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Theosis · English Bible
3 Kingdoms (1 Kings)

3 Kingdoms (1 Kings) 17

Old TestamentTheosis · English Bible

1And Eliu the prophet, the Thesbite of Thesbæ of Galaad, said to Achaab, As the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be these years dew nor rain, except by the word of my mouth. 2And the word of the Lord came to Eliu, saying, 3Depart hence eastward, and hide thee by the brook of Chorrath, that is before Jordan. 4And it shall be that thou shalt drink water of the brook, and I will charge the ravens to feed thee there. 5And Eliu did according to the word of the Lord, and he sat by the brook of Chorrath before Jordan. 6And the ravens brought him loaves in the morning, and flesh in the evening, and he drank water of the brook. 7And it came to pass after some time, that the brook was dried up, because there had been no rain upon the earth. 8And the word of the Lord came to Eliu, saying, 9Arise, and go to Sarepta of the Sidonian land: behold, I have there commanded a widow-woman to maintain thee. 10And he arose and went to Sarepta, and came to the gate of the city: and, behold, a widow-woman was there gathering sticks; and Eliu cried after her, and said to her, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. 11And she went to fetch it; and Eliu cried after her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of the bread that is in thy hand. 12And the woman said, As the Lord thy God lives, I have not a cake, but only a handful of meal in the pitcher, and a little oil in a cruse, and, behold, I am going to gather two sticks, and I shall go in and dress it for myself and my children, and we shall eat it and die. 13And Eliu said to her, Be of good courage, go in and do according to thy word: but make me thereof a little cake, and thou shalt bring it out to me first, and thou shalt make some for thyself and thy children last. 14For thus saith the Lord, The pitcher of meal shall not fail, and the cruse of oil shall not diminish, until the day that the Lord gives rain upon the earth. 15And the woman went and did so, and did eat, she, and he, and her children. 16And the pitcher of meal failed not, and the cruse of oil was not diminished, according to the word of the Lord which he spoke by the hand of Eliu. 17And it came to pass afterward, that the son of the woman the mistress of the house was sick; and his sickness was very severe, until there was no breath left in him. 18And she said to Eliu, What have I to do with thee, O man of God? hast thou come in to me to bring my sins to remembrance, and to slay my son? 19And Eliu said to the woman, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and took him up to the chamber in which he himself lodged, and laid him on the bed. 20And Eliu cried aloud, and said, Alas, O Lord, the witness of the widow with whom I sojourn, thou hast wrought evil for her in slaying her son. 21And he breathed on the child thrice, and called on the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, let, I pray thee, the soul of this child return to him. 22And it was so, and the child cried out, 23and he brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and gave him to his mother; and Eliu said, See, thy son lives. 24And the woman said to Eliu, Behold, I know that thou art a man of God, and the word of the Lord in thy mouth is true.

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3 Kingdoms (1 Kings) 17:4

John Chrysostom

John Chrysostom4th century

The Lord, in His wisdom, brought shame upon those who disobeyed Him, acknowledging the prophet yet extending compassion towards the people suffering from famine. What action does He take? He administers discipline to both the prophet and the people, allowing the prophet to experience a shared suffering that might lead him to understand the conflict between his own decree and the nature of humanity. However, He lessens the prophet's ordeal, demonstrating His profound understanding of the very essence of humanity. Remarkably, He sustains the prophet through the provision of ravens, who are known for their neglectful care; indeed, the raven is a creature that does not nurture its offspring. The prophet underscores this idea when he proclaims, “and to the raven's chicks that call upon Him” (Psalms 146:9). Just as the raven chicks and all fledglings cannot forage for themselves, relying entirely on their parents for sustenance, ravens, despite being devoid of parental attention, still manage to thrive. David illustrates God's care for His creations by attributing their nourishment to divine providence. With mouths open to the sky and lacking parental support, raven chicks are provided for by smaller creatures fulfilling God's plan, thus receiving sustenance from above and growing strong. Hence, the prophet reflects, “and to the raven chicks that call upon Him.”

After Elijah expressed his disdain for the Jews, perceived as ungrateful offspring, God subtly communicated with him by referencing the unkindness of the mothers among the ravens, not in silence but almost reproachfully: “Do you not share the same aversion for the Jews as the ravens do for their young?” Yet, God urged Elijah to see the transformation in the ravens; observe, O Elijah, the paradox of their nature: while they exhibit cruelty toward their own chicks, they eagerly provide for you. It is indeed a contradiction, O Elijah, that the ravens serve as instruments of My compassion toward you, and yet you withhold intercession for the Jews regarding the punishment I have imposed upon them. Feel the weight of the transformation in the ravens and extend your mercy toward the Jews; while I acknowledge the pronouncement you have made, I also mourn for them.

Further, I would eagerly engage with the Jew, inviting him close to reveal that the law condemned itself, lacking in permanence and righteousness, for it was merely a shadow: there was the shadow, and here stands the true fulfillment; there the model, and here the reality. Elijah, whom you revere, whose arrival you anticipate, whom you frequently discuss, whose title of prophet you ascribe—how did he receive sustenance from an unclean raven? The law clearly states that the raven is unclean. If the raven is deemed unclean, then surely one who ingests the sustenance from it also becomes unclean. Yet this was not the case; Elijah received food from the raven without regarding any of the Lord’s creations as impure.