I was visited by a raven at noon today, cawing up a storm while pacing back and forth on my front wall. Then the raven stopped on my mailbox that's on my front gate and flew away. I asked my mom if she heard the raven? She said, "Yes, it's a positive omen and good news is on the way." I had mixed emotions about this experience. I wasn't feeling the positive emotions my mom was feeling about this visitation. When I walked outside to water my plants I heard a still small voice inside me say, "God used the raven to feed Elijah." I felt a smile inside of my spirit and I went to search keywords 'God and ravens'. These are the messages I was led to read and I want to share this message with those who need to hear this too. God is so amazing. (emphasis mine)
I added the pictures above to the message in this post.
Victorville Daily Press
written by Pastor Dane Davis of First Christian Church in Victorville
Visit www.fccvv.com
September 9, 2016
“The word of the LORD came to Elijah: ‘Leave here…and hide in the Kerith Ravine…. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.’” – 1 Kings 17:2-4
Over the years the Lord has directed me to do some uncomfortable things in the course of doing “good ministry.” I have eaten strange-tasting food on mission trips, sat by multiple bedsides of seniors laboring for their last breath, and fielded a barrage of complaints about this, that or the other. I’ve even officiated a funeral for a cat. (Yeah! That was a little weird.) But as a Christian who has dedicated my life to serving the Lord, I strive to push through the uncomfortability. In the long run, it’s better to be obedient than comfortable.
Just look at the prophet Elijah. After being given the briefest of introductions in 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah went before the king of Israel, King Ahab, and delivered an important yet uncomfortable message from God: “As surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.” In the prior chapter we are told, “Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him.” Without a doubt, Ahab and his wife Jezebel took wickedness to a new level in Israel, and Elijah was given the unenviable task of proclaiming God’s resulting judgment. Because of Ahab’s sin, God would withhold both rain and dew from the land for several years.
Needless to say, as soon as those words of prophetic judgment rolled off Elijah’s tongue, he became King Ahab’s public enemy #1. So God directed Elijah to get out of Dodge. He told him to go to the Kerith Ravine east of the Jordan River where he could hide from the vindictive royal couple. God promised not only to supply Elijah with water from the brook that flowed through the ravine but also with bread and meat each morning and evening. But strangely, this bread and meat wouldn’t be delivered by a catering service. In fact, it wouldn’t be delivered by human beings at all. Instead, it would be delivered by a flock of dirty birds.
Long story short: Elijah was fed twice daily by a flock of ravens. And ravens definitely weren’t kosher. They were off limits to the Jewish people, because ravens are scavengers. They regularly make a feast of roadkill and enjoy a smorgasbord of dead and rotting flesh. I would guess that the thought of being fed by dirty, scavenger birds turns your stomach. Now, try to imagine how much it would turn the stomach of a faithful Jew who had faithfully steered clear of all “unclean” meat his entire life. Yet without hesitation Elijah trusted God and accepted His provision without a word of complaint or protest. We’re not told what kind of meat the ravens delivered, and maybe that’s for the best. Regardless of whether it was mutton, squirrel or miscellaneous giblets, Elijah cooked it up, gave thanks to God and ate it. The Lord provided the food, so Elijah ate it. It was as simple as that.
There are some powerful lessons that we can draw from this strange yet heartwarming account of the ravens. Like this lesson: The will of God will never lead us where the grace of God cannot care for us. As strange as it sounds to be fed twice daily by ravens, Elijah obeyed the word of the Lord and trusted Him to work out the details. And God did! He always does. The Lord takes care of us when we walk in obedience to His word.
And how about this lesson: Each meal is a miracle from the hand of God. Truth be told, the birds didn’t feed Elijah. The birds were simply the delivery system. God fed Elijah. Similarly, your employer is not your provider. God is your provider. And your paycheck doesn’t supply your needs. God supplies your needs. But sometimes when we as Christians forget this reality, God will take away the job or withhold the paycheck to wake us up to the reality that He is the One who supplies our needs.
Philippians 4:19 doesn’t say, “My PAYCHECK will supply all your needs.” It doesn’t say, “My EMPLOYER will supply all your needs.” It doesn’t even say, “My HARD-WORKING HANDS will supply all your needs.” Philippians 4:19 says, “My GOD will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” So, if you have nothing but a half-empty jar of peanut butter in your cupboard, be encouraged. You have peanut butter PLUS GOD. And if you have God in the equation, your needs will be met, regardless of what you see in your pantry. Or if your refrigerator has nothing but an overripe banana inside, rejoice! You have a banana PLUS GOD. And with God in the mix, your supply of food far exceeds the contents of 100 fully-stocked refrigerators.
We dare not miss these life-changing lessons here in 1 Kings 17. God is our good, good Provider. Although His delivery systems are varied and sometimes strange, He is faithful to meet our needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. So, the next time you find yourself being annoyed by the squawks of a dirty raven perched atop your backyard fence, remember Elijah. That dirty bird on your fence may be the descendent of a raven that God used to supply Elijah’s needs. Perhaps God is reminding you to trust Him, receive His good provision and thank Him for it every day.
I added the picture above to the message I shared in this post.
written by Jorge Silva
[source: AngelicalBalance.com]
It is believed that a raven is a symbol of good luck. Whenever you see a raven, it is believed that you should expect good things to begin to happen in your life.
Most times, this symbolic message will happen to you when you are on the verge of giving up.
After you have tried a lot of things without any success, the universe can send the raven across your path to indicate that you have contacted good luck and it is going to become evident in the nearest future.
Another symbolic meaning of a raven is change.
Raven Meaning In The Bible: There is a common story in the bible where God sent a raven to feed Elijah in the desert.
Therefore, whenever you see a raven, it is a sign that God is going to provide for you.
It means that all of your heart’s desires will be met supernaturally by the hand of God. This should fill your heart with faith and courage.
The native Americans believe that a raven is a sign that a change is coming. Most times, when this happens, native Americans always become positive. They believe that this change will lead to a positive turnaround in their lives.
This has remained true for years and it can be applied to your life as well. Therefore, whenever a raven shows up, it is a sign that a change is coming into your life, which is mostly positive.
A raven is symbolic of harvest. A native tribe in Africa believes that whenever the sound of a raven is heard, it is a sign that rain is about to fall, which will lead to a great increase in their crops and a bountiful harvest.
Therefore, whenever you find a raven, it is a symbol of harvest.
The voice of the raven is a sign that all the support you need from the universe will be supplied to you, and you will enjoy all the benefits of your hard work.
I added the picture above to the message I shared in this post.
I believe this message in the picture is another important message relevant to now.
written by Emma Danzey
[source: Crosswalk.com]
As I was doing my Bible study on Elijah just yesterday, the story of the ravens was the focus. When Elijah was in Cherith during a time of separation and preparation, God fed him by ravens. The mystery of the ways in which our Lord works is eye-opening in this biblical account. We can look at Elijah’s provisions and be reminded of the unique ways in which God always cares for our needs.
What Happens in the Story of Elijah Being Fed by Ravens?
In 1 Kings 17, Elijah told King Ahab that the Lord was sending a drought. God led Elijah to a dry land called Cherith east of the Jordan (1 Kings 17:3). He tells Elijah that he will drink from the brook and ravens will give him food (1 Kings 17:4).
The amazing obedience and trust that Elijah shows come quickly after in verses 5-6. Kristi Wood from Crosswalk shares, “Time and time again, Elijah set the example of loyal obedience to God our Father.” Elijah does what God said to do and goes to Cherith. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening and he got water from the brook.
What Is the Context of 1 Kings 17 and Elijah Being Fed by Ravens?
This might seem like a strange story to you. Why would God provide for Elijah in this way? Why would the Lord even make him go live in an obscure dry place? The context of 1 Kings 17 is during the rule of King Ahab and his wife Jezebel. They were absolutely evil and disobedient to the ways of the Lord. What we learn in 1 Kings 18 is that Jezebel was killing the prophets and Obadiah was hiding them to rescue them while Elijah was in Cherith. They wanted Elijah dead and looked in all of the other cities. This may have seemed like an odd location to Elijah, but God in His sovereignty was saving his life.
Why Does God Feed Elijah Via Ravens?
Our great God could have used any means to feed Elijah, but He intentionally chose ravens. If you know anything about birds, the raven is not a dependable animal. We see in the story of Noah how the raven does not return. Genesis 8:7 says, “And sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth.”
Priscilla Shirer says it well in her Faith and Fire Elijah study, “Perhaps if God had chosen doves or robins to perform this twice-daily, turn-down service, some kind of brilliant, brainiac ornithologist could come up with a scientific hypothesis, describing how birds of that type might be capable of pinpointing a singular location day after day. God, however, chose a bunch of ravens for the job, thereby dispelling rational theories.”
Many times, our God does not choose to work in rational ways so that without a shadow of a doubt we can know that it had to be Him. Maybe you are in a season of your life where you do not know what the Lord is doing? You could be questioning His provision and His ways. All the while He could be protecting you and caring for you in a unique manner just like He did for Elijah.
What I love even more is that we see a similar message in the New Testament in Luke 12:24, “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!”
God was having Elijah consider the ravens. Elijah had to have known that in order for him to survive, the ravens also had to survive. In order for them not to eat his breakfast, God would also have to take care of the birds. The Lord values the ravens, but how much more did He value Elijah? God values us just the same. We are His image-bearers, His adopted children, and His chosen ones.
How Can We Glean Hope from This Story?
Every time that I see or think of a raven now, I will never be the same. These birds that I once considered pretty ugly, I now delight in the thought of how the Lord takes care of them and of me.
Many times, it can be frustrating to have desires to do “great things” for God that we miss out on the joy of the still moments. It is in those places where we gain greater intimacy with the Lord. It is there that our prayer lives increase and our faith in our Jehovah Jireh is strengthen.
Dena Johnson Martin from Crosswalk says, “He had the opportunity to be ministered to by God himself, to sit quietly by the brook absorbing God’s love. He had the time to see God’s faithfulness, to learn to trust his heart.”
I was a single woman for most of my 20s. It was a challenge for me when my friends were getting married and I felt behind. I wondered why the Lord would not bring me a husband. I had been faithful to Him and loved Him, but I was in a Cherith. However, it was in that season of isolation that I grew tremendously in my intimacy with Christ, and my trust in Him increased significantly. I learned to use that season for good and His glory. I knew that He could handle the tears and the frustrations. I learned my identity was not in a relationship status with anyone but Him. I know that God was not only preparing me for my husband Drew, but He was protecting me from marrying the wrong kind of man. He had an amazing man of the Lord for me at His perfect timing. However, my Cherith was also equally as significant as my time now as a married woman.
I look back and smile remembering how the Lord was with me and loved me. I reflect on the closeness and the kindness in my season as a single woman. Perhaps you had a time in life that appeared to be a dry place, but God provided for you in an amazing way? Maybe you are in the middle of your desert, wondering why you are there? Take some time to reflect on what your ravens were or are in this moment. If you cannot think of a way in which the Lord has or is providing for you, I challenge you to begin to implement thankfulness daily. Gratitude opens our eyes to the goodness of God. When we are aware of the blessings that seem mundane and insignificant to us, we can see a clearer picture of the Father’s love for us.
Is there someone who you can radically bless? Maybe you are the one to be a special provision and be used by the Lord like the ravens? If God has gifted you with finances, a good listening ear, cooking skills, strength, etc. Ask the Lord how you can step into the hardships of someone else’s life who needs it. Scriptures help us to see the love of Christ and then learn how we can reach out to the world who is in great need of the Savior. I challenge each of us to ponder our giftings and learn how to share God’s love through them to another in their Cherith.
I love how Elijah boldly and confidently obeyed the voice of God in an unknown circumstance. So many times, I find myself anxious about the unknowns of this earth. However, the story of the ravens feeding Elijah gives me a great hope that my God is omniscient, and He is in control. My God sees things that I do not see from my narrow point of view. My God loves me more than I may ever know this side of Heaven. He loves you too. May we have the courage like Elijah to follow the Lord’s leading and trust His purposes.
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