Today we are studying a chapter in the book of 2 Kings. As the name of the book suggests, this is during the times of the kings of Israel. We are studying the women during the time of King Aram and Queen Jelesebeth.

We’re going to look at the story of a girl who may seem insignificant, but actually had a large role. We’re in the book of 2 Kings chapter 5. We’re going to study the man Naaman, who was in charge of the army, and Elisha the prophet. There were conflicts with Syria and the Israelites. The king of Syria was killing men of Israel. They took Israelites as captives tot he capital of Syria. Naaman was the general of Syria’s army – a man with political and military power.

It says in verse 1, “Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.”

In this time, leprosy was an incurable disease, a disease that created sores on the skin. If it got extreme, the sores would begin to smell bad. It was painful, and as I said, it was incurable, there wasn’t any medication.

“Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife” (v. 2). Imagine how terrible it was to be at war, and then the Syrians were taking Israelites captive, including this young girl who served Naaman’s wife. Taken from your parents and made to work in Naaman’s house. However, this girl wasn’t bitter or vengeful against Naaman. “She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy'” (v. 3).

She had faith in the Lord. We can speak well of her family, even though we don’t know them or even this girl’s name, but she knew the miracles of the Lord. She had faith that if the prophet met with Naaman, he could heal him, because prophets received power from God.

“Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. ‘By all means, go,’ the king of Aram replied. ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’ So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: ‘With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy'” (v. 4-6). Naaman doesn’t know what to do, so he tells the king, and the king sends him to the king of Israel with gifts and this letter.

“As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, ‘Am I god? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!’ When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: ‘Why have you torn your roes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel'” (v. 7-8). So the king of Israel tears his robes, not because he didn’t believe in God, but he didn’t know what to do. To get rid of this problem in front of him, he sends Naaman to Elisha.

“So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, ‘Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed'” (v. 9-10). We’re talking about the general of the army of Syria who comes to Elisha’s house, and Elisha doesn’t even leave to meet him. He just sends a messenger to tell Naaman to bathe in this dirty river in Israel.

“But Naaman went away angry and said, ‘I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?’ So he turned and went off in a rage” (v. 11-12). He felt he hadn’t been given the respect he deserved because of his position. Israel was being invaded and captured and here an Israelite is speaking this way to a high ranking Syrian? Naaman thought the Israelites were too proud.

“Naaman’s servant went to him and said, ‘My father, if he prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you ‘Wash and be cleansed’!’ So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, ‘Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant'” (v. 13-15).

Imagine the significance of this young woman, young slave, without a name. The Lord uses all people without caring about social status. He does His miraculous works through His servants. It doesn’t matter where we are. This girl was in a foreign land, serving an oppressor, not because of her own will, but because she was taken by force. She served anyways, without charing who she was serving. she shares her faith – there is a prophet in my land who can heal Naaman, my oppressor.

At this time, it was Elisha the prophet who could do miracles through the power of the Lord. Many people thought it was Elisha’s power, but no, it was the Lord’s God just uses Elisha as His instrument. This girl was also an instrument of blessing, who directed Naaman to Elisha.

He could feel in his own body the power of the Lord, and Naaman was cleansed. His skin was completely clean, like a young boy, smooth, that hadn’t been mistreated by the sun or sweat.

Naaman was a man of power and position, well-respected, but if a person had seen him, they would have rejected him because of his leprosy. Now, he could get close to whoever without anyone rejecting him – he got his life back. Naaman recognizes this and says there is no other God. Another believer gained through this young woman. He goes forward to give Elisha gifts, but Elisha refuses because he’s not selling anything. He’s not selling healing or health.

So it doesn’t matter where we are or our economic or social position, we can be instruments for God’s work if we allow Him to and see the challenges we face not as obstacles but as opportunities to serve. In this case, it was very sad to see this man with leprosy, so the young girl helped him and converted him to the Lord.

Thank you, brothers and sisters, and may God bless you. We hope you join us for another installment of Women in the Bible.