I have been reading through the Old Testament recently and was struck again by the way God has worked in history. One example is Naaman who was the commander of the army of the king of Syria. The Bible tells us that God gave victory to Syria through the military skill of Naaman. (2 Kings 5:1 ESV) This is another example of God working through nations other than the nation of Israel.
But Naaman had a problem—he was a leper. Through a captive Israeli child, Naaman learned of the prophet Elisha who could cure his leprosy. Naaman visits Elisha and eventually complies with the instructions Elisha gives him and is cured (2 Kings 5:8-11).
Then Naaman makes a request of Elisha which is not a big surprise. The surprise is the response Elisha gives him.
“’. . .for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the Lord . In this matter may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon your servant in this matter.’ He said to him, ‘Go in peace.’” (2 Kings 5:17-19 ESV)
So why would God (since Elisha was a prophet of God it implies that Elisha’s response has God’s approval) allow someone to bow down before other idols just to preserve his political position?
An answer is given to us by the apostle Paul—God overlooked people’s worship of idols because of their ignorance.
“Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,” (Acts 17:29-30 ESV)
These passages raise two questions in my mind.
First, after Naaman talked to Elisha, he was no longer ignorant of God’s requirements. In fact Naaman tells Elisha he no longer will offer any sacrifice to any other god. So why did God allow Naaman to bow before idols in order to preserve his political position?
Second, if God overlooked the worship of idols because of people’s ignorance in times past, why would he not do the same in our present age? Does not the Bible teach that people will be judged based upon the knowledge they have? Did not Jesus say if he had not spoken to people they would not be guilty of sin (John 15:22-24)? Does not Paul instruct us that without the law there is no sin because it is through the law that we become conscious of sin (Romans 3:20 and Romans 5:13)?
Maybe we need to rethink how God works in our world.
