THERE’S MORE IN THE BARREL
Scripture Reading: I Kings 17: 8 - 16
Theme Scripture: I Kings 17:16 “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.”
I. JUDGMENT IN THE FORM OF A DROUGHT
A. The Cause of The Drought
1. Wickedness brings about the disfavor of God.
I Kings 16:29 “And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years. 16:30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. 16:31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. 16:32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. 16:33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.”
2. Judgment Pronounced by the Prophet
I Kings 17:1 “And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said
unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.”
3. Psalm 9:17 “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”
God takes His time, but his time will always come.
B. The Effect Of The Drought
1. Devastation to the land. Streams drying up. Fields and trees withering.
2. Devastation to the people.
Matthew 5:45 “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Elijah and his friends and family were caught in the effect of the drought also.
II. PROTECTION OF THE PROPHET AT THE BROOK
A. Feasting By The Brook Cherith (ke’ -rith)
I Kings 17:3 “Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.”
1. Drinking water from the brook.
2. Fed by the ravens. (17:4) “I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.”
An unclean, black bird that was plenteous in the land of Palestine.
3. Elijah remained at the Brook Cherith for about 2 years (Some say one year). For Elijah, these last 2 years had been a place of communion. Kenneth Squires
Have you ever experienced those times when everything you do seems anointed and every thing you encounter seems to come directly from the hand of God? These are times when you know you are directly in the will of
God.
Cherish (treasure, value, prize, appreciate, take pleasure in) those times by
Cherith.
Sooner or later, the brook will dry up.
B. The Brook Dried Up (17:7)
1. God works with us in a progressive way least we ourselves become stagnant.
The brook was getting smaller and smaller. Perhaps Elijah’s faith was drying up as the brook disappeared. Elijah couldn’t help but think of those back home that were affected by his prophetic announcement. How was his family handling the
drought? Had the town well run dry? As the brook dried up, perhaps the souls of
his family dried unto death. Kenneth Squires
2. From point A to point B, God is working. When one resource dries up, God will bring another into your life.
He has not forgotten you at the brook Kenneth Squires
3. And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, (17:8)
(17:9) Arise, get thee to Zarephath
A city between Tyre and Sidon, called Sarepta by St. Luke, and others.
When the brook was dried up Jordan was not; why did not God send him thither? Surely because he would show that he has a variety of ways to provide for his people and is not tied to any one. Matthew Henry
How painful the travel must have been from the Brook Cherith to Zeraphath, 100
miles of misery and pain. These were days when the sound of celebration was
replaced with the sound of funeral dirges. Death filled the land. With every step
he took, Elijah was acutely aware of his role in the centerpiece of the drama that
was unfolding. Not only was Ahab looking for Elijah, all of Israel was looking for
the prophet that had caused such pain. Kenneth Squires
I am deeply impressed with a person who knows what God has called them to do and is willing to live on the painful road of obedience. Kenneth Squires
III. PROTECTION OF THE PROPHET BY THE WIDOW (B. C. 908)
I Kings 17:9 “Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell
there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.”
A. Meeting the widow. (17:10)
1. At the gate of the city --> God’s providence.
2. Gathering sticks --> man’s futility.
Two sticks - A few sticks, that number being often used indefinitely for
any small number. Wesley’s Explanatory Notes
B. The prophet’s requests. (17:10 - 11)
1. A little water --> It’s a time of drought; a three year drought!!!!
2. A morsel of bread --> She’s a starving widow!!!!
The widow stopped in her tracks. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Bringing water from the village well was one thing! But she had an empty barrel of flour
and a jar that needed a spatula to scrape the remnant of oil that had almost evaporated.
She must have felt put out by the request because she protests immediately. Kenneth Squires
C. The widow’s response. (17:12)
1. As the LORD thy God liveth --> Notice thy God, not my God.
2. I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse:
--> Destitute (poor, penniless, on the breadline).
3. 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.
She had grieved the loss of a husband, (Did he die in the famine due to the drought?) and now she was at the end of the road. Kenneth Squires
4. Can’t you hear someone thinking, “I traveled 100 miles for this.”
Elijah ended up in front of the neediest person God could direct him to, one that had suffered under the consequences of Elijah’s drought. God expected Elijah to rely on her to have his needs met. Kenneth Squires
A Gentile widow in a Gentile city.
D. The prophet’s persistence. (17:13)
1. Fear not
2. Go and do as thou hast said:
3. But make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and . . .
Have you discovered the victory that comes with allowing God to have it all? It is the most liberating way to live. God wants to press upon you the need to use your resources, even if they seem like such a small amount. Mark my words, God will come and claim the need to use your (His) resources over and over again as you serve Him. If you refuse, you will be out of flour and oil. If you release them to His purposes, you will never lack. Kenneth Squires
Malachi 3:10 “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat
in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. 3:12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye
shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Learn this important principle of motivation: if you are being challenged to do something, be open to a first fruits effort to get you started. The idea of first fruits in the Bible is offering your best and first as a symbol of your commitment. Kenneth Squires
4. After make for thee and for thy son.
Are you willing to believe God for what is left for you?
E. The prophet’s promise. (17:14)
1. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel --> The LORD, not just my LORD.
2. The barrel of meal shall not waste
3. Neither shall the cruse of oil fail
4. How long? Until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
Until you are able to take care of yourself. God is not a generational welfare God.
It is significant to note that, provision always precedes obedience. You do your part and God will do His. Kenneth Squires
F. The widow’s reaction. (17:15)
And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah:
G. The widow’s reaping. (17:15)
And she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
IV. THERE’S MORE IN THE BARREL (17:16)
I can imagine that every meal time when the mother began to reach into that barrel that her son would watch her closely. Several times each day she would reach in the meal barrel which she knew was nearly empty so many days ago to take out another cupful of meal. I can hear her son asking, “Is there more in the meal barrel momma?” And she would answer, “There’s more in the barrel son.”
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 meal and the oil multiplied, not in the hoarding, but in the spending; for there is that scattereth and yet increaseth. Matthew Henry
There’s More In The Barrel for those who follow after righteousness.
There’s More In The Barrel for those who trust in God’s Word.
There’s More In The Barrel for those who listen to God’s man.
There’s More In The Barrel for those who take care of God’s man.
There’s More In The Barrel for those who will put God first.
This was the key to Elijah’s success and power. And it is the key to our success and power. Test God. Put Him first. Hold loosely whatever you have in your hand. Give it away gladly. The widow gave her fragments of food and it fed her family until the drought disappeared. Kenneth Squires
