Our navigation bar is loading . . .

 


 

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries

Helping San Diego, California and beyond since 1997.  




 

JCSM's Top 1000 Christian Sites - Free Traffic Sharing Service!


Do you need volunteer, community service, work, military or court hours?

Click here and add this page to your favorites!

Return to the JCSM Study Center!

The Scripture Alphabet of Animals

 

The Raven

The raven has always been very well known to man, and is mentioned almost at the beginning ofthe Bible. You remember that this was the first bird that Noah sent out of the ark to see whetherthe waters had begun to dry up; and that it did not go back to him again. I suppose it was veryglad to be at liberty after it had been shut up more than a year; and as it lives upon the flesh ofother animals, it probably found food enough from the bodies of those that had been drowned.

It is a large bird, considerably larger than the crow; and its feathers are very black, very glossy,and very beautiful. People in ancient times seem to have liked a black color, and wereespecially pleased with black hair; so we read in the Song of Solomon, where one who isbeautiful is described, "His locks are bushy, and black as a raven."

It is said that the raven always attacks the eye of an animal first; seeming to prefer that to everyother part. This may explain one of the verses in Proverbs, "The eye that mocketh at his father,and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eaglesshall eat it." It has been the custom, in many countries, to hang those who have been guilty ofgreat crimes on a tree or on a gallows in the open air; and there to leave the body for the birds topeck at and devour if they chose. I suppose this verse means that stubborn and disobedientchildren, or those who are not kind and respectful to their parents, must expect to come to somesad end; and they very often do so.

I have heard that the raven drives out its young ones very early from the nest, almost before theyare able to seek their food. This may explain a verse in the Psalms, "The Lord giveth to the beasthis food, and to the young ravens which cry;" and another in Job, "Who provideth for the ravenhis food ? when his young ones cry unto God, wandering for lack of meat." Our Savior speaks ofthis bird in the 12th chapter of Luke, "Consider the ravens; for they neither sow nor reap; theyhave neither store-house nor barn; and God feedeth them." He was speaking to his disciples, andit was as much as to say, "If God takes care of the ravens, he will certainly take care of you; soyou need not be anxious or afraid.

Have you read in the Bible how a good prophet's life was once saved by ravens? The peoplewho were living then were very wicked, and would have been glad to kill the prophet Elijah; soGod told him to go into the wilderness and live there alone by the side of a small brook. Elijahwent to the brook, and there was water enough for him to drink, of course, but no food to keephim from starving. You may be sure that God did not forget his servant; but you would hardlybelieve, if it was not in the Bible, that he would send the ravens to carry food to him. Yet so itwas: "the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening;and he drank of the brook." It is supposed that he was fed in this way for as much as a year. Itwas a long time to stay there by himself; but I do not think he was lonely or afraid, for he lovedGod, and felt sure that He was always near him, even in the wilderness.

Return to Table of Contents



 
 


JCSM was founded in 1997 and exists to help the community and bring people into a life-changing and productive relationship with Jesus Christ. JCSM offers over 200,000 free web pages, including its weekly inspirational emails that were sent continuously for over a decade.

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries
P.O. Box 9297
San Diego, CA  92169
1-888-887-0417 or Email

JCSM is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization. Copyright © 1997-2012.
 

 

Sponsored Advertisements

Online First Aid and CPR Certification  .  DHA Solutions  .  PB Happy Hour Specials  .  Improvising Made Easy For Guitar and Bass  .  The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained  .  Home Equity Loans  .  First Aid and CPR Online  .  San Diego Music Lessons  .  10,000 Wise Quotes and Spiritual Sayings  .  Blow Up Your Site (For Free!)  .  San Diego DUI Lawyers  .  Jason Gastrich  .  Jordan Faith Gastrich  .  Divorce Secrets Revealed  .  Post Your Ad Link Free  .  San Diego Soccer Training  .  JCSM  .  Download Sermons  .  Custom Religious Banners, Build A Sign  .  Christian Singles Dating  .  Christian T-Shirts  .  Healing Christian Prayer  .  Bumper Authority  .  Personalized Blogs and Email  .  San Diego Haircuts  .  The Do the Math Diet  .  Stop Twitter Spam  .  Christian Conservative Work at Home Network  .  The Website of the Lord