An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip "Get up and go…" (Acts 8:26)
Sunday Reflections
May 24, 2026 - I was reading in Genesis this morning and a very obscure verse leapt off the page and immediately grabbed by attention. It is found in Genesis 8:7 - "and he sent out a raven which flew here and there until the waters were dried up from the earth." AMP
I focused on the word "raven". Had I ever seen that before? I always remember the part about the dove but never ever recall anything about the raven. I had to dig a little deeper. The raven is considered an unclean animal. It feeds off dead things. When Noah released the raven, it never came back to him. It is surmised that the raven may have been scavenging the many carcasses of both human and animals that had perished in the flood. It then may have perched itself on the roof of the ark. It clearly states in scripture that the raven "flew here and there". It stands to reason that why it never came back to Noah was because it was "feasting on the dead things" he found in the water.
The dove is what most people focus their attention on in this story. Remember? The dove kept returning to Noah until it brought back a fresh olive leaf in its beak.
What is the spiritual significance of this. This is what captivated me. The raven represented the "dead things" in life. God explicitly gave a warning that we must not feed on the dead things in this life. "Dead things" could be anything from ambition, greed, lust, power, jealousy, bitterness, unforgiveness etc. The earth had been destroyed because of all this. However, the dove brought back new life represented in the form of a fresh olive life. Living things are things that bring joy to the Father. Are you pressing into Him daily? Are you reading your Bible, praying and asking for His direction on a daily basis, are you being kind, forgiving, serving Him daily etc.
The question that I asked myself and now I ask you - Are you a raven or are you a dove? Are you feeding on the dead things of this world OR are you drawing in close to the Father and seeking Him in all things?
Also, "This verse highlights Noah’s patience and caution as he waited for clear signs of God’s timing before allowing his family to exit the ark". This is personal for both Steve and me right now. Ask yourself, am I willing to wait on God for direction and clarity or are you tired of being on the boat and you just want to get on with things?
I love God's Word. There are so many treasures of truth that are waiting to be found both you and me. Get to reading and digging.
I focused on the word "raven". Had I ever seen that before? I always remember the part about the dove but never ever recall anything about the raven. I had to dig a little deeper. The raven is considered an unclean animal. It feeds off dead things. When Noah released the raven, it never came back to him. It is surmised that the raven may have been scavenging the many carcasses of both human and animals that had perished in the flood. It then may have perched itself on the roof of the ark. It clearly states in scripture that the raven "flew here and there". It stands to reason that why it never came back to Noah was because it was "feasting on the dead things" he found in the water.
The dove is what most people focus their attention on in this story. Remember? The dove kept returning to Noah until it brought back a fresh olive leaf in its beak.
What is the spiritual significance of this. This is what captivated me. The raven represented the "dead things" in life. God explicitly gave a warning that we must not feed on the dead things in this life. "Dead things" could be anything from ambition, greed, lust, power, jealousy, bitterness, unforgiveness etc. The earth had been destroyed because of all this. However, the dove brought back new life represented in the form of a fresh olive life. Living things are things that bring joy to the Father. Are you pressing into Him daily? Are you reading your Bible, praying and asking for His direction on a daily basis, are you being kind, forgiving, serving Him daily etc.
The question that I asked myself and now I ask you - Are you a raven or are you a dove? Are you feeding on the dead things of this world OR are you drawing in close to the Father and seeking Him in all things?
Also, "This verse highlights Noah’s patience and caution as he waited for clear signs of God’s timing before allowing his family to exit the ark". This is personal for both Steve and me right now. Ask yourself, am I willing to wait on God for direction and clarity or are you tired of being on the boat and you just want to get on with things?
I love God's Word. There are so many treasures of truth that are waiting to be found both you and me. Get to reading and digging.