Today's bible study is about how Naaman got healed of leprosy and requested two mules carrying the holy ground of Israel from the prophet Elisha. Pictured above we see a little maid encouraging Naaman to go meet the prophet Elisha in Israel to receive healing and cure his leprosy. The bible says that even though Naaman was rich, lived in a castle, was a captain of a great army, was a great man of valour that many people bowed down to, he was a leper. Naaman said I'd give away all this fame and fortune if I could just be cured of this leprosy.
The story about the above picture is at 2 Kings 5:1 and says Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife (note the little maid that blessed Naaman was a slave taken captive by Naaman). And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria. for he would recover him of his leprosy.
The bible goes on to say at 2 Kings 5:4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him 10 talents of silver, and 6000 pieces of gold, and 10 changes of raiment. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
When the king of Israel received the letter from the king of Syria requesting that he heal Naaman, he was fearful and thought the king of Syria was seeking a quarrel. But the prophet Elisha came to the rescue and told the king of Israel to send Naaman to his house for a healing. 2 Kings 5:7 says And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? Wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me. And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
Pictured above we see that Naaman listened to the advice of the little maid and visited the house of Elisha to be healed of leprosy. We all need to be like Naaman and when we need our problems fixed, go to meet the man of God whose prayers can heal you. Naaman thought the prophet Elisha would come out of the house to pray for him, and got angry when Elisha stayed inside his house, and had his servant Gehazi tell Naaman to go jump in the Jordan river seven times to be cured of leprosy. Naaman probably said I don't want to have anything to do with that prophet Elisha anymore. This preacher Elisha won't even come out to meet me or even shake my hand. How dare that Elisha tell me, a great and powerful leader, to go jump in the river.
2 Kings 5:9 records what happened when Naaman visited Elisha and says So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought he will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he sayeth to thee, Wash, and be clean?
Note that God's instruction to Naaman was to jump in the Jordan river (not the Abana or the Pharpar rivers) seven times to be healed of leprosy. Naaman had to learn that he should just do things God's way because there is no other way. When Naaman left Elisha's house in a rage, one of Naaman's servants said, Master Naaman if Elisha told you to do some great thing you would have done it. If he told you to kill a bear, you would have killed a bear. If he told you to fight a lion, you would have fought a lion, but all he said was go dip yourself in the Jordan river seven times. Is that too hard? After Naaman pondered what his servant said, I could see Naaman saying Well I did come a long way, I'll try it.
When Naaman obeyed God's instructions from Elisha to dip himself seven times in the Jordan river, Naaman's flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child and he was healed of leprosy. 2 Kings 5:14 says Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in the 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.
My good friend Pastor Sonny Mull described Naaman's healing and said that Naaman went down to Jordan and dunked himself one time and washed himself off. Then he dunked himself again and said I feel kind of silly, here I am a captain in the army, and I'm the king's armourbearer. The king leans on my hand when he worships, I'm his bodyguard, and when the king has his eyes closed praying, I'm watching for the enemy. I'm the greatest man in Syria. Here I am up here with these bunch of Samaritans up here in Samaria jumping in the Jordan river.
Then Naaman said Well I'll dip again for the fourth time and when he got frustrated, Naaman said What's the use? Same old skin. After the fifth dip, Naaman said I'm wasting my time, Same old skin. After the sixth dip, Naaman said again Same old skin. But when Naaman dipped the seventh time in the Jordan, when he came up his skin was restored like a baby's skin. There ain't nothing as soft and cuddly as baby's skin. To all women reading this bible study, if God told you to jump in a river seven times to receive baby skin, wouldn't you do it?
The reason Naaman got baby skin was because Naaman obeyed God's instructions, got born again, experienced a change, and got saved. Naaman truly was a new man and experienced 2 Corinthians 5:17 that says Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Instead of worshipping the idols of Syria, Naaman wanted to only praise and worship the true God of Israel.
Obey God's instructions in the Word of God because there is no other way. Like Naaman, if God tells you to jump in a river to be healed, bless God, jump in a river. It's not whether you want to or not, it's what God says to do. Naaman said I'll do it my way, I'll go down and dip in Abana and Pharpar. No that won't work. God said dip in Jordan. When God says something, that's what God means. There wasn't any power in Abana, Pharpar, or even Jordan, the power was in doing what God said to do. Samuel said at 1 Samuel 15:22 Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
You all might say Why is Brother Bob posting a picture of two mules above? The reason for this is to display the two mules that Naaman requested from Elisha burden of earth (carrying the holy ground of Israel) after Naaman was healed of leprosy. You see after Naaman got healed, got right with God, and saved, he wanted to bless Elisha with a gift. After Elisha refused Naaman's gift, Naaman requested two mules burden of earth from Elisha. The reason Naaman wanted two mules carrying the holy ground of Israel was because Naaman wanted to take a little piece of Israel home with him to Syria. Naaman said when I get home in Syria, I'll dump the holy ground of Israel carried by the two mules in my backyard, stand on the holy ground of Israel, and worship the true God of Israel.
You see Naaman remembered that in the days of Moses, people would make altars of earth, and when a person stood on holy ground offering a sacrifice of praise to Jesus, a blessing would occur. Naaman wanted to make his own altar of earth in his Syrian backyard to receive the blessings of the God of Israel. Exodus 20:24 speaks about building altars of earth to receive God's blessings and says An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
The bible records Naaman's request for two mules burden of earth at 2 Kings 5:15 and says And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said. Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant. But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
2 Kings 5:17 goes on to say And Naaman said, shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden (carrying) of earth (holy ground)? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord. In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing.
Now take some time to read this anointed story of how Pastor Sonny Mull described what Naaman did with his two mules carrying the holy ground of Israel. When Naaman headed home to Syria with his two mule loads of holy ground, when he passed the Abana and Pharpar rivers, he pulled those two mules into his backyard and unloaded the holy ground in his backyard behind his house. Praise God, Naaman dumped that holy ground in his backyard and got on top of it and he began to lift up holy hands and he began to thank and praise God.
When Naaman's neighbors peeped over the fence, they said Well what got into Naaman? Something has happened to Naaman. He ain't the same old Naaman he was when he left here. Praise God, when you get right with God Almighty, your neighbors will notice a great change in your life. When Naaman stood on the holy ground of Israel praising God in his backyard, his neighbors watched him, and the CIA, FBI, and the FBA (Fathers Band Of Angels) watched him. The king of Syria and his wife also watched Naaman praising God.
When the little maid saw Naaman praising God, the little maid said glory to God, glory to God. Now Naaman had to call the little maid sister. He couldn't say to the little maid, Come here punk or Come here slave. Naaman was changed and now showed the love of God to the little maid and called her sister. When God saves you friend reading this, you'll call people brother and sister that you used to think were nothing. When you stand on holy ground, people you used to despise and overlook will be glittering gold in your life.
Note that the land of Israel is called holy ground. The first place that the word holy is mentioned in the bible refers to the holy ground of Israel. Exodus 3:5 says And He (God) said, Draw not nigh hither (Moses): put off thy shoes from off thy feet; for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. God considers the ground of Israel to be holy and Israel and the Jews need to be respected.
After Naaman got healed and saved, Naaman respected the holy ground of Israel and realized that if he took the holy ground of Israel with him to Syria he would be blessed when he prayed upon Israel's holy ground. God blessed Naaman and healed him of leprosy because Naaman respected the holy ground of Israel. Like Naaman, when anyone respects and blesses Israel and the Jews, God blesses them. God told Abraham at Genesis 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation (Israel), and I will bless thee, and make thy name great: and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Pictured above is a blessed book that I highly recommend anyone to read by my friend William P. Grady titled Holy Ground The True History Of The State Of Israel. Bill Grady respects the Jews and Israel and has been greatly blessed. Bill Grady told a story where he gave a lot of money to the IDF (the Israeli Defense Forces) and got blessed with free dental work. God has greatly blessed Bill Grady because he blesses Israel and the Jews and is a great preacher for our Lord Jesus.
Be like Naaman and respect and bless Israel and Jerusalem so God can heal and prosper you. Remember if you bless the Jews and Israel, you will be blessed. If you curse the Jews and Israel, you will be cursed. Most Jews are atheists and enemies of the gospel but God tells us to love them because they are beloved enemies because of God's covenant to Abraham.
Romans 11:28 says As concerning the gospel, they (the Jews) are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. It's a mystery (conundrum) that the Jews are enemies and blessed at the same time. Note that the Jews are blessed for their fathers' (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) sake (not for their Father God's sake). God made a covenant with the Jews' father Abraham that he would bless Israel and the Jews above all nations.
The Lord Jesus will fulfill His covenant with Abram and establish the boundaries of Israel from the river of Egypt unto the great river Euphrates (including Gaza and the West Bank). Genesis 15:18 explains God's covenant to Abram and the Jews involving a land grant to Israel; In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates. Genesis 17:8 says that this land grant to the Jews is for an everlasting possession; And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Note that per God's covenant Israel not only owns Gaza and the West Bank. Israel owns all the land from Egypt to the Euphrates river in Iraq including Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, United Arab Emerites, and Saudi Arabia. Per God's covenant with Abram, the Jews, and Israel, Israel doesn't just occupy this land; Israel owns this land. Therefore when any nation fights against Israel, they fight against God and will lose. Zechariah 12:9 says And it shall come to pass in that day, that I (the Lord Jesus) will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
God will bless you if you bless the Jews, Israel, and Jerusalem. Psalm 122:6 says Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Brother Bob is an orthodox Jew that got saved and is no longer blind about Jesus. Brother Bob left everything (family, money, and all my relatives) because he believed Jesus is God. Right now if anyone is a Jew they will need to accept the Lord Jesus to be saved. Just being Jewish will not save anyone.
The rich man in the bible who went to hell for rejecting Jesus was a Jew because in hell he spoke to the Jews' father Abraham requesting Lazarus to save him from his torment in hell. And Korah was a Jew that went to the pit hell for rebelling against Moses. But the Jewish children of Korah (like Brother Bob) went to heaven and did not rebel with their daddy against Moses and God (Jesus). This is proven at Numbers 26:11 that says Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not. And note that Psalms 42-49 are dedicated to the blessed sons of Korah.
Today the Jews in Israel represent the only nation that has survived from the beginning of time. The Babylonians, Persians, Romans, Greeks, Amalekites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, (and hopefully soon all mosquito bites) have disappeared and no longer exist. But the Jews in Israel remain a nation today. It's a wonder how just 5 million Jews surrounded by 100 million enemies on all sides can defend Israel. Friend reading this anywhere, just take a look at the Jew and Israel and you'll believe the bible and get saved. There has to be a God taking care of little Israel and the Jews.
One time 100 Arabs surrounded one little Jew on a sand dune. The Jew said you arabs go away. 10 arabs went to kill the Jew. Then the Jew climbed the sand dune and said you arabs go away. Then the arabs sent reinforcements and 1000 arabs to kill the little Jew. But then one arab climbed the sand dune and said Go back Go back There's two of them (God was fighting the battle for the Jews and Israel.)
When a Jew gets saved, like Brother Bob he is no longer stingy and blesses widows and orphans with money for rent, food, and clothes. My friend Amanda in my church told Brother Bob that Brother Bob was the most generous Jew she ever met. Usually most unsaved Jews know how to make money and are very stingy. Note the following Jewish jokes below: Hope they make you laugh with joy. Remember America is blessed because for many years America has blessed Israel and the Jews.
1) Why did the Jews wander in the wilderness for 40 years?
Somebody lost a quarter
2) Why do Jews have big noses?
Air is free
3) What's a Jewish dilemma?
A free ham sandwich
4) What's the first three letters in the word jewelry (Jew)?
This is why most Jews are in the jewelry business
5) When Pat Boone sang Peace In The Valley
10000 sinners joined the church.
When Eddie Fisher sang There's a gold mine in the sky
10000 Jews joined the Air Force.
6) A man told a Jew, No Jews are allowed in our village
The Jew replied That's why it's still a village
7) What's the favorite Jewish wine (whine)?
Please take me to Miami
8) After a Jew had a dream about horses with hats
He won money at the races after betting on Top Hat and Derby
But he lost his money on a horse he called Chateaux
His friend said you dummy hat in french is chapeaux not chateaux
Anyway who won the last race you lost
The Jew replied a Japanese horse named Yarmulka
To end up today's bible study, we see a picture of Zacchaeus who like Naaman after he got saved wanted to bless the poor and was no longer selfish. After Naaman got saved and healed, he wanted to bless Elisha with gold, silver, and clothes. Elisha said I don't need new clothes, I don't need any gold, I don't need any silver, just keep your presents. I'm just glad to have God. Elisha told Naaman you just take your gifts on home with you son and live for the Lord. Friend reading this anywhere, a sign to know that you are saved is when you have a desire to bless the poor and no longer be selfish like Zacchaeus and Naaman.
Pictured above we see Zacchaeus who climbed up a sycomore tree to see Jesus. Zacchaeus was up in a sycomore tree grinning like a possum waiting for Jesus to come. And Jesus came down the road a preaching. All of a sudden, Jesus got underneath that sycomore tree and stopped. And Zacchaeus said, Oh no, He has treed me. Zacchaeus couldn't get down that sycomore tree without going by Jesus. I'm so glad that one day in 1982 like Zacchaeus, Jesus treed and saved Brother Bob. I pray in Jesus name all my friends reading this can say I've been treed by Jesus and the only way I can be free is to go with Jesus and by the way of the cross of Calvary.
Get saved, repent, decide to stop sinning,
Confess that Jesus is God, and believe the gospel
That Jesus died on the cross for you, was buried, and rose again
Jesus stopped and looked at the sycomore tree and said Zacchaeus come down for to day I must abide at thy house. And Zacchaeus shimmied quickly down that slick bark of that sycomore tree joyfully to be with Jesus. Zacchaeus ran down that sycomore tree quickly when Jesus called and took Jesus home with him. Then Zacchaeus said not 10%, but half of everything I own I'm going to give to the poor, and if I took anything from a man by false accusation, I'll restore him fourfold. Jesus then said This day is salvation come to this house. Note that according to Jesus after a man gets saved, that man will have a desire to bless the poor.
The story about Zacchaeus pictured above is recorded at Luke 19:2 and says And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who He was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see Him: for He was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received Him joyfully. This is one of the only times where a sinner was looking down at God while God (Jesus) was looking up at a sinner (Zacchaeus).
Luke 19:8 goes on to say And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
I pray in Jesus name that this bible study blesses multitudes everywhere with great joy, peace, and strength. Feel free to email Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 746-7071. Till we meet again soon to lift up our Lord Jesus, everyone have a blessed day in Jesus name.
No comments:
Post a Comment