Sabbath: The Unlikely Missionary
Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Kings 5; Mark 1:40-45; 2 Kings 2:1-15; John 15:5; Rom. 6:4-11; Rom. 6:1.
Memory Text: And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed-only Naaman the Syrian
(Luke 4:27 NIV).
The books of Kings, covering the history of the kingdoms of Israel from about 970 to 560 B.C., record exciting and dramatic events and far-reaching political upheavals touching God’s people.
Image © Lars Justinen Goosalt.com
Woven in these accounts are the stories of Elijah and Elisha, daring prophets of God whose adventures have gripped the imaginations of children and adults in every age.
Also interesting are the similarities between the ministry of Elisha and the ministry of Jesus. In the ministries of both, dead persons were raised, lepers cleansed, and hungry people fed from small amounts of food.
This week’s lesson deals with one of these miracles: the healing of Naaman, a wealthy, powerful, and very proud idolater who, in his great need, came to experience the power of the living God and first did so through the witness of a very unlikely missionary.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 18.
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I get blessed through your work of evangelising in the net because iam always on the net.I dont miss my lesson on my email.Thanks abunch for the good job be blessed.
may the lord God bless you greatly for doing his work.am in Uganda picking it life.thx
I want to be a missionary for God. But I find myself clouded with doubts and pleasures of this world. I forget to speak of God’s word to my friends or those who speak of using black magic for wealth and protection. My faith dwindles. I need your prayers and encouragement. I’ve neglected my duties to God Almighty.
Will pray for you.
Don't worry. God is with you. You walk with God and let him to come in your heart. I will pray for you.
Thank you for the net , I have spent 6 years working in sudan darfur were being an Adventist or christian is referred to as infidels. Each time I turn on my laptop on ssnet I ask myself a question what it will take to bring the message to the people of darfur. I pray for them but thats all I can do. Sometimes I feel guilt for not doing enough.But then what else would one do in a place like this were citizens are sentenced to death for converting from Islam to Christianity.Will these souls ever receive the 3 angels messages.
I ask God to expose me to his message to read and transform ma heart to transform others in love.
There are certain unusual occurrences which took place in the ministry of Elisha such as the case of the prophet declining to go out to meet Naaman to offer a receptive welcome to the Syrian government official, when he came seeking the help of God (2 Kings 5:1, 9, 10). Without knowledge of the rest of the story Elisha might easily be the target of sharp criticism by saints who are sworn to hospitality and winsome engagement. How dare the brother send out a messenger to the official?
Reality is the Spirit was working with Elisha and had a reason for the unorthodox approach. By this encounter and the disconcerting instruction conveyed the proud Naaman was to learn humility (2 Kings 5:11, 12). Believers are to be mindful that while they know the general rules and counsels sometimes the Holy Spirit works in unlikely and unusual ways and Jehovah may allow/accept/bless less than ideal actions such as David’s polygamy (1 Chronicles 3:1-5).
In matters of health and dress reform, marriage and divorce and riches the counsels are plain, but there may be cases where God allow individuals to do other than strictly following the letter and still accept the sincerity of the heart. To this end the faithful never condemn and do not presume to dictate to others what they have to do. God will save some in unusual circumstances.
Pray that God will find a way to save those who appear to be in conflict with God’s word on a point though they seem to want to follow the Lamb wherever he goes (Revelation 14:4). None will get to Heaven and be upset that others made it who did not try as hard as they did (Matthew 20:11-15). The sense of their own unworthiness and the overwhelming gratitude of their heart banish any thought of unfairness from the mind of the redeemed.
The Lord will at times act in unlikely ways. Still the faithful do not promote the exception, but preach the rule and let God deal with the exceptional circumstances.
Whether we are healed from an infirmity or not, we are all God's children and He still loves us all the same. Amen
As You Say All We're God's Children 4tha It Isn't Good What We Want 4our Selves But In God Wishes
Amen!
I have always been fascinated with the lives of Elijah and Elisha and pray that the Lord opens my heart to what He intends for me to learn with this weeks lesson. May we all be blessed exceeding above all that we can ever ask or imagine.
In Rom 9:20-21, God has a reason why He made Elisha not to be fear streaked. Imagine if Naaman would have carried his pried all the way through and Elisha would have worked out of fear the healing and cleansing would have not been atained but glory be to God for He doesn't look at the post or power but considers meeknes and the humbled. Lets not be always on the criticism whenever things happen the way we don't expect instead He is like a potter who has all the rights to break and remould the pot lets accept His way of doing thing to receive the best as Elisha and Naaman did which led to a historic healing.
God has a reason why He made Elisha not to be fear streaked, all We need to do is to learn from them. Amen