There Is a Prophet in Israel: The Unclean Can Be Cleansed (2 Kings 5:7-19)
Sermon Summary
Pastor David Yan
26July 2026
God Cleanses the Unclean (2 Kings 5:7-19; Luke 4:24-27) Naaman, a pagan, came to know and serve the only God — the God of Israel. How?
He had to hear about Israel’s God. This happened when his servant, an abducted girl from Israel, told him of the prophet in Israel who could heal him.
Today, people need to hear about God. Jesus commanded his apostles to proclaim the gospel. Christians must talk about God if people are to hear him.
He must do something. Naaman had to go to the prophet. People must rise and go to the one who said “Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”.
Naaman had to overcome two obstacles --- preconceived ideas and pride.
He had a preconceived notion as to how the prophet Elisha should minister. He expected some dramatic action from the prophet. But no one dictates to God or to God’s messenger as to how they should act.
Naaman had pride in his heart. He did not want to go to the River Jordan as the prophet commanded. He thought healing of his leprosy could be done in Syria and not in Israel. He was proud and unwilling to yield to God’s command.
But at the counsel of his servants, Naaman humbled himself, obeyed the prophet’s command, and went to the Jordan River dipping himself seven times in the Jordan.
The dipping in the River Jordan is symbolically significant.
Naaman must be dipped in the Jordan and not the rivers of Syria. Salvation is of Jews. Today, salvation is through the Jews, that is, through Jesus Christ
Not only must he be dipped but dipped seven times. Seven is the number of perfection or completeness.
Naaman’s cleansing is to be complete. When Jesus heals you your salvation is complete.
Naaman was miraculously healed. It was an act of God. The waters did not heal Naaman. The dipping did not cleanse Naaman. It was God who miraculously healed Naaman. Jesus is the great physician. He is the healer.
Naaman would return to Syria to build an altar to worship the one and true God. He asked for some earth from the land of Israel. It was the belief among nations that altars for worship must be built from the earth where the gods resided. Naaman’s request for earth from Israel is evidence he was now a believer of the God of Israel.
He had one request of the prophet Elisha, that when he, Naaman, entered a pagan temple to support his master he would be forgiven. Elisha simply said “Go in peace”. He neither condemned or condoned Naaman. God gives people leeway to make changes in their lives. We grow progressively. Sanctification is a process. Naaman no doubt, would progressively make changes in his life.
All praise to God for cleansing a leper. We are all lepers in our hearts. Come to Jesus now and be washed. You can become as it were, “whiter than the snow”.