2 Kings 5:14
14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
This verse is the pivotal point in the life of prideful Naaman. The beginning words of this verse hold the key not only for Naaman, but for every person that has found cleansing, not of their skin disease but of sin disease. Like Naaman, many "great men" have so many titles beside their names. Yet, there is one big but, "but he was a leper" Vs.1. He was a leper and the worse kind, a proud one. It is amazing to see how God took the smallest and most ungreat things to bring this great man to a place of going down in humble obedience to be cleansed. He used a little maid to teach him where he could find healing. "If Israel is the place where I can be healed, then I'll consult the King of that place," thought Naaman. Though it wasn't the king who could help him, but an unhospitable prophet who apparently lived in a tiny house, the complaint of the sons of the prophet was, "This place is too strait for us." Well if this weak man can help me I'll pay for this gift of healing, yet the Prophet refused, this gift was free and received by faith or it was not given at all.
Then there was the dirty river associated with his healing, "You mean me, Naamaan, go down into that dirty river and bath like a commoner?!" The Jordan is the lowest river on earth, it starts at 9,000 ft above sea level and ends 436 ft below sea level. In scripture, it's a picture of death, and Naaman's being dipped in it is a picture of a man dying to self, precisely what happens when we are baptized into Christ, our old man is baptized with Christ and we are raised new creatures. The Jordan is also a picture of Jesus, coming down from the heights of heaven and descending to the lowest place on earth. From his home in heaven to the dusty roads of the Judean hillsides, the temptations of a fallen world, the infirmities of humanity, and the rugged cross on which he descended to depths of pain, grief, suffering, and separation that no man has ever known. This is the river Naaman is commanded to go and be washed in and is typical of the New Testament command given to every sin leper. Go and wash thyself in that common man's life, in his death, accept the Nazarene's reproach, is the instruction given to us in this hour. This was all below Naaman and he almost went back to Syria with his leprosy. What was so valuable to him that he couldn't bear parting with? It wasn't his leprosy but his pride. Pride is so valuable to men that many of them would keep their leprosy if it meant losing their pride. That is almost what Naaman did and it has been what countless millions have done. I'll go on to hell with my sins if it means losing my pride. Don't let this be your case, dear reader!
Let Naaman instruct you, "Then went he down." He went down in faith, he went down in humility, he went down "according to the saying of the man of God." It was not a great thing this great man did to receive his great healing, but a simple and humble thing. He went down as a child in faith and he came from that river made new like a little child. That is what we "little maids of Israel" instruct you to do this morning. Go down, meet Christ on his terms, humble yourself as a little child, and be washed, you will be made new and clean as a little child. That is what we weak prophets instruct you to do. Christ was weak while on this earth, despised and rejected of men, the great men of his day despised him and the great men of this day still despise him. You can keep your greatness but it will mean keeping your death sentence, not leprosy, but sin. You can leave both in the grave, be baptized in his death, and raised in his likeness and both your sin and pride will be killed. Today, won't you drop your pride, submit yourself to the gospel instruction, and believe in Christ, then what was said of Naaman will be said of you, "He was clean."
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