Tuesday, 12th October 2021
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-7 The Faith of the Young Girl
Israel and Syria had been fighting for many years, and the commander of the army, Naaman, was an important man because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. Naaman was powerful and capable in front of men, but for God, Naaman was a person, who could lead the nation to salvation. Naaman was so victorious on the battlefield, but he had leprosy. It was shameful because it cannot be hidden and cannot be cured at the time. We may see a lot of people being victorious and glamorous from the outside but we do not know how shameful they are on the inside.
V3 “Then she said to her mistress, ‘If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.’” The young girl spoke out by faith, even though she was a maid of a mighty warrior in an idol-worshipping foreign country, but when she spoke about God, she was full of faith. This young girl must have shown some time of creditability in the past otherwise people would not even listen to her or notice her. She might have already talked about God and testified for God in the past, because even her master, the commander of the army, listened to her. V4-5 “And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, ‘Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.’ Then the king of Syria said, ‘Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’” The faith of the young girl not only influenced Naaman and his family, but also the king of Syria.
V7 “And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, ‘Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore, please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.’” For the king of Syria, he thought if there was a great prophet, the prophet must be serving the king. But the king of Israel seemed troubled and distressed when he read the letter. The name of the king of Israel at the time was not even mentioned here, whereas Naaman had a whole chapter about him in the Bible. The king of Israel did not see the glory of God that even their enemy wanted to seek Him, instead, he was only filled with fear; he did not see how God created the environment to help him, but only saw death.
The young girl, as a servant maid, had the faith in God. The environment seemed to let her down but her faith in God was the same. Do we see God the same way? Do we only believe in God when everything goes well with us? Or are we willing to continue believing even when the environment comes against us?
Section Two V8-19 The Faith of Naaman
V8 “So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, ‘Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.’” The king of Israel did not believe God could heal Naaman, he only saw his own destruction, but God did not give up on him, He sent Elisha to go talk to him.
V9-12 “Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.’ But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, ‘Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal leprosy.’ Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?’ So, he turned and went away in a rage.”
Naaman believed that he was able to be healed, but he was thinking of the ways the false prophets used to do, to shout out and to wave around, instead of what Elisha asked him to do, to wash in the Jordan. A lot of the times when things don’t come out in the way we expected, we would become angry and upset. Naaman was thinking about his past, how he was well respected in front of his own people, and how when he came to Israel, Elisha did not even come out to meet him.
V13 “And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more than when he says to you, ‘Wash and be clean’?’” Somehow even Naaman’s servant knew about God and the prophet of God. The young girl might have made an influence in Naaman’s household that everyone knew about God and believed in the power of God. When the Gospel enter our lives, we will no longer see ourselves the same, we will have the courage and faith to speak out for God. The young girl did not have to say anything, and the servant did not have to say anything, in fact, if something went wrong, they might be punished for what they said to their master. But they had the courage to speak out, and Naaman’s household was able to experience God’s miracle.
It was a shameful experience for Naaman to wash in the Jordan because he had to take off his clothes and expose all his legacy, not only in front of his own people of Syria but also in front of his enemy, the people of Israel. But when he did it by faith, he was completely healed, and he gave glory to God. Elisha did not show his face the entire time, and therefore Naaman was able to see God, not people. V15-16 “And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, ‘Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now, therefore, please take a gift from your servant.’ But he said, ‘As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.’ And he urged him to take it, but he refused.”
V18 “Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord please pardon your servant in this thing.” When the truth entered our lives, we will have the fear and trembling for God, we will be convicted in sin, in righteousness and in judgement. Why did Naaman know this? The young girl might have already made an influence in Naaman’s heart, and what he heard in the past was revealed in front of his eyes.
The world tries to confuse us with traditions and cultures, we thought we are worshipping God in our heart, but in fear, we did not step out for God. Naaman knew what he did was wrong, and he asked to take home the earth of Israel so he could worship God. Naaman knew God was not an idol, he knew he had to set himself apart for God. V19 “Then he said to him, ‘Go in peace.’ So, he departed from him a short distance.” Naaman had faith and he received the blessing of God. Even though at the beginning he had his own thinking and complaints, but then when he was willing to listen and repent, God’s peace came upon him.
Section Three V20-17 The Greed of Gehazi
Elisha already said in front of all the people, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” But his servant Gehazi did not listen, because he was judging Elisha in his heart. Not only he had agreed, but he also disagreed with the decision of his authority. A lot of times when what the authority did or said was not what we expected, we made the judgement and became rebellious. God’s blessings are for us and our generations, but if we don’t see how God is working through our authority, then it would be us, who will suffer in the end. V27 “‘Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.’ And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow.”
Who do we choose to be? The young girl of Israel, who testified for God wherever she went; Naaman, who did not believe at the beginning but chose to repent; or Gehazi, who judged his authority’s decision and was cursed.
Worship: 住在你裡面 Dwell in You https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6LFd0l9ADQ
Prayer & Pursuit
Thank You, Lord, You allowed us to live in this living water, but Lord, we did not let this water flow through our lives. Lord, let us be like the young girl, who shared her faith with the family of Naaman. We don’t want to be a blockage of Your living water, we don’t want to be the dead sea, but we want to be the salt and light for You in wherever we are. Take away our disbelief, our fear, and our untruthfulness; forgive us for our little faith, help us to be convicted in sin, in judgement and in righteousness.
2021年10月12日 星期二
潘锡安牧师
我们都是蒙召的人，是分别为圣的新造的人。本章记录的三个人的故事让我们学习仆人的心的功课。箴言4：23教导我们，要保守我们的心胜过保守一切，因为一生的果效是从我们的心改变开始。
一、小女子的信心 v.1-7
V1 亚兰与以色列本是一直争战的两国。乃缦是亚兰王面前一位非常重要的元帅，神借着乃缦使亚兰人得到拯救。他是一个被神拣选的人，在人眼里是一个很有能力的战士，“只是长了大麻风”。大麻风是当时一个很羞愧的病，使病人感到不舒服，别人也看得到。这正如现今很多人有能力，但生命中有很多的羞愧。
V2-3 圣经里没有提这个以色列国“小女子”的名字，但她帮助了乃缦成就神借着他拯救亚兰的计划。她对自己的主母推荐“撒马利亚的先知”，说先知一定能治好乃缦的病。
V4 乃缦称呼那个被掳回来的小女子为“以色列国的女子”，因他看到这小女子不一样的信心。我们在外邦人面前宣告神的大能时，是否心虚，还是能像这个小女子一样充满信心，虽然是一个被俘虏的女孩，但在敌国一个大能勇士的妻子面前愿意勇敢表明自己的信仰。她能够得到主人的信任，一定也不是靠着今天这一次跟主母的对话，必定是她平常在这个家中就表现出影响力，为神作见证，正如当年被卖到埃及的约瑟得到主人的信任一样。亚兰和以色列原本是交战的国家，但小女子的这句话影响了亚兰的元帅，也影响了亚兰王。
V5-6 亚兰王同意乃缦去以色列，于是达信给以色列王，用命令的语气让以色列王治好乃缦的大麻风，因为在亚兰王眼里，如此厉害的先知一定是以色列王身边被重用的人。然而，以色列王看了这封信就撕裂衣服，表示要死人的哀痛。圣经里提到了很多重要人物的名字，却并没有提到以色列王的名字，因为神看人不像人看人。以色列王收到信之后没有看到这拜巴力的国家里大能的勇士来找他们帮忙是一份荣耀，他看到的不是神要祝福他，而是看到自己要被攻击，眼里只有负面的东西。相反，那个敢于跟乃缦妻子谏言的小女子虽然失去了一切，成为被人掳走的奴仆，似乎被环境打败了，但她的信心没有被打败，没有怀疑耶和华神的先知。现今的我们是否能有这样的信心呢？我们相信神是否只是因为我们的生活被祝福，身体健康，还是会因为环境不顺就信心动摇？
二、乃缦的信心 v.8-19
V8 以色列王并没有如亚兰王想的那样重用有能力的先知，因为当时以色列拜的是自己创造出来的金牛犊，以为这可以帮助他们免去麻烦，不用千里迢迢跑到耶路撒冷去拜真神耶和华。虽然以色列人如此，神仍然要拯救他们，于是以利沙得到神的指示（王下4:27），可以知道这件事。神没有让以色列王做出丢脸的事，没有放下这个可以荣神益人的机会。以利沙充满信心的让以色列王将乃缦差到他自己家。
V11-12 乃缦听了以利沙所打发的使者说的话，“却发怒走了”。他相信自己能够得医治，但他所相信的是自己以前看过的拜巴力的医治方式，听了以利沙的方法就觉得不对，所以“气愤愤地转身去了”。很多时候我们也是如此，我们觉得神的仆人对我们的帮助没有符合我们自己认为对的方法，就对他们生气抱怨。乃缦没有想到那些他觉得对的过去的方式根本帮不了他，没有想到他不能带着旧有模式进入新的生命。
V13 亚兰人是不拜耶和华的，然而这个属于乃缦家的仆人竟然讲出这段话，可以看到那个被掳的小女子在他们家已经做了很多传福音的事，以致这个仆人都知道耶和华神。当福音进入我们里面，我们就看自己不再一样。这位没有姓名的仆人本来不需要跟主人讲这番话，如果他说的话没有帮乃缦得医治，他可能会遭遇大麻烦，但他能够像那个小女子一样勇敢向主人谏言，可见他也是被福音改变的人。那个小女子在乃缦家做的是一个传道人的工作。我们在职场或者家庭中面对不信主的人，是否有这样的信心呢？还是与他们分割，没有发挥该有的生命影响力？
V14 乃缦是一个大能的勇士，但他愿意去听仆人的劝话，说明他们家真是有福音的。约旦河是一条很脏的河水，但乃缦不看环境，愿意进去“沐浴七回”，他的大麻风就被医好了。一个敌国的元帅愿意来到以色列的河里，脱去自己的衣服，让人都看见自己的大麻风病是怎样被医治，就对他们包括以色列的十个支派做了见证。
V15 乃缦对神人以利沙说：“如今我知道，除了以色列之外，普天下没有神”。他看的不仅是自己病得医治，更是看到唯有耶和华是神。神迹不是让人看到以利沙这个人的厉害。我们帮助别人的时候，是否只是想让人看到我们自己很厉害？我们带领人，是否让他们看见神？乃缦能看见神，这是以利沙的成功。
V16 以利沙高举的是神，表明自己的身份，所以不要乃缦给他的礼物。
V17-18 当真理进入一个人的生命，人会为罪为义为审判自己责备自己。乃缦能够知道拜偶像是不对的，并不是听才刚见面的以利沙讲的，一定是之前听到那个在他家里的“传道人”以色列国的小女子说过。经历了这件事，乃缦终于知道拜偶像是不对的，亲口认罪。世界上的人会跟我们讲一些似是而非的事让我们对自己的信仰妥协，跟着他们一起拜偶像，我们是否因为人的眼光而害怕，还是愿意为神在真理上站立得稳？乃缦虽然不能留在以色列，但他愿意将以色列的土带回去，让他在自己的家乡也能继续敬拜耶和华。每一次他看到这土，就可以想起在这里经历神的事，提醒他不要再拜偶像。于是以利沙让他“平平安安地回去”。我们是否有受教的耳，像乃缦那样愿意认罪？
三、基哈西的贪心 v.20-27
基哈西没有听主人以利沙拒收乃缦礼物时说的话（V16），于是自作主张，其实他的贪心后面就是对自己权柄的批评论断。我们是否对我们的权柄也是有这样一个不顺服的心态，自以为我们的做法比他们更好？基哈西没有谦卑顺服，从乃缦那里拿了不该拿的东西，就使他和他的后裔都沾染了乃缦的大麻风（V27）。
一生的果效由心发出，我们要选择的是像那在敌国勇敢传福音的小女子，是那先怀疑但后来悔改的乃缦，还是贪心论断权柄以致受咒诅的基哈西？我们的心是否愿意活在生命树之下，愿意单单跟从神？
*追求和回应：
我们感谢神，我们能住在神给我们的活水江河里，但是我们是否有让这活水江河流出去？乃缦家的被掳的小女子愿意将信仰分享给每一个人，当我们没有将自己里面的活水江河分出去的时候，我们里面就成为会发臭的死海。神借着这个被掳的小女子提醒我们，我们无论在哪里就当在那里做盐做光。我们是否害怕？让我们来到神面前求神饶恕，我们没有好好的将福音传给周围的人，不信福音是可以改变人的，我们分割，在教会、职场、和家庭是不一样的人。我们要为罪为义为审判求神饶恕我们。
主耶和华，以色列的神，求你拿走我们里面一切的蒙蔽和圆滑的借口，让我们看到里面的虚伪和不信。我们靠着主你的恩典来到你的施恩座前，求主饶恕我们，拿去我们里面石头的心。我们有一千一万个理由听道却不行道，我们害怕别人，求主饶恕。让我们愿意改变，能够承载神给亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的祝福，让祝福流到我们的下一代。奉主的名斥责基哈西的咒诅！求主改变我们的心！奉耶稣基督得胜的名祈求！阿门！