Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman's wife.
2 Kings 5:1,2 ESV
Okay, let me get this straight. Naaman was a commander for the Syrian army, a godless, idol worshiping country that was an enemy of God's chosen nation of Israel. But in verse 1 we learn that the LORD had given Naaman victory in battle over Israel. Doesn't seem to make sense. Godless victorious. Chosen defeated.
If the story stopped there, it might seem that God dropped the ball on this one. But the story continues. Here is the abbreviated version:
1. Little Israelite girl who was taken captive tells Naaman's wife about a prophet in Israel who can cure leprosy.
2. Naaman tells the king of this prophet.
3. The king sends Naaman to Israel to get cured.
4. God uses Elisha, the prophet mentioned by the Israelite girl, to cure Naaman's leprosy.
5. Naaman sees that the God of Israel is the one true god.
6. Naaman vows, "from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the Lord."
God now has an insider, a powerful insider, placed in the upper echelons of the Syrian government. Scripture does not record if Naaman converted any others to Judiasm, but considering his position of power and influence is stands to reason that there were many who came to follow Yahweh because of Naaman's experience.
Yes God allowed Syria to defeat Israel. Yes God allowed this little girl to be carried off by the Syrians. But the story didn't end there. It was through this chain of events that God was able place one of his children into the Syrian government.
We see events. God sees history.
2 Kings 5:1-19
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