Life Walk Lesson 65 — Life Lessons From Gehazi
As we have read a little historical back-story for this Life Walk Lesson, we see that Gehazi made the mistake of desiring what Naaman came with, so Elisha cursed Gehazi with the same leprosy which clung to Naaman — he and his descendants forever — a curse only God could break, by taking it on Himself on the Cross, as the Son of Man, bearing our sins, pains, bruises, sicknesses, and diseases, and while He was here on the earth, to heal all who came to Him with leprosy, when they asked to be healed.
Surely such a thing must have weighed heavily on Gehazi and his descendants, however, the curse included what the prophet saw coming in Gehazi’s future, should Gehazi continue to live in such a manner, that he would desire not just money or better clothing, but also land, vineyards, animals, and people — whatever people may have offered the prophet, in order to thank him for the miracle performed, which would have been “profitable” for Gehazi.
Only Jesus can promise that and it be legal. When we walk away from everything to follow Him, He blesses us with new families, houses, and lands in abundance — life abundantly. People desired it even in His day, trying to take the Kingdom by force, or even payment, but it is our Father’s good pleasure to give it freely. No one can give the Holy Spirit to a human but God. Baptism cannot be bought, and neither can a prophet.
2 Kings 5:25-27
25 "When he went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”
“Your servant didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered.
26 But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?
27 Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.”
Gehazi was doing something wrong, in Elisha’s name. If that had been allowed to continue, Elisha would no longer have had a good reputation.
Lesson Learned: We are given legal right and permission to ask for something we need of our Father in heaven, in the name of Jesus, when we pray.
You can read how the early Church felt about offerings, or giving of alms to the poor, in the Didache. Benefiting from someone else’s hard work for the Kingdom of God is not God’s way of doing things. Each one plants, and reaps their own harvest, and enjoys it, and has opportunity then to bless others with what they cannot contain.
Let’s see what led up to that moment:
In 2Kings 4, a woman is given a miracle of provision, limited only by what she can contain. She is told to shut the door behind her so that she can pour the oil into the vessels people gave her, undisturbed.
Also in 2Kings 4, a woman is given a son, and a future, and a restoration of that future. She encounters Gehazi on her way to see Elisha, but does not entrust herself to him, saying instead, “All is well.”
Circumstantial evidence perhaps, you might say, however it is compelling evidence of a human condition alive and well today, and it is another example of why Jesus said that He Himself also entrusted Himself to no man, because He knew the heart of man.
It is made evident when we observe Jesus interacting with Peter, who can hear both from God, and from the devil, and is not mature enough yet in his journey to distinguish between the two, so as to know what to say, and when. We see this on the Mount of Transfiguration where the disciples see Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah and do not yet know the purpose for the conversation. It is a teachable moment for Jesus and His disciples, as well as an example for us to wait patiently to for God to help us understand what we do not yet know which we desire to be revealed.
Elisha, too, found out that you can’t use someone else’s gift, and obtain their results, even when the other person can get there faster in order to help someone quicker out of the prophet’s compassion.
John came to the Tomb faster, but waited for Peter, according to Kingdom protocol.
Elisha realized that God respects authority also, and does not give it to someone who does not deserve it. God reserves it for those He has chosen, in this case Elisha.
We all need to stay in our own lane, and run the race we are given, as Paul instructs. John had jurisdiction over one thing, and Peter another, and so God blessed them both in their own field. With regard to this very thing, Jesus says to Peter, “You follow Me.” And on another occasion when there was great need, Jesus says to His disciples, “You feed them.” And later, to Peter once again, “Feed My sheep.” By this Jesus meant not only physically, but Spiritually, just as Jesus had done for them while He was with them.
It isn’t just working in a Church in some capacity which God blesses. God may have given you the gift of administration, or helping people, or the gift of attention to detail, or working in a market, or in a scientific laboratory finding the cure for some rare disease. “Whatever your hand finds to do,” Solomon admonishes, “do it with all your might.”
Just as David could not wear Saul’s armor when facing Goliath, Gehazi could not use Elisha’s staff to raise the dead, nor ought Gehazi benefit economically from Elisha’s gift.
The sellers of sheep, to be offered, ought not defraud people of their offerings, and profit from their sins, which at the time resulted in Jesus driving them out from the Temple as merchandizers, for God declared through the Prophet Zachariah that there would “no longer be a Canaanite [a merchant] in the House of the Lord.” [Zechariah 12:20-21]
The will of God is not to be bought and sold like trinkets in the marketplace, as when Esau despised his own birthright for a bowl of food. That is not how God’s Kingdom works, for it is founded on Righteousness.
In all you do, therefore, do it unto God.
