The need of Humility and Anointing
Zac Poonen
In 2 Kings Chapter 5 we read about the story of Naaman.
Naaman first of all went to the king, and the king didn’t
know what to do. He sent him to Elisha. See how Elisha
treated this mighty General. This passage shows us what a
true man of God is really like. A true man of God doesn’t
care whether a man is a great man or a small man. Elisha
showed more honour to that poor widow when she came to him
with her financial need. But when the great Syrian general
(who was used to people bowing down before him) came, Elisha
did not even go to meet him. Naaman, the general of the
world’s most powerful army, had to stand outside the
prophet’s hut. Elisha couldn’t care less who Naaman was. How
I wish we had prophets like that. What a different brand of
Christianity we would have if we had prophets, who don’t
care for the face of man, but who live before God’s face
alone. Elisha wanted to help Naaman. But he had to humble
Naaman’s pride first.
He sent his servant Gehazi to go and tell Naaman, “Go and
wash seven times in the River Jordan” (2 Kings 5:10). The
River Jordan was a dirty, muddy river. Naaman was furious
and said, “I thought he would surely come out to me and call
on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the
place and cure the leprosy. Why should I go to this filthy
river of Jordan? Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of
Damascus, better than this?” (2 Kings 5:11). He was so
angry that he said, “Let’s pack up and go home.”
A prophet has to irritate people at times in order to
deflate their pride. God gives some prophets this ministry,
because that’s the only way He can reveal a man’s
conceitedness and pride to him. Jesus often irritated proud
people, to humble them and to show them that they were
nothing in God’s eyes. God doesn’t care for a man’s position
or honour.
Naaman was irritated with Elisha. But one of his servants
had some sense and said, “Master, he has asked you to do
such a simple thing. Why don’t you try it?” So Naaman agreed
to dip himself in the river Jordan. Imagine the great
general taking off his clothes and everyone seeing his
leprosy. He had to humble himself and obey. When was he to
stop? Only when his flesh had become clean and clear like a
little child’s. When you are humbled by some circumstance or
person, the word of the Lord to you is: “Go down and humble
yourself, until you become like a little child.” We must not
stop until we become like little children, because the
kingdom of heaven belongs to such. Naaman’s flesh became
like that of a little child and he was clean. When your
flesh becomes like that of a little child, you too will be
clean. But not until then.
All of us are too big in our own eyes. We are not like
little children. Look into the eyes of a little baby. It has
no feeling of self-importance. That’s the place God wants to
bring us also to - the place of nothingness. When you come
to the place where you realise that you are nothing, then
you too will be clean. Until then, whether it be seven times
or seventy times seven, you must keep going down. Naaman
then came back to Elisha, amazed at, and grateful for the
miracle-working power of Israel’s God. He brought a lot of
money and clothes to give to Elisha. But Elisha said, “As
the Lord lives I will take nothing” (2 Kings 5:16). The
Bible says that we must receive no money from unbelievers (3
Jn.7). No unbeliever has the right to support a servant of
God. Only God’s people have the right and privilege to
support God’s servants. Elisha did receive gifts from godly
people. We just saw that a rich woman provided a room for
him to stay in. But he would receive nothing from Naaman.
This is where many servants of God have missed out on God’s
will for their lives.
But whereas Elisha said, “No” to Naaman, Elisha’s servant
Gehazi, said, “What a fool my master is! He didn’t ask for
the money (or send out any prayer letters!). The money was
offered freely and he still says, ‘No.’ Well, if my master
doesn’t take it, I will.” Greedy Gehazi was not concerned
about the fact that i5t was an idol-worshipper who was
offering money to God’s servant. He ran after Naaman for the
money (2 Kings 5:21) - just like a lot of preachers today
run after rich people. Then Gehazi cooked up a lie and told
Naaman, “Two students have just come from the Bible School
(“sons of the prophets”). Can you please give them a talent
of silver and two changes of clothes.” (2 Kings 5:22).
Naaman believed the lie and gave him more than he asked for.
It is easy to justify false reports about God’s work, when
covetousness rules your heart.
Gehazi collected the money, hid it in his house and came and
stood before Elisha, with an innocent face. But Elisha was a
man of God and could not be fooled. Elisha asked Gehazi
where he had gone. He gave Gehazi the opportunity to confess
his sin. But Gehazi was dishonest and lied. Elisha replied,
“I know everything, Gehazi. God showed me in a vision
everything you did. I saw Naaman turning around and I saw
you collecting the things from him. Is this the time to
receive money from these heathen people, to receive clothes,
olive groves, vineyards, sheep and oxen in the name of the
Lord?” What a word that is for today’s preachers!
Gehazi was Elisha’s servant just like Elisha had been
Elijah’s. Elisha had obtained a double portion of Elijah’s
anointing, and Gehazi could have got a double portion of
Elisha’s. That would have been four times the anointing that
Elijah had! But whereas Elisha had pursued after Elijah
persistently for the anointing, Gehazi pursued after Naaman
for his money. Elisha got the anointing Elijah had. And
Gehazi got the leprosy that Naaman had!! Not only Gehazi,
but his children got leprosy as well. Spiritual leprosy has
befallen many preachers today as well, as they have pursued
after rich people and Western Christian organizations,
telling lies and giving false reports, in order to get
money. The children of these preachers have suffered too. He
who has an ear to hear, let him hear.