Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.” ~ 1 Kings 17:8-9 New Living Translation
God often works His will in unusual ways. If you’ve known Him a while, you may have your own list of everyday—or perhaps not so everyday—miracles.
In the Bible, He sent a shepherd boy to slay a giant. He sent the stepson of Pharaoh’s daughter to lead Israel from slavery. When enemies hid behind unscalable walls, He used trumpets, oil lamps, and a mighty shout to knock them down.
Elijah the prophet was an unusual servant to begin with. A humble man, likely a shepherd, he prayed fervently and then confronted King Ahab about sinful Ba’al worship. Steeped in prayer, Elijah was ready to listen when God told him to hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan.
God also told Elijah ravens would feed him there, and so Elijah went. And he waited.
Think about this. Ravens are carrion birds and, according to the Jewish Law, unclean. They tear into a carcass after predators make a kill. Ravens might be in the habit of feeding their young but not a man.
Yet the Bible tells us ravens brought Elijah bread and meat, morning and night. A most unusual delivery service!
Ravens brought Elijah bread and meat, morning and night. A most unusual delivery service! -@dana_mcneely Click To TweetGod seems to embrace the unusual in order to make it clear that He is the one at work. God created and can communicate with ravens and humans. In my biblical novel RAIN I wrote a scene imagining the first encounter between Elijah and his avian messengers.
The Secret Place – Excerpt from RAIN by Dana McNeely
In a narrow gorge east of the Jordan, a brook threaded its way past a small cave. On the cliff walls above, sure-footed nubiani leapt from stone to stone, their curved horns outlined against the sky. Eagles nested in feathered outcroppings. Along the creek banks, reeds swayed in the breeze. Vines trailed into the stream like graceful arms washing linen. Reflections of pistachio trees waded in the shallows, and moss carpeted the slope to the brook, patterned by dappled shade.
Year after year, the days of the dry season followed a pattern. On a midsummer day, with the sun baking the valley below, the brook normally grew quiet, fell deep into slumber, and sank into the earth until wakened by the early rains. But today, despite the blazing sky, the brook flowed from the mountain’s heart as if from a bottomless spring.
Far above the sharp cliffs, a raven circled, tilting her head to peer down. The man beside the stream wore a ragged sheepskin, and though she tasted its stench in the air, the raven knew the man himself was not carrion. She had flown a long and weary time, but this was the place, this was the man. As she spiraled down, she heard him speak, though not to her. Man’s words are not for beasts or fowl to understand, but there was something like the brook’s song in his voice. Perhaps, like the brook and the raven, the man also heard the Call.
Though hungry herself, the raven swooped low and dropped bread into the man’s outstretched hands.
Elijah laughed when he caught the falling loaf. Over the many months, he’d been pummeled by falling loaves and raw meat, but this young raven, a newcomer, was the first to drop his meal into his hands.
“Well done!” Swiftly he broke off a third of the loaf and tossed it into the air.
The bird hovered above him, tail fanned and curved like a sliver of moon, blue-black wings beating the sky. She caught the bread right as it began its downward descent, soared up and out of the ravine, and headed north.
In the excerpt above, I entered into the mind of a raven. Does that make me a birdbrain? Seriously, I think God gave the ravens special wisdom. All animals and birds have God-given wisdom. We call it instinct. But in this case, God gave the ravens special delivery instructions. Go to the brook I will show you. Feed the prophet there. (See 1 Kings 17:3-7)
Have you ever been surprised by God’s choice of servant or miracle delivery? Although I’m a long-time believer, have listened to countless sermons, and read through the Bible many times, I’m embarrassed to admit how often the words “What a coincidence!” slip through my lips.
The publication of RAIN was such an unexpected blessing. I had decided not to pursue publication any longer and perhaps even stop writing. Then I received a text message from a stranger. If you haven’t heard that story, you can read about it here.
The stories of Elijah found in 1 and 2 Kings provide many faith lessons for all believers. Elijah was one of the mightiest prophets in the Bible, but we’re told in James 5:17 “Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years.”
Elijah prayed fervently. He also prayed for God’s will. God had warned the Israelites years before that he would “shut up the skies” if they turned to other gods. So Elijah boldly asked God to make good on his promise.
Let’s challenge each other to pray fervently and in God’s will. Here are a few ideas where God has expressed His will on the matter.
- Pray for the lost. (2 Peter 3:9)
- Pray for our leaders. (1 Timothy 2:1-4)
- Pray to know God better. (Jeremiah 9:24)
Dana McNeely dreamed of living in a world teeming with adventure, danger, and romance, but she had a problem—she also needed a lot of peace and quiet. She learned to visit that dream world by stepping into a book. Better yet, hundreds of books. Soon, she began writing her own stories, fact and fiction.
Inspired by the Bible stories of Elijah, Dana wondered why the prophet came to stay with the widow of Zarephath and her son. Who were they? What was their life, before? How did the boy change after he died, saw the other world—and came back?
Those questions led to Dana writing RAIN, in which she built her dream world of adventure, danger, and romance. Peace and quiet, however, have remained elusive.
No stranger to drought, Dana lives in an Arizona oasis with her hubby the constant gardener, two good dogs, an antisocial cat, and migrating butterflies.
Her debut novel RAIN spins the tale of a mysterious prophet, a desperate youth, and a relentless queen. RAIN is published by Mountain Brook Ink. Sign up here to receive a FREE BOOK and Dana’s book updates, garden exploits, butterfly effusions, and writerly fiascos.
He is destined to be high priest—but at what cost to those he loves?
In ancient Samaria, Aban anticipates his rites of passage with excitement and dread. He yearns to join the priesthood of Ba’al Melqart, unlock the power of the rain god, and hear the deity’s voice. He’s been warned the licentious ceremony can take a dangerous turn, but as eldest son of the high priestess, he holds a privileged position. If he can make it through the ceremony, one day he’ll rise to high priest.
On the eve of the rituals, Aban’s mother confesses a dark secret about the bloody sacrifice demanded by Melqart. Aban may have escaped the flames, but if he is to save his brother, Aban must take his destined position of power as soon as possible.
When the mysterious prophet Elijah interrupts the rites, overturns the idol, and curses the land with drought, Aban’s world is shaken. The current high priest and the king appear powerless, but even more confusing is the fact that the rain god does nothing.
Against his better judgment, Aban conceals the strange prophet’s whereabouts, forfeiting the high priesthood. Now an enemy of the relentless Queen Jezebel, Aban has little time to question his fading commitment to Ba’al Melqart as he and his loved ones flee. But the conflict in Samaria is much larger than just a high priestess and her sons. Soon, Aban will have to choose a side in Yahweh’s war against the Ba’als—and it may cost him his life.
Lana Christian