The cleansing of this Syrian leper was indeed a wonderful witness to the sovereign grace of the God of Israel, a witness not without blessing to the Gentile, if disregarded by His people. “The law of the leper in the day of his cleansing,” as set out in Leviticus 14, was no longer known in Israel, for though there were many lepers in the land, none of them were cleansed. And where was either priest or sacrifice that God could own? The ministry of Elisha was outside the nation's ritual, such as it then was. The altar of Elijah had testified in its day (1 Kings 18), but where afterward do we read of it? It is a serious thing when the ordinary channel of blessing, because of its defilement, can no longer be made use of, for grace must maintain its own character of holiness, and will be neither hindered nor defiled by human interference. So, as we review the miracle now before us, we cannot but feel that for this reason it was that Elisha avoided reference to the Mosaic rite.
Let us now examine for a little the details of our chapter as affording a representative case. “Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him Jehovah had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper” (2 Kings 5:11Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valor, but he was a leper. (2 Kings 5:1)). Here we have an experienced soldier, an able general, a successful man, justly esteemed, honored, and rewarded, by his master. His name signifies “agreeableness,” and Jehovah had used him to bring victory to Syria in chastisement of His own guilty people. We read, again and again, how in the time of the judges God was grieved for the misery of His people, and raised up one and another to deliver them from their oppressors. Not because Israel deserved deliverance, but because He pitied them. So, here, the distressed condition of the Syrians had appealed to the tender mercy of Jehovah. God had permitted Israel in the reign of Ahab to defeat the Syrians repeatedly (1 Kings 20). “And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith Jehovah, Because the Syrians have said, Jehovah is a god of the hills, but he is not a god of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am Jehovah” (20:28). Three years after, when Ahab attempted to recover Ramoth Gilead out of the hand of the king of Syria, Israel was scattered and Ahab slain. Jehoshaphat, in guilty league with Israel's wicked king, was nevertheless delivered, “so as through fire.” Subsequently recovered, Ramoth Gilead appears again in the possession of Israel, who used it as a military center.
Coming back to our chapter, however, we read that Jehovah had granted deliverance to Syria, by one that was a leper. However great the victory, yet Naaman could not get away from the bitterness and sorrow of his being “a leper.” This marred everything. Man in his best estate betrays the sin of his nature, and the dreaded, inevitable end is constantly in his thoughts, and casts its shadow on all earth's glory. Death! And after death, the judgment! The greatest measure of worldly success and prosperity cannot shut out the gloomy prospect from the soul. Indeed, they only increase its terror, for while death itself may come as a relief to the wretched and the poor, the wealthy and honored naturally cling to what vainly satisfies them here, with nothing beyond but eternal judgment! The soldiers of Naaman had brought into their lord's house one who was indeed a messenger of mercy. A captive out of the land of Israel, this little maid waited on Naaman's wife. “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.” Seldom indeed is the heart of a proud rebel against God softened, or improved, by adversity. Much less is found a nation, or any great part of a community, truly humbled by reverses. Of such it can be said, “They cry not when he bindeth them.” And again at a later day it is written, specially of Israel when suffering defeat at the hands of the same enemy, where we have doubtless a prophecy of the yet more acute tribulation of the last days, “The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars. Therefore Jehovah shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; the Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth.... For the people turneth not to him that smiteth them, neither do they seek Jehovah of hosts” (Isaiah 9:8-138The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. 9And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, 10The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars. 11Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; 12The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 13For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts. (Isaiah 9:8‑13)). But the gracious ministry of Elisha, overlooked and despised by the great ones in Israel, had found a response in the heart of one of Jehovah's “little ones “-the unmistakable evidence that God had been at work. The “still small voice” bore witness that “his mercy endureth forever,” and had found its way to the heart of the little maid that was “of the land of Israel.” Grace with her had borne fruit, both for God's glory and man's blessing. Naturally she might have brooded over her wrongs, over the loneliness and misery of her now daily life. For although in the midst of affluence and splendor, she might naturally have regarded her lord with aversion as being the direct expression of the power of the enemy in the havoc wrought in Israel, separating her too from her home and friends.
Would it have been surprising if, instead, she had presented an impassioned appeal for mercy that would give her back to the land of her birth, to her friends, and to her home? Yet, on the contrary, her earnest desire was that her master, and not herself, were with the prophet that is in Samaria! How perfectly does grace deliver the soul from selfishness, or self-occupation. How it enlarges the heart, and elevates the downtrodden and oppressed! Who can doubt that there shone more true nobility of spirit in her than in her master, or in the king of Syria? Grace, in that early day, fore-impressed its own character upon the heart of the receiver (Titus 2:9-149Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; 10Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. 11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:9‑14)). Surely, she had either witnessed with others, or proved in herself, the power of grace to change the heart. For it was not a studied part which she was acting, with selfish desires for her own ultimate good, nor yet a mere submission to the inevitable, but a truly simple, yea, almost passionate expression of what occupied her heart. Even for how long previously we cannot say. But we may say of her likewise, “She did what she could.”
For whom was it done, as regards her feelings and intelligence? was it for Naaman only? Was not the glory of God before her, however little she might be conscious of it? Whatever brings true blessing to the soul has God for its source and its object. God's greatest and best gift has been His beloved Son. When that Blessed One was about to leave the world, having finished the work (as to His service of grace) given Him to do, we find the Spirit of God bringing together and connecting the beginning with the end of His course, thus giving us the object, the method of realization, and the results of His presence in the world in relation to God, to man, and to Satan. “Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them to the end. And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, that he should deliver him up, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and was going to God, riseth from supper,” etc. (John 13:1-31Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 2And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; 3Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; (John 13:1‑3)). Blessing from God received by man in faith returns to God in worship. So, too, the apostle Paul, after tracing and expounding the ways of God with Israel and the Gentiles, brings us to the same conclusion. “O depth of riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and untraceable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? or who has first given to him, and it shall be rendered to him? For of him and through him and for him are all things: to him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:33-3633O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (Romans 11:33‑36)).
There was then a purpose of blessing for Naaman in the heart of Jehovah. The leper was to be cleansed, but his heart was also to be renewed by grace, so that he might be brought to God as a worshipper. The first link in the chain of blessing seemed weak indeed, and all who were used in this work seemed to have been chosen of God with a view to humbling the pride of the Gentile. Man is slow to admit that there is any barrier between God and himself but what he can set aside. The faithfulness and simplicity of the little maid were admirable. The principles which guided her were in effect those upon which the great apostle of the Gentiles took his stand. For the same power and grace were active in each case. “And I, when I came to you, brethren, came not in excellency of word, or of wisdom, announcing to you the testimony of God. For I did not judge it well to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and fear, and in much trembling; and my word and my preaching was not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith might not stand in men's wisdom, but in God's power” (1 Corinthians 2:1-51And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:1‑5)).
[G. S. B.]
(To be continued)