Word of the King of Aram’s letter must have travelled fast! Somehow Elisha knew about it before Naaman left the king of Israel!
II Kings 5:7-10 7 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!”
8 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 robes? Have the man come to me and he
will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So
Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s
house. 10 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.”
This was a bold move
by Elisha, as the King of Israel was probably Jehoram, the son of wicked king
Ahab. Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, had tried several times to kill Elijah (Elisha’s
predecessor).
Elisha had
compassion for this foreigner, though, and cared about Naaman’s spiritual and
physical wellbeing. He also, and maybe most importantly, cared about God’s name
and reputation. When Elisha said “Have the man come to me and he
will know that there is a prophet in Israel,” I don’t
think he was pridefully talking about himself. I think he was saying the God of
Israel is the true and living God that is still actively working through His
servants.
