Lesson 22 - Greed and Punishment
Read 2 Kings 5:15-27 https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2KI.5.ESV
From 2 Kings 5:26 - Was it a time to accept money and garments…?

After God healed Naaman of his contagious skin disease, he (and his servants traveling with him) went back to Elisha. Naaman told Elisha, “I know beyond a shadow of a doubt now there is no God on the earth but the God of Israel.”

Naaman wanted to give Elisha gifts out of gratitude. Elisha replied, “As the God lives Whom I serve, I will take nothing from you.” Naaman tried his best to give Elisha gifts, but he would not accept them.

Naaman said, “If you will not take gifts, let me take a load of dirt from Israel back home with me, because I am never again going to worship any god but the God of Israel. But I need pardon from the true God: I have to go into the house of idols with my master the king so he can lean on my arm as he worships, so I must bow to the idol when the king bows. May the Lord pardon me, because I will not be worshiping the idol.”

Elisha answered, “You will be all right; you may go home in peace.”

Right away Elisha’s servant Gehazi was tempted to get gifts from Naaman for himself. He ran after Naaman’s chariots and horses. Naaman saw him running toward them and asked if everything was all right.

Gehazi answered with a lie to cover his greed: “Everything is all right, but two prophets just came to my master Elisha, so he asked me to request some silver and garments for them.”

Naaman was quick to respond generously, giving Gehazi twice the amount of silver he asked for, and garments for both prophets. He even sent two of his servants back with Gehazi to carry the gifts. Gehazi stored them secretly, and sent Naaman’s servants back.


Then he went to Elisha, who asked him what he had been doing. Gehazi answered, “Nothing.”

God had revealed to Elisha what Gehazi had done. Elisha rebuked his servant: “Is this the time to look after yourself, profiting from Naaman’s generosity? Naaman’s skin disease will now infect you and your family for generations to come.”

Gehazi walked away with flaky skin as white as snow.

Jesus met a man in Mark 10:17-31 who said he wanted to be a righteous man. But when Jesus said he needed to give away all he had and come follow Him, the man was too greedy to do so. He chose his possessions over God.

*How have you been tempted to deny your faith just to get something? What happened?