Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 5
Elisha had refused Naaman’s gifts, but now Naaman desired a gift from Elisha, or rather, from Elisha’s God.
Naaman now believed that Israel’s God is the only true God (5:15). So, he recognised Israel’s God to be the God of the whole world. It would therefore be wrong for him to serve the false gods of Aram when he returned home. Now, he would serve only the true God.
However, Naaman also understood the special relationship between God and Israel. Israel is God’s holy nation – so Naaman must respect the connection between God and Israel. For that reason, Naaman desired to build in Aram an altar, in other words, a place to offer gifts to God. God directed his people to make such an altar from earth in Exodus 20:24. God also told Israel’s people only to offer their gifts to him at his temple, the house of God in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 12:4-14). However, Naaman did not belong to Israel. So, he asked for earth from Israel so that he could serve God at an altar in Aram.
God taught Naaman the importance of Israel when he directed him to bathe in the river Jordan (5:10). The Jordan is the only major river in the land that God promised to Israel’s people. Formerly, Naaman had thought that Aram, with its great rivers, was much better than Israel (5:12). Now, however, he understood that God really had chosen Israel. God had promised that land to Israel’s people, his special people; and God had even allowed them to build his temple, a place of prayer for the whole world (Isaiah 56:7), in Jerusalem.
Next part: Naaman's official duties and his duties to God (2 Kings 5:18-19)
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