VIII

BOWING IN THE HOUSE OF RIMMON

"And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord. In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing. And he said unto him, Go in peace."-2 KINGS v. 17-19.

Of all Old Testament histories there is none with which people are generally more familiar than that of Naaman the Syrian. It is told in a chapter which has always been appointed as one of our Sunday lessons, and which as a mere story arrests attention by its graphic and lively painting of contrasted characters; while the moral and spiritual lessons which it suggests are so numerous and so obvious that perhaps no chapter in the Bible has afforded texts for more sermons, and so the details of the story are frequently dwelt on and imprinted on our memory. We have

first the picture of the Syrian general, distinguished for valour, fortunate in war, high in his master's favour, honoured by his countrymen; but a leper. We are reminded how often the tale of human prosperity is obliged to be finished with a "but "; how the life to outward appearance the most happy has its secret sorrows, and how often from the midst of the spring of pleasures that something bitter rises which poisons their enjoyment. Then the name "leprosy" suggests a deeper meaning, as typifying that plague of sin which infects the highest as well as the lowest worldly condition; so that a man may be among his fellow men highly placed, respected, honoured, yet in God's sight a leper. The story goes on to illustrate the converse lesson, how that which is despised among men may be in God's sight of great price, by showing how the greatest benefits temporal and spiritual were brought to this Syrian household by its most insignificant member, the little slavegirl captive from the land of Israel. Here again

a number of reflections suggest themselves on the importance of early education,-on the unexpected fruits that may spring up from lessons well implanted in the mind of a child; on the truth of the wise man's saying, “A word spoken in season, how good is it!" on the opportunities of usefulness which are open even to those whose worldly

estate is but lowly; on the return which a single talent may make when he to whom it has been trusted uses it faithfully. Then again we have a contrast between the consternation into which the King of Israel is thrown by the seemingly unreasonable demand of his powerful neighbour that he should recover a man of his leprosy, and the calm assurance of the prophet that what was asked was no more than his God can enable him to accomplish. We have a further contrast between the programme which Naaman in his mind has sketched out of the prophet's manner of dealing with him, effecting his cure with all pomp and solemnity and due regard to the dignity of the sufferer, and what he accounts the contemptuous treatment he actually receives the prophet not even deigning to see him, but sending him by a messenger directions to follow a mode of treatment which he pronounces quite inadequate to effect a cure. It is impossible for any illustration to set in a clearer light how foolish is the pride of rejecting a divine remedy because it seems to us too simple; and so this story has been used times without number to contrast with the simplicity of the Gospel plan the laborious schemes for their own salvation which men have devised, and to show the folly of rejecting God's ordinances because we do not see what natural efficacy they

can have to produce spiritual benefit.

I need not

pursue the history. You will all remember how the Syrian general yields to the persuasions of his servants (whose affectionate relations with him speak well for the kindliness of his character): you will remember his gratitude when he obtains his healing, the disinterestedness of the prophet who will accept no present from him: frustrated as far as the effects on the stranger's mind are concerned by the covetousness of the prophet's servant, who cannot bear to see so fine an opportunity of gaining riches thrown away and you will remember how vainly Gehazi tries to hide his crooked practices, and what an appropriate punishment he meets with. Great part of the charm of the story (considered merely as a story) results from the consistency with which the characters are kept up, and from the worthy way in which Elisha maintains the character of God's prophet: despising the things of earth; neither grasping its riches for himself, nor bestowing undue veneration on earthly honours. But (for in this case too there is a "but ") the verses I have read as the text form an exception; and I suppose there are few who hear the chapter read without feeling here some little jar, the prophet's answer to Naaman not being such as, if we were writing the story, we should have put into his mouth.

M

First we have what we might call a superstitious request from Naaman to be allowed to carry home two mules' burden of Israelitish earth to build an altar to the God of Israel in his

own land. We might, however, not be greatly startled at Elisha's acquiescing in this without remark, but Naaman's next request puts a greater strain on our sense of fitness. He declares his conviction that Jehovah is the only God, and his resolution thenceforward to offer sacrifice or burnt offering to Him only. But his public duty will require him when attending on his master to present himself in the house of Rimmon the Syrian divinity; and there he cannot without indecency refuse to join in the outward homage which all present offer to Rimmon. So he asks leave to be, while in his heart a believer in Jehovah, in outward appearance a worshipper of Rimmon, and while paying to Rimmon his homage in public, to atone for it at home by his private sacrifice to the God of Israel. We are inclined to smile at the simplicity of the request. Will Jehovah accept a divided allegiance? Will his prophet sanction this plan for making the best of both worlds, and declare it possible to serve both God and Rimmon? Will he not rather give directions to Naaman to act as Daniel afterwards acted, who, when living in a strange land where the worship of Jehovah