There's More In The Barrel

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