Death in the Pot

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Introduction:

• A table in the wilderness? (Psalm 78:19)
• A table prepared in the presence of mine enemies (Psalm 23:5)

Baptists in Jail in America – “James Ireland (1745-1806), who was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, immigrated to northern Virginia, where he became a schoolmaster. By reason of his youthful vice, he entered a prolonged state of concern about his salvation but eventually obtained a hope for his soul. Almost at once he began to preach. In Pittsylvania County he was baptized by Samuel Harris and was ordained as an itinerant by eleven Separate Baptist preachers.

“His five-month imprisonment in Culpepper County, during the winter and spring of 1769-1770, stands out amidst the persecutions that Virginia county officials meted out to Separate Baptists from 1768 to 1778. While Jemmy Ireland was in jail, gunpowder was exploded under the floor, sulfur and hot pepper were burned beneath the door, and a scheme to poison him was plotted. When he preached through a small grating (maybe one foot square), some Negroes who listened were stripped and beaten, other persons were trodden under horses’ hoofs, and miscreants urinated in his face. After Lord Botetourt, governor of the colony, gave Ireland leave to build a meetinghouse in Culpepper County, the magistrates could no longer hold him.” –from Baptists on the American Frontier (p.88).

I.          THE PLACE OF ROLLING AWAY (4:38)

A.       The Land of Gilgal: where the reproach of Egypt was rolled away (Joshua 5:9-10)

B.        A Place to Which Elisha Returned (Isaiah 51:1)

II.        THE TIME OF DEARTH IN THE LAND (4:38)

A.       A Time of Scarcity (Psalm 40:17)

B.        A Famine of the Word of God (Amos 8:11-12)

III.     THE HEART OF EXPECTATION (4:38)

A.       The Sons of the Prophets Sat Before Elisha (Luke 10:38-39)

B.        The Hunger for the Things of God (Psalm 84:1-2; Matthew 5:6)

IV.     THE PROVISION OF THE POTTAGE (4:38)

A.       Provision to be Prepared (Psalm 107:9; Isaiah 55:1-2)

B.        Provision to be Given (Luke 9:12-14)

V.       THE GATHERING OF THE GREENS (4:39)

A.       One Gathered Wild Gourds in the Field (Isaiah 5:2)

B.        He Did Not Know What He Gathered (Jeremiah 11:19)

VI.     THE POISON IN THE POT (4:40; Galatians 5:9)

A.       Perversions of Scripture (Romans 1:25; 2Corinthians 2:17)

B.        Preaching of False Doctrine (Galatians 1:8-9; 2John 1:9-11)

C.       Pointless Controversies (2Timothy 2:14-16)

D.       Idols of Personality (1Corinthians 3:3-5)

E.        Popular Opinion (Luke 16:15; 1Timothy 6:5)

F.        Worldly Philosophy (Colossians 2:8)

G.       Wicked Carnality (1Peter 2:11)

VII.  THE HEALING OF THE POTTAGE (4:41)

A.       Casting in the Meal: ground up grain (Genesis 18:6)

B.        Bringing Iniquity to Remembrance (Numbers 5:15 – the only offering of the law that specifically mentions meal)

C.       Contrition of Spirit (Psalm 51:17; Isaiah 57:15; 66:2)