Ravens will be used for God’s Glory.

I have been trying to understand the compassion I have felt towards the Raven since the Summer 2005. Why the Raven? One of, if not the least well thought of birds on our planet. The dark side of Raven has a long history. Throughout history, the raven has symbolised sin and failure because he never returned. But one must know what his assignment was first to conclude that he failed.

Ravens are opportunistic omnivores, quite content to dine on carrion: They waited after battles to come and feast off the dead. They are revered as mystic birds of the past. The reputation of the raven was often a bleak one, associated with mystery, sorrow, death, with the devil and darkness.

The Raven is regarded as a royal bird. It is said that Alexander the Great was guided across the desert by two ravens sent from heaven. For over 900 years, ravens have lived in the Tower of London. It is said that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, the Tower will fall, and if the Tower falls, the Crown of England to which it is tied will fall - and if the Crown falls, then England will fall. There are seven ravens at the Tower today (they required six plus one spare!) Their names are Jubilee, Harris, Gripp, Rocky, Erin, Poppy, and Merlina. The Raven’s wings are clipped so they stay.

I could not understand my admiration and compassion for this bird. I had no problem striving for any identification with the dove, the beautiful peaceful bird that symbolises all good. Which Christian does not want to be seen as possessing all the qualities that the dove symbolises? The epitome of purity.

While I depended on the Holy Spirit to continue his work of sanctification in my life, my mind continued to dwell on my quest to emancipate the Raven of the biblical Noah’s flood account.  This quest had come about after a morning in prayer in Summer 2005 with members of our previous church; where a visitor to our prayer group had announced that the Raven was unreliable as he had not returned. My ears pricked up.  The visitor was not challenged enough, but the group at the time went on to explore the reasons why this bird did not return to the ark.  During this time several comparisons were made between the Raven and the Dove, needless to say which bird came out as the favourite. However, the point did evolve that in the Bible the Raven is present, and in one so account God has commissioned the Raven to feed Elijah. Ravens faced with a novel task, such as fetching items, including food, are so intelligent they can assess presenting problems and solve them, using their beaks and feet to get the items or food.

Throughout the discussion it was clear that there was a collective view of both birds, with little variation; the raven taking back seat. I left that prayer meeting with lots of questions, what role did both birds play in the flood? I remember crying for the raven. I was more interested in the Raven; the rebellious bird as our discussion implied? Could we learn from the Raven today? Could the raven be a misunderstood bird, in the Church?

I came home and started my search to some of the questions I had. I was pleasantly surprised. First, I read the scripture that infused our discussion.

After forty days Noah opened a window he had made in the ark  and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth.  Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground.  But the dove could find nowhere to perch because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark.  He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark.  When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth.  He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him. Genesis 8:6-12 

The raven never came back. Yet, I wanted to defend this bird, gain some acknowledgement for this amazing bird. The bird that many disliked, dismissed. A bird that never really fits with man, but all the same an intelligent, resilient, and resourceful bird. Through spending some time looking at the raven. I saw a bird that my Heavenly Father had made for his purpose and glory. The qualities of the bird fitted God’s plan marvellously.

In God’s hand, He uses His creation for His ends. On this earth God has chosen to use us; directed by His precious Spirit with the view to getting his work done on this earth, just like he led Noah and his family to dry land with the help of the raven and the dove.

Viking warlords led their armies, and their ships under the symbol banner of a raven, the most common image on such standards. Under the year 878, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle mentions a Viking banner called Hræfn (‘Raven’).  The raven was a pagan symbol of war, death and the way to Valhalla. 

Ravens are remarkable natural navigators, and their abilities were leveraged by the Vikings for guidance during sea voyages. The Vikings, who relied on natural elements for navigation, took inspiration from ravens’ keen sense of direction and sharp memory of landscapes and terrain.

Ravens have a strong homing instinct and the ability to navigate across vast distances. Vikings noticed that ravens released from ships would fly towards land if it was nearby, providing a reliable indicator of the proximity and direction of the shore. This was particularly helpful during overcast or foggy conditions when the sun and stars were obscured, making traditional methods of navigation challenging. The Vikings would carry ravens aboard their ships, releasing them periodically. If the ravens flew back to the ship, the Vikings knew they were still far from land; if they flew away, it was a sign that land was near in the direction of the raven’s flight.

Additionally, ravens are incredibly observant, remembering routes and landmarks and even responding to environmental cues that indicate resources like food or fresh water, which made them ideal "guides" in open waters. Ravens' exceptional navigational skills, honed over millions of years, thus offered the Vikings a practical and natural way to find their way across the seas long before modern navigation tools were developed.

Have you heard the term As the Crows fly? This phrase refers to how to tell severe weather is coming. Well, this could have been referring to a Raven as we used the terms crow and raven interchangeably in Europe. We do not often make the distinction. Noah may have also found the raven's resilience to extreme weather most helpful when he sent it out from the ark. Ravens are known for their ability to endure harsh weather conditions, a characteristic that may have provided Noah with insights into the atmospheric conditions.

Unlike other birds that may struggle or avoid flying in bad weather, ravens are known to adapt well, continuing to fly even in challenging conditions. This could mean that Noah used the raven as a sort of ‘weather scout’. If the raven encountered severe weather but returned, it might indicate to Noah that conditions outside the ark were still too hostile for other creatures. However, if the raven continued to venture further away without returning, it might suggest improving weather conditions, signalling that the land was becoming more habitable.

This resilience to poor weather, along with the raven’s exploratory nature, provided Noah with clues about the environment, potentially making the raven's behaviour in flight a more nuanced indicator than simply the proximity of land.

The Raven navigated Noah to land in treacherous weather. He had concluded his assignment; he had not failed.

I understand there is much more to learn about the raven, but this explanation satisfies my curiosity for now. And my sense of the raven’s vindication in the Noah’s ark story. Unlike the dove, which relies on plant-based food sources, the raven is a carnivorous scavenger and can survive on carrion. This characteristic meant that the raven, once released, had little reason to return to the ark for sustenance, as it could find food even in the aftermath of a flood. Its ability to live off a varied diet, including carcasses, gave it independence and adaptability that Noah likely considered when deciding to send it out. This distinction between the raven and the dove highlights the unique role each bird played in assessing conditions outside the ark.

What I know is that in this time, the Heavenly Father is using ravens for his purpose, and his Glory. God can use even the most unexpected, overlooked, or misunderstood individuals to fulfil His purposes, much like He has used the raven throughout history. We can see this reflected in the role of Donald Trump, America’s 44th and 45th president. Just as the raven was sent out by Noah, independent and resilient in ways the dove was not, some may feel that Trump’s unique characteristics and unconventional path can serve a purpose within a greater plan. We may not see it but there is a bigger picture, that we may need help to see.

The raven, often associated with mystery, resilience, and adaptability, thrived in circumstances that would challenge others, even feeding on carrion when needed. Similarly, Trump’s journey has often diverged from the traditional, navigating harsh criticism and polarised public opinion. Like the raven, which symbolises strength and guidance in various cultures, Trump’s role may be seen by some as an unexpected yet integral part of shaping the current times.

The Raven navigated Noah to land in treacherous weather. He had concluded his assignment; he had not failed.

For those Saints who may feel 'ravenlike'—imperfect, misunderstood, and far from the ideal—there is comfort in knowing that we, too, have a place in God’s divine purpose. God uses all things, even those that appear rough around the edges, for His glory, guiding us through both the challenging and unconventional paths. As Ephesians 3:20-21 reminds us, He is able to do "far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think," using both the doves and the ravens to fulfill His will.

And yes, it often does not matter how much we reassure each other that we are Eagles until we recognise our brokenness and release ourselves into God’s hands. It’s tempting to hide our pain and present a polished exterior to others. But when we acknowledge our struggles, as Isaiah did, and surrender to God’s refining, something powerful happens. In this process—though it may be painful—old yokes are broken. We are freed from what binds us, whether friends, family expectations, or traditions of religion. Our false identities, often shaped by others’ opinions, begin to fall away, and we are liberated. In Christ, we become new creations, free to live fully in His truth and grace.