maiden, but
she was the catalyst that sparked a
transformation in Naaman’s life.
Without her testimony, he probably
would have died in excruciating pain,
having lived a lonely isolated existence
in his final years.
A. Complete Healing
A. Complete Healing
Because of the little maid’s efforts,
Naaman got a new life. His prospects
changed, his identity changed, and his
agenda changed. Her simple words,
the prophet’s command, and the
servants’ encouragement all worked
together to make him clean.
I. The
In like fashion, God has given to
Little
Maid’s
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the church
a profound
message for
salvation and a new life of separation
from sin. As Naaman was glad to be
free of the filthy disease that once
plagued him, so will countless new
believers gratefully embrace the
message of redemption and holiness
when we take the gospel message to
them.
B. Expression of Gratitude
B. Expression of Gratitude
In thanks for the transformation of
his life, Naaman attempted to give
gifts to Elisha (II Kings 5:15-16). It was
commendable that Naaman desired to
show gratitude; however, the gifts of
God and His works are beyond
purchase—and men and women of
God are beyond purchase as well. To
have and to demonstrate gratitude is
the only gift necessary.
C. Strong Faith
C. Strong Faith
The little girl duplicated herself by
sharing her faith in God. Now she was
not the only one in Damascus who
knew the wonder-working power of
God. Naaman stated, “Behold, now I
know that there is no God in all the
earth, but in Israel” (II Kings 5:15).
I. The
In spite of the popular slogan “Keep
the faith,”
we reallyBackground
should not keep it;
Little
Maid’s
we need to share it. If we selfishly hold
onto the gospel, it dies with us; but if
we share it with others, it continues to
live. This was the risk Jesus Christ
took with His disciples. If they went
back to their old lifestyles and forgot
about Him, no one else would ever
know the truth. But thankfully, they
told others who also told others, and
the unbroken chain of the gospel
message reached all the way to us.
Internalizing the Message
I. The Little
Maid’s
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What witness have we set up for
Jesus Christ? We do not have to slap
our Bible on the lunch table every day
to make our faith obvious. Little
plaques with Christian slogans hung
in opportune places can cheer a
workmate’s day and serve as a
witness to the true God in the midst of
a pagan world. Well-placed
Pentecostal magazines and literature
can stir godly discussion and initiate
Bible studies.
I. The
Best of all, a person’s God-centered
character
stands as
the greatest
Little
Maid’s
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witness to a Spirit-filled life.
Today, we do not just witness with
words for Jesus Christ, but we live
out our faith for Him; and in the
process we are His witnesses. While
we marvel at the multitudes
converted in the Book of Acts, we
must remember who influenced them:
unknown, insignificant fishermen
from the country.
I. The
God does not just use prophets like
Elisha to do great things. He works
Little
Maid’s
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through unknown and seemingly
insignificant people just as much, if
they will put Him first.
The little maid who lived in
Naaman’s house could have allowed
resentment and hatred to embitter
her, causing her to celebrate the
leprosy that had come upon the man
who had torn her away from her
home. These people were the
enemies of her relatives and of her
God. Still, she loved them and cared
about their needs.
I. The Little
Maid’s
Background
Clearly, before she ever showed
them love or told them about her God,
the girl had to forgive her master and
mistress. What a message to
believers today! We must reject
bitterness and employ forgiveness in
every circumstance. It is the only way
for us to experience the full measure
of Christ’s love within, and it is the
only way we can ever be an effective
witness to others.