It is possible to read 2 Kings 5 and conclude that Elisha performed a mighty miracle for Naaman by giving him instructions for curing his leprosy.  Some may read the passage and conclude that Naaman healed himself; of course by being obedient to Elisha's instructions.  Others may read the passage and conclude that there is healing power in any water flowing in the Jordan River.

Naaman was healed and cured by the mighty power of the living God, whose Prophet Elisha acted as God's representative.  Arguably, as with the friends of the paralyzed man who tore the roof off the house and lowered him down to Jesus, we could conclude that the faith the Hebrew little maid had in her God is what produced God's miracle.

Few believe that Naaman healed himself.

2 Kings 5

5 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.  ² And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.  ³ And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.  ⁴ And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.

⁵ And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.  ⁶ And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.  ⁷ And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.

⁸ And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.

⁹ So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.  ¹⁰ And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.

¹¹ But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.

¹² Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.  ¹³ And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?

¹⁴ Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

¹⁵ And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.  ¹⁶ But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.

Naaman did not heal/cure himself from leprosy! 

God did, through a young maid and a Prophet.

Everyone,

The posts on this site were copied and pasted from a dormant BlogSpot.  They were not arrayed in chronological order and I apologize for that.  The impetus for this site was created when a fellow Protestant wrote a lengthy paper and submitted it to his Pastor and had his notions validated.  His paper emphasized a laundry-list of passages (many referring to the Sermon on the Mount and entry into the Kingdom of Heaven passages) which he interpreted to be absolute requirements of everyone seeking to enter Heaven.  He asked three brothers to test what he had written and my very first Biblical citation was the thief on the cross; no Baptism, no Habitat for Humanity work, no soup kitchen volunteering... as we read the account- Jesus did it all!  That example prodded the Spirit to remind me of the many contrasting examples found in this blog.

As this 2nd effort - Isaacsredemption2@blogspot.com - is launched, I promise to ruminate on the Scriptures and post additional references of God's (yes, along with Jesus and the Spirit of Holiness) great and exclusive works.

Dryjordan

Sunday, June 19, 2005

Isaac's Redemption

In Genesis 22:2-13, Isaac trusts his father, carrys the wood for his own sacrifice after riding to the site on an ass and is almost sacrificed by his earthly father on an altar he helps to prepare.

Isaac is spared by the provision of an Angel and the placement of a substitute, a ram, for the sacrifice. Genesis records how Isaac's life was extended that day.

Isaac did not save himself.

Isaac took no actions or steps to provide for himself, except loving and trusting his father. In considering this "free gift," with no participant involvement, future posts will examine other groups and individuals - in the Old and New Testaments - who likewise did not save themselves. Collectively, they present a Biblical theme that God saves those he chooses to redeem. Hence the site, Isaac's Redemption.

In subsequent posts, consideration will be given to the amount of effort the first-borns contributed to their redemption at the first Passover in Egypt as well as how much effort the "Thief on the Cross" contributed to his redemption during that brief encounter he had with Christ.

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is nodifference: Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation throughfaith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; Romans 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness:that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Redemption of the Firstborn

It would be foolish to assume that all of the firstborn who were spared during the Passover were infants. Certainly, some of the very men who applied the blood to the doorposts and lintels were themselves adult firstborns. Reviewing the passages below where we are told that there were approximately six hundred thousand men, plus children and women, it becomes clear that a large quantity of Isrealites were spared from the overflight of the death angel. God knows how many. Considering just the firstborn children and infants; the Passover instructions were performed by someone else. They had no hand in God's sparing them.

Each had no hand in saving himself.

Redemption is from God.

Exodus12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover. Exodus 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. Exodus 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

Exodus 12:37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. Exodus 12:38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle. Exodus 12:39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual. Exodus 12:40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. Exodus12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:42 It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of theLORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Eight were chosen of God and God spared the eight he chose.

In Genesis 6:8-18, God extends Grace to Noah, his sons and their wives and He selects them for His regeneration of the earth, after the flood.

The eight did not select God. God selected and redeemed the eight.

Thursday, June 23, 2005

God Redeemed Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:21

Adam and Eve seperated themselves from God in Genesis 3. When He called, they attempted to hide their nakedness with leaves. Their efforts were totally insufficient. In Genesis 3:11, after shedding the blood of an innocent animal, God redeems and restores them and covers their nakedness with the skin of the slain animal(s).

Adam and Eve did not redeem themselves. God redeemed Adam and Eve.

Friday, June 24, 2005

By the end of Exodus, we know that the rest that God promised to everyone in the tribe who was faithful - reaching the Promised Land of Canaan - would be denied to Moses. We are given the reason God denied Moses' entry and we have it confirmed again at Deuteronomy 34:4-6.

Moses' mortal life ended and he was buried at a location unknown to man.

Yet, at Matthew 17:3, we are presented with the disciple's witnessing of Jesus with Moses and Elias. What can a dead man do to redeem himself?

The mercy, foregiveness and redemption received by Moses, after his burial, was from God.