1 Kings 17:6
And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
After denouncing judgment upon apostate Israel, Elijah was directed by God to withdraw to safety by the brook Cherith beyond the reach of Ahab and Jezebel. There morning and evening flesh and bread were carried to him for food while the brook supplied his drink through the time of famine. The food was sent from heaven, brought by a raven as God's messenger. It was a miraculous provision when no human help was available, proving that God's eye is upon His servants to supply their necessities. So the same watchful care assures self-sacrificing and faithful believers that in times of trouble, persecution, want and famine God will make their bread and water sure day by day, so they need not lack, distrust Him, or disobey Him for the sake of need.
Elijah's Setting and Refuge
The verse concerns Elijah the Tishbite in the days of Ahab, dwelling among the mountains of Gilead east of the Jordan, far removed from any city of renown and holding no high station in life, a man of faith and prayer whose fearless ministry was destined to check the rapid spread of apostasy in Israel. From his mountain retreat he watched Israel sink deeper and deeper into idolatry, with unbelief fast separating the chosen nation from the Source of their strength despite their deliverance from bondage and gift of the lands of the heathen that they might observe His statutes and keep His laws. His soul was distressed, his indignation aroused, and he was overwhelmed with sorrow and anguish of soul, besought God to arrest the once-favored people in their wicked course and to visit them with judgments if need be, that they might see in its true light their departure from Heaven and be brought to repentance before they went so far in evil-doing as to provoke the Lord to destroy them utterly.
After denouncing God's judgments upon Ahab for his and Israel's apostasy, God directed Elijah away from Ahab's and Jezebel's power to a place of safety in the mountains by the brook Cherith. God's sustaining of him there by the brook and through the ravens belongs to his seeking refuge beyond Israel, where he was safer among the heathen than among those who had rejected heaven's light and hardened their hearts.
God's sending of him to the brook began a chain of divine commissions to go afterward to the widow of Sarepta, to return to Israel to stand before the idolatrous priests on Carmel, and to guide the king's chariot to the gate of Jezreel with God-given strength, unlike his later hasty flight into the wilderness which God did not send. The verse means God prepared the way before him and gave him abundant success as he entered upon his mission devoted to the work of reform, with the word of faith and power upon his lips as the voice of one crying in the wilderness to rebuke sin and press back the tide of evil, coming to the people as a reprover of sin while offering the balm of Gilead to the sin-sick souls of all who desired to be healed.
Miraculous Provision at Brook
The ravens brought bread and flesh in the morning and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank of the brook, a regular daily provision of food and water sustained through famine and scarcity in the wilderness. The supply came morning and evening without fail, with meat and bread furnished by the birds and drink drawn from the brook Cherith where he stayed for safety. The food was sent from heaven by an angel of heaven, honoring him in his retreat.
God provided the food at the brook by sending a raven as His messenger. He fed His prophet by a miracle when Elijah was upon a long journey and could obtain food from no other source. This proves God's eye is upon His servants every moment to provide for their necessities when no human help is available, the same watchful providence that preserved Jesus by directing Joseph to flee into Egypt and by moving the wise men of the East to bring valuable offerings that sustained His poor earthly parents on their journey and during their sojourn in a strange land.
When the brook dried up, God sent Elijah to the widow of Sarepta and worked a daily miracle to keep Elijah and the widow's family supplied with food. The first provision by the brook and the continued supply in the widow's household formed one unbroken care through the drying of the water and the change of place. These acts of sending morning and evening food and then supplying the widow's household were evidences of God's love and care that should have kept Elijah from distrusting God.
Assurance for Faithful People
In time of trouble God can provide for His people in the wilderness even by sending ravens, even when ordinary provisions are unavailable and there is scarcity and famine. Those who trust wholly in Him need not lack food, for morning and evening bread and meat with water from the brook show His sustaining care in such need. That care for Elijah in famine assures self-sacrificing believers and God's self-sacrificing children that He will sustain them and care for their needs, making their bread and water sure and providing food and water even in days of famine. He will sustain His self-sacrificing and faithful people in times of persecution, distress, want, famine and deprivation, supplying what they need so they will not perish.
He will provide food for His faithful servants and His faithful, self-sacrificing children day by day and will not let them go without what they need, so they need not fear going without food. Because His faithful people will not lack food, they need not plead need or convenience as a reason to disobey Him, but owe Him perfect obedience.
The same watchful providence that sustained Elijah in famine with food and water also provided refuge for Mary and Jesus in a foreign land. God's eye is upon His servants every moment to provide for their necessities when no human help is available and food can be obtained from no other source, even when upon a long journey. That providence preserved life by directing Joseph to flee into Egypt and by moving the magi and wise men of the East to bring valuable offerings that supplied the journey to Egypt and the stay there and sustained His poor earthly parents on their journey and during their sojourn in a strange land.
In contrast to feeding Elijah by the miracle of ravens and food sent from heaven with water from the brook, God provides for bereaved families, orphans, widows and fatherless children through a miracle in human hearts rather than through ravens or food sent from heaven. He removes selfishness and awakens generosity, benevolence and Christlike love so that people overcome selfishness and care for them. The wilderness provision by the ravens' regular food and the brook's water is echoed in Roger Williams's experience during his winter flight through the forest, when for weeks without knowing where he would find bread or shelter he recalled being fed by ravens.