Naaman, a powerful general from a hostile neighbor, traveled to Israel seeking a cure for his chronic skin disease. In his desperation he sought out Elisha, the prophet he heard of from the mouth of a slave girl.

Not even coming to the door, Elisha sent instructions for Naaman to go wash in the river. Naaman, incredulous over the simplicity of the cure, turned away in rage. But wiser heads prevailed. Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he tells you, “Wash and be cleansed!”

Naaman cooled off, dipped seven times in the river, and emerged with the healthy skin of a young boy.

Why did Naaman balk at the initial prescription? The plain nature of the cure irked Naaman. He expected a mighty quest, sacrifices and fire, lightning bolts and incantations. Naaman expected magic. Instead, take a bath—all so blasé.

Earlier the Lord spoke to Elijah in a whisper, not a tornado or fire or earthquake. Now God healed the rotting skin of Naaman through a river baptism, without even a preacher to do the dunking. In most cases the Lord works imperceptibly, plainly, with no flash or magic.

Drying off after the Jordan, Naaman resolved to worship the Lord, and only the Lord, for the rest of his life. His need for magic and flash washed downstream. Like the good general, I often wish for more magic when I actually need more God.

2 Kings 5 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Jong Marshes

Miracles surfaced from Elisha’s wake during his years of ministry. In one situation, a hungry crowd sat hoping for a something to eat, but knew the kitchen was out of food. A man arrived with 20 small loaves of barley bread.

Elisha, calling on God, opened the meal. As his servant handed out bread, Elisha confidently assured this is what the Lord says; “They will eat and have some left over.”

Which proved true. Everyone filled their bellies and indeed had leftovers. Elisa fed 100 grown men through this miraculous breaking of bread.

Elisha’s feast points to a later feeding. With less food—only 5 loaves and 2 fish—Jesus fed more people—5,000 men plus women and children. Twelve baskets of leftovers lay among the satisfied crowd.

Elisha didn’t realize what future his meal of barley bread portended. Thanks to the perspective of our time in history, we understand the difference. Jesus fed more people, dropped miracles like change from his pockets, and opened the way to the God Elisha proclaimed.

Jesus changed even the miracle business. When I’m uncertain of my future it helps to remember—Jesus is so much more.

2 Kings 4 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Markus Spiske

Shortly after his temptation in the wilderness, Jesus began preaching. He started up north, in the area inhabited by the ancient Israeli tribes of Zebulon and Naphtali. In choosing this location to open his public ministry, Jesus fulfilled this prophecy from Isaiah:

Land of Zebulon and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Isaiah 9:1,2).

Can you imagine? In a place described as the land of the shadow of death, Jesus went to work. He renewed hope in God to anyone carried before him, some suffering chronic pain and others with gnarled up limbs or exploited by demons. Crowds descended from miles away, hoping for healing, drawn to his light.

After a dark night, it’s hard to neglect the dawning of a sunny day. But sometimes I sleep through first light. In a similar way, some misunderstood the works of Jesus, while others refused to believe.

I don’t know how anyone slept through this sensational arrival. But I’m more concerned when I doze off and miss Jesus’s illumination around me. You and I still live in the land of the shadow of death, and we need to lift our eyes to the light breaking on the horizon.

Matthew 4 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by Quentin Rey

I’m not sure what to think of John the Baptist. Jesus’s crazy cousin, John preached out in the wild lands of Judea, wore an outfit of camel hair and foraged for wild honey and locusts. Wonder how he brushed his teeth?

But John preached to the core. Crowds flocked to hear him and left changed by his message. John baptized loads of people in the Jordan River.

John conspicuously targeted the Pharisees. You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath! The ax is already at the root…and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

When I read about the Pharisees getting it from someone, like John here or Jesus later, I put myself in their shoes. Religious professionals, the Pharisees got up in the morning and worked at ministry. A religious professional myself, I hope to avoid the disregard for the kinder points of the law of God the Pharisees exhibited. While I don’t possess the societal status and power enjoyed by the Pharisee class, I can easily don their attitudes.

May the Lord call out such ungodly posturing in my life. Hopefully through someone other than a wild man crunching grasshoppers.

Matthew 3 in reading the Bible in 2023

Photo by David Clode