The land was in a famine. Not one single drop of rain had fallen since the prophet had decreed it. The people were suffering while King Ahab and Queen Jezebel sat at their table eating and drinking. Suddenly some huge ravens flew in the open window and landed on the king’s table. There was a collective gasp among everyone in the room. Surely this was a good sign because in their pagan religion the raven was a messenger of the gods, a good omen, and here were several making themselves at home on the table. Everyone was careful not to make any sudden moves to startle the birds. They watched as the ravens picked pieces of the choicest meats and the softest breads. They had to be picking the best of the best to take it back to the gods as offerings! Little did Ahab and Jezebel know that the ravens were picking the choicest food not to take it to their gods, but to take it to their enemy, the prophet Elijah!

Morning and evening the ravens were welcomed at the king’s table. Morning and evening the ravens picked up the choicest of meat and bread and took it to the prophet. Ahab and Jezebel had no clue that they were watching the ravens prepare the food for their hated enemy. They welcomed the ravens because they thought the birds were from the gods, never realizing the ravens were from the One True and Living God. They freely gave the ravens the best pieces of meat and bread – even in the middle of famine – never realizing the mouth they were feeding was the mouth of the prophet of the Almighty – the very mouth that had prophesied and decreed this drought they were now in. For over a year they welcomed the ravens morning and evening, then as suddenly as they had come, the ravens stopped showing up.

Ahab and Jezebel wondered what had happened to the ravens. They consulted their pagan priests and offered special sacrifices, but the ravens didn’t return. What they didn’t know was that the ravens didn’t need to feed the prophet any longer because he had gone to the hometown of Jezebel herself and was being cared for by a widow woman there.

Jezebel was one of the most evil women in all of human history. Even today we call a vile demonic spirit that operates with her characteristics a ‘Jezebel spirit’. Ahab, her pawn of a husband, was not much better. And yet, God chose to fulfill David’s prophesy by using them. David said of our God, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” I’m sure if Jezebel and Ahab knew what was going on, they would have killed all the ravens at once – messengers of the gods or not. They would have hunted down every last widow in Phoenicia to get to Elijah. But God proved once again that He uses the wicked to bless His people.

How many times did Elijah remember the psalms of David when he was alone by the Brook Cherith or hidden in the widow’s home? The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming…The Lord knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.” (Ps 37:12-13,18-19)

What the enemy means for evil, God will always turn for our good – even using the very enemy himself to provide what we need.