GOD WORKS THROUGH THE LITTLE AND LOWLY
AND HAS MANY UNSEEN WORKERS
Naaman was the captain of the host of the king of Syria. He
was a great man before his master; he was honorable, and because
of him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria. Naaman was also
a mighty man of valor; but he was a LEPER! (2 Kings 5:1).
The Syrians had one some battles against the Israelites, and
had brought away captive a little maid, and she served Naaman's
wife. One day she said to her mistress, "If my master were with
the prophet that is in Samaria, he would cure my lord from his
leprosy." This was passed on to Naaman (verses 2-3).
The king of Syria sent letters and gifts to the king of
Israel, along with the man Naaman. When the king of Israel read
the letter he sighed and rent his clothes and said, "Am I God, to
kill and make alive, that this man can come to me to be healed of
his leprosy. The king of Syria is just doing this to start a
quarrel with me" (verse 7).
Soon Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had
rent his clothes. He asked the king why he had done this. Elisha
also said, "Let this Naaman come to me, and he will know that
there is a prophet in Israel.
Naaman came with all his horses and chariots, must have been
quite some spectacular sight, pomp and power. He stood at the
door of Elisha's house (verses 8-9).
Naaman was no doubt expecting some mighty display of show
and majesty, as this prophet of Israel called on his God to heal
him of leprosy. But there was no "special effects" no "loud
noises" no flash of lightning from heaven. All was silent and
quiet. He was probably flustered and anger mixed with
disappointment must have began to fill his mind. Then the door
opened to Elisha's house.
"Ah," Naaman thought, "at last this Israel prophet is coming
out, we'll see what kind of a prophet he is, and we'll see what
king of a God he serves."
But the prophet Elisha did not step out, only a messenger
from Elisha.
"Go wash in Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come
again to thee, and you shall be clean," said the messenger.
Naaman was now turning red with anger, as he was leaving he
was saying, "I thought surely this prophet would personally come
out to me, stand before me, and call on the name of his God;
maybe wave his hands, jump around, cry aloud, mutter some words
of incantation, rattle some pots and pans, pray up and down his
rosery beads ..... something on those lines to recover me from
leprosy. But he tells me to go and wash myself in this Jordan
river. Are not the rivers Abana and Pharpar in Damascus just as
good waters as this Jordan, even better in fact!!"
Naaman continued to walk away!
Ah, but his servants had some good old fashioned common
logic sense. They said to him, "My master, if the prophet had bid
you to do some GREAT thing, wouldest not you have done it? So
should you not do the simple act that he has told you to do?"
(verse 13).
Naaman was wise enough to listen to those we might call the
weak and lower class, his servants. He was willing to let them
speak their thoughts, which was no doubt one of the find traits
of character he had as we are told what kind of man he was from
verse one.
Naaman went down and dipped himself seven times in the
Jordan, according to the instructions of the prophet of God: and
his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and
he was clean (verse 14).
Naaman returned to the man of God, now humble and deeply
respectful.
"Oh, for sure I now know that there is no God in all the
earth, but in Israel."
Elisha would receive no gift of any kind for healing Naaman
of his leprosy.
How God can work through people that the world would
classify as the weak and lowly, servants and slaves. It all
started with a little maid from Israel and it was lowly servants
who helped Naaman put away his pride and personal expectations.
Ah, as Jesus said, the Father can if He so wills, raise up
the stones to speak and proclaim the Gospel. Never forget, the
Eternal One, can use the small and lowly people to help you see
God is talking to you. Sometimes it is the simple things He want
you to do in making your life healthier, and the wisdom to do it
may come from those you least expect. It is true indeed, "The
Lord works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform." Just make
sure you are ready to listen, for the answer may come in ways you
will miss IF you are in the mind-set of thinking the answer must
come the way you have expected it to come.
Naaman was willing to listen to those servants of his, nay,
not just listen, he admitted they were right. And by letting God
work in ways of HIS choosing, Naaman was healed of leprosy!
UNSEEN SERVANTS AND WARRIORS OF GOD
The king of Syria made war with Israel, but Elisha the
prophet of God knew where the Syria army was to ambush the armies
of Israel, and told the king of Israel, wherefore Israel was
spared from defeat, not once but a number of times.
The king of Syria was upset and figured he had an informer
in his army camp, but his servants told him that it was the
prophet Elisha who was inspired to know what the king of Syria
was thinking and planning, even in his most private places.
The king of Syria sent forth spies to found out where this
prophet of God was dwelling. They discovered it was in a town
called Dothan. Therefore the Syria king sent forth many horse
riders, chariots, and a great host of army men; they surrounded
the city (2 Kings 6:8-14).
The servant of the prophet of God rose early and went forth
to do his morning work. He soon found the city compassed about
with a mighty army. Returning to elisha he asked, "Alas, my
master, how can we possibly get our way out of this situation."
"FEAR NOT my servant, for they who are with us are more than
they that be with them!" (verses 15-16).
Elisha looked towards heaven and prayed, "Lord, please open
my servants eyes, that he may see your host of angels."
And it was so that the Lord opened Elisha's servants eyes,
and the young man saw: and behold the mountain was full of horses
and chariots of fire round about Elisha (verse 17).
Even when it may seem at times that we are alone, God and
His angels are with us.
There was one time in my life that I felt all alone. I was
apprehensive of the situation, somewhat downcast, somewhat
fearful. I prayed to the Lord, and I opened my Bible, just
anywhere, a blind stab of opening it. I looked down to the pages
and the first words my eyes were directed to were the words "I am
with you." Immediately my heart and mind was refreshed and
strengthened. I then looked at the future with positiveness and
faith.
You will notice here in this account of the invisible army
that was with Elisha, there were horses and chariots of fire. God
has a "spirit world" much like our own physical world. Here we
see angels riding horses, chariots of fire pulled by horses and
driven by angels.
This is not some wishy-washy analogy that just means God has
"power" - what the servant saw when his eyes were opened to
spirit sight, was the literal part of some of spirit world around
us that we cannot see unless God grants us the sight to see it.
This is also as part of KNOWING the true Eternal One of the
universe.
In this passage we also find that no army of any size or
might can win against God. Elisha prayed and all the army of
Syria were blinded (verse 18). God had mercy on the Syria host,
they were given good and drink and were returned to their master
in Syria. For quite some time the army bands of Syria came no
more into the land of Israel (verses 19-23).
It is simply written, "Now Elisha was fallen sick of his
sickness, whereof he died.... and Elisha died! (chap.13:14,20).
All people, even the very prophets and servants of the Lord,
eventually DIE! Elisha was no exception! Knowing God is to know
that He lets His people, His servants die, be it by the sword of
the enemy (like as happened to apostles such as Peter and Paul)
by natural death (as in the case of the apostle John) or be it by
sickness, as it happened to Elisha. For God's own purpose, for
the reasons best known to Himself, even the two last and great
witnesses for God, as revealed to us in the book of Revelation,
will die, be killed, albeit, raised to life again after three
days and a half (Revelation 11:7-11).
Knowing the true God is knowing that death and life are in
His hands. The Eternal has the power over death. All one day will
be raised again to life, some to eternal life, the others to
judgment (John 5). The subjects of life and death and
resurrections, are covered fully and in-depth in various studies
on this Website.
Keith Hunt
......................
To be continued
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