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Elisha and NaamanDear Parents,
This week in The Gospel Project® for Kids, we turn our attention to Elisha, Elijah’s friend and successor, and Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army. The Syrians often attacked Israelite cities and took whatever they wanted, including people to work as slaves. One of the slaves carried off by the Syrians has a pivotal role in today’s story. Naaman was sick with leprosy—a serious skin disease. Without a cure, Naaman would suffer horribly. A young slave girl from the land of Israel, however, knew about the one true God. She told her mistress that Elisha the prophet could heal Naaman. Naaman told his master, the king of Aram, what his servant said. The king of Aram wrote a letter to King Ahab, commanding him to heal Naaman. King Ahab panicked. He couldn’t heal Naaman—only God could do that! Elisha called for Naaman and told him to wash seven times in the Jordan River. It wasn’t the “cure” Naaman was expecting, and initially he rejected Elisha’s instructions. His servants, however, encouraged him to obey. Naaman washed in the Jordan and he was healed! Naaman told Elisha, “I know there’s no God in the whole world except in Israel” (2 Kings 5:15). Naaman was sick with a skin problem. His disease went away when he washed in the river. All people are sick with a sin problem. They need a Healer. When we trust Jesus as Lord and Savior, God forgives our sin and heals us. |
2nd- 5th |
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Preschool- 1st |
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Elisha and Naaman
2 Kings 5
Naaman (NAY muhn) was the commander of the Syrian army. The king of Syria respected Naaman, and Naaman was good at his job. He led the army to attack cities in Israel. They took things from the cities. They even took people to be slaves in Syria. But Naaman was sick. He had leprosy, a serious skin disease.
One of the Israelites who was captured to be a slave was a little girl. She served Naaman’s wife in Syria. The slave girl saw that Naaman was sick, and she wanted him to be healed.
“A prophet in Samaria could heal Naaman,” she told Naaman’s wife. Samaria was a city in Israel. Naaman heard what the little girl said, and he went to talk to the king of Syria. The king of Syria agreed to send Naaman with a letter to the king of Israel. The letter read, “I have sent you my servant Naaman for you to cure him of his skin disease.”
When the king of Israel read the letter, he was upset. “Am I God? Do I have the power to give life and take it away? Why does this man think I can cure a skin disease?” The king of Israel could not heal Naaman. The power to heal comes only from God.
Elisha the prophet heard the king was upset and called Naaman to his house. Naaman arrived and stood at the door. He was ready to be healed! But what happened next was not what Naaman expected. Elisha didn’t come to the door. Instead, a messenger told Naaman, “Go wash seven times in the Jordan River.”
Wash in the river? If Naaman wanted to wash in the river, he could have done that at home! Had he traveled all the way to Samaria for nothing? Naaman was angry. He had hoped Elisha would call on the name of the Lord, wave his hand over Naaman’s skin, and heal him.
Naaman started to leave, but his servants encouraged him to do what Elisha said. So Naaman went to the Jordan River. He dipped himself in the river seven times. Then Naaman’s skin was healed! It looked as good as the skin of a young child.
Naaman and all the people with him went to Elisha. “I know that the God of Israel is the one true God,” Naaman said. He thanked Elisha and offered him a gift of gold, silver, and clothing. But Elisha would not take the gift. So Naaman left to go back home.
Elisha’s servant Gehazi (gih HAY zigh) stopped Naaman. Gehazi asked him for silver and two changes of clothing. He lied to Naaman about why he wanted the gifts. Gehazi said the gifts were for visitors, but Gehazi really wanted them for himself. Naaman gave Gehazi some silver and clothing.
When Gehazi returned to Elisha, Elisha said, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” Gehazi lied again. “I didn’t go anywhere,” he said.
But Elisha knew Gehazi had been greedy. He knew he had taken gifts from Naaman. Instead of thinking about God, Gehazi only thought about himself. As punishment, Gehazi’s skin became diseased. He had leprosy like Naaman had, and his skin was white like snow.
Christ Connection: Naaman was sick with a skin problem. His disease went away when he washed in the river. All people are sick with a sin problem. We all need a Healer. When we trust Jesus as Lord and Savior, God forgives our sin and heals us.
2 Kings 5
Naaman (NAY muhn) was the commander of the Syrian army. The king of Syria respected Naaman, and Naaman was good at his job. He led the army to attack cities in Israel. They took things from the cities. They even took people to be slaves in Syria. But Naaman was sick. He had leprosy, a serious skin disease.
One of the Israelites who was captured to be a slave was a little girl. She served Naaman’s wife in Syria. The slave girl saw that Naaman was sick, and she wanted him to be healed.
“A prophet in Samaria could heal Naaman,” she told Naaman’s wife. Samaria was a city in Israel. Naaman heard what the little girl said, and he went to talk to the king of Syria. The king of Syria agreed to send Naaman with a letter to the king of Israel. The letter read, “I have sent you my servant Naaman for you to cure him of his skin disease.”
When the king of Israel read the letter, he was upset. “Am I God? Do I have the power to give life and take it away? Why does this man think I can cure a skin disease?” The king of Israel could not heal Naaman. The power to heal comes only from God.
Elisha the prophet heard the king was upset and called Naaman to his house. Naaman arrived and stood at the door. He was ready to be healed! But what happened next was not what Naaman expected. Elisha didn’t come to the door. Instead, a messenger told Naaman, “Go wash seven times in the Jordan River.”
Wash in the river? If Naaman wanted to wash in the river, he could have done that at home! Had he traveled all the way to Samaria for nothing? Naaman was angry. He had hoped Elisha would call on the name of the Lord, wave his hand over Naaman’s skin, and heal him.
Naaman started to leave, but his servants encouraged him to do what Elisha said. So Naaman went to the Jordan River. He dipped himself in the river seven times. Then Naaman’s skin was healed! It looked as good as the skin of a young child.
Naaman and all the people with him went to Elisha. “I know that the God of Israel is the one true God,” Naaman said. He thanked Elisha and offered him a gift of gold, silver, and clothing. But Elisha would not take the gift. So Naaman left to go back home.
Elisha’s servant Gehazi (gih HAY zigh) stopped Naaman. Gehazi asked him for silver and two changes of clothing. He lied to Naaman about why he wanted the gifts. Gehazi said the gifts were for visitors, but Gehazi really wanted them for himself. Naaman gave Gehazi some silver and clothing.
When Gehazi returned to Elisha, Elisha said, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” Gehazi lied again. “I didn’t go anywhere,” he said.
But Elisha knew Gehazi had been greedy. He knew he had taken gifts from Naaman. Instead of thinking about God, Gehazi only thought about himself. As punishment, Gehazi’s skin became diseased. He had leprosy like Naaman had, and his skin was white like snow.
Christ Connection: Naaman was sick with a skin problem. His disease went away when he washed in the river. All people are sick with a sin problem. We all need a Healer. When we trust Jesus as Lord and Savior, God forgives our sin and heals us.