|
| 
Story 1 - The Raven's Food Package
Elijah: His name means: "The
Lord Is My God."
He was called "the
Tishbite," probably from his birthplace in Gilead, the
east of Jordan, a high plateau, fit chiefly for grazing.
Rough, austere, disdaining the vices and luxuries of his
nation, Elijah appeared before king Ahab without warning or
ceremony. "And Elijah the Tishbite, of the
inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab.. He had no
need for introduction or apology to go before the king.
Prophets had been doing it for a thousand years, whenever God
had a message to take to kings. King and court and people
stood reverently before them as they brought the message from
the Most High God.
The Ravens' Food Package
Story One
Historical setting:
Time: Around 875 B.C.
Places: Brook Cherith and Zarephat
Persons: Elijah, a raven, and God
Scripture:
I Kings 17:1-7
"As the Lord God of
Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew or
rain these years, except at my word."
Those were first recorded words of Elijah, the
"storm-king" of Israel, and they were to the wicked King
Ahab. Israel was on a downward slide away from God, and
heading for destruction. God had given many warnings to the
nation of Israel, but all had been ignored. And now, under the
evil rule of weak King Ahab and his wicked, domineering queen,
Jezebel, God was meting out His Divine scourge for rulers and
people. In times past God had used surrounding nations to
punish His people for their evil ways. This time He chose
Nature to bring punishment. With a prolonged drought, king and
subject alike would unmistakably recognize the hand of God.
To King Ahab Elijah simply said, "As
the Lord God liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be
dew nor rain these three years. But according to my word."
The three-year famine began its work of destruction. At
first there wasn't much change in the land. The valleys were
still green, the trees had their leaves, and the brooks and
rivers were still flowing in their usual manner. Ahab and his
kingdom settled down to their usual lives, forgetting Elijah's
warning. But gradually food became scarce and the streams
began to dry up. The ground dried out. The skies looked
scorched and brassy. Cattle and people alike began the long
painful road to starvation. Children cried to their mothers
for food. Mothers berated husbands to go and find some
provisions. Husbands were desperately looking for new sources
of food.
For a while those at the palace didn't notice the effects
of the drought. They were able to live on their reserve, but
eventually, even the people inside the king's palace began to
suffer. And Ahab and Jezebel became angry. Jezebel gathered
all the prophets of Baal together and demanded that they cry
to Baal to send rain. But all their moaning and crying made no
effect whatsoever on the land. The drought was just getting
worse. And they knew just whom to blame, according to their
way of thinking. Jezebel put the word out to all in her
kingdom that there would be a great reward to anyone who could
find Elijah and bring him to the palace. This drought was all
Elijah's fault. Oh what she wouldn't do to that man, if only
she could get her hands on him!
But Elijah was nowhere to be found. While the brooks and
streams were quickly drying up, back near the land where
Elijah had come from was a brook named Cherith. No one knows
where this brook was, but it was well hidden among some canyon
by the river Jordan. Here is where God had led Elijah, where
he would be safe from the hundreds of people trying to find
him in order to collect Jezebel's reward.
Elijah was used to rugged living, and he was used to being
in remote places with no human companionship. But he wondered
why God had led him here. Was his work on earth finished? Did
God have no further use for him? Had God brought him here to
abandon him? As the first day of Elijah's seclusion drew to a
close, he sat by the brook Cherith, tired, hungry and
discouraged. Perhaps a drink of water would help the gnawing
in his stomach die down. He knelt and took a long drink.
As he sat on the rocks near the brook wondering what it was
that God wanted him to do next, the sun beat down on him,
leaving him exhausted, but still very hungry. Momentarily he
was shaded from the sun. He looked up. There, flying towards
him was a huge raven, carrying something in his mouth. The
raven landed on the rock beside Elijah, dropped his "payload",
and flew away. Elijah examined the present the raven had left
and discovered it was bread. So hungry was he that he devoured
it without question. His thirst and hunger now quenched, he
sat back to reflect on his present situation. It was getting
dark. The rigors of the day had taken their toll. Soon he was
fast asleep.
The next thing he was aware of was that the sun was beating
down on him again. Rubbing his eyes, he knelt again by the
brook to take a long drink of water. Again a shadow passed
overhead. Again a raven dropped off a package for him. And
Elijah recognized that this was God's way of providing for
him. His God had not forgotten him after all. He settled down
to a life not too unusual to him, rugged and solitary.
But as the days wore on Elijah's brook began to shrink.
Soon there was nothing but a trickle. At last the day came
when Elijah woke up and found that even the trickle had dried
up. And it was on that same day the raven stopped visiting
Elijah with his packet of food. Once again Elijah became
irritated with God. Now what was he supposed to do? As he
paced the rocky terrain, he heard God's voice: "Arise, get thee to Zarephath…and dwell there:
behold I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee."
(v. 9)
© Helen Dowd
Please read Story 2: "The
Widow's Last Cake
|