1. Brooks, Ravens, and Widows: The Strange Provisions of God Contemporary Relevance
Introduction Living in the cut could be a contextual condition, i.e. economic depression or
decline, a personal loss (job, health, death of love one), or a personal or communal
- Critical reflection upon the Black Gospel lyric: The Lord will make a way spiritual lost, disorientation or perceived lack of relevancy. The cut could also be a
somehow suggests two very fundamental faith claims that are central to the particular situation, i.e. homelessness, general lack of focus and direction, a
Black experience. marginalized, possibly overlooked, hard place to get to or to get out of. Either way,
- the confident expectation that God provides the cut is not of place of thriving but of surviving.
- the understanding that God’s means of provision are unlimited and
even sometimes unorthodoxthat is strange! Move 3 (Perceiving God’s Provision in the Throw Back) Verse 4b-6
- These two faith claims are borne out in the loyalty and obedience of the prophet
Elijah who trusted Yahweh to make a way and his perception of Yahweh’s - While in the cut the prophet is told by Yahweh that he will be fed by ravens.
provision at work in that of a brook, some ravens, and a widow. The raven is a scavenger bird that, like most birds, feeds its young by
regurgitating pre digested carcass remains. Thus, he is not only to exist in a hot
Move I (Declining Quality of Life in Ancient Israel) Verse 1 land depression where the water is muddy but also depend on the ravens for
sustenance.
- At the point in which we enter the text, the narrator of the first book of Kings
has assessed the reigns of seven kings of Israel as being nothing more than a Contemporary Relevance
slow royal drift downhill toward degradation (Jeroboam I, Nadab, Baasha, Elah,
Zimri, Omri, and Ahab). Essentially, each of these kings is depicted as doing The food in the cut is take-out rather than sit down dining and the selections are
what was evil in the sight of the Lord. (Disobedience and Injustice) limited if not selected for you. Food for preservation rather than for presentation.
- The prophet Elijah makes an entrance at the point in which the Israelite Basic, life preserving, no-frills soup kitchen mush.
monarchy has been determined by the narrator as evil to the corethat is bad to We live in a time when throw back clothing wear is incorporated in with what is
the bone. His presence in the text alone represents at least two things: considered fashionable, at present. There is a time that God challenges us to
- Grass Root Movement (Elijah the Tishbite from Tishbe [settler/people incorporate that which has been used before into our present existence.
of the land])
- Yahweh Believer (The name Eli-jah = My God is Yahweh) Move 4 (Perceiving God’s Provision amongst the Disenfranchised) Verses 8-16
Contemporary Relevance - Unfortunately, the wadi dried up and the ravens stopped bringing food. Again
the word of the Lord instructed Elijah this time to Zarephath where Yahweh has
There is a desperate need today for an Elijah Generation. This is a generation that put a widow on watch to care for him. Essentially, the prophet has to convince
values spiritual fidelity and social justice. What we say and do ought to glorify God. the widow that her fate is inextricably tied to his. She must be willing to
- Spiritual Fidelity = an awareness and acknowledgement of God’s sacrifice all she has, in order that both of them may live.
presence via spiritual discipline (prayer, meditation, fasting,
contemplation, simplicity, etc.) Contemporary Relevance
- Social Justice = challenge racism, sexism, classism, ageism, etc.)
Sustaining human care/contact – what happen to all the pretty young nurses- it’s
Move 2 (Perceiving God’s Provision in the Cut) Verses 2-4a widow watch time.
The Black Community’s survival is dependent on the disenfranchised members
- The word of the Lord instructs the prophet to “Go east and hide by the Wadi willingness to sacrifice what they have.
Cherith.” Literally, the place of the cutting. Wadis are small land depressions
that form a bed or valley for water streams that are usually dry except for the Celebration (The Lord Will Make A Way Somehow)
rainy season. The water in these land depressions is murky, limited, and
temporary. Nevertheless, for a traveler in a hot arid environment it represents a
means of survival.
![Brooks, Ravens, and Widows: The Strange Provisions of God Contemporary Relevance
Introduction Living in the cut could be a contextual condition, i.e. economic depression or
decline, a personal loss (job, health, death of love one), or a personal or communal
- Critical reflection upon the Black Gospel lyric: The Lord will make a way spiritual lost, disorientation or perceived lack of relevancy. The cut could also be a
somehow suggests two very fundamental faith claims that are central to the particular situation, i.e. homelessness, general lack of focus and direction, a
Black experience. marginalized, possibly overlooked, hard place to get to or to get out of. Either way,
- the confident expectation that God provides the cut is not of place of thriving but of surviving.
- the understanding that God’s means of provision are unlimited and
even sometimes unorthodoxthat is strange! Move 3 (Perceiving God’s Provision in the Throw Back) Verse 4b-6
- These two faith claims are borne out in the loyalty and obedience of the prophet
Elijah who trusted Yahweh to make a way and his perception of Yahweh’s - While in the cut the prophet is told by Yahweh that he will be fed by ravens.
provision at work in that of a brook, some ravens, and a widow. The raven is a scavenger bird that, like most birds, feeds its young by
regurgitating pre digested carcass remains. Thus, he is not only to exist in a hot
Move I (Declining Quality of Life in Ancient Israel) Verse 1 land depression where the water is muddy but also depend on the ravens for
sustenance.
- At the point in which we enter the text, the narrator of the first book of Kings
has assessed the reigns of seven kings of Israel as being nothing more than a Contemporary Relevance
slow royal drift downhill toward degradation (Jeroboam I, Nadab, Baasha, Elah,
Zimri, Omri, and Ahab). Essentially, each of these kings is depicted as doing The food in the cut is take-out rather than sit down dining and the selections are
what was evil in the sight of the Lord. (Disobedience and Injustice) limited if not selected for you. Food for preservation rather than for presentation.
- The prophet Elijah makes an entrance at the point in which the Israelite Basic, life preserving, no-frills soup kitchen mush.
monarchy has been determined by the narrator as evil to the corethat is bad to We live in a time when throw back clothing wear is incorporated in with what is
the bone. His presence in the text alone represents at least two things: considered fashionable, at present. There is a time that God challenges us to
- Grass Root Movement (Elijah the Tishbite from Tishbe [settler/people incorporate that which has been used before into our present existence.
of the land])
- Yahweh Believer (The name Eli-jah = My God is Yahweh) Move 4 (Perceiving God’s Provision amongst the Disenfranchised) Verses 8-16
Contemporary Relevance - Unfortunately, the wadi dried up and the ravens stopped bringing food. Again
the word of the Lord instructed Elijah this time to Zarephath where Yahweh has
There is a desperate need today for an Elijah Generation. This is a generation that put a widow on watch to care for him. Essentially, the prophet has to convince
values spiritual fidelity and social justice. What we say and do ought to glorify God. the widow that her fate is inextricably tied to his. She must be willing to
- Spiritual Fidelity = an awareness and acknowledgement of God’s sacrifice all she has, in order that both of them may live.
presence via spiritual discipline (prayer, meditation, fasting,
contemplation, simplicity, etc.) Contemporary Relevance
- Social Justice = challenge racism, sexism, classism, ageism, etc.)
Sustaining human care/contact – what happen to all the pretty young nurses- it’s
Move 2 (Perceiving God’s Provision in the Cut) Verses 2-4a widow watch time.
The Black Community’s survival is dependent on the disenfranchised members
- The word of the Lord instructs the prophet to “Go east and hide by the Wadi willingness to sacrifice what they have.
Cherith.” Literally, the place of the cutting. Wadis are small land depressions
that form a bed or valley for water streams that are usually dry except for the Celebration (The Lord Will Make A Way Somehow)
rainy season. The water in these land depressions is murky, limited, and
temporary. Nevertheless, for a traveler in a hot arid environment it represents a
means of survival.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/brooksravensandwidows1-100930185113-phpapp02/85/Wadis-Ravens-and-Widows-1-320.jpg)
