The Bible not only gives us portraits of God’s grace, as with the healing of Naaman, but it also gives us striking, clear, and up-front portraits of man’s sinfulness and perversion. It’s never a pretty picture, but it is a necessary one if we are to see our sickness and helplessness and turn in repentance to the grace of God. These portraits in Scripture serve as instructions and warnings to turn us to God and a life of godliness and away from a life of ungodliness

2. Who is Gehazi?

3. Gehazi – the mouthpiece for Elisha
When Prophet Elisha wanted to show some
kindness to the woman from Shunem, he
said to his servant Gehazi, “Tell the woman
from Shunem I want to speak to her.” When
she appeared, Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tell
her, ‘We appreciate the kind concern you
have shown us. What can we do for you?
Can we put in a good word for you to the
king or to the commander of the army?’”
2 Kings 4

4. Gehazi – the Prophet’s personal advisor
Later Elisha asked Gehazi, “What can
we do for her?”
Gehazi replied, “She doesn’t have a
son, and her husband is an old man.”
“Call her back again,” Elisha told him.
When the woman returned, Elisha said
to her as she stood in the
doorway, “Next year at this time you will
be holding a son in your arms!”
2 Kings 4

5. Sure enough, the woman soon
became pregnant and the
following year she had a son,
just as Elisha had said
2 Kings 4
Gehazi – who saw the power of God
through Elisha

6. When on Mount Carmel one day,
Elisha, saw the woman from Shunem
in the distance. He said to Gehazi,
“Look, the woman from Shunem is
coming. Run out to meet her and ask
her, ‘Is everything all right with you,
your husband, and your child?’”
“Yes,” the woman told Gehazi,
“everything is fine.”
2 Kings 4
Gehazi – who always accompanied Elisha

7. When she came to Elisha, she
fell to the ground before him
and caught hold of his feet.
Gehazi began to push her
away, but the man of God said,
“Leave her alone. She is deeply
troubled…”
2 Kings 4
Gehazi – who had zealous for Elisha

8. Gehazi – who Elisha trusts his staff with
When Elisha learns that the
woman’s son died, he said to
Gehazi, “Get ready to travel;
take my staff and go! Go
quickly and lay the staff on the
child’s face.”
Gehazi hurried on ahead and
laid the staff on the child’s
face…
2 Kings 4

9. Gehazi – a man
in making for the
next prophet of
the nation

10. ….a day to remember
when Gehazi was tested
but failed

11. Naaman, the commander of the
Syrian army, though a mighty
warrior, he suffered from leprosy.
Advised by a servant maid,
Naaman visits Elisha for healing.
So Naaman went with his horses
and chariots and waited at the
door of Elisha’s house
2 Kings 5
Background for Gehazi’s test

12. Background for Gehazi’s test
But Elisha sent a messenger out
to him with this message: “Go
and wash yourself seven times in
the Jordan River. Then your skin
will be restored, and you will be
healed of your leprosy.”
Though upset initially, Naaman
went down to the Jordan River
and dipped himself seven times,
as Elisha had instructed him. And
his skin became as healthy as the
skin of a young child, and he was
healed!
2 Kings 5

13. But Elisha sent a messenger out
to him with this message: “Go
and wash yourself seven times in
the Jordan River. Then your skin
will be restored, and you will be
healed of your leprosy.”
Though upset initially, Naaman
went down to the Jordan River
and dipped himself seven times,
as Elisha had instructed him. And
his skin became as healthy as the
skin of a young child, and he was
healed!
2 Kings 5
Background for Gehazi’s test

14. Then Naaman went back to find the
man of God. They stood before him,
and Naaman said, “Now I know that
there is no God in all the world
except in Israel. So please accept a
gift from your servant.”
But Elisha replied, “As surely as
the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will
not accept any gifts.” And though
Naaman urged him to take the gift,
Elisha refused.
2 Kings 5
Background for Gehazi’s test

15. Gehazi’s Greed
Gehazi couldn’t believe Elisha refused
Naaman’s offer. He ran…no time to think or
pray about this…it was now or never
He used Elisha’s name to secure the
treasure…got it and hid the treasure carefully.
When questioned, Gehazi acted innocent in
front of Elisha
2 Kings 5

16. Elisha –
“…because you have done
this, you and your
descendants will suffer from
Naaman’s leprosy forever.”
When Gehazi left the room, he
was covered with leprosy; his
skin was white as snow.
2 Kings 5

17. Reasons for Gehazi’s failure
Gehazi didn’t realize we meet all life's greatest tests
alone
• Achan MISSED inheritance in Canaan - Josh. 7:21
Gehazi didn’t realize the glory waiting for him
• Esau SOLD his own birthright for a single meal -
Heb.12:16
Gehazi is tested for integrity
God left him alone to test him so that he
might know what was in his heart…
2 Chron. 32:31

18. What is your story?
A CALL FOR REPENTANCE

19. Gehazi was the
mouthpiece for Elisha
You are called to go and
make disciples of all the
nations
Matthew 28:16-20

20. Gehazi was Prophet
Elisha’s personal advisor
You are a chosen people,
a royal priesthood
1 Peter 2:9

21. Gehazi witnessed the power
of God through Elisha
You received the power of
God when the Holy Spirit of
God started indwelling in you
Acts 1:8

22. So you are no
longer a slave, but
God's child; and
since you are his
child, God has
made you also an
heir
Galatians 4:7

23. Better status than
Gehazi’s…not just a
servant of Prophets
but Sons of God
himself

24. Gehazi Failed to take warning
What about you?

25. Peter, another disciple, did
repent and so he became
leader of the first ever
established church
Judas was a disciple of
Christ, he would still have
been one, had he repented

26. True Repentance
can bring us back to
status of God’s sons
and so his heirs