A Barrel A Bottle And A Burden

A BARREL A BOTTLE AND A BURDEN

BRO. JIM KEELING 4-7-04

1 KINGS 17:1-24

NOTICE THREE THINGS:

I. A THIRSTY PROPHET

Vs. 7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

GOD HAD PROMISED TO SUSTAIN HIM!

II. A NEEDY WIDOW

Vs.10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

III. AN ALMOST EMPTY BARREL AND BOTTLE

Vs.12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

DID GOD PREPARE THE WIDOW FOR ELIJAH OR ELIJAH FOR THE WIDOW?

The barrel was almost empty, the widow was at the end of what she could do.

Yet we see her obedience, even in her own deep poverty. They were not just hungry, She and her son were at the point of death

2 Corinthians 8:1-2

1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

It is time for God to do his work and to keep his promise.

Psalms 55:22

22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

The barrel is a container it is useless when it is empty. God desires to fill us for his service.

The barrel is for flour or meal, to make bread?the staff of life!

Ecclesiastes 11:1

1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

John 6:35

35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

The bottle is for oil:

Oil had three principal uses among the Hebrews.

(1) To anoint the body so as to mollify the skin, heal injuries, and strengthen muscles.

(2) As we use butter, as food.

(3) To burn in lamps A Type of the Holy Spirit’s unction and illumination.

The supply of grace comes not from a dead reservoir of oil, but through living "olive trees."

Now look at:

The command

1 Kings 17:13

13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

The promise

1 Kings 17:14

14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

The provision

1 Kings 17:16

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

*The command:

Matthew 28:19

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

*The promise:

Matthew 28:20b

20??.and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

*The provision:

Revelation 7:9-10

9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.