2 Kings 5:20-27 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian… I. LET US NOTE THE DANGER OF UNIMPROVED AND ABUSED SPIRITUAL PRIVILEGES. Gehazi's religious advantages, in all probability, began at a date anterior to the time and mission of Elisha. One tradition speaks of him as the boy who sped at the bidding of the Tishbite to the top of Carmel, to watch the rising of the expected cloud over the Mediterranean, precursive of the longed-for rain. This, at all events, we know, that seven years previous to Naaman's pilgrimage, he was the witness of Elisha's greatest miracle, when he brought back the Shunammite's son to life. Doubtless, during these intermediate years, he had seen many other signs and wonders authenticating his master's Divine call He had mingled with the youths — his own contemporaries and fellow-students — in the college of the prophets: and, above all, in common with them, and more than them, he had been the privileged eye-witness of the pure, exalted character and consistent walk of his honoured superior. Alas! that no fall is so low and so fearful as the fall of a man "once enlightened," and who has "tasted of the heavenly gift." No recoil to sin is so terrible as the recoil on the part of one who has "tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come." The religious training and pious fellowship which softens and ameliorates the docile, teachable heart; if abused and rejected, will only serve to stir up the natural, innate tendencies of evil. Let us write "Beware" on our seasons of loftiest privilege, and on our moments of highest inspiration. "Beware" of a spirit of indifference to Divine things, harbouring aught that would blunt the fine edge of conscience, and grieve the Holy Spirit of God; allowing religion to become a weariness; outwardly professing godliness, while inwardly in league with the world, the flesh, and the devil. II. A second lesson we may learn from the story of Gehazi, is THE CERTAINTY OF SIN'S DETECTION. It was a boldly conceived and a boldly executed scheme of the audacious criminal. Such were the air-castles which Gehazi, in common with thousands of accomplished graduates in crime, have reared for themselves. But he forgot, or tried at least to bury from remembrance, the truth which he had embodied in his own thoughtless imprecation, that "Jehovah liveth." It is true that sentence against an evil work is not always (indeed, is seldom) executed speedily. God many times seems to "keep silence" — to be like the Baal of Carmel, "asleep." The daring and presumptuous venture their own sceptic conclusions on this forbearance of the Most High, in thinking Him "altogether such an one as themselves" — "The Lord doth not see, neither doth the God of Jacob regard" (Psalm 94:7). If, however, there be in the present state, exceptions to this great retributive law in God's moral economy, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." And as the detection will be sure, so also will the punishment be commensurate with the crime. In the case of Gehazi, most meet and befitting was the nature of the retribution. He would rob the restored Commander of his festal garment; a white garment, too, he shall have in return, but very different truly from the one he has avariciously appropriated: — a garment of terrible import, which in a terrible sense shall "wax not old," for it shall go down a frightful heirloom to his children's children. It is a robe of leprosy, "white as snow." Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap!" III. A third lesson we may draw from the narrative is, THE TENDENCY OF ONE SIN TO GENERATE ANOTHER. When the moral sense becomes weakened, and moral restraints are withdrawn, the horde of demons gather strength; — the avalanche of depravity acquires bulk as well as velocity, in its downward course of havoc and ruin. "These wild beasts — the wolves of the soul — may hunt at first singly, but afterwards they go in packs, and the number increaseth the voraciousness thereof." When the citadel of the heart is carried by assault, one bastion after another is dismantled, and its treasure abandoned to the enemy. The Reaper angels, in the final harvest of wrath, are pictured as gathering, not single stalks, or even sheaves, but "bundles to be burnt." Mark the sad experience of Gehazi: — 1. Note his covetousness. Avarice was the besetting sin of his nature — the prolific parent of all the others. 2. But the motive-power of covetousness roused into action other depraved, and, till now, slumbering forces. We have to note next, his untruthfulness. Isaac Watts child-hymn, in simplest child-language, expresses in brief the sad experience of this covetous attendant — For he who does one fault at first, And lies to hide it, makes it two. 3. Scarcely distinguishable from Gehazi's sin of falsehood — akin to it, and a part of it — (a sister-spirit of evil) — let us note his hypocrisy. (J. R. Macduff, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. |
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