Naaman is enraged and thinks, “Don’t these people know who I am? Don’t they know how important I am?” Naaman had expected the prophet to come out to him personally. He assumed the cure would be costly and dignified.
What Elisha told Naaman to do was repulsive! It was beneath a man of Naaman’s standing to go dunk in a muddy river, not once but seven times! It made no sense to him, so Naaman turned away in a rage!
2 Kings 5:13 ESV But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”
Now Naaman is faced with a dilemma; should he remain in his anger and pride, or should he humble himself and go dunk seven times in the Jordan river? Is self-importance going to win out, or is the desire to be clean going to overcome his pride?
2 Kings 5:14 ESV So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
Can you imagine this scene? A dignitary coming from a foreign land with all his horses and chariots, a very important and wealthy man loaded down with gold, silver, and fine clothes, now dunking himself in a muddy river? And not just once, but over and over, seven times? That would be humbling to a man like Naaman!
But that is precisely the point! Each time Naaman went down into that river, he would have to humble himself again, simply obeying the word of God. Down he went, probably feeling foolish, like all are watching him, yet with a burning desire to be rid of his leprosy. Down he goes again, desiring to be clean more than holding on to reputation. He humbled himself repeatedly in his desperation to be clean.
Did you notice that it was a muddy river that would make the leper clean? That doesn't seem right. A muddy river is not where we think we should go to get clean, which is why Naaman named other rivers that were better. The Jordan river was a stumbling block to Naaman, but he washed anyway.