Wash And Be Clean
Naaman was the commander of the Syrian army. He was also a leper that was told that he should go to Israel because there was a prophet there who could heal him. Naaman goes to the prophet but he’s disappointed that the prophet wouldn’t even come out and talk to him. Adding further insult to injury, the prophet told Naaman through the prophet’s servant that Naaman should go dip himself in the Jordan river seven times and then he’d be cleansed of leprosy. The general of the army was told to go wash and be clean. How did Naaman react to this instruction?
2 Kings 5:1-14 tells us what happened more fully. Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valor, but he was a leper. And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.
Maid Recommends General To See A Prophet
And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would heal him of his leprosy. And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. And the king of Syria said, Go and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment (clothing).
And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto you, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy. And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he tore his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to heal a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeks a quarrel against me.
And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore have you torn your clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
Go And Wash In The Jordan River Seven Times
And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean. But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and heal the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
And his servants came near, and spoke unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid you do some great thing, would you not have done it? how much rather then, when he said to you, Wash, and be clean? Then he went down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
Naaman was upset that the prophet Elijah didn’t come out and talk to him personally. Secondly, Naaman felt slighted because all Elijah told him to do was go to the Jordan river and dip himself in the water seven times. How humiliating. This general of the mighty and feared Syrian army was told to go bob up and down in the water seven times. What a humbling request. But, Naaman, heeded the advice of his servants and he did as the prophet Elisha instructed.
The General Was Healed Of His Leprosy
What was the result of “wash and be clean?” He was cleansed of his leprosy. He washed and was cleansed. Why relay this true story thousands of years later? The Lord healed Naaman because the general followed the instructions of the prophet Elisha. Yes, the Lord performed the miracle. Jesus still performs miracles today. The greatest miracle performed today is that the Lord has mercy on wretched sinners by granting them repentance and faith in Himself. Today, the Lord is still saying wash and be clean.
Wash and be clean. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! The great old hymn by Robert Lowry is just as true today as it was when he first wrote it in 1876. Yes, Jesus is still saying wash and be clean, but only His precious, sinless blood can cleanse you from all your sins. Only the blood of Christ can redeem you and make you whole again.
Are You Sin Sick?
You may not even realize it, but you are sick tonight. If Jesus is not your Lord and Savior, then you are sin sick and sin is a deadly disease. The soul that sins, it shall die. You will die one day and then what? What will you do with your sins on Judgment Day? You’ll have nowhere to hide and no one to blame on that day. What will you do with your sins? If you die in your sins, it will be too late. Oh, you will recognize your wretchedness and Christ Jesus’ Holiness on that great and terrible day of the Lord, but it will be too late to wash and be clean on Judgment Day.
No, Judgment Day is not a trial date, instead, it is a day of sentencing. All unrepentant sinners will already be guilty on Judgment Day. The sentence is the eternal torture and damnation in the lake of fire and brimstone. It’s so horrible, that Jesus calls it the second death. But the worst part is you never die during the second death. You will wish for death, but it will not come. You will feel like you are dying, but you won’t die. Yes, you will suffer unbearably and beg for a drop of water for all eternity and the drop of water will never come (Luke 16:24). Don’t foolishly die in your sins and go to Hell. Instead come to Jesus. Turn to Christ and live. Come to Jesus and be saved. Repent and believe the Gospel. Oh, wash and be clean. In whom we have redemption through his (Jesus’) blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace (Ephesians 1:7).
Christ Redeems His Own Through His Blood
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us qualified to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:12-14).
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14)? For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission (or forgiveness of sins) (Hebrews 9:19-22).
The Blood Of Jesus Cleanses Us
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:5-9).
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen (Revelation 1:5-6).
Oh Wash And Be Clean
Washed us from our sins in his own blood. Oh, I’m pleading with you tonight, wash and be clean. Your sins can be forgiven. Your guilty conscience can be cleared. But nothing can take away your sins except the precious, sinless blood of Jesus. Christ. He is the only Savior. There is no other. Today is the day of salvation. Don’t put it off. Do not delay. Come to Jesus tonight and be saved. Recognize that you are a sinner. Cry out for God to have mercy on you. Repent of your sins and surrender your life to Jesus Christ the Lord. He is Lord of all. Willingly bow your knee to King Jesus. Confess and forsake your sins. Be washed in the blood of Jesus. Oh, wash and be clean.
When you truly repent of your sins and surrender your life to Jesus, you become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). How do you know a person is really saved? A saved life is a changed life. If you walked an aisle and had a one-time religious experience and there’s been no change in your life, chances are you missed salvation. A true follower of Jesus is a new creature in Christ. Old things have passed away, behold, all things are become new.
Calling All Professing Christians
Professing Christian, if you are still the same old dirty, rotten sinner that you’ve always been, then you are still a dirty, rotten sinner. Don’t put this off. Cry out to God to have mercy on you. Repent and put your faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus said you must deny yourself, pick up your cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23). Does this truly sound like you? Do you deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Jesus? Oh if not, repent and believe the Gospel. Wash and be clean.
If you know that you are an unrepentant sinner, I also plead with you to repent of your sins and put your trust in the blood of Christ Jesus to save you. Oh, you too need to wash and be clean. Please listen to 1 Corinthians 6:9-11: Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind (homosexuals),
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. I love verse 11: such WERE some of you. But you are WASHED, you are Sanctified, you are Justified in the name of the Lord Jesus. Oh, if you have never been cleansed from your sins, do so tonight. Repent and put your faith in Jesus. Truly surrender your life to the Lord Jesus and be saved. Come to Christ and live. Wash and be clean.
(This message was lifted up in downtown Springfield, MO on July 24, 2020)