Join Taylor for a devotion about Naaman.
Naaman
(2 Kings 5:1-19)
Cosmic Geography
We discussed cosmic geography in a previous Bible study, Elisha and the Two Bears. This story gives us another example of cosmic geography and the ancient concept held by those during the time of the Bible.The story of Naaman is a familiar story to many. But there is detail in this story that we will focus on. So, please, take a few minutes to read 2 Kings 5:1-19 and then we will get started.
Read it? Good. Here we go!
To summarize, Naaman was a mighty military leader from Syria. He developed a serious skin condition that required healing. A servant girl to his wife had been captured from Israel. She told him of a prophet of God in Israel that could heal him. So, Naaman goes to seek the prophet, Elisha for healing. Elisha instructs Naaman to dip himself into the Jordan river seven times. This will heal him. Naaman ends up following Elisha’s instructions and is healed.
Dirt
Then there is this part that is very interesting:
15 Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.” 16 But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 17 Then Naaman said, “If not, please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the LORD. 18 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.” 19 He said to him, “Go in peace.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Ki 5:15–19.
Naaman proclaims that Yahweh is the true God. Then, he makes a strange request. He asks to bring some dirt back with him. Why does Naaman ask for dirt?
In the ancient world, it was a common concept that gods, elohim, had authority over the nations. Each nation would have their own temple, their god’s sacred space. But even the territory of each god was considered occupied by that deity. The chief god of Syria at that time was Rimmon. Rimmon means “thunderer” and was a storm god. Since Naaman vowed to only sacrifice to and worship Yahweh, he believed that he needed to bring Yahweh’s land back to Syria in order to do this. He was bringing Yahweh’s territory into Rammon’s.
From the Faithlife Study Bible:
Naaman wants holy ground (the dirt) with him so that he can have Yahweh with him while outside Israel.
John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), 2 Ki 5:17.
Naaman no longer worships Rimmon, the god of Syria, but Naaman’s job requires him to be in the temple of Rimmon. Having dirt from Israel is his solution to being able to worship Yahweh while being in Syria, the territory and even temple of another god. He brings the holy ground of Yahweh to Syria so that he can continue to do his job without offending Yahweh, the true God. He was still on the soil of Yahweh, even in a territory that wasn’t Yahweh’s.
It’s also interesting to note that Elisha doesn’t have a problem with it. Elisha seems to have recognized that Naaman’s theology is correct. Yahweh is the true God of the earth. Even though the nations recognize other gods as gods of the earth, Naaman has believed in the God of Israel. He will not worship any other god, but the God of Israel.
Conclusion
Cosmic geography is the concept of the spiritual reality of cosmic forces waging war over God’s creation. It is clear in the story of Naaman that Yahweh has power and authority that no other spiritual being has. Like other stories in the Bible that display cosmic geography, God invades other nations and their temples. There are many other examples of cosmic geography in the Bible and we will explore more of them. I just love how in this story Naaman displayed his faith in God and God was glorified outside of Israel, in a foreign, hostile land.
17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Dt 10:17.
Bibliography
Michael S. Heiser, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible, (Bellingham, WA; Lexham Press, 2015), pgs 116-122
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John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016).
Rick Wadholm Jr., “Hadad-Rimmon,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).
D. J. Wiseman, “Rimmon,” ed. D. R. W. Wood et al., New Bible Dictionary (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 1021.
Walter A. Elwell and Philip Wesley Comfort, Tyndale Bible Dictionary, Tyndale Reference Library (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001), 560.
Nathan Isaacs, “Rimmon,” ed. James Orr et al., The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia (Chicago: The Howard-Severance Company, 1915), 2594.
