JW subtitle extractor

There is only one Gehazi
mentioned in the Bible,
the one you’re thinking of right now:
Elisha’s attendant.
Gehazi had received special training
directly from God’s prophet Elisha.
As Elisha became
more widely known and respected,
Gehazi would naturally be accorded
extra dignity
as the prophet’s personal assistant.
Yes, Gehazi received honor and hospitality,
not because of who he was,
but because of whom he was with.
When Gehazi first appears
in the Bible record,
he was loyal, honest, and empathetic.
But the account at 2 Kings
reveals a darker side to this man,
making it appear
as if there were two Gehazis.
What happened?
What lessons do we want you to take to heart?
Let’s take a closer look.
We are introduced to Gehazi
in chapter 4 of 2 Kings
when a well-to-do Shunammite woman
showed extraordinary hospitality to Elisha,
such as providing meals
and a furnished apartment.
Well, let’s pick up the account
where Elisha expresses
his deep appreciation
for all the good things
the Shunammite woman did for him
at 2 Kings 4:13:
“Then he [Elisha] said to Gehazi:
“‘Please tell her [the Shunammite woman],
“‘“Here you have gone
to all this trouble for us
“‘“[indicating Gehazi too benefited].
“‘“What can be done for you?
“Should I speak in your behalf to the king
or to the chief of the army?”’
“But her reply was:
‘I am living among my own people.’”
In other words:
“I’m fine.
I’m OK.
“I have everything I need.
“I have property.
I have wealth.
“I have a supportive husband.
I’m fine.”
Now, Gehazi, in verse 14,
makes a very keen observation.
What does he do?
He notices one thing
the wealthy woman lacked.
And he tells Elisha in verse 14:
“Well, she does not have a son.”
Having children appeared
to be out of the question for this woman,
for this couple.
But this observation
implies discernment on Gehazi’s part.
It implies an awareness
and a sense of empathy
for the plight of others.
Gehazi’s focus was not on himself;
it was on other people.
He showed himself to be a giver,
and he wanted to help
—good for Gehazi.
He may have possessed
exceptional faith as well,
evidently believing
that Elisha could do something about this.
Elisha implemented Gehazi’s good suggestion
and told the woman in verse 16:
“This time next year,
you will be embracing a son”
—something she viewed as too precious
to even dare hope for.
And yet,
Jehovah God granted that couple a baby boy
the following year.
The lesson for you (here’s the lesson):
You can be used by God even if you
are not in a position of oversight.
At appropriate times,
you may be able to make a suggestion.
And what if it is successfully implemented
and your overseer gets the credit?
It happens.
But be content with that.
Draw satisfaction from knowing
that Jehovah blessed your idea.
Ask yourself,
‘Am I using my training and insight
‘to serve others
or just wanting the spotlight on myself?’
Going back to the Bible account
about the Shunammite woman,
some years passed and the boy died.
At this most horrible time in her life,
now this Shunammite woman
sought out Elisha.
She comes to Elisha.
She’s heartbroken; she’s devastated.
And at this point,
she falls at Elisha’s feet.
But at this point,
we begin to see evidence
of the other Gehazi.
In verse 27 of chapter 4,
after she falls at Elisha’s feet,
she’s heartbroken; she’s crushed.
“At this Gehazi came near [to comfort her?
“Comfort her? No!]
to push her away.”
“Push her away”?
Gehazi, she wasn’t just some stranger;
she was a dear friend.
For years, she showed both of them
extraordinary kindness and hospitality,
and now she needed help.
She’s in bitter agony.
She falls at Elisha’s feet.
And you’re going to push her away?
Did Gehazi think
Elisha was just too important
to be addressed in this manner?
Elisha himself showed no such aloofness.
In fact, in verse 26,
he tells Gehazi to go check on the woman
when he sees her coming.
‘Is everything OK in the household?
How’s the child?’
But isn’t it interesting
that her response to Gehazi,
“All is well,”
may indicate that she too saw
a different Gehazi?
What happened?
What happened
to the discerning, empathetic Gehazi?
Where did he go?
Had he begun to lose faith
or estimate his life’s worth differently?
Had time and the novelty
of his position and the routine
begun to wear on him?
When Gehazi saw
Elisha’s mannerisms and imperfections
on a daily basis,
did that irritate him?
It could be.
Did he want more responsibilities
instead of just running errands for Elisha?
At any rate,
we know that at some point,
Gehazi began to change inside.
Elisha’s long-time, trusted attendant
was fading in the background
while the other Gehazi was taking over.
The lesson (a big lesson):
When status
becomes more important than service,
your heart is already slipping.
Your privilege, your title,
it means nothing
if your compassion is missing.
‘Do I treat desperate people as interruptions
or precious servants of Jehovah?’
If chapter 4 introduced
serious doubts about Gehazi,
then chapter 5 is the coup de grâce,
the final blow.
In verse 20 of chapter 5,
Gehazi refers to Naaman as “this Syrian.”
“This Syrian”?
He expresses contempt
for a man of another race
who in his eyes deserves to be defrauded.
He then manipulates Naaman
into giving him the gifts
that Elisha refused earlier.
He goes from Gehazi the giver
to Gehazi the taker
—sad, but he’s not done.
In verse 25,
he lies to Elisha.
When Elisha asked him:
“Where did you come from?”
what did he say?
“Your servant did not go anywhere.”
Gehazi, what were you thinking?
You should have been very afraid
to lie to God’s prophet.
You knew that Jehovah allowed him
to see things that were not obvious.
He was performing miracles.
He had God’s spirit upon him.
This was God’s prophet.
You’re going to lie to him?
Knowing this, it’s puzzling
that Gehazi imagined his scam would succeed.
He now goes from Gehazi the loyal
to Gehazi the liar
—from giver to taker, loyal to liar.
What was the outcome for this other Gehazi?
In verse 27, Elisha tells him:
“Now Naaman’s leprosy
will stick to you
and your descendants forever.”
In other words,
Jehovah is saying to him:
‘Do you want his money?
Take his disease with it.’
But how sad!
How sad that he now goes
from Gehazi the helper
to Gehazi the leper!
Now, why—why—
are we considering Gehazi
with you mature, faithful, loyal servants
of Jehovah God?
To be clear
—crystal clear—
we do not see any trace
of the negative characteristics of Gehazi
in you.
To the contrary, what do we see?
We see serious students of God’s Word.
We see loyal students.
You showed up every day,
well-prepared for class.
You did wonderfully
in showing a kind, loving spirit
and loyalty to Jehovah and his organization.
Nevertheless,
we share this with you out of love
to ensure that you never suffer
the sad outcome of Gehazi.
That’s why we do it.
Gehazi’s example illustrates
what can happen to us
even while we are immersed
in Jehovah’s service.
Avoid—avoid—
the demise of the second Gehazi,
whose mind was spoiled
while he was still doing
extraordinary prophetic work.
He was in the nucleus of theocratic activity.
And yet,
his heart was drifting far away from it.
The lesson:
The most dangerous thing about a privilege
is forgetting you have it.
Aspire to the first Gehazi,
the trusted Gehazi.
Your work may include many tasks
—some mundane, some ordinary,
even repetitive at times.
It’s OK.
That’s fine.
Why?
Because faithfulness is forged in obscurity.
Integrity is tested when no one is clapping.
Don’t seek a spotlight moment.
Shine brightly in Jehovah’s eyes
wherever life takes you.
And Jehovah will always surround you
—surround you—
with his unfailing love and blessings
if you remember the lesson
of the two Gehazis.

Mark Noumair: The Two Gehazis—158th Gilead Graduation
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Mark Noumair: The Two Gehazis—158th Gilead Graduation

There is only one Gehazi
mentioned in the Bible,
the one you’re thinking of right now:
Elisha’s attendant.
Gehazi had received special training
directly from God’s prophet Elisha.
As Elisha became
more widely known and respected,
Gehazi would naturally be accorded
extra dignity
as the prophet’s personal assistant.
Yes, Gehazi received honor and hospitality,
not because of who he was,
but because of whom he was with.
When Gehazi first appears
in the Bible record,
he was loyal, honest, and empathetic.
But the account at 2 Kings
reveals a darker side to this man,
making it appear
as if there were two Gehazis.
What happened?
What lessons do we want you to take to heart?
Let’s take a closer look.
We are introduced to Gehazi
in chapter 4 of 2 Kings
when a well-to-do Shunammite woman
showed extraordinary hospitality to Elisha,
such as providing meals
and a furnished apartment.
Well, let’s pick up the account
where Elisha expresses
his deep appreciation
for all the good things
the Shunammite woman did for him
at 2 Kings 4:13:
“Then he [Elisha] said to Gehazi:
“‘Please tell her [the Shunammite woman],
“‘“Here you have gone
to all this trouble for us
“‘“[indicating Gehazi too benefited].
“‘“What can be done for you?
“Should I speak in your behalf to the king
or to the chief of the army?”’
“But her reply was:
‘I am living among my own people.’”
In other words:
“I’m fine.
I’m OK.
“I have everything I need.
“I have property.
I have wealth.
“I have a supportive husband.
I’m fine.”
Now, Gehazi, in verse 14,
makes a very keen observation.
What does he do?
He notices one thing
the wealthy woman lacked.
And he tells Elisha in verse 14:
“Well, she does not have a son.”
Having children appeared
to be out of the question for this woman,
for this couple.
But this observation
implies discernment on Gehazi’s part.
It implies an awareness
and a sense of empathy
for the plight of others.
Gehazi’s focus was not on himself;
it was on other people.
He showed himself to be a giver,
and he wanted to help
—good for Gehazi.
He may have possessed
exceptional faith as well,
evidently believing
that Elisha could do something about this.
Elisha implemented Gehazi’s good suggestion
and told the woman in verse 16:
“This time next year,
you will be embracing a son”
—something she viewed as too precious
to even dare hope for.
And yet, 
Jehovah God granted that couple a baby boy
the following year.
The lesson for you (here’s the lesson):
You can be used by God even if you
are not in a position of oversight.
At appropriate times,
you may be able to make a suggestion.
And what if it is successfully implemented
and your overseer gets the credit?
It happens.
But be content with that.
Draw satisfaction from knowing
that Jehovah blessed your idea.
Ask yourself,
‘Am I using my training and insight
‘to serve others
or just wanting the spotlight on myself?’
Going back to the Bible account
about the Shunammite woman,
some years passed and the boy died.
At this most horrible time in her life,
now this Shunammite woman
sought out Elisha.
She comes to Elisha.
She’s heartbroken; she’s devastated.
And at this point,
she falls at Elisha’s feet.
But at this point,
we begin to see evidence
of the other Gehazi.
In verse 27 of chapter 4,
after she falls at Elisha’s feet,
she’s heartbroken; she’s crushed.
“At this Gehazi came near [to comfort her?
“Comfort her? No!]
to push her away.”
“Push her away”?
Gehazi, she wasn’t just some stranger;
she was a dear friend.
For years, she showed both of them
extraordinary kindness and hospitality,
and now she needed help.
She’s in bitter agony.
She falls at Elisha’s feet.
And you’re going to push her away?
Did Gehazi think
Elisha was just too important
to be addressed in this manner?
Elisha himself showed no such aloofness.
In fact, in verse 26,
he tells Gehazi to go check on the woman
when he sees her coming.
‘Is everything OK in the household?
How’s the child?’
But isn’t it interesting
that her response to Gehazi,
“All is well,”
may indicate that she too saw
a different Gehazi?
What happened?
What happened
to the discerning, empathetic Gehazi?
Where did he go?
Had he begun to lose faith
or estimate his life’s worth differently?
Had time and the novelty
of his position and the routine
begun to wear on him?
When Gehazi saw
Elisha’s mannerisms and imperfections
on a daily basis,
did that irritate him?
It could be.
Did he want more responsibilities
instead of just running errands for Elisha?
At any rate,
we know that at some point,
Gehazi began to change inside.
Elisha’s long-time, trusted attendant
was fading in the background
while the other Gehazi was taking over.
The lesson (a big lesson):
When status
becomes more important than service,
your heart is already slipping.
Your privilege, your title,
it means nothing
if your compassion is missing.
‘Do I treat desperate people as interruptions
or precious servants of Jehovah?’
If chapter 4 introduced
serious doubts about Gehazi,
then chapter 5 is the coup de grâce,
the final blow.
In verse 20 of chapter 5,
Gehazi refers to Naaman as “this Syrian.”
“This Syrian”?
He expresses contempt
for a man of another race
who in his eyes deserves to be defrauded.
He then manipulates Naaman
into giving him the gifts
that Elisha refused earlier.
He goes from Gehazi the giver
to Gehazi the taker
—sad, but he’s not done.
In verse 25,
he lies to Elisha.
When Elisha asked him:
“Where did you come from?”
what did he say?
“Your servant did not go anywhere.”
Gehazi, what were you thinking?
You should have been very afraid
to lie to God’s prophet.
You knew that Jehovah allowed him
to see things that were not obvious.
He was performing miracles.
He had God’s spirit upon him.
This was God’s prophet.
You’re going to lie to him?
Knowing this, it’s puzzling
that Gehazi imagined his scam would succeed.
He now goes from Gehazi the loyal
to Gehazi the liar
—from giver to taker, loyal to liar.
What was the outcome for this other Gehazi?
In verse 27, Elisha tells him:
“Now Naaman’s leprosy
will stick to you
and your descendants forever.”
In other words,
Jehovah is saying to him:
‘Do you want his money?
Take his disease with it.’
But how sad!
How sad that he now goes
from Gehazi the helper
to Gehazi the leper!
Now, why—why—
are we considering Gehazi
with you mature, faithful, loyal servants
of Jehovah God?
To be clear
—crystal clear—
we do not see any trace
of the negative characteristics of Gehazi
in you.
To the contrary, what do we see?
We see serious students of God’s Word.
We see loyal students.
You showed up every day,
well-prepared for class.
You did wonderfully
in showing a kind, loving spirit
and loyalty to Jehovah and his organization.
Nevertheless,
we share this with you out of love
to ensure that you never suffer
the sad outcome of Gehazi.
That’s why we do it.
Gehazi’s example illustrates
what can happen to us
even while we are immersed
in Jehovah’s service.
Avoid—avoid—
the demise of the second Gehazi,
whose mind was spoiled
while he was still doing
extraordinary prophetic work.
He was in the nucleus of theocratic activity.
And yet,
his heart was drifting far away from it.
The lesson:
The most dangerous thing about a privilege
is forgetting you have it.
Aspire to the first Gehazi,
the trusted Gehazi.
Your work may include many tasks
—some mundane, some ordinary,
even repetitive at times.
It’s OK.
That’s fine.
Why?
Because faithfulness is forged in obscurity.
Integrity is tested when no one is clapping.
Don’t seek a spotlight moment.
Shine brightly in Jehovah’s eyes
wherever life takes you.
And Jehovah will always surround you
—surround you—
with his unfailing love and blessings
if you remember the lesson
of the two Gehazis.


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