Reflections on 2 Kings 5: The Servant's Heart 1 of 2

Reflections on 2 Kings 5: The Servant's Heart (1 of 2)

In this passage of scripture, we see four servants: the maidservant of Naaman's wife, the King of Israel (in the service of God), Naaman's soldiers, and finally Gehazi (Elisha's servant). Let's take a look at the first two.

2 Kings 5:1-7

¹ Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man ^[a]with his master, and highly respected, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper. ² Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. ³ She said to her mistress, “I wish that my master were ^[c]with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.” ⁴ Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus spoke the girl who is from the land of Israel.” ⁵ Then the king of Aram said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He departed and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold and ten changes of clothes.

⁶ He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” ⁷When the king of Israel read the letter, ^(E)he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking ^[f]a quarrel against me.”

The Maidservant vs. the King

A true servant draws strength from and has faith in his master's abilities to provide, protect, preserve and accomplish His will through him as he serves.

The maidservant being an Israelite looked to God himself as master or essentially through His representative, the prophet Elijah. That is why when this maidservant saw the condition of Naaman (having leprosy), her natural response was to tell Naaman of Elisha the prophet and his ability to cure—most likely after having experienced this or seen it first-hand. On the other hand, the King, after seeing Naaman, had an altogether different reaction. It was one of despair. I praise God for the contrast He uses not just in this passage but in this book of 2^nd kings. In Chapter 6 it was a contrast between the four lepers and the king. But as early as this chapter we find a contrast between a king’s reaction to crisis and that of a mere maidservant. I praise God for the consistency of His word, for was it not said in the book of 1 Corinthians:

²⁶ For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to^[b]the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; ²⁷ but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, ²⁹so that no man may boast before God. ³⁰ But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, ³¹ so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”

The thought of the consistency of God’s word blows my mind. But God in His grace has yet to give me insights on the beauty of this thought.

In the meantime, let’s go back and take a look at the King and the maidservant. If we really bring it down to the bottom-line, both of them were looking at the same thing. They were both looking at a man with leprosy. The maidservant’s humble response enabled her to point Naaman to go to Israel and seek Elisha to be healed. On the other hand, the king who was in Israel himself and also had knowledge of Elisha was completely ineffective, he turned and looked at himself and as such became desperate.

Admittedly, I would have loved to have lived in the time of the OT, seeing all these great and mighty miracles come to pass. But as Christians of today, living in the age of grace, we too are being used by God (hopefully like the maidservant and not the king) to bring about and see miracles unfold before our very eyes—the miracle of changed lives. How is this done? Simply by doing what the maidservant did. She pointed. Our (MY) goal as a Christian is not to “save” people but rather to point them to the “Savior”. The moment I start relying on my own craftiness /competence (I become like the king in v.7) I start becoming ineffective. No amount of eloquence, no measure of worldly wisdom can change a man’s heart—only God can do that. I have no strength or wisdom of my own to save men. All I have is knowledge of the savior who by His grace saved a wretched man like me.

As I reflect on this, I am even reminded of that passage in Exodus 3 and 4, when God was giving Moses his mission and Moses looks at himself and realizes all his own inadequacies.

Our duty is to tell other people of the Savior, not to be a savior in their eyes. It will be frustrating at times especially when we don’t see people reacting the way we would want as we share the gospel with them. But let me encourage you with this verse I found in Isaiah 55:10-11

¹⁰ “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; ¹¹ So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."

Get to know God by reading His word. Carve His words in your heart that you may act in a manner that is pleasing to Him. Point others to Christ through your words and your actions. Leave the results to God.

2 Kings 6:8-18 Checking The Eyes of Our Heart

Elisha Traps Blinded Arameans

⁸ Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”

⁹ The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” ¹⁰ So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.

¹¹ This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

¹² “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

¹³ “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” ¹⁴ Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.

¹⁵ When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

¹⁶ “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

¹⁷ And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

¹⁸ As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.

Reflections on 2 Kings 6:8-17 Checking the Eyes of My Own Heart

Ever had days when your morning starts out right all fired up for God then a barrage of bad news hits you non-stop the rest of the day? This was pretty much the day I had yesterday. Late afternoon, I tried to find comfort by listening bringing up my old playlists, songs, videos and eventually looking up old poems (Neruda, Frost, Stevenson, etc). They just got me to dwell more on my circumstances and made me even more desperate. Weary, I turned to the Psalms last night as I was about to go to bed. I was led back to Psalm 73. I found Asaph lamenting about his own situation and was strangely comforted knowing that even great men of God (Asaph) also went "through" something similar. In the end admitting and declaring that even if his heart and flesh fail, the strength of his heart and portion was God.

This morning in my quiet time, as I continued in my reading of 2 Kings, I came across this passage in Chapter 6:8-17. Elisha was with his servant and they were hunted down and surrounded by the King of Aram (v.13-14). Interestingly, I looked at my day yesterday and began to see the parallel. As one bad thing happens after another, its easy to feel as if we are being hunted down, targeted, surrounded, etc. In verse 15, Elisha’s servant comes out and sees them surrounded by an army of horses and chariots. At this point, the servant cries out “Oh, no my Lord. What shall we do?”. I praise God for the servant’s response. For here, I find myself convicted. I realized that yesterday, in the midst of what I was experiencing I failed to respond humbly by asking my Lord, “what would you have me do, Lord?” Instead, I found myself shooting from the hip, relying on my own strength and my limited wisdom and understanding to “handle” the situations I faced. Sadly, my strength, wisdom and understanding for whatever they’re worth, will never be enough. As such, I found the eyes of my heart and my thoughts focused on my surroundings, my circumstances, my troubles—the chariots and horses around me (v.15).

What I find so amazing in this passage is the contrast between the servant’s reaction and Elisha’s reaction. Elisha steps out and very calmly says to the servant “Do not be afraid, those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” I can just imagine how the servant must have felt about his master at that time. He must have been saying to himself : “Uh-oh, now we’re really doomed my master has gone nuts and is seeing things that are not there!” I realize again the parallel in our lives today, when people around see us faced with impossible situations and in obedience and faith we claim God’s promises and rely on His power and faithfulness, people will think “we are crazy”. I dare to think that this is part of God’s design. For only in this manner will others see Him and know His power to deliver those who believe.

Elisha must have realized this and begins to pray for his servant’s eyes to be opened. Then the Lord opened the eyes of the servant and the servant looked and saw the hills filled with horses and chariots of fire. Amazing! The passage continues in v.18-23, with Elisha praying and God striking down the enemy army and a feast ensuing as a result of the victory.

As a Christian, it gives me amazing comfort and peace to be reminded that my God’s resources (His word, His promises, His whole army!) are always there for me to call on should I ever need it. All I need do is “open the eyes of my heart” by intently reading His word to get attuned to His will and get to know Him. Then and only then will I be able to see and experience the immense presence and power of the God that I serve.

My prayer is that as Christians about to start this day that He has given us, we declare by faith that this and all the days of the rest of our earthly lives are days "that He has made". That nothing shall happen to us apart from His sovereign will and perfect plan. That the eyes of our hearts be opened so that we may see His will for us today as He speaks through His word (the Bible) and in so doing experience His faithfulness and power!