The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Kings 5:17-19,
"... your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord. But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this." "'Go in peace,' Elisha said."
Namaan was the commander of Aram's army. Aram had been an enemy of Israel and from one of the Aramean raids on Israel, a young girl from Israel had been taken and was made a servant for Namaan's wife. Namaan had contracted leprosy and the Israeli servant girl told her mistress about the prophet Elisha, that he could heal Namaan of his leprosy.
Namaan took leave, went to Israel and met Elisha. Following the fascinating account of Namaan's lack of faith that eventually turned into his embrace of the Lord in faith, we read Namaan's confession of that faith in our passage above. In it he declares he would never worship an idol again. However, because of his duties as the king's commander, he appealed to Elisha for the Lord's understanding that he will be forced to accompany the Aramean king when he went to worship the idol in the temple of Rimmon.
In a tight spot! Between a rock and a hard place! Healed of his life-threatening illness by the Lord, he vows to never worship anything again except for the Lord. However, he would be required to perform a function his heart would not be in due to the position he held in Aram.
Notice Elisha's response! Where we might assume that it be best for Namaan to refuse his king and face the king's wrath, surely at the cost of his life, Elisha sends him off with his blessing: "Go in peace".
We read in Jeremiah 9:24, "'...let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the Lord."
My perspective on Namaan's story is that the Lord expressed his kindness to Namaan, both in healing him of his leprosy and in understanding the predicament Namaan found himself in. It was the kindness aspect of the Lord's nature rather than the "justice and righteousness" I might assume that Namaan might find when he raised his concern over his anticipated duties involving the idol worship of his king.
I am reminded that it should always remain far from me to assume I know how the Lord responds to many of the given predicaments folks find themselves in. Both the kindness as well as the justice and righteousness aspects of the Lord's nature are always present in his dealings with mankind. He and he only possesses the wisdom of how he may respond to any specific situation - and he isn't asking me what I think.
With certainty we know the Lord's perspective on many things, as he has revealed these things of himself to us in the pages of Scripture. However, there are some things we might find ourselves surprised about!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
"... your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord. But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this." "'Go in peace,' Elisha said."
Namaan was the commander of Aram's army. Aram had been an enemy of Israel and from one of the Aramean raids on Israel, a young girl from Israel had been taken and was made a servant for Namaan's wife. Namaan had contracted leprosy and the Israeli servant girl told her mistress about the prophet Elisha, that he could heal Namaan of his leprosy.
Namaan took leave, went to Israel and met Elisha. Following the fascinating account of Namaan's lack of faith that eventually turned into his embrace of the Lord in faith, we read Namaan's confession of that faith in our passage above. In it he declares he would never worship an idol again. However, because of his duties as the king's commander, he appealed to Elisha for the Lord's understanding that he will be forced to accompany the Aramean king when he went to worship the idol in the temple of Rimmon.
In a tight spot! Between a rock and a hard place! Healed of his life-threatening illness by the Lord, he vows to never worship anything again except for the Lord. However, he would be required to perform a function his heart would not be in due to the position he held in Aram.
Notice Elisha's response! Where we might assume that it be best for Namaan to refuse his king and face the king's wrath, surely at the cost of his life, Elisha sends him off with his blessing: "Go in peace".
We read in Jeremiah 9:24, "'...let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the Lord."
My perspective on Namaan's story is that the Lord expressed his kindness to Namaan, both in healing him of his leprosy and in understanding the predicament Namaan found himself in. It was the kindness aspect of the Lord's nature rather than the "justice and righteousness" I might assume that Namaan might find when he raised his concern over his anticipated duties involving the idol worship of his king.
I am reminded that it should always remain far from me to assume I know how the Lord responds to many of the given predicaments folks find themselves in. Both the kindness as well as the justice and righteousness aspects of the Lord's nature are always present in his dealings with mankind. He and he only possesses the wisdom of how he may respond to any specific situation - and he isn't asking me what I think.
With certainty we know the Lord's perspective on many things, as he has revealed these things of himself to us in the pages of Scripture. However, there are some things we might find ourselves surprised about!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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