Divine Appointments: Naaman the Syrian

the prophet Elisha.
This is one of the miracles the Jesus refers to when He begins His ministry: “But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” (Luke 4:25-27; 2 Kings 5: 1-27; 1 Kings 17: 7-24)
Last week I said I was seeking spiritual revelation regarding Syria, for its capital Damascus is the entry point for the preaching of the gospel to Gentiles like you and me; just as much as Jerusalem was central to the preaching of the gospel to the Jews.
If we read Acts 9 — Paul’s conversion, we see the centrality of Jerusalem and Damascus in events of the early church.
More interesting in the narrative from Luke’s gospel is that when the Lord started His ministry in His hometown of Nazareth, they rejected Him and they wanted to kill Him.
According to Luke 4: 28-30, NKJV, “So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.”
When Paul started preaching, he had similar experiences. Rejection and threat on his life! There was no way the new church in Damascus could accept someone who had been persecuting the Way, just like they could not accept Jesus, the carpenter’s son.
“Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.” (Acts 9: 24-25, NKJV)
One writer questions what triggered the anger of those listening to Jesus teaching? “After all this (Naaman’s healing) was a well-known story to the Jews in the synagogue.” He says, “what angered the Jews was the coupling of this story to Jesus’ messianic proclamation. The message was clear: He was the Messiah, He came to free the captives”. (Luke 4:18-19)
He adds, “This salvation would be for the Gentiles and Jews alike, and not for the Jews universally, for ‘many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’”
“Salvation would be by the grace of a Sovereign God, for Naaman’s cleansing was not a reward for anything he had done, but a gift to an unlikely and unworthy recipient.
“To make it absolutely clear that works were not involved, even Naaman’s offering was refused. The Jews didn’t mind hearing Jesus claim that He was the Messiah. They wanted someone, anyone to free them from Roman tyranny. Yet when He taught the He had come not to free a nation from occupation but to free His people, including Gentiles, from their uncleanliness, they wanted to kill him. It is an interesting “mini gospel encapsulation” contained in just a few passages from Luke 4.”
In my view, when the Lord’s peace comes down on troubled spots like Syria, it is not because of what they have done or not done, it will be His unmerited favour on the human race.
Additional information was from the website: http://helives.blogspot.com.
Events Calendar
Event: Victorious Ladies Convention — United Family International Church
Dates: June 29-30
Venue: Harare City Sports Centre
Speaker: Prophetess R. Makandiwa, featuring Prophet E. Makandiwa
Times: 5pm-8pm
Contact: +263-4-252473
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Event: Public seminar — Hatfield Worship Centre
Dates: July 14
Venue: Hatfield Worship Centre, Cnr Elgin and Kilwinning Road, Hatfield
Theme: Goodbye to Failure
Time: 1:30pm – 5pm
Speaker: Rev C. Chidimuro
Contact: 0773 612 172 /0772 674 850 
E-mail/Web: [email protected]
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Event: Pentecostal Conference — Pentecostal Church of Christ International
Dates: June 22-July 1
Venue: Tiara Mission Domain, Kadoma
Hosts: Pentecostal Church of Christ International
Guest speaker: Archbishop J.N. Ndanga
Contact: 0775741241; 0773517009
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Event: Pioneers Youth Conference — Heartfelt Ministries International
Dates: June 20-23
Venue: City Sports Centre
Time: 6pm — 8pm (Wed — Fri); 8am-9pm (Sat)
Hosts: Apostle T. Vutabwashe and Pastor C. Vutabwashe
Guest speaker: Prophet Uebert Angel (Spirit Embassy)
Contact: 04-785906-8
E-mail/Web: [email protected]
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Event: Leadership meeting — Barnabas Ministry
Dates: June 26-28
Venue: Upper Room Ministry, Rezende Street
Hosts: Barnabas Ministry
Contact: 0773048739
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Event: Pastors and Lay Church Leaders Training Workshop
Date: July 30-August 3
Venue: Methodist Church in Zimbabwe – Gweru City Assembly, Lobengula Street
Time: 8am-5:30pm
Hosts: Pastor Joseph W. Boomenyo, Gospel Vision International (Zimbabwe)
Speakers: Rev John M. Balmer, Jr and more
Contact: 0772407163; 0778419899; 0772363258
E-mail/Web: [email protected]
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“He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry, when He hears it, He will answer you.” (Isaiah 30: 19)
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