Returning Good For Evil With Eternal Rewards

This short Bible study shares interesting insights into Naaman's leprosy and the intriguing story of his healing.

Before doing this study, please read Nameless Young Girl

It explains that in (2 Kings 5:1-15), a nameless young slave girl forgave her captors and encouraged her leprous master to seek healing from the real and living God. And when he was healed he proclaimed his belief in God.

1. Read the passage below and rejoice in how God can use a person in the midst of adversity in such a marvelous way. Insights and questions are in Red italics. 

2 Kings 5: 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 of raiders 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 all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage. 

Have you ever missed a blessing because of your pride? Read Proverbs 16:18 to see where pride leads. 

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. 

Just as the unnamed young slave girl had a great impact on Naaman's life, these unnamed servants also greatly impacted Naaman's life. Have you ever been blessed by something you did that seemed insignificant at the time?

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. So please accept a gift from your servant.

Note how a bad thing in Naaman's life (his leprosy) was used for his salvation. Christians have a promise that everything bad in their lives will also be used for good. See Romans 8:28.

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.

Elisha actually got a greater reward that Naaman offered. It's explained here: Matthew 6:19-21.

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. 18 But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.”

This is one proof that Naaman's conversion was genuine. He was immediately convicted about pagan gods. See John 14:26. Do you listen to God's Spirit? Have you ever been convicted of something but refused to listen?

19 “Go in peace,” Elisha said.

After Naaman had traveled some distance, 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”

21 So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. “Is everything all right?” he asked.

22 “Everything is all right,” Gehazi answered. “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing.’”

23 “By all means, take two talents,” said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. 24 When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.

I'm sure people thought the servant of Elisha would be a godly man, but he proved otherwise. Have you ever trusted someone only to find out they weren't trustworthy? 

25 When he went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”

“Your servant didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered.

26 But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves? 27 Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.” 

Often, God teaches us a lesson with a dramatic illustration. And this true life example should have a huge impact on all of us. God hates dishonesty. Another dramatic illustration is found in Acts 5:1-11.

What other thoughts and insights do you get from this passage?

copyright 2015, updated in 2025, Gail Burton Purath, BiteSizeBibleStudy.com 


This short Bible study shares interesting insights into Naaman's leprosy and the intriguing story of his healing.



Questions & Answers About Why God Allows Evil & Suffering

A solid, biblical Bible study addressing why God allows evil and suffering.
  
Why doesn't God stop the terrible evil in our world?

This is a question that has troubled Christians and non-Christians throughout history. It’s sometimes asked sincerely and it's sometimes used as a “weapon” against God and faith. While there will always be aspects of this question beyond our finite understanding, God has left us enough clues and insights to help us deal with the unknowns. 

First, let's put evil in context: 
 
1. Who brought sin and death into the world?
 
 

 
2. Who is never responsible for evil? 
 
James 1:13-15:
 
1 John 1:5: 


This is one of the biggest ironies: We blame God for evil when we brought it into the world!

3. Has God ever punished an innocent man? Yes, but only once.
 

Second, let's put evil in perspective:  
 
1. Christians only experience evil on earth.
We have an eternity of pure goodness in heaven. No more sickness, hate, cruelty, abuse, or sadness!

 


2. We have someone who identifies with our suffering.

Have friends or family betrayed you?

Matthew 26:38-46;55-56

Have you been physically abused?
Matthew 27:26

Were you ever mocked and unjustly criticized?
Matthew 27:27-31

Where you blamed for something you didn't do? 

Never forget this truth:


3. Why do we have trouble understanding things in life?

 
 
Third, let's Trust God's Character.
 

Jeremiah 9:23-24:


Let's remember the simple rule God gave us from the beginning:

“If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Doing what is right isn't about “works” salvation. It's putting our trust in God first and foremost and with His help obeying His loving commands.
 
How will Putting evil in context, putting it in perspective, and remembering God's character help you answer questions about evil and suffering? I encourage you to prepare yourself to answer these questions (1 Peter 3:15) 

With these truths as a foundation, these short devotions can help you fill in some of the details:

Why did God create man with the ability to sin?

Why do we suffer for Adam's sin?

Why Didn't God Create a World Without Suffering?

Why Do We Care About Suffering and Evil?


A solid, biblical Bible study addressing why God allows evil and suffering.

A solid, biblical Bible study addressing why God allows evil and suffering.



Partial Obedience is a Sign of Unbelief

When God asks you to do something hard, remember these 3 important truths.

Before doing this study, read the one-minute introduction Partial Obedience. It explains how King Saul's partial obedience led to his loss of God's anointing.

What about you? 
When you read God's instructions in Scripture, do you partially obey or fully obey? 

1. If something about God or His commands is difficult to understand, remember this:

1 Corinthians 13:12For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Hebrews 11:1Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

2. If something about God or His commands makes people dislike you, remember this:

John 15:18-20: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.”

Luke 9:26“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”

3. If something about God or His commands causes you difficulty, remember this:

Matthew 16:24-26: “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 

So let's trust God's loving character when we don't understand His commands. Let's seek to please God, not man. And let's know that any sacrifice we make for our Lord doesn't begin to equal the sacrifice He made for us!

copyright 2015, updated 2025, BiteSizeBibleStudy.com, Gail Purath

When God asks you to do something hard, remember these 3 important truths.

When God asks you to do something hard, remember these 3 important truths.