Category Archives: Old Testament Studies

THE GENERAL WHO BECAME A TRAINEE

The story of Naaman is recorded in 2 Kings 5.[1]  Naaman was the commander of the army of Aram.[2]The Aramean king, Ben-Hadad,[3] had a lot of respect for his general because he was a valiant warrior. The biblical author says 2 interesting things about Naaman early on in this story: First, God used Naaman to bring victory to Aram; second, Naaman, whose name means “pleasantness,” had skin disease.[4]

These 2 facts about Naaman brought him into a life-changing encounter with the prophet in Israel, Elisha.[5] The connecting link was a lady captive from Israel who became a servant of Naaman’s wife. She told her mistress about the prophet Elisha. “If my master goes to Elisha I am sure the prophet can cure him of his skin disease.”[6]

Continue reading THE GENERAL WHO BECAME A TRAINEE