Bible Lesson: Miracles Of The Old
Testament: Gehazi Becomes Leprous.
Occasion: The Punishment of
Gehazi.
Location: Samaria
Bible Text:
II Kings 5:20-27 NLT (Gehazi's
Greed Punished.)
20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha,
the man of God, said to himself, “My master should not have let
this Aramean get away without accepting any of his gifts. As surely
as The Lord lives, I will chase after him and get something from
him.”
21 So Gehazi set off after Naaman. When
Naaman saw Gehazi running after him, he climbed down from his chariot
and went to meet him. “Is everything all right?” Naaman asked.
22 “Yes,” Gehazi said, “but my
master has sent me to tell you that two young prophets from the hill
country of Ephraim have just arrived. He would like 75 pounds of
silver and two sets of clothing to give to them.”
23 “By all means, take twice as much
silver,” Naaman insisted. He gave him two sets of clothing, tied up
the money in two bags, and sent two of his servants to carry the
gifts for Gehazi.
24 But when they arrived at the
citadel, Gehazi took the gifts from the servants and sent the men
back. Then he went and hid the gifts inside the house.
25 When he went in to his master,
Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” “I haven’t
been anywhere,” he replied.
26 But Elisha asked him, “Don’t you
realize that I was there in spirit when Naaman stepped down from his
chariot to meet you? Is this the time to receive money and clothing,
olive groves and vineyards, sheep and cattle, and male and female
servants?
27 Because you have done this, you and
your descendants will suffer from Naaman’s leprosy forever.” When
Gehazi left the room, he was covered with leprosy; his skin was white
as snow.
Today's story is a continuation from
last times story of II Kings 5:1-15.
Naaman, was a Syrian Commander-in-Chief
of King Ben-hadad II's army.
He had leprosy, and Elisha, through the
power of God, had healed him. Naaman had offered Elisha gifts, but
Elisha refused them all, but the servant of Elisha Gehazi, went back
to Naaman, after he had left with a lie to gain personal riches. (Be
sure to go back and read the blog posting....
II Kings 5:20-23 NLT
20 But Gehazi,
the servant of Elisha, the man of God, said to himself, “My master
should not have let this Aramean get away without accepting any of
his gifts. As surely as The Lord lives, I will chase after him and
get something from him.”
21 So Gehazi
set off after Naaman. When Naaman saw Gehazi running after him, he
climbed down from his chariot and went to meet him. “Is everything
all right?” Naaman asked.
22 “Yes,” Gehazi said,
“but my master has sent me to tell you that two young prophets from
the hill country of Ephraim have just arrived. He would like 75
pounds of silver and two sets of clothing to give to them.”
23 “By all
means, take twice as much silver,” Naaman insisted. He gave him two
sets of clothing, tied up the money in two bags, and sent two of his
servants to carry the gifts for Gehazi.
Greed: monstrous greed, will stop at nothing!
Gehazi, told an absolute lie, to gain his riches, for Elisha had
never given such a command to him, or to anyone else!
Greed, The
Word:
I Samuel 8:1-3
NLT
1 As Samuel
grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel.
2 Joel and
Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba.
3 But they were
not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted
bribes and perverted justice.
Proverbs 1:10-19
NLT
10 My child, if
sinners entice you, turn your back on them!
11 They may
say, “Come and join us. Let’s hide and kill someone! Just for
fun, let’s ambush the innocent!
12 Let’s
swallow them alive, like the grave; let’s swallow them whole, like
those who go down to the pit of death.
13 Think of the
great things we’ll get! We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff
we take.
14 Come, throw
in your lot with us; we’ll all share the loot.”
15 My child,
don’t go along with them! Stay far away from their paths.
16 They rush to
commit evil deeds. They hurry to commit murder.
17 If a bird
sees a trap being set, it knows to stay away.
18 But these
people set an ambush for themselves; they are trying to get
themselves killed.
19 Such is the
fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life.
Proverbs 15:27
NLT
Greed brings
grief to the whole family, but those who hate bribes will live.
Proverbs 21:26
NLT
Some people are
always greedy for more, but the Godly love to give!
Ecclesiastes
5:10-15 NLT
10 Those who
love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that
wealth brings true happiness!
11 The more you
have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is
wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!
12 People who
work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich
seldom get a good night’s sleep.
13 There is
another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Hoarding riches
harms the saver.
14 Money is put
into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the
end, there is nothing left to pass on to one’s children.
15 We all come
to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we
were born. We can’t take our riches with us.
16 And this,
too, is a very serious problem. People leave this world no better off
than when they came. All their hard work is for nothing—like
working for the wind.
17 Throughout
their lives, they live under a cloud—frustrated, discouraged, and
angry.
Isaiah 56:11 NLT
Like greedy
dogs, they are never satisfied. They are ignorant shepherds, all
following their own path and intent on personal gain.
Micah 3:11 NLT
You rulers make
decisions based on bribes; you priests teach God’s laws only for a
price; you prophets won’t prophesy unless you are paid. Yet all of
you claim to depend on The Lord. “No harm can come to us,” you
say, “for The Lord is here among us.”
Matthew 6:24 NLT
“No one can
serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will
be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God
and money.
Matthew 19:21-24
KJV
21 Jesus said
unto him (The rich young ruler.), If thou wilt be perfect, go and
sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have
treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me.
22 But when the
young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great
possessions.
23 Then said
Jesus unto His disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man
shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I
say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Matthew 27:5 NLT
Then Judas
threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged
himself.
Luke 12:15-21
NLT
15 Then He
said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not
measured by how much you own.”
16 Then He told
them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine
crops.
17 He said to
himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’
18 Then he
said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones.
Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods.
19 And I’ll
sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away
for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
20 “But God
said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will
get everything you worked for?’
21 “Yes, a
person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich
relationship with God.”
Luke 16:19-23 KJV (Luke 16:19-31)
19 There was a
certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and
fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there
was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full
of sores,
21 And desiring
to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table:
moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came
to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into
Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell
he lift up his eyes, being in torments..."
I Timothy 3:1-5 NLT (Deacons ( I Timothy 3:1-12 NLT)
1 This is a
trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires
an honorable position.”
2 So an elder
must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to
his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good
reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be
able to teach.
3 He must not
be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome,
and not love money.
4 He must
manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.
5 For if a man
cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s
church?
8 In the same
way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not
be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money.
I Timothy 6:6-10
KJV
6 But Godliness
with contentment is great gain.
7 For we
brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry
nothing out.
8 And having
food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that
will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish
and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love
of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after,
they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with
many sorrows.
Titus 1:7,11 NLT
7An elder is a
manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He
must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy
drinker, violent, or dishonest with money.
11"...they
are turning whole families away from The Truth by their false
teaching. And they do it only for money.
James 1:11 NLT
The hot sun
rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and
its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with
all of their achievements.
James 5:1-3 NLT
1 Look here,
you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the
terrible troubles ahead of you.
2 Your wealth
is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags.
3 Your gold and
silver have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on
will eat away your flesh like fire. This treasure you have
accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of
judgment.
I Peter 5:1,2
KJV
1 The elders
which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of
the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall
be revealed:
2 Feed the
flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by
constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
II Kings 5:24
NLT
But when they
arrived at the citadel, Gehazi took the gifts from the servants and
sent the men back. Then he went and hid the gifts inside the house.
Sir Walter Scott was right, when he penned the famous words "Oh
what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive."
Gehazi had lied saying to Naaman saying “Yes,” Gehazi said, “but
my master has sent me to tell you that two young prophets from the
hill country of Ephraim have just arrived. He would like 75 pounds of
silver and two sets of clothing to give to them.”
Now Gehazi, deceives Naamans servants, by not letting them follow him
any further, for he wasn't going to bring anything to anyone but
himself. And that he was about to hide his loot in his own house.
Gehazi, was a liar and deceiver.
Psalm 109:2 KJV
For the mouth
of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me:
they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
Psalm 120:2 KJV
Deliver my
soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.
Proverbs 6:16-19
KJV
16 These six
things doth The Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him:
17 A proud
look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 An heart
that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to
mischief,
19 A false
witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among
brethren.
Proverbs 19:5
KJV
A false witness
shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.
Revelation 21:8
KJV
But the
fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and
whore mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall
have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:
which is the second death.
Well, what was the result of Gehazi's lying and deception?
II Kings 5:25-27
NLT
25 When he went in to his master,
Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” “I haven’t
been anywhere,” he replied.
26 But Elisha asked him, “Don’t
you realize that I was there in spirit when Naaman stepped down from
his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to receive money and
clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and cattle, and male and
female servants?
27 Because you have done this,
you and your descendants will suffer from Naaman’s leprosy
forever.” When Gehazi left the room, he was covered with leprosy;
his skin was white as snow.
The terrible leprosy, Naaman had left in the Jordan river, now
belonged to Gehazi, and his descendants, as judgment from The Lord.
Galatians 6:7,8
KJV
7 Be not
deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall
he also reap.
8 For he that
soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to The Spirit shall of The Spirit reap life everlasting.
Numbers 32:23
KJV
"...behold,
ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you
out.
