Elisha and the Syrians

Lesson Summary

After Elijah was taken away, Elisha succeed  him as a prophet of God. And, like Elijah, God was pleased to do many miracles through Elisha. The book of 2 Kings records many of these miracles. He purified water (2:19-22), multiplied oil (4:1-7), raised a dead boy (4:32-37), purified stew (4:38-41), multiplied loaves (4:42-44), and made an ax head float (6:4-7).

The miracle we talked about in this lesson was the healing of the Syrian commander, Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-19). After he washed in the Jordan River seven times, the Lord healed him of his leprosy. When Naaman offered to give Elisha a gift for his healing, Elisha replied, "As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none" (2 Kings 5:16).

Elisha's servant Gehazi, however, saw opportunity for profit. In the

account of Naaman, his leprosy can be seen as analogous to sin in its universal scope, and his healing as wonderful picture of our salvation in Christ. But in the account of Gehazi, we see the process and consequences of greed or covetousness. It is the picture of religious

hypocrisy, of human rationalization, of rebellion and insubordination to authority, of unfaithfulness, and of the downward spiral of sin.

Read and Discuss

Read the following passages and discuss the questions together.

2 Kings 5:20-27

1. What did Gehazi think of Naaman ("this Syrian")? What did Gehazi think of the actions of Elisha, his master (v. 20)
2. What was the first lie that Gehazi told (v. 22)?
3. Why do you think Naaman responded so generously (v. 23)?
4. What did Gehazi do with the items he had received (v. 24)?
5. What was the next lie that Gehazi told (v. 25)?
6. What was God's punishment for Gehazi's sin (v. 27)?
7. Read the following passages and discuss what each one has to say about greed and covetousness.

Exodus 20:17 -

Luke 12:15-21-

Colossians 3:5-7 -

Ephesians 5:3-7 -

Acts 4:36-5:11

• What did Ananias and Sapphira do (5:1-2)?
• By lying to the apostles about the price of the land they sold (v. 7), who had they really lied to (vv. 3-4)? •
• What was the punishment for their greed and deceitfulness (vv. 5, 10)?

1Timothy 6:9-11

• What is the proper attitude toward possessions
• How did Gehazi's actions mirror Paul's admonition (vv. 9-10)
• What things do you covet? Has greed ever caused you to lie
• What can we do about our sinful desires (v.11)?

Memory Verse

Review the memory verse with your family.

Philippians 3:13-14 

But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Prayer

Thank God that his Word records not only the good and noble actions of men, but also the sinful ones. Thank him for the good example of grace shown by Elisha in the healing of Naaman. Ask him to guard your heart from greed and covetousness like that shown by Gehazi. Ask for God's help to pursue righteousness, faith, love, patience, gentleness ... and contentment.