The Keeper Of The Oil
Pastor Ken Crow
1 Chronicles 27:28 (King James Version)
28And over the olive trees and the sycomore trees that were in the low plains was Baalhanan the Gederite: and over the cellars of oil was Joash:
This morning we will look again at the miracle of 1st Kings chapter 17 verses 9-16.
We look again at the statement made by the widow woman in verse 12.
1 Kings 17:12 (King James Version)
12And 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.
Two Sundays ago we preached on the significance of the two sticks as they represent the Cross of Calvary. Last Sunday we preached how the hand full of meal in the barrel represents the Word of God who the Bible declares to be Jesus Christ himself.
This morning we get to the third element the widow mentions, “a little oil in a cruse.”
1. The oil represents the Holy Spirit.
In order for a miracle to take place the Holy Spirit must be involved.
We can have meetings in this building but if we want to have life changing church we must pray for the presents of the Holy Ghost!
In our opening text the Word of God makes a point to mention by name the grower of the Olive Trees Baalhaanan as well as the keeper of the oil cellars Joash.
Q.Why were they important?
A. Because Olive Oil was absolutely essential to every part of life in that day.
Olive oil was used as the base for every medicine in that day.
Olive oil was used for light in the darkness of night.
Olive oil was used for cooking and flavoring.
We could go on and on .
The plan of God is for the Holy Spirit to be the same way in our life.
The olive oil was involved in the miracle of the widow in 1st Kings 17 because like the two sticks and the hand full of meal , the little cruse of olive oil was a part of her daily life.
If the Holy Spirit is part of our everyday life and an essential element to us we will never be empty handed.
In fact the widow woman held in this little cruse of oil the mixing agent for her miracle!
2.
Lets look at a sequence of events in the life of the early church.
First the prophecy:
Joel 2:28-29 (King James Version)
28And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
Luke 24:49 (King James Version)
49And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Acts 2:1-4 (King James Version)
Acts 2
1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 5:12 (King James Version)
12And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
Acts 2:39 (King James Version)
39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.
3, Everyone of us here this morning need the three elements found in verse 12 of 1st Kings 17.
We all need the two sticks, the cross where the perfect lamb was sacrificed for our sins.
We all need the meal, the Word of God which is the bread of life.
And we all need the oil, which is the mixing agent for our miracle.
Sometimes we get to thinking that someone else will have the oil . That it is unimportant that we have the oil ourselves.
Let me share with you a scripture .
Listen to what God told Moses.
Exodus 27:20 (King James Version)
20And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.
If we are to keep seeing miracles . Keep seeing people saved. Keep the plan and vision for ourselves as a Christian and as a church……Then we must bring the oil ,,the Holy Spirit to keep the fire burning!
I will close with this.
1 Kings 17:16 (King James Version)
16And 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.
God Bless and Amen
