Encountering God: A New Grasp on Truth

Naaman says, in II Kings 5:15; “Now I know there is no God in all the earth but in Israel.”  That statement indicates a major change in Naaman’s world-view, it is a truth he did not believe before.  A changed mind is evidence of a genuine encounter with God.

Naaman has a new set of beliefs – he now believes there is One God.  God is not one among many, but is altogether “other.”  “I Am the LORD your God . . . . I AM holy . . . I Am the LORD  . . . .  I Am holy” (Leviticus 11:44-45 and 19:2)  Contrary to all Naaman’s instinctive preconceptions about God and the ways of God, Naaman (and we) can know nothing of God, or His character or attributes, or ways – apart from the self-revelation of the One who is holy like no other (Exodus 15:11).  By the loving and gracious self-revelation of God, the unknowable is now known, and Naaman’s response to this new glorious truth was to confess – with awe and wonder – the unqualified singularity of God – “there is no God in all the earth but in Israel!”

Naaman, who was distant from God because of sin and disease is now brought near to God because of sheer grace.  Unhindered by the ruinous consequences of sin and its effect upon a fallen world lies the eternally potent purposes of God to redeem a people unto Himself and bless them.  And it is in His establishing such a blessed fellowship with sin-sick, diseased, rebellious persons like Naaman, and like me, and like you, that God is revealed in all his glory!

Moses asked to see the Glory of God and God told Moses of His own goodness and kindness – The glory of God is seen in the great measures He has taken to overcome the infinite distance between Himself and us.  And that is exactly what Naaman’s healing is a picture of, it is an illustration of God’s remedying our incapacity to stand in His presence because of sins appalling consequence by cleaning us, purifying us, and making us to know Him and His holiness and glory.   Now Naaman can sing!

There is a fountain filled with blood,
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins,
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in His day;
And there have I, though vile as he,
Washed all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
Shall never lose its pow’r,
Till all the ransomed church of God
Are safe, to sin no more.

E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.