Peter Misselbrook's Blog
Jun 29 2019 - 2 Kings 5 – Naaman

A few days ago we were reading of how Ahab, king of Israel, persuaded Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to join him in his war against the king of Aram. Today we are reading of Naaman, the decorated commander of the king of Aram's army who had gained victories against Israel. We are told that it was the Lord who gave him those victories; the Lord was waging war against his idolatrous and disobedient people. But Naaman had leprosy. It must have affected his whole household as he was required to keep himself away from human contact.

A young Israelite girl had been captured in one of the Aramean raids. Naaman had given her to his wife as a servant. We can imagine the distress of this girl who had been snatched from her family – some of whom may even have been killed. She is now living in an enemy home, having to learn a foreign language and do the bidding of the mistress of this household. But this girl not only has faith in the Lord her God, she also feels compassion for her master. She tells her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy" (v. 3).

Naaman is told the girl's words but cannot travel into enemy territory to seek help from his enemy's God without the king's permission. Hearing what the girl had said, the king of Aram wrote a letter to the king of Israel asking him to cure Naaman of his leprosy. The letter was given to Naaman, along with a vast amount of gold, silver and royal clothing. The king of Israel saw this as a scheme to resume war against his kingdom, but Elisha tells the king to send Naaman to him.

When Naaman arrives at Elisha's house, the prophet does not even come to meet him but sends a messenger to tell him to go and wash seven times in the river Jordan and he will be healed. Initially Naaman is angry saying that the rivers of Damascus are better than all the waters of Israel. But his servants persuade him to obey the prophet's instructions, and Naaman is completely cured.

Naaman returns to Elisha's house and this time Elisha meets him. Naaman tells him, "Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel" (v. 15); he is convinced of the power of the living God for he has experienced it for himself. Elisha refuses any payment for his services – God's gifts are given freely. But Naaman requests some Israelite soil to take back with him to Aram so that he can worship the Lord, the God of Israel. He is aware that he cannot avoid state worship so he asks that when he enters the temple of their god, Rimmon, on his master's arm, "may the Lord forgive your servant for this" (v. 18). Elisha tells him to "Go in peace."

I want to focus on the simple testimony of this young servant girl, plucked from home and family. She not only trusts in the living God for herself, she tells her needy captors of God's power. And her testimony is repeated even in the courts of a foreign king. Her testimony results in Naaman's cleansing. How might our testimony to the saving power of God in the Lord Jesus Christ be used to point others to him and to discover for themselves his saving power?

Secondly, I want us to notice how Elisha deals with the new-found faith of Naaman which seems to be mixed with superstition and the danger of compromise. Elisha commits Naaman to the grace of God and tells him to go in peace. The God who has saved him will be able to keep him. Who knows what blessing Naaman may have brought not only to his household but to others as a result of his faith – and all because of the simple testimony of a young servant girl?

Father God, help us to live by faith in you and in confident assurance that we are yours because Christ has died for us and is raised for us. May we never be ashamed to speak to others of your saving power, but use our testimony to encourage them to discover for themselves your power to touch and transform their lives. Give us wisdom in counselling those who are young in the faith that we may encourage them to go on trusting in your goodness and mercy. Keep us from coveting those things that would lead us away from you; help us to keep ourselves from idols.

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Jun 29 2020 - Acts 25:1-27 – The costs and rewards of faithfulness

Despite all the warnings of his fellow Christians, Paul had travelled to Jerusalem. There, some of the Jews had stirred up the crowd against Paul and would have killed him. He was saved only by being taken into Roman custody to prevent a riot. A further plot to kill him led to Paul being transferred to Caesarea where he remained neglected for two years as a prisoner of the Roman governor, Felix. Acts 25 takes up the story when Felix is replaced by a new governor, Festus.

Festus, like his predecessor, wanted to appease the Jews to ensure that his task as Governor of Judea was made as easy as possible. So he tried to persuade Paul to go to Jerusalem, to be tried there before the Jewish authorities. But Paul will have none of it. He is a Roman citizen being held in Roman custody. If he has broken any laws he is willing to face the penalty, but he is not willing to be handed over to those intent upon his destruction. So Paul appeals to Caesar. He will soon be on his way to Rome. But before that, Festus wants Paul to state his defence before King Agrippa, a descendant of King Herod and one who is better placed to understand the accusations of the Jews against him.

It’s fascinating to hear how Festus describes the decisions that he has made. He recognises that Paul has done nothing worthy of condemnation and seems to suggest that he was almost on the point of letting Paul go when he appealed to Caesar. Regretfully, Festus now finds his hands tied. This is very different from the impression we get from the narrative. It seems that Festus was about to sacrifice Paul for the sake of peace, before Paul forced him to conduct his trial in accordance with Roman law.

Paul had been warned that going to Jerusalem would result in capture and imprisonment, but he had gone there, convinced that it formed an important part of his mission. He has now been imprisoned for more than two years in Caesarea: surely he could have been more profitably occupied in ministry among the churches? Yet this very imprisonment enabled him to preach the gospel to Roman Governors and will enable him to preach to a Jewish king. Eventually he will carry the message of Jesus Christ to Caesar’s household.

I am reminded of the story of Eric Liddell. After winning the gold medal for the 400 metres at the Paris Olympics of 1924 he worked as a missionary in China. In 1943, when the Japenese invaded China, he was interned in the Weihsien Internment Camp. There he continued to minister to other prisoners, busying himself by helping the elderly, teaching at the camp Bible classes, arranging games and by teaching science to the children, who referred to him as Uncle Eric. He would not let imprisonment prevent him serving Christ and ministering the gospel of grace.

Faithfulness to Christ can be costly, but it provides unparalleled opportunities for telling the good news about Jesus, the Saviour of the world. A faithful life is the foundation for a fruitful testimony.

Lord Jesus, give me the wisdom to know when to challenge the conduct of those around me and when to submit to their decisions even when they seem self-serving and unjust. Help me to serve you faithfully and cheerfully wherever your providence is pleased to place me. May I know that my life is in your hands and be intent on using every moment of it for your glory and for the blessing of others.

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Peter Misselbrook