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Was Naaman very thankful for his
cure? Yes; when he saw that he was cleansed, he returned with all
his company to Samaria, and went to Elisha, and stood humbly before
him. Naaman was not now, as he had been, a little time ago, proud
and self-willed. He had become humble, and submissive, and obedient;
God had made him so by His Holy Spirit. All our hearts are proud and
rebellious, till they are made new; but God, if we ask him, can take away
our sinful passions, as he took away Naaman's Naaman
said to Elisha, I know now that Israel's God is the only true God.
He has cured me of my leprosy; and I wish now to serve and worship Him
alone." Then Naaman wanted to give a present to Elisha, but the
good prophet said, "No, I will have nothing." Naaman was
right to feel grateful to Elisha; and Elisha was right in not wanting a
reward. God's people should be glad and thankful to be useful, and
not wish to be paid for what they do. Elisha was poor, and Naaman
was rich; but Elisha was contented with the little God gave him, and he
did not covet Naaman's riches. Then Naaman said again to Elisha,
"I will in future, offer sacrifices only to Israel's God: I
will never again pray to the idol-gods of Syria. But my master, the
king of Syria, is an idolater still. He goes to the temple of the
idol Rimmon to worship there: and when he goes, he will command me
to go with him; and he will lean upon my hand: and when he bows down
to worship Rimmon, I must bow down too; but I shall not pray to Rimmon in
my heart, but to the true God. But will He forgive me when I bow
down in the idol-temple?" Then Elisha answered, "Go in
peace;" for he believed that the heart of Naaman was sincere; and
that God would teach him the right way. But
the end of this story is very sad. Elisha's servant, Gehazi, was not
like his good master. Gehazi indeed knew much about God: for
Elisha had often talked to him of holy things, and Gehazi had seen many
wonderful miracles which God gave Elisha power to do. But Gehazi was
not the better for all these blessings. He did not love God; he had
never prayed for pardon, and for a new heart. His heart was full of
wicked thoughts; he was covetous, and he loved the world better than he
loved God. When Gehazi saw his master refuse Naaman's present, he
felt very angry, and he thought to himself, "My master will not take
anything from this rich Syrian; but I will run after Naaman, and take
something for myself." So Gehazi followed after Naaman; and he
thought Elisha would not know where he was gone. When
Naaman turned round, and saw Gehazi coming, he came down from his chariot,
and went to meet him, and asked, "Is all well?" Gehazi
answered, "Yes: all is well. but just now, two young
prophets have come to my master; and he has sent me to thee to ask for
some silver and garments for them, because they are poor." This
story was not true; but Naaman believed it, and gave the silver and the
garments to two of his servants, and they carried them before
Gehazi. But when they came near Elisha's house, Gehazi took Naaman's
presents away from the servants, and sent them back; and then he took the
garments and the money, and hid them in the house, and went into Elisha's
room and stood before his master. Then Elisha asked, "Where
hast thou been, Gehazi?" The wicked servant was afraid to
confess, and said, "I went no where." But Gehazi could not
deceive the prophet. Elisha knew all that Gehazi had been doing, and
he looked very gravely upon him, and said, "Went not my heart with
thee, when Naaman came out of his chariot to meet thee? Did he not
give thee silver and garments: hast thou not coveted and taken all
these things? And now God will punish thee for this wickedness; the
leprosy of Naaman shall be upon thee, and upon thy children for
ever." And directly Elisha had said this, God smote Gehazi with
leprosy, and he went out "a leper as white as snow." His
riches could do him no good now; they could not cure his leprosy. He
could stay no longer with his good master, and hear the holy things he
taught. No; Gehazi had made God angry, and Elisha, and therefore, he
must go away far from God's holy people, and live alone in pain and
sorrow. Covetousness and deceit and lying are dreadful sins, which
God always punishes. The Bible says, "No covetous man, who is
an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of
God." Ephesians 5:5. And "All liars shall
have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone." Revelation 21:8.
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