Raven

Genesis 8:7

I have three different Bible studies that I lead each week.  What I have enjoyed most about these Bible studies is being challenged by the participants to dig deeper.  Being a third generation minister and having been saved since I was five there is much that I simply take for granted.  The Bible said it that settles it.  There are other things I don't always see as significant as others.  So as we are going through the studies the participants point out things that I have not really considered.   

In one of the studies we were reading in Genesis chapter 8 concerning when Noah released the birds to see how far the flood waters had gone down.  The first bird he released was the raven.  I was asked why did he release the raven first?  I will admit it never occurred to me to ask that question in my life.  I did not have an immediate answer.  I did a quick search but the quick answer I found was not satisfactory to the group.  This caused me to do more searching to see if there was a reason the raven was released first.  Could there be a spiritual significance?  

What I found and knew already were ravens are mentioned several times throughout the Bible.  I found they were considered to be an unclean bird so were not to be eaten or used in sacrifices.  I still struggled to find something that fully answered the question of why the Raven.  I continued to search.  What I found was nothing of significant spiritual importance but definitely practical reasons to releasing a raven first.  

I found the following  in the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 

"RAVEN The raven, conspicuous because of its black color (Song 5:11), is a member of the crow family. The raven acts as a scavenger and is listed among the unclean birds (Lev. 11:15; Deut. 14:14). Biblical writers cite the raven as an example of God’s care for His creation (Job 38:41; Ps. 147:9; Luke 12:24).

The raven was the first bird Noah sent forth from the ark following the flood (Gen. 8:7). He may have selected the raven for several reasons. It can fly without rest for long spans of time. Also the raven makes its home in the rocky crags, and thus it would scout out mountain peaks emerging from the flooded earth. Finally, the raven is a resourceful bird with a remarkable memory.


God sent ravens to sustain Elijah by the brook Cherith (1 Kings 17:4–6). Ravens often store surplus food beneath leaves or in rocky crevices. Although ravens often have been viewed as birds of evil omen, in the Elijah story they serve as symbols of God’s love for His servant and of His mighty sovereignty over nature."    

 

Meier, J. (2003). Raven. In C. Brand, C. Draper, A. England, S. Bond, E. R. Clendenen, & T. C. Butler (Eds.), Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (p. 1366). Holman Bible Publishers.


The Lexham Bible Dictionary stated the following, 


"Raven A black bird. An animal sent forth by Noah from the ark (Gen 8:7). Often fed on carrion (Job 38:41; Psa 147:9; Prov 30:17). Forbidden among the Israelites as food (Lev 11:15; Deut 14:14)."    

 

Raven. (2016). In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.


When you consider the flood killed all creatures and humans the following quote from The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary makes sense..


"Because a carrion-eating bird would be able to survive on floating corpses, the raven sent out by Noah did not return (Gen. 8:7)."

 

 Myers, A. C. (1987). In The Eerdmans Bible dictionary (pp. 873–874). Eerdmans.


If you don't know a carrion eating bird simply is a flesh eating bird.


Nothing over spiritual but if you ever wondered like the participants in my Bible study did as to why the raven was released first.  This may help you.  


Blessings

Ric



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