Gehazi's Oops

Passage: 2 Kings 5

Story Synopsis:

Naaman was an important man, captain of the Aram military machine that had been kicking tail all over the Middle East. He was also a leper. An Israelite servant girl said that God would heal him if he visited his prophet Elisha in Samaria. He got permission and headed there. When he arrived, Elisha didn’t even meet him, but gave him instructions to wash seven times in the dirty Jordan River.

Naaman was furious and almost left. He had cleaner rivers at home and had travelled a long way to see a man that sent a servant to meet him. His own servants pointed out that if he had to do something difficult for healing, he would follow instructions carefully, so he humbled himself and washed in the Jordan seven times as instructed … and was healed of a deadly, contagious disease with no cure. Naaman had a complete change of heart and switched from worshipping false gods to confessing the God of Israel as the One True God.

That’s where the story usually ends when it’s told, but let’s go a little further. Naaman offers Elisha a gift. He had brought with him approximately 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothes. Elisha, refused, showing that God operated differently from the false gods that required gifts for their favor. Naaman left pleased and with a better understanding of who God is.

Enter Gehazi, Elisha’s servant. Gehazi secretly chases down Naaman and tells a lie to get about 150 pounds of silver and two changes of clothes. When he returns Elisha confronts him for corrupting Naaman’s view of God and Gehazi and his family are plagued with leprosy.

So where did Gehazi go wrong? Here are a few hints:

James 1:13-15 NIV

When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. (James)

Proverbs 23:7 ASV

For as he thinks within himself, so is he…. (Solomon)

Matthew 12:34 NIV

For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks…. (Jesus to Pharisees)

Genesis 4:7 NIV

But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (God to Cain just before Cain killed Abel)

The battle of the spirit isn’t won or lost in the spirit, but in the mind. Gehazi’s first makes his mistake in 2 Kings 5:20, when he thinks to himself that Elisha let Naaman off easy. He missed the point of grace and seeks to get something in return for God’s favor. Naaman, a man who was culturally ingrained with Baal worship, where to get anything required giving something, left Elisha with an understanding of grace. Gehazi, a man who had been around grace in Elisha’s house for much, much longer, completely missed the point. You can see it in his language. Elisha said “as surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve ….” Gehazi said “As surely as the Lord lives …” but conveniently leaves off the “whom I serve” that would indicate that God is really his Lord and master.

Isn’t that just like us? Many sit in church every Sunday, hearing God’s Word, seeing God work, experiencing worship, but completely and utterly missing the point. They’ve experienced church their entire lives, hearing truth and understanding it, but never letting it inside. They believe in who God is, but have never taken the plunge to trusting Him to be their boss. In the end, the reward is spiritual separation from God, the source of everything good. Others, who experience God for the first time, completely turn their lives over to Him and are saved to live everlasting lives.

Romans 10:9-10 NIV

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Belief alone isn’t enough (James 2:19). You must make a confession of Christ as Lord (boss, master, and controller). A true confession means to admit that you’ve done it. If you haven’t really done it, it’s a false confession and holds no merit. When you’ve done this, leave me a comment and I’ll do what I can to help you start your new life!