Study Exodus 20: 8-11

Exodus 20: 8-11

 

NIV    ⁸ "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. ¹¹ For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

 

The Message   ^{8 -11} Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Work six days and do everything you need to do. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to God, your God. Don't do any work—not you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your servant, nor your maid, nor your animals, not even the foreign guest visiting in your town. For in six days God made Heaven, Earth, and sea, and everything in them; he rested on the seventh day. Therefore God blessed the Sabbath day; he set it apart as a holy day.

 

     We begin our look at Sabbath we must go back in time to Genesis 2: 2 & 3 where we see “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” Although the word “Sabbath” is not used here, the Hebrew verb translated “rested” is the origin of the noun “Sabbath.” The first time we see the word Sabbath is in Exodus 16: 23 but the principle of the seventh day as a day of rest and holiness is set forth in the above passage. We also see the word holy used here, holiness involves being consecrated to the Lord’s service and thus being separated from the commonplace. In our text for this week, Exodus 20: 11 quotes the first half of v. 3 but substitutes “Sabbath” for “seventh,” clearly equating the two.

     In verse 10 two reasons are given for not working…1) the Israelites were to observe the same pattern in service at God in service, “He rested on the seventh day.” The Israelites were to be thoughtful of the people who worked for them, the animals and the planet itself. All things need rest and God provided a means to obtain that rest.

  We can see once again this is NOT a rule!!! It’s God helping mankind be whole and at its best. It’s God helping mankind be considerate of others in and outside of our households, considerate of the wonderful plant and animal world he has given us to care for.

   I would like to quote a little bit from a book I use in my personal devotions and rule of life. The name of the book is “Spiritual Disciplines Handbook” by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun it is practical and wonderful. I highly recommend it to EVERY person who is seeking God. I hope it will help you see the Sabbath in a different light.

   “Sadly, everything about us works against slowing down. Our compulsion to produce and not waste time invades the space God gave us for rest. Children’s athletics, national sporting events, round-the-clock accessibility to work, e-mail and stores also fill up the Sabbath day, so we never stop. When you get indignant over how seemingly incompatible Sabbath is with the tiring and relentless demands already facing you, CONSIDER, what your tiredness means. Humans recognize the difference between work and rest. The fact that we make distinctions between being tired and rested is an indication that we need to do both. Sabbath is God’s way of saying, “Stop! Notice your limits! Don’t burn out!” It is a day he gives us to remember who and what work is for as well as what matters most. Sunday generously hands us hours to look into the eyes of the ones we love. Rhythmically, the Sabbath reminds us that we belong to the worldwide family of God. God’s Sabbath reality calls us to trust that the Creator can manage all that concerns us in this world as we settle into his rest.”

 

Sermon 2 Kings 5: 1-17

Sermon

2 Kings 5: 1-17

“That’s Not How It’s Suppose To Work”

The church had prayed for weeks that the Spirit of God would fall on the community for the up coming revival. They prayed diligently that God would revive them and save the lost. They had high hopes and went out on a limb bringing in one of the best evangelist in the area. As the time drew near so did the excitement and anticipation for what God was going to do. Then it came revival time, the singing was high energy, the preaching was magnificent, the altar was…empty except for a few Christians seeking a deeper walk.. The next night the singing was even better, the prayer was intense, the scripture was expounded upon better than ever and the altar was…empty. The folks at the church didn’t understand, they had prayed, they had fasted, they had financially committed in faith. So, they prayed harder, the preacher preached longer and the altar was…empty. Finally, on the last night one scrawny teen-age boy went to the altar and was saved. What a disappointment, the community was still lost, the church was disappointed, the evangelist went home with only his expenses paid and a sandwich. Expectations and excitement, this church had asked God to work, begged God to work, prayed with His will, and they were disappointed, angry, discouraged. They knew the routine, they knew how it was suppose to work, pray for the Spirit, make good plans, get the best preacher and invite unsaved friends, people are won to the Lord, a community is won to the Lord. That’s how it’s suppose to work.

She was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Interestingly Her father; was a creative, artistic man who could turn his hand to anything. He owned a flooring business in the city and bought a farm not far away where she became a champion horse rider. She described herself as an "immature and headstrong teenager." It was at that point in her life she came in contact with "Young Life" a religious youth organization that works with high school kids. It was at a camp run by "Young Life" that she understood the Gospel and gave her life to Christ. She prayed, "Lord if you're really there, do something in my life to change me around, I'm begging you....! Her friends and mentor were excited, she was a talented artist and maybe God would use that. Her Dad knew she loved horses and could ride beautifully God could certainly use her in that arena. Everything was going along great. One hot summer day the answer came, friends were everywhere, laughter permeated the air, she took a run toward the water, a beautiful dive, then darkness, broken neck, paraplegic. Expectations and excitement, this young lady had given her life to God, she had a wonderful support group. They had asked God to work, begged God to work, prayed with His will, and they were disappointed, angry, discouraged. They knew the routine, they knew how it was suppose to work, God’s saves girl, girl makes commitment, family and fellow Christians support, girl has good life serving God. That’s how it’s suppose to work.

There he stood, hot, sweaty, humiliated and above all still covered in disease. He had lowered himself to listen to a slave girl; he had gained an audience with two kings; he had traveled with his caravan and regiment of soldiers; suffered illness in silence; been dirty and dusty for weeks; carried with him 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and the best of clothing as a gift. Expectations and excitement, this esteemed, honored general had done everything he was suppose to do, he had a wonderful support group. They had given him everything he needed to make the journey; they had encouraged him to seek the healing; how could he go home now, he was disappointed, angry, discouraged. He knew the routine, he knew how it was suppose to work! Prophet comes out in all pomp and circumstance, maybe sing, dance, perform elaborate rituals, then call on the name of whatever god, wave his hand or a rod or something over you and the problem would be solved. That’s how it’s suppose to work. That’s how it’s suppose to work…

NIV    ¹ Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.  ² Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. ³ She said to her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy."  ⁴ Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. ⁵ "By all means, go," the king of Aram replied. "I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. ⁶ The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: "With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy."  ⁷ As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, "Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!"  ⁸ When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: "Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel." ⁹ So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house. ¹⁰ Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed."  ¹¹ But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. ¹² Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?" So he turned and went off in a rage.  ¹³ Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!" ¹⁴ So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. 15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept now a gift from your servant.” 16 The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused. 17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord.”

This is a pretty straight forward story. Naaman, who is of the rich and famous, has the dreaded disease of leprosy. He is so desperate for a cure he listens to a slave girl, goes to the top people, spends allot of money and makes a long trip to get well. He has covered every base. He knows how the world works, he knows how people respond and think. He knows how to go about this.

 

And that’s where we pick up the story, verse 9. Naaman finds himself standing at the gate of Elisha to be healed of leprosy. This man is a warrior, he is not a Hebrew, he is from a nation north of Israel, a nation that warred with Israel off and on for years. This commander of a victorious army has gone to a defeated nation, a defeated God (at least in his eyes); a defeated king of Israel; on the word of a slave girl; with his troops; his money; his letter of reference; his chariots; his caravan; his power; his expectation of being healed and Elisha doesn’t even come out to greet him. He sends a servant which tells him to go wash in the river of a defeated foe and in a conquered kingdom. This prophet doesn’t even acknowledge who Naaman is, he just tells him to go wash in the Jordan. No singing, no dancing, no ritual, no gift giving or receiving. Naaman’s whole understanding and belief system is challenged. No wonder in verse 11 he is angry!  The Message says," He stomped off, mad as a hornet.” Naaman’s expectations and understanding are unfulfilled. How he envisioned the situation working was not at all what was happening.

 

How many times have I/we expected something out of God and it didn’t work like it was suppose to? I mean in the last ten years we really have jumped into our community with all kinds of ideas and attempts to make a difference. For instance…

 

We prayed about God’s will concerning reaching the un-churched those folks who couldn’t come to worship on Sunday. We also set it up attempting to reach the age 19 to pre-children age group. We planned, we sought God’s will, put tables with candles up, we opened an espresso bar, we wore our jeans/shorts and we started a Saturday night service. But it didn’t work like we thought is should, we never attracted those people who couldn’t come on Sunday or who were in that age group. We had wonderful services but our expectations of ministering to a specific group of people never happened. It didn’t work like it was suppose to.

 

We prayed about God’s will concerning building this building, originally one of the reasons was for more Sunday School space and a gym. But it didn’t work like it was suppose to, we still need Sunday School space. We have a gym but we never met the anticipation of having more classrooms. We never had classrooms like we were suppose to.

 

We prayed about God’s giving us a bus ministry here in this neighborhood behind the church. We got a great deal on the bus, we prayer walked, we made bus repairs, we got riders and drivers then no one, not one child would ride. The bus sat idol it never fulfilled what we thought was the plan, it never worked like it was suppose to.

 

You see Naaman’s expectations were based on his understanding, in terms of his experiences, traditions and beliefs. He expected the prophet of the God of Israel to heal him as he understood the way healings were suppose to happen. And by how prophets were suppose to perform.

 

Our expectations are often based on how we see things, how we understand, our up bringing, our backgrounds, our own belief systems or what we’ve seen in other places. We often have confidence in our finite mental abilities or dreams. Our expectations are there out in front, limiting our understanding of the expanse of God’s vision, of God’s Kingdom, God’s plan.

 

Naaman at the promptings of his traveling servants is finally obedient to what the prophet says then is totally and completely healed. That is a wonderful miracle but I don’t really believe that’s why this story is in the Bible. Could it be we have this story because of what happens in verse 17? The fact that, Naaman doesn’t just get healed, he was expecting that. But he finds a living God, a new faith in God, a new testimony of God, he takes with him worship of God which up until that point was not in Syria. A nation, an entire lost people are introduced to an Almighty God because of what happened to one man. The healing of Naaman is awesome, but taking the worship and knowledge of God to people who have never heard of Him is so much bigger. Naaman could have never dreamed what was happening, God’s Kingdom extending beyond national boundaries, cultures, viewpoints, and language.

 

Are you disappointed, angry, discouraged, because your expectations or your expectations of the church, haven’t been fulfilled like you imagined or believed they would be. Have you prayed, believed and acted upon something you felt was in line with God’s will only to see no or little results. Let me give you some good news. God’s plan is still going on, He is still advancing the Kingdom, far above anything we can envision, no matter how grand.

 

You see we can know that we are to pray, to plan, to seek, to do, to be, but we are not in charge of the outcome. We can’t even fathom what God is up to -- it’s so much bigger than us, our church, our thoughts, our dreams, even our world.

 

If Saturday night service had never happened the Methodist Church would have never began their third service, which is ministering in a mighty way to people we didn’t even know existed. Bruce and Deborah Boydston might never have gotten back into the ministry and Pleasant Hill would not have them as pastors. And they are doing an incredible job! Kingdom extension over and above anything we could have ever dreamed! God is active with His plan, Saturday night service did work just like it was suppose to!

 

If we had filled this building with classrooms instead of the wide open spaces, there would have never been room for Kid Connection or Heritage. But when it seemed we hadn’t done what we had prayed about, God’s plan unfolded and now look around at how His Kingdom has been extended to people and places we could have never foreseen! God’s plan for this building turned out just like it was suppose to.

 

Who would have thought that old idol bus and a failed plan for the neighborhood would be bringing children and adults from miles away and ministering unbelievably to an area we didn’t even know about when we bought that bus. Our expectations so far below the sight of God! That old bus is going just where it was suppose to.

 

Naaman sought healing BUT ended up finding God, then taking the worship and knowledge of God back to the nation of Aram. God’s Kingdom far above anything he could have expected or even knew was possible.

 

And the one scrawny teen-ager saved in that “so called” failed revival was Billy Graham. God’s Kingdom far and above anything that church could have expected. That revival worked just like it was suppose to.

 

And that girl who had gotten saved with hopes of ministry as an artist or in the equestrian community but ended up with a broken neck - Joni Erickson Tada. A woman who has taken the story of victory and hope through suffering worldwide! God’s Kingdom far and above anything she, her family, her mentors could have ever expected. That call worked just like it was suppose to.

 

And today where are we???? Some maybe confused because you’ve prayed, believed and not seen anything turn out like it ought to. Some maybe angry or disappointed because you have worked, given time, effort, money and it’s not like it was “was suppose to.” Could it be there are those here today wondering if we are going in the right direction at all and anticipating some kind of understandable outcome?

 

When in reality what we’re looking for, may not at all be what God has in mind. What we are to do is, like Naaman, to seek and be obedient then let God extend in His own way, His own plan, His Kingdom, which is always bigger, better and higher than ours.

 

And like Naaman he thought something was going to be done for him…healing. God was thinking…I’m going to become friends with Naaman. Namaan is getting allot more than a healing he is about to discover me and take me home, home to Syria, to his family, to his people and where ever he goes I’ll be with him.  

 

Be encouraged today, God is on the move, don’t allow what may look like failure to hinder. Don’t allow your own understandings to consume you or be a block. God’s Kingdom can, will and is advancing far and above anything we could ever expect, imagine or envision. Maybe it is working just like it’s suppose too, maybe while we’re looking for results all the time God is just looking at us and wanting us to look at Him, to trust Him, and to move with Him.

 

I hope you will spend some time in prayer with the Lord about this whole concept of “things working like I think they ought to.” Maybe it’s not suppose to look at all like what I think, maybe the I shouldn’t be there at all. May God help us to see with His eyes and to look to Him.

 

Study 2 Kings 8: 1-17

Study 2 Kings 8: 1- 17

NIV    ¹ Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.  ² Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. ³ She said to her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy."  ⁴ Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. ⁵ "By all means, go," the king of Aram replied. "I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. ⁶ The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: "With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy."  ⁷ As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, "Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!"  ⁸ When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: "Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel." ⁹ So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house. ¹⁰ Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed."  ¹¹ But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. ¹² Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?" So he turned and went off in a rage.  ¹³ Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!" ¹⁴ So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. 15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept now a gift from your servant.” 16 The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused. 17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord.”

There are some incredible women/men of God teaching in seminaries across the world. One of those is a man by the name of Dr. Roger Hahn. He teaches at the Nazarene Seminary in Kansas City. I found an article written by him on this very passage. I have copied it below, it is far better than anything I could have ever done. Enjoy.

Verse 1 introduces the human protagonist of the story. Naaman was apparently a common name in ancient Syria since the name was used in the Ugaritic tablets. The name means "fair" or "gracious," and the very meaning of the name would dispose the ancient reader to think positively about Naaman. He is described as the commander of the army. The Hebrew expression implies that he was the commander-in-chief and reported directly to the king of Syria. That king was probably Ben-Hadad, though he is not mentioned directly in the chapter. Info from Dr. Roger Hahn, NTS

The author of 2 Kings notes that Naaman enjoyed high regard or special favor in the sight of the king because Yahweh had used him to bring victory to the Syrians. Most scholars assume that the incidents of chapter 5 took place at a time when Israel and Syria were at peace. Otherwise the victories would have been at the expense of Israel, and Naaman's visit to Israel in search of healing would have been much less likely. Regardless of who Syria's enemies were, the author regards Yahweh as the source of victory. Info from Dr. Roger Hahn, NTS

The Hebrew word translated leprosy in the Old Testament appears to have described a variety of skin diseases. Leviticus 13 gives the most comprehensive discussion of the kinds of leprosy and the symptoms of the various types. Exact understanding of the modern medical terms for those diseases is not possible from just the symptoms listed in Leviticus 13. However, it is almost certain that the disease now known as leprosy or Hansen's disease was not one of the diseases described in the Old Testament. The Old Testament understood that these leprosies were contagious and stringent quarantine regulations were enforced for certain types of leprosy. Second Kings 7:3-4 provides a case in point. Leprosy was sometimes considered a judgment from God against sin, as Numbers 12:10-15 shows. Info from Dr. Roger Hahn, NTS

The culture of the Ancient East expected that a person would take a gift with them when they visited another. The visit of the Queen of Sheba with Solomon and her gift mentioned in 1 Kings 10:10 is an example of how extravagant such giving could be. The resources carried by Naaman to serve as a gift were also extravagant. Ten talents of silver would be equal to about seven hundred pounds of silver. Six thousand shekels of gold would represent about 145 pounds of gold. With gift and letter in hand Naaman went to the king of Israel. The king is not named, though it is probably Jehoram. Naaman would have assumed that the king was the most powerful man in the land of Israel and that healing would have come through him. The king did not appreciate the compliment. He understood that God is the giver of life and health. That the king of Syria would send his commander in chief to him with such a request struck the Israelite king as an effort to bait or trap him. Several important dynamics are work at this point of the story. Obviously the king should have immediately called upon the prophet of God. The fact that he did not shows how out of touch he was with the theology of his people. It also shows how completely he lacked a relationship with God. There is also irony in that Naaman came to him assuming he was the most powerful man in Israel. The reader of 2 Kings already knows that Elisha is more powerful than the king. That has been demonstrated in previous chapters. The king also knew but would not admit that reality. However, the request of Naaman required access to God that the king did not have. Only Elisha had that access, and the king was not willing to admit his weakness in the face of Elisha's strength. All the king could express was frustration. The king's response is very instructive of what happens to people who refuse to enter into relationship with God themselves, and yet who resent the power with God enjoyed by those who are obedient. Info from Dr. Roger Hahn, NTS

Elisha did not make the king feel any better when he found out about the king's dilemma. Verse 8 specifically describes Elisha as a man of God. He instructed the king to send Naaman to him so that Naaman may know that there is a prophet in Israel. The clear purpose for Naaman's coming to Israel is not healing but understanding the reality of God. Yet when Naaman arrived at Elisha's house and stood ready to greet him, Elisha snubbed the great commander. He refused to come out of the house himself but sent a servant. Info from Dr. Roger Hahn, NTS

The flow of the story thus far has predisposed the reader to want Naaman to be healed. Elisha gave him the "classic" test - do something that appears to be silly. Naaman's response was anger, and he turned his back on the promised healing. It appears that he will fail the test, and there is a sense of disappointment, a desire to reach into the story and grab Naaman to tell him to obey the word from God. There is anxiety from the reader for Naaman, but does that anxiety arise because we know that we have often missed what God would have done for us? It was Naaman's servants who persuaded him to at least try the solution offered to him by the prophet of God. They reminded him of an important truth. His goal in coming to Israel was to be healed, not to have his ego stroked. There is an interesting interplay between the so-called "important" people in this story and the so-called "insignificant" people. The highly respected Naaman has leprosy and is in desperate need. The lowly slave girl points him toward the solution. The high and mighty king of Israel is powerless and paralyzed by Naaman's need. The lowly prophet must step in to rescue the situation. The mighty military man is about to let arrogance slip healing from his hands. His servants speak a word of common sense and obedience. Info from Dr. Roger Hahn, NTS

For many readers the healing of Naaman in verse 14 is the climax to the story. But the real climax of the story is Naaman's confession in verse 15, "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Please accept a gift from your servant." Naaman's arrogance of verses 11-12 was gone and he offered Elisha the rich gift he has brought. When Elisha refused the gift, Naaman asked for two mule-loads of dirt from Israel to take with him back home. Two explanations have been given for this request. The first and most likely is that Naaman understood that Yahweh was especially connected to Canaan, to the Promised Land. Since he would have to leave Yahweh's Land to return to his job in Syria, could he take some of Yahweh's land with him as a sign of the relationship he had established with God? A second suggestion is that since altars were made of earth and unhewn stone, Naaman wished to take building materials for an altar back to his home. Info from Dr. Roger Hahn, NTS