What is the significance of Elijah being fed by ravens?

[tonychanyt]

Raven was a carrion eater. They ate the decaying flesh of dead animals. It was considered an unclean animal in Leviticus 11:

13“ ‘These are the birds you are to regard as unclean and not eat because they are unclean: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, 14the red kite, any kind of black kite, 15 any kind of raven

1 Kings 17:

2 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: 3“Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”
5 So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

Were the bread and meat clean?

Numbers 19:

22 Anything that an unclean person touches becomes unclean, and anyone who touches it becomes unclean till evening.”

Applying the above principle, the bread and meat were unclean.

Now, Leviticus 12:

2 "Say to the Israelites, 'A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be unclean for seven days, as she is during the days of her menstruation.

After Mary gave birth to Jesus, presumably, she breastfed baby Jesus while she was unclean.

The unclean ravens did not affect Elijah's credibility. Even before this, he likely had eaten food prepared by unclean people.

What was the significance of Elijah being fed specifically by ravens?

It foreshadowed an unclean Sidonian widow at Zarephath would prepare food for Elijah in v 9.

Also, it foreshadowed Acts 10:

9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

The unclean has been made clean. The ravens feeding Elijah weren't just about survival—they were a prophetic act pointing to God's larger plan of breaking down barriers between clean and unclean, ultimately fulfilled in Christ.

 

[Mark Quayle]

Raven is a carrion. They eat the decaying flesh of dead animals. It is considered an unclean animal in Leviticus 11:


1 Kings 17:


Were the bread and meat clean?

Numbers 19:


If we apply the above principle, the bread and meat were unclean.

Now, Leviticus 12:


After Mary gave birth to Jesus, presumably, she breastfed baby Jesus while she was unclean.

I do not see how the ravens should affect Elijah's credibility. Even before this, he likely had eaten food prepared by unclean people.

What is the significance of Elijah being fed specifically by ravens?

I think it foreshadows Acts 10:


The unclean has been made clean.

Perhaps it also speaks of the law of Christ, vs the Old Testament law.

 

[Rose_bud]

Raven is a carrion eater. They eat the decaying flesh of dead animals. It is considered an unclean animal in Leviticus 11:


1 Kings 17:


Were the bread and meat clean?

Numbers 19:


If we apply the above principle, the bread and meat were unclean.

Now, Leviticus 12:


After Mary gave birth to Jesus, presumably, she breastfed baby Jesus while she was unclean.

I do not see how the ravens should affect Elijah's credibility. Even before this, he likely had eaten food prepared by unclean people.

What is the significance of Elijah being fed specifically by ravens?

I think it foreshadows Acts 10:


The unclean has been made clean.

I agree, they were associated as an unclean bird, as a scavenger bird of death.
Also a foreshadowing for Elijah that an unclean person, will provide him with food.

The women in 1 Kings 17 was a Gentile.
Later in the narrative, the widow son dies and Eljah cries to God three times.

She associates death with sin, and somehow associates Elijah presence as a reminder. But although death is present Elijah action brings life.

Her response, now she knows that God is with Him and what He speaks is true.

1 Kings 17:24 NIV
Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”

Like Peter who brought a message of Truth, that life is found in Jesus, who died and after three days was raised to life. The greatest Life had come to a Gentile once more.

The woman, a Sydonian non-Jew, just like Namman the Syrian. Luke tells that when Jesus refers to this incident in Luke 4, it is to foretell the gospel being shared with the Gentiles and an indictment to those in the synagogue that would not accept Him.
For after three and a half years, Elijah was sent to the Gentiles.

 

[tonychanyt]

Also a foreshadowing for Elijah that an unclean person, will provide him with food.

Great point

I incorporated your idea into my OP. Thanks.

 

[Joseph G]

I agree, they were associated as an unclean bird, as a scavenger bird of death.
Also a foreshadowing for Elijah that an unclean person, will provide him with food.

The women in 1 Kings 17 was a Gentile.
Later in the narrative, the widow son dies and Eljah cries to God three times.

She associates death with sin, and somehow associates Elijah presence as a reminder. But although death is present Elijah action brings life.

Her response, now she knows that God is with Him and what He speaks is true.

1 Kings 17:24 NIV
Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.”

Like Peter who brought a message of Truth, that life is found in Jesus, who died and after three days was raised to life. The greatest Life had come to a Gentile once more.

The woman, a Sydonian non-Jew, just like Namman the Syrian. Luke tells that when Jesus refers to this incident in Luke 4, it is to foretell the gospel being shared with the Gentiles and an indictment to those in the synagogue that would not accept Him.
For after three and a half years, Elijah was sent to the Gentiles.

Would you consider it also plausible that God demonstrated an even earlier foreshadowing, with Noah sending out a raven and then a dove?

To wit: the death through uncleanness represented by the raven is resolved by the seal and indwelling of the Holy Spirit represented by the dove?

 

[Rose_bud]

Would you consider it also plausible that God demonstrated an even earlier foreshadowing, with Noah sending out a raven and then a dove?

To wit: the death through uncleanness represented by the raven is resolved by the seal and indwelling of the Holy Spirit represented by the dove?

Hi Joseph G

Haven't quite gone into detail with Noah, but maybe the clean and unclean animals on the ark a foreshadowing of redemption for both Jews and Gentiles?

Without wanting to hijack tonychants thread, I reread the account in Genesis and was wondering why I was reading the raven being sent out then the dove. Could it not have been a simultaneous sending out??? Just some musings on your question?

Also I'm realizing that this particular passage has a lot more to do with rest. The ark rested, the birds were looking for a place to perch or rest and Noahs name means rest. For he will give the people rest from the ground the Lord has cursed. Maybe the sending out was to determine whether rest had come. Also the allusions to seven are striking when it comes to rest, for both the ark and the dove.

 

[KevinT]

The unclean has been made clean. The ravens feeding Elijah weren't just about survival—they were a prophetic act pointing to God's larger plan of breaking down barriers between clean and unclean, ultimately fulfilled in Christ.

Why do you think God gave instructions about distinguishing between clean and unclean? Do you see these as arbitrary regulations? And why then would God work to counter His prior instruction?

KT

 

[tonychanyt]

Why do you think God gave instructions about distinguishing between clean and unclean? Do you see these as arbitrary regulations? And why then would God work to counter His prior instruction?

KT

Great questions. See Why do you think God gave instructions about distinguishing between clean and unclean? and follow up there

 

[Diamond72]

They ate the decaying flesh of dead animals. It was considered an unclean animal

We have vultures here that are considered to be filthy birds. 100 years ago they would shoot them on sight to get rid of them. The Cleveland radio station WMMS (100.7 FM) uses a vulture, specifically a buzzard, as its symbol. The station, known as "The Buzzard," adopted this mascot in 1974 as an ironic twist on Cleveland's reputation as a declining Rust Belt city1. The buzzard was meant to symbolize the station's gritty, rock-and-roll attitude and its commitment to playing cutting-edge music that resonated with the youth culture of the time.

Vultures are often associated with death and decay, but they help recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem

 

[Mark Quayle]

We have vultures here that are considered to be filthy birds. 100 years ago they would shoot them on sight to get rid of them. The Cleveland radio station WMMS (100.7 FM) uses a vulture, specifically a buzzard, as its symbol. The station, known as "The Buzzard," adopted this mascot in 1974 as an ironic twist on Cleveland's reputation as a declining Rust Belt city1. The buzzard was meant to symbolize the station's gritty, rock-and-roll attitude and its commitment to playing cutting-edge music that resonated with the youth culture of the time.

Vultures are often associated with death and decay, but they help recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem

Just a side track: I've been told by a State University Ornithologist (professional) that the poop of the Black Buzzard is absolutely sterile!

 

[KevinT]

Just a side track: I've been told by a State University Ornithologist (professional) that the poop of the Black Buzzard is absolutely sterile!

I think this has to be a misunderstanding. There are bacteria in almost every location on the planet. There are even bacteria that grow in the boiling waters of hot springs, etc. There are other bacteria that grow on sulfur vents at the bottom of the ocean, where oxygen is not sufficient to support the standard metabolic pathways. I think the idea is that the vultures can consume meet that would be full of bacteria that would potentially be harmful to humans or other animals, and yet remain unharmed themselves. Thus, when they defecate, it could be that those potentially harmful bacteria have now been killed. But that is different than saying that one could not take their feces to a laboratory and plate out a culture and get a different set of bacteria to grow. Bacteria typically form important parts of the digestive process. We called this the microbiome.

I found this website discussing this. It mentions that their feces are high in uric acid and tend to kill harmful bacteria. Very interesting overall. Vultures Myth Buster - Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy

KT

 

[Mark Quayle]

I think this has to be a misunderstanding. There are bacteria in almost every location on the planet. There are even bacteria that grow in the boiling waters of hot springs, etc. There are other bacteria that grow on sulfur vents at the bottom of the ocean, where oxygen is not sufficient to support the standard metabolic pathways. I think the idea is that the vultures can consume meet that would be full of bacteria that would potentially be harmful to humans or other animals, and yet remain unharmed themselves. Thus, when they defecate, it could be that those potentially harmful bacteria have now been killed. But that is different than saying that one could not take their feces to a laboratory and plate out a culture and get a different set of bacteria to grow. Bacteria typically form important parts of the digestive process. We called this the microbiome.

I found this website discussing this. It mentions that their feces are high in uric acid and tend to kill harmful bacteria. Very interesting overall. Vultures Myth Buster - Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy

KT

I thought it was a bit laughable myself, as stated. Maybe she only meant it as an easy way to make a point to someone she knew little about.. But I took it to mean pretty much what you are describing here.