Chapter 5 started with the description of Naaman, the commander of the army of Syria. The scripture explained how he has brought victory into Syria, but he was a leper.
Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram (Syria), was considered a great man by his king, and was highly respected because through Naaman the Lord had given victory to Aram (Syria). He was also a man of courage, but he was a leper.
2 Kings 5:1 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/2ki.5.1.AMP
The prayer that came to mind reading the opening verse is 'God every evil label, tags and buts that trumps my glory or beclouds my destiny or that of my lineage, remove them permanently '. Despite the skills of Naaman his physical disability was a label used to describe him anywhere he goes. I can imagine how that affected him as a person, even at that Naaman was dilligent in his service and his works speaks for him.
Moving on 2 Kings 5 :2-4 recorded that he brought back a young Israel girl from their raids and she was waiting on Naaman's wife, meaning she was Naaman's wife's maid or servant.
This young girl was an agent of change in the house of Naaman. I wonder the type of treatment they gave her for her to speak up as she did that Naaman can receive healing if he reached out to the prophet in Samaria (Elisha) who will heal him.
2 Kings 5: 5-7 recorded how Naaman recounted the conversation to the king of Syria, who in turn reached out to Johoram the son of Ahab who was the King of Israel at the time. The king reacted in an unexpected way, saying am I God.
Here I see a king who had no genuine relationship with God, from the preceding chapters we can see that Elijah was around before Elisha and there were other prophets but the lineage of Solomon have been far from God apart from King Asa. So this King chickened out that he is not God because he doesn't even know the God of Israel as he ought to. Thank God for Elisha who came to their rescue and was able to affirm what the young girl said.
2 Kings 5 : 8-14 recorded how Elisha requested that Naaman come and see him and he didn't even step out to physically see Naaman instead he gave a word that he should go and wash 7 times in Jordan which initially did not sit right with Naaman because he was expecting some instant miracle perhaps through direct contact with Elisha instead of washing in Jordan.
The lesson here, God can bring any man's breakthrough via any means He pleases. It is important not to box God to work in a certain way or else one can lose their hour of visitation.
Then his servants encouraged him to obey the Prophet which he did. The character of Naaman or should I say the way he treated his servants shows that he was a leader that takes advise from people he manage or lead.
As a leader don't be power drunk to the extent that you are accountable to no one and you can't take advise from anyone with a position lower than you. If Naaman had allowed his own thought to rule, and he carried on with his disobedience he won't have received his healing.
Naaman heed to the word of Elisha and the Bible recorded that after he washed in Jordan for 7 times his skin was healed that he looked like the skin of a baby.
This God can make what happen to you become a history that can't be physically traced. Because a leper even when they get healed should still have scars but the record here is that, there was no scars.
My prayer is that God whatever buts and label that has hung over my head and left scars, bring an end to them today and remove every scars that will bring them to remembrance in my life in Jesus name amen.
2 Kings 5: 15 -19 recorded how Naaman returned to show gratitude after he had received his healing. He went back to ask what he can sacrifice but Elisha said there was no need, he instead said he should go in peace.
I commend Elisha for being a man of integrity who didn't misuse his spiritual office and spiritual authority for his own gain.
It is important as human not to get stuck in expectations from people you have helped or God used you for, allow God to reward you don't be greedy about your gift and commercialise it for your own gain.
2 Kings 5 : 20-27, recorded how Gehazi( Elisha's apprentice) due to his greed followed Naaman, he lied that Elisha sent him to collect the gifts after collecting it, he went straight to his house to hide it. On getting to Elisha, Elisha told him what he just did and ask him where he went to. He then said the leprosy of Naaman will cling on Gehazi.
Greed is not a good thing, it might seem okay at the time you are collecting what doesn't belong to you due to greed but the aftermath is disastrous and it's important as a child of God not to allow greed in our lives no matter how little or great it is.
2 Kings 6
2 Kings 6 : 1-7 started with the sons of the prophets requesting to move to a larger place away from the small place they dwell with Elisha. It was wise of them to request that Elisha followed them. As they were working and cutting down trees the head of the axe fell into the water. The son of the prophet cried out for help stating that the axe was borrowed. Elisha asked them for where it dropped and he told them he put a stick in the water and the head of axe which was iron floated.
Never rubbish the office of a prophet, don't be too familiar with a prophet that you disrespect their office or relegate their worth. The sons of the prophet would have been in debt due to the incident had it been that Elisha did not follow them and it doesn't make any scientific sense that the wood made iron float from the water. This is a miracle beyond the imaginations of man or scientific explanation.
2 Kings 6 :8 - 13, the king of Syria was planning war against Israel but as he planned God revealed his plan to Elisha, Elisha in turn informed the king of Israel. This made the King of Syria call his people to inquire who is leaking his plans to the king of Israel and they told him, no one but the Prophet Elisha that lives in Dothan.
This is so profound in the journey of any believer that lives upright and puts God first. If you observe His will, He always reveals secret things to you, even things that has nothing to do with you. At times God can reveal secret to us so we intercede, some He reveals so we can take right steps to guard ourselves or guide others around us.
Lord help me to know the hidden secrets that will propel me to the level you want me to be in life and will terminate the plans of the wicked forever in Jesus name amen
2 Kings 6: 14 - 23, so the King of Syria decided to send armies to Dothan to attack Elisha, they got there and Elisha's apprentice was terrified he said to Elisha, master what shall we do. Elisha did not even get scared, instead he asked God to open the eyes of his apprentice and when God did, the apprentice saw that the horses and chariots of fire 🔥 surrounded Elisha. Elisha then pray that the army of Syria be stricken with blindness, he then led them to Samaria. The King of Israel saw them and asked if he should kill them Elisha said no, He prayed that God opened their eyes, they made a banquet and fed them then sent them back to their master. And the Syrian raiders never came back to Israel.
Wow, this is just mind blowing, I will say Elisha showed compassion on them, because he could have requested that the chariots of fire consume the army of Syria but he didn't.
I pray Lord that you help me to know what to do, how to do it and when to do it in Jesus name amen
2Kibgs 6:24- 30, Samaria was the capital of Israel at the time. It was a big city and Ben-hadad was the King of Syria. There was a great famine things were so expensive, cost of living had gone up. A woman even called on the King to help her and the king said only God can help her. However the king asked what help do you need and she recounted how they had killed and cooked her neighbours child and the neighbor promised that they will eat her own child the next day but the next day she hid her son.
The king reacted bytearing his clothes. Showing grieve, emotion, loss or any bad omen in those days involves tearing of their clothes and wearing sackcloth.
The famine had turn families to cannibals, they were eating their own children oh Lord have mercy.
Lord no matter how bad the economy is, I claim you are my source, you are my provider, you are my defense and you are my God. I will not lack any good thing in Jesus name amen
2 King 6: 31 -33, The king threatened to behead Elisha, The king sent someone ahead to behad Elisha because the king said the famine and siege is from God.
Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. And the king sent a man ahead of him [to behead Elisha]; but before the messenger arrived, Elisha told the elders, “Do you see how this son of [Jezebel] a murderer has sent [a man] to remove my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold it securely against him. Is not the sound of his master’s feet [just] behind him?”
2 Kings 6:32 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/2ki.6.32.AMP
How foolish to think that beheading Elisha will solve the famine.
Lord I pray that I will not depend on my human knowledge, I ask for grace to seek you even when it is glaring that there is no solution let me not make irrational decision that will see my end in Jesus name amen.
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