What do we know about him?

• No biographical sketch in scripture.
• Mentioned 24 times in scripture in most translations
  • Acts – 6
  • Romans – 1
  • I Corinthians – 2
  • II Corinthians – 2
  • Philippians – 2
  • Colossians – 1
  • I Thessalonians – 3
  • II Thessalonians – 1
  • I Timothy – 3
  • II Timothy – 1
  • Philemon – 1
  • Hebrews – 1
• Sometimes referred to as Timotheus (Roman version of his name)
  • Translations often render this as simply Timothy.

Who was Timothy?

• Lystra – Acts 14
  • Paul there in about AD 48
    • Healed a lame man
    • Stoned and left for dead
  • Returned in about AD 50
    • Encountered Timothy
    • Acts 16:1-2

Timothy – well spoken of

• How did he get to be like that?
  • Had a faithful mother – II Timothy 1:5
  • The faithfulness of his grandmother and mother were instrumental in forming Timothy’s faith.
  • The foundation of his faith was the word of God. II Timothy 3:14-15
• Still young, probably young in the faith
• Had confessed Christ before many witnesses
  • I Timothy 6:12

Timothy’s enlistment

• Acts 16:3-5
• Paul adds Timothy to his team
  • First puts controversy behind them
  • Went about disseminating the Jerusalem decrees
  • Success!

Timothy grows

• Paul’s trust for Timothy increases
  • Sent with another (Acts 19:22) to Macedonia from Ephesus
  • Sent to troubled congregation (I Corinthians 4:17)
  • Left behind to teach at Ephesus
    • Paul greatly attached to Ephesus (Acts 20)
    • I Timothy 1:3-4
  • Paul warns Timothy to oppose the arguments of the Gnostics
    • I Timothy 6:20
    • Paul had predicted such in Acts 20:28-30
• Trusted emissary – I Thessalonians 3:2, 6
  • Paul sends Timothy to Thessalonica
    • Check on them
    • Strengthen and encourage them
  • He returns a good report
• Following sound doctrine – I Timothy 4:6
• Sincere faith – II Timothy 1:5
• Constant encouragement by Paul to continue progress
  • Letters of 1st and 2nd Timothy
  • Required complete involvement
  • I Timothy 4:15-16

Timothy’s journeys and sojourns

• Passed through “the cities” issuing the decree
• Phrygia and Galatia – forbidden to preach in Asia
• Down to Troas – Macedonian call
• Across to Philippi – conversion of Lydia, Paul, and Silas in prison
• On to Thessalonica and more trouble, then to Berea
• Trouble in Berea

Introduction

Learn how to think.

Learn how to work, even when it’s hard and unfair.

Learn how to manage your time.

Learn how to encourage the kids in younger grades.

Learn how to avoid pride.

Deuteronomy 4

• Deuteronomy 4:1-14 – You need to obey!
• Deuteronomy 4:15-31 – Idolatry
• Deuteronomy 4:32-40 – God (end of first speech)
• Deuteronomy 4:41-43 – Interlude (eastern cities of refuge)
• Deuteronomy 4:44-49 – Introduction to Moses’ second speech.

Deuteronomy 5

• Deuteronomy 5:1-5 – God made this covenant with us.
• Deuteronomy 5:6-21 – Repeating the 10 commandments
• Deuteronomy 5:22-33 – The people were afraid.

Introduction

• Revelation 2:1-7

Casually stray to a different authority

Give up hope and optimism

Introduction

• We’ll be studying some things in the Bible that are not discussed as often.
• We’ll look primarily at the Bible, also pulling in other sources for additional information as necessary.

Naaman

• Text: II Kings 5:1-19

What do we know about Naaman?

• His position? Head gui of Syrian army under the King of Aram (Syria)
  • Not a captain?
  • Translation could mean captain, general, ruler, prince, etc.
  • Context indicates a top military officer.
• King considered him to be a great man
• Highly respected
• God chose to give Aram victory through Naaman (I Kings 22:29-40)
• Valiant warrior
• Leper
• Laws of leprosy (Leviticus 13-14)
  • Lepers were unclean
  • Prophet’s purity?

What can we guess about Naaman?

• Inspiring leader
• He and his wife communicated with each other
• Very good relationship with his king (Hadadezer – generous gifts to take and a letter)
  • Talent of silver: A weight of 75 pounds. Ten talents is work about $654,480 today.
  • Shekel of gold: A weight of about 0.4 ounces. Six thousand shekels would be worth about $5,759,520 today.
• Believed that Israelite prophets were subject to their king in what they did as prophets.
  • John 11:48
• His actions scared the king (Jehoram) into thinking he was trying to start a war.
• Given to ceremony (arrived with chariots and horses, expected ceremony from Elisha)
• Short temper (furious over Elisha’s failure to reciprocate ceremony and command to wash in the Jordan River)
• Willing to listen (took correction from his servants)
• Had loving concern from those who served him (servant girl, other servants)
• Willing to humble himself (obeyed and dipped in the Jordan seven times)

Some things we can learn

• God’s favor doesn’t imply faultlessness on our part.
• Was faith a requirement for Naaman’s healing?
• Kindness to your servants can pay off, even if you don’t deserve it.
  • Servants took a risk correcting the boss
  • Servant girl may just have remembered Proverbs 24:17; 25:21-22
    • Same principle at work between God and Elisha
    • II Kings 6:21-23 – God’s reward to her?
  • Servant girl was likely a faithful Israelite at a time of great unfaithfulness
    • Jehoram was king at the time.
    • He was an evil king who led Israel to sin.
    • Put away pillar of Baal (where his brother was murdered by his parents)
    • Continued all the rest of his parents’ sins