Post by Lee on Sept 1, 2014 3:00:50 GMT
We have had the interesting story of Naaman, who was cured of his leprosy by Elisha. Naaman heard that Elisha could do this thing; so he came to the outside of Elisha’s house with a great equipage, expecting Elisha to come out and attend to him with the ceremonial deference due to his rank. Elisha did not come out, but sent a message to him downstairs. At this, the great man was greatly affronted, and went away in a rage. Just what the great people of our day would do under similar circumstances. But wasn’t it rude on the part of Elisha? No; the favour asked was a favour from God; and rich people may have God’s favours if they will humble themselves as little children, but not if they elevate themselves on a pedestal of foolish pride. This requires sometimes to be put to the test. In Naaman’s case an apparent want of civility in the mode of conveying the desired information furnished all the test that was needed. Naaman found it severe enough, and was likely to fail under it. A little common sense expostulation from his servants, however, rallied his reason, and brought him to the wise decision to comply with the prophet’s directions. The truth may come to a man in this way—without personal blandishment or customary deferences. The question from a rich man, “What must I do to be saved?” may receive its answer in a way calculated to test the question whether he is a self-worshipper or a worshipper of God. It may hurt his dignity, but prove is faith. If he is a wise man, he will not look at manners, but matters. If in the weakness of human nature, his first impulse be to “go away in a rage,” his feelings on reflection will subside, and give way to the suggestion of reason that perhaps it is the answer of health that comes to him in a manner so little soothing to his personal complacence.
Elisha’s direction to Naaman was, that he was to dip himself seven times in the river Jordan. He rebelled against the absurdity of such a remedy. Were not the rivers of Syria as good as Jordan—ay, better? No doubt, as regarded natural power to cure leprosy, one water was as good as another, and that was, no good at all. The waters of Jordan were as innocent of healing power as all the waters of Syria. Why, then, was Jordan prescribed? “That God in all things may be glorified.” This is the solution of much that is enigmatical in the Scriptures to the natural man. Jordan was the river of the land of the God of Israel, and to have Naaman cured there, instead of in the river of Abana, was to illustrate and proclaim that there was no God in all the earth but the God of Israel, whom Israel themselves were forsaking for the stupidities of Baal.
Naaman went: he undressed and dipped. At the first dip, there was no result. He dipped again: still no result. So with the third, fourth, and fifth. At the sixth, he was still uncured. The curing power was not in the water. It was in God, who made the receiving of the cure conditional on compliance with His appointment. At the seventh time, his diseased flesh was healed in a moment, and became as the flesh of a little child, because God, by the prophet, had told him to dip seven times. When obedience was complete, the blessing came. Is it not so with regard to the institutions of the gospel? We are commanded to believe, to be baptised, and to patiently observe the commandments of Christ as the rule of our life during our probation in this mortal state: and on these conditions, we are assured that God will cure us of the disease of death from which we are suffering. We believe, but we are as before. We are baptised, but still salvation waits. We patiently continue in well-doing, and still we remain frail, mortal, dying men. Shall we be discouraged? Suppose Naaman had got out of the water at the sixth immersion because he found no change, would he not have acted the part of folly and forfeited the blessing? It is not in belief to save us; nor in baptism, nor in obedience. It is in God alone, but He has appointed these as the conditions which He requires at our hand. They are, therefore, all important to us. We must fulfil them to the full. We must continue in them. We must finish our course; and in due time, we shall experience the sweet result in the cure of our mortal flesh, of which Naaman’s was but a type. Our flesh will come again as a child’s—as an angel’s—to remain such without change. This mortal putting on immortality will secure for us the fresh life and joy of youth for ever. It will be the work of God because of our compliance with His appointments in Christ. These appointments are such on the face of them as to appear foolish in the eyes of men, because they are such in themselves as are incapable of yielding the results proposed. There is an object in this which Paul has explained. “The weak things of this world and things despised, yea and things that are not hath God chosen, to bring to nought the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His sight, according as it is written, Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord.”
1884 Christadelphian p 450–451
Elisha’s direction to Naaman was, that he was to dip himself seven times in the river Jordan. He rebelled against the absurdity of such a remedy. Were not the rivers of Syria as good as Jordan—ay, better? No doubt, as regarded natural power to cure leprosy, one water was as good as another, and that was, no good at all. The waters of Jordan were as innocent of healing power as all the waters of Syria. Why, then, was Jordan prescribed? “That God in all things may be glorified.” This is the solution of much that is enigmatical in the Scriptures to the natural man. Jordan was the river of the land of the God of Israel, and to have Naaman cured there, instead of in the river of Abana, was to illustrate and proclaim that there was no God in all the earth but the God of Israel, whom Israel themselves were forsaking for the stupidities of Baal.
Naaman went: he undressed and dipped. At the first dip, there was no result. He dipped again: still no result. So with the third, fourth, and fifth. At the sixth, he was still uncured. The curing power was not in the water. It was in God, who made the receiving of the cure conditional on compliance with His appointment. At the seventh time, his diseased flesh was healed in a moment, and became as the flesh of a little child, because God, by the prophet, had told him to dip seven times. When obedience was complete, the blessing came. Is it not so with regard to the institutions of the gospel? We are commanded to believe, to be baptised, and to patiently observe the commandments of Christ as the rule of our life during our probation in this mortal state: and on these conditions, we are assured that God will cure us of the disease of death from which we are suffering. We believe, but we are as before. We are baptised, but still salvation waits. We patiently continue in well-doing, and still we remain frail, mortal, dying men. Shall we be discouraged? Suppose Naaman had got out of the water at the sixth immersion because he found no change, would he not have acted the part of folly and forfeited the blessing? It is not in belief to save us; nor in baptism, nor in obedience. It is in God alone, but He has appointed these as the conditions which He requires at our hand. They are, therefore, all important to us. We must fulfil them to the full. We must continue in them. We must finish our course; and in due time, we shall experience the sweet result in the cure of our mortal flesh, of which Naaman’s was but a type. Our flesh will come again as a child’s—as an angel’s—to remain such without change. This mortal putting on immortality will secure for us the fresh life and joy of youth for ever. It will be the work of God because of our compliance with His appointments in Christ. These appointments are such on the face of them as to appear foolish in the eyes of men, because they are such in themselves as are incapable of yielding the results proposed. There is an object in this which Paul has explained. “The weak things of this world and things despised, yea and things that are not hath God chosen, to bring to nought the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His sight, according as it is written, Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord.”
1884 Christadelphian p 450–451