Generals are nothing new. They have existed since warfare began. One such general was a man named Naaman. He commanded the army belonging to the King of Aram. The King saw Naaman as an heroic and successful leader, so he was devastated when word came that Naaman had gotten leprosy. He would have to be relieved of his leadership and isolated from army and family.
A young Israeli girl who had been captured at an earlier time, and who had been selected to be a servant to Naaman's wife, heard of his disease. She told her mistress there was a prophet in Samaria who could cure him of leprosy!. Naaman told the king and Aram gave money and clothing , along with a letter to the king of Israel, and sent him on the way. The king of Israel panicked as he suspected trickery. He had no idea it was Elisha the prophet who could perform the miracle. When Elisha heard about it he said, "Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.".
Elisha was not impressed by kings or generals. He sent a servant out to the gate when Naaman and his entourage appeared. The general was told to go dip seven times in the Jordan river and he would be healed. Naaman was angered by this slight and by the instructions given. He knew the Pharpar and Abana rivers in Damascus were cleaner than the Jordan. His servants pleaded with him to give it a try. Naaman went to the river and did what Elisha had instructed. His skin was cleansed so that he looked like a young man. These men all returned to Elisha's gate and Naaman made a life-changing statement: " Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.....when my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I bow there also....may the Lord forgive your servant for this."
He was telling Elisha that the idols would no longer be his god. He had found the God of Israel! Jehovah!! This is a fantastic story about a general who met a prophet and was forever changed on the outside and inside. God still does that today for those who ask to be healed of sin. We don't have to go to a river. We go to the One called "the water of life".