Getting "something" from Naaman - a prophetic message of warning!
Read 2 Kings 5:15 to 27. When Naaman, commander of the Syrian army, was healed through the ministry of Prophet Elisha, Naaman who had brought with himself ten talents of silvery, 6000 shekels of gold and ten changers of raiment to be given as a gift to Elisha, urged the latter to accept the gift, Elisha refused. But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha said to himself, “Behold, my master spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving from his hands what he brought; but, as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him” (Vs.20)
Elisha had every right on the gift brought by Naaman. Elisha did not covet it. Neither did he demand it from Naaman. It was purely a love gift sought to be given by Naaman as a matter of gratitude towards the wonderful ministry of Elisha. Elisha also needed this gift as he had to take care of the sons of the prophets who were with him in the hill country of Ephraim. But Elisha refused. Gehazi had knowledge of all the gift items brought by Naaman. He had set his heart on the bag of Naaman. Gehazi knew that Naaman was a rich man. But Gehazi did not expect any gift from the Shunammite woman whose dead son was restored to life by Elisha. There are many servants of God in our midst who set their hearts on the material possessions of the people who are blessed or healed through their wonderful ministries. The assets accumulated by them certainly included the gift of Naaman. No doubt, the minister who preaches the gospel does lives by the gospel and we should not muzzle the mouth of the ox “that treads out the corn…” He who plants a vineyard can eat of the fruit thereof. He who feeds a flock can eat of the milk of the flock (I Cor.9:7-9).
If the people who have been blessed or healed by our ministries offer their gifts out of their deep gratitude to God and His servants, we can accept the same with thanksgiving. Paul accepted the gifts with a heart full of thanksgiving unto God. Ministry to the saints is a wonderful ministry which we are supposed to perform at all times.
But if the minister of God concerned “runs after Naaman” and hopes to “get something from him”, then he is treading on a dangerous ground. If the minister of God concerned turns back and tells the person blessed by his/her ministry about the needs of his/her ministry with an eye on the gift bag of Naaman, then he or she “covets” the gift of Naaman which was refused by Elisha. They forget their role as Elisha but assume the role of his servant Gehazi here as they want to get “something” from Naaman.
Evangelist Philip, after preaching the gospel and baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch who had the charge of all treasures of the Ethiopian queen Candace, did not look back but disappeared from the scene. The eunuch “saw him no more” (Acts 8:26 to 40).
The ministers of God can appeal to the people of God for funds or for monetary support for their ministries. They can share their ministry needs with their supporters. But they should not target a particular group of rich people like Naaman. Their ministries would be definitely blessed by “the mite of the widow who put into the treasury of the Temple in Jerusalem before the very eyes of Jesus all she had possessed. These days, the ministers of God do not acknowledge receipt of small amounts of gifts sent to them by the poor people but acknowledge receipt of great amounts of gifts. I find that some evangelists conduct special meetings for businessmen only. But they do not conduct such meetings for the other categories of people who earn comparatively less incomes.
We also find that some evangelists go to unsaved businessmen or politicians to receive their gifts for their ministries because they covet the gift of Naaman. Naaman was not of the household of Israel. He received healing from Elisha but went back to Syria to minister to the King of Syria in the temple of Rimmon. Naaman said to Elisha in 2 Kings 5:18, “In this thing, the Lord pardon your servant: when my master, the king, goes into the house of his god Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon your servant in this thing”. Today the evangelists or the pastors covet the gift of Naaman and spurn the sacrificial offerings given by the poor saints of the House of God.
When we had gone to Navanshar, the town in the state of Punjab for an evangelical outreach ministry, a poor carpenter thrust into my hands some soiled ten rupee notes for our ministry. We accepted it with tears prayerfully and asked the Lord to bless him monetarily manifold. In the Hindu temple of Tirupathi in Andhra Pradesh, India, people throw millions of rupees into the offertory boxes. These gifts could be “black money” which was earned by businessmen or rich people without paying income tax to the government. Similarly, the servants of God concerned receive in their offertory boxes gifts from businessmen who do not earn their incomes by ethical means.
Gehazi took only the gift given by Naaman and did not demand more than what was given to him. He received only two talents of silver out of the ten talents and two changes of garments out of ten changes of garments. The poor fellow did not demand a single shekel of gold from Naaman who had in his possession 6000 shekels of gold. Today’s evangelist would not spare the Naamans and would demand something more from them.
Elisha knew where his servant went. When he asked Gehazi about this, the latter told a lie “Your servant went nowhere”. Elisha then replied, “Did not my spirit go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money, garments, olive orchards, vineyards, sheep, oxen, men-servants, and maidservants? Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cleave to you and to your offspring for ever” (Vs.26). And Gehazi went from his presence a leper as white as snow (Vs.27). Elisha knew that it was not time for him and his servant to accept money and other gifts. Today, let us ask ourselves the same question. “Is it time for us to accept money, garments, olive orchards,...?”
Of course, we need money for our ministries. But we should not covet “something from Naaman”. Let us not build our own kingdoms with the sacrificial offerings being given by the people of God who entrust their hard-earned moneys to us for the ministry of evangelism. If we do not remember the donors who have donated to our ministries, then we should stop accepting further donations. If your prayer warriors pray for them, then the donations you receive should go to the prayer warriors who are employed by you because it is their tear or burden that works miracles in the lives of the people who approach you for prayers.
Many wonderful ministries have now become “leprous” because the assets of their ministries included the “gift of Naaman”. The spiritual leprosy of Naaman has cleaved to their ministries. Their offspring will also inherit this spiritual leprosy in the prophetic words of Elisha. They are cut off from the House of God. Though we may continue to see the signs and wonders in their ministries, but in the eyes of God or in our prophetic eyes , they have a name that they live but are dead (Rev.3:1). The Lord in His sovereign will still uses their ministries and their outward ministries will come to an end in God’s appointed time.
- Job Anbalagan