Word of Encouragement (07/10/2024)
Then Naaman said, "If not, please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the LORD. 18 In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this matter." 19 He said to him, "Go in peace." (2 Kings 5:17-19)
After declaring his intention to worship the God of Israel, Naaman asked for a favor: “In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this matter” (v. 18).
We can appreciate the predicament he was in. He came to see that YHWH was the only true God, and the god he had been worshipping was just an idol, no god at all. But he had to go back to his country and live among his people, who worshipped Rimmon. He was the commander of Syria’s army. As such, he had to carry out many official functions, which involved assisting his king in religious ceremonies. So, he asked whether the LORD could pardon him for what he would have to do. He assured Elisha that, though he might bow to Rimmon with his body to fulfill his official duty, he would not worship it with his heart.
While this is understandable, we can see many problems with it. His predicament came about because he decided to go back to his country. If he was serious about his newfound faith, he should have decided to stay in Israel, shouldn’t he? Rahab defected to Israel. So did Ruth. At the time of the exodus, other ethnic people (“a mixed multitude,” Ex. 12:38) left Egypt with Israel, throwing their lot with the people of Israel after witnessing the power of YHWH. Why couldn’t he stay in Israel and repent of his sins (of attacking and killing God’s people) by fighting for and with Israel? Can we say that Naaman had genuine faith?
What is even more puzzling is Elisha’s response. When asked, he simply told Naaman, “Go in peace.” This expression normally implied approval. How could he go along with Naaman’s suggestion? Either he approved Naaman’s plan or he didn’t really care what Naaman did. The latter doesn’t seem likely. Matthew Henry sees a lot of problems with Naaman’s plan, one being his request for the forgiveness of the sins he planned to continue. Even so, Matthew Henry says, “Though Naaman's dissembling his religion cannot be approved, yet because his promise to offer no sacrifice to any god but the God of Israel only was a great point gained with a Syrian, and because, by asking pardon in this matter, he showed such a degree of conviction and ingenuousness [innocence] as gave hopes of improvement, the prophet took fair leave of him, and bade him Go in peace, v. 19. Young converts must be tenderly dealt with.” Another reason could be that Israel (the northern kingdom) was no true church.
One thing is for sure: incomplete repentance complicates matters to no end. We should use the effort needed to serve God and mammon together (which is impossible, Matt. 6:24) to repent wholeheartedly and completely. The former only leads to an unending struggle. However, the difficulty and pain involved in true repentance leads to the peace of conscience and unhindered fellowship with God.