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“Food for the Birds”
“The corpses of this people will be food for the birds of the heaven and for the beasts of the earth. And no one will frighten them away” (Jeremiah 7:33).
A Graphic Scene
Did you know that many modern fairy tales, fun stories, and children’s songs and poems have their origins in very graphic folk tales or historical events? Many interpret the nursery rhyme, “Ring Around the Rosie”, to speak of the outbreak of a number of different plagues, whose victims experienced a “rosy” rash, carried “posies” for protection, and would eventually “all fall down”. In various versions of the Snow White story, the seven dwarfs were all robbers, Snow White lived with 40 dragons, and she is even urged by a teacher to kill her evil stepmother and take her place! And would you believe that one of the earlier renditions of the “Cinderella” story had the step-sisters cutting off parts of their feet to fit into the slipper, and even having their eyes pecked out by birds in the end? A far cry from “happily ever after”!
The Bible can also be quite graphic at times (especially the Old Testament) as by necessity God gives us the gory details of the wickedness of men throughout history, and the horrible consequences of their sin. Obviously, when it comes to teaching young children, we must use wisdom in knowing how to present certain Biblical accounts in ways they can understand and relate to. But these Biblical events are certainly no folk or fairy tales, rather they are true historical events that are written for our learning and admonition.
One of the graphic images we have painted for us several times in our Bibles is that of the flesh and blood of men becoming food and drink for the birds of the sky and beasts of the field. We first see this image in Joseph’s interpretation of the dream of Pharaoh’s baker (Genesis 40:19), as he was hanged three days later and left as food for the birds! But throughout history, both the enemies of God, and many of the children of Israel when they rebelled, received God’s severe judgment and were left for the buzzards to feast upon!
Enemies of God’s People
In the great account of David’s fight against the giant Goliath in 1 Samuel 17, we find a very graphic exchange of words between these two opponents concerning the fate of the losing army. Goliath was first, as he issued the challenge, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together” (10), and after seeing David, he taunted, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” (44). But with God on his side, David stepped up to the challenge and responded to Goliath’s threats, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands” (45-47). Who was right in the end? David! After he defeated Goliath with only a sling and a stone, then cut off the giant’s head, the Philistine armies fled because their warrior had been defeated! But the armies of Israel and Judah “pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron” (52). No doubt it was Goliath and the Philistine armies who became “food for the birds” on that day!
During the Babylonian captivity of God’s people, some of those remaining in Judah not yet taken captive sought the help of Pharaoh and the Egyptian forces to the southwest to protect them from Babylonian armies. As a stern reminder that Judah should put its trust and faith in God rather than in Egypt, God used Ezekiel to issue judgment on Egypt and Pharaoh: “Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt…I have given you as food to the beasts of the field and to the birds of the heavens…I will leave you on the land; I will cast you out on the open fields, And cause to settle on you all the birds of the heavens. And with you I will fill the beasts of the whole earth” (Ezekiel 29:3,5; 32:4).
In Ezekiel 38-39, we find mention of “Gog and Magog”, a nation and king whose true identities may never be known for certain. Some have suggested that these names were representative of all the future enemies of the kingdom of God. Whatever the case, God’s judgment upon this nation and king is severe, as God assembles the birds of the air and beasts of the field for a great banquet: “You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, drink the blood of the princes of the earth…You shall eat fat till you are full, and drink blood till you are drunk, at My sacrificial meal which I am sacrificing for you. You shall be filled at My table with horses and riders, with mighty men and with all the men of war” (Ezekiel 39:18-20).
The Children of Israel
Throughout her history, there were times when God’s own people of Israel fell into wickedness and were judged by God. Just as the enemies of God throughout time were given to the birds of the heavens, so would the children of Israel when they refused to hear God’s prophets and return to Him once again.
The Lord warned the children of Israel long ago in Deuteronomy 28 that they would be blessed if they obeyed Him (1-14) but cursed if they disobeyed Him (15-68). In no uncertain terms, Moses spoke of the future for those who would disobey God, “The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies…Your carcasses shall be food for all the birds of the air and the beast of the earth…Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people…A nation whom you have not known shall eat the fruit of your land and the produce of your labor, and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually” (25,26,32,33). The ultimate fulfillment of this would be the captivity of God’s people, as they were taken off to foreign lands, and many would die in the process and become food for the birds!
When the kingdom divided, the northern kingdom of Israel suffered some 20 bad kings in her history. Some were really bad, and became “food for the birds”! Jeroboam started the kingdom off with idols and immorality, and he received brutal judgment: “I will bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam…The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Jeroboam and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the field” (1 Kings 14:10-11). Baasha became king years later and “walked in the way of Jereboam” (1 Kings 16:2), and his judgment rendered him “food for the birds” as well (4)! King Ahab was worst of the worst, and God brought severe judgment to he and his wife Jezebel: “I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah…The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the field” (1 Kings 21:22,24). All of these evil kings in Israel built up to the ultimate judgment for the northern kingdom when they were taken into captivity by the Assyrians in 721 BC.
In the early 600’s BC, a century after the northern kingdom of Israel had fallen to the Assyrians, Jeremiah prophesied to those in the southern kingdom of Judah who had themselves fallen into idolatry and wickedness of all sorts. Jeremiah’s message was that God’s judgment would also come against them, many would fall by the sword and by famine, and their bodies would become “meat for the birds of heaven and for the beasts of the earth” (Jeremiah 7:33; 16:4; 19:7; 34:20; Psalm 79:2). For 40 years Jeremiah preached to the people to avert the Babylonian captivity, but the people refused to listen, and they were taken into captivity! It would be 70 years before captives would return to restore and rebuild the nation once again.
Satan and His Armies
The most significant enemy of God who would become “food for the birds” is Satan himself, along with the powers and forces he brings with him into battle! The great battle scene of Revelation 19 reminds us that Satan’s defeat is one in which no mercy will be shown, and the Lord will emerge unharmed and completely victorious!
Before this great battle, we see the image of Christ on a white horse wearing many crowns, with eyes like a flame of fire, a robe dipped in blood, and sharp sword coming out of His mouth; He is ready for battle! Satan and his armies have also assembled. As the two forces draw near, an angel cries out to the birds in the heavens, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great” (17-18). One of the two armies would become “food for the birds” after that great battle!
Who would it be? “Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh” (20-21). Satan is no challenge for the victorious Christ, and when the battle is over his armies are all slain by the Lord and left as food for the birds!
The Message for Us
What are we supposed to learn from all of these graphic images? What lesson do we gain from reading about birds eating the carcasses of rebellious and wicked people? The message should be clear: God is always victorious, and those who oppose Him will be food for the birds! God wins and His enemies lose in a very violent way! We need to ally ourselves with God so that we do not become food for the birds like the many who have disobeyed Him in times past!
Often, the accounts of God’s judgment for the sins of men and victory over evil involved graphic and bloody depictions of the results of His punishment. We may at times have our stomachs turned, or be disgusted, or be appalled at what we read in the Bible – All of those reactions are appropriate, because God wants us to be appalled and disgusted by wickedness and sin! May we never be disgusted at God’s actions when we read such accounts, but rather understand that sin is the most horrific thing there is, and it alone deserves every bit of our disgust and disdain. Do we have any reason today to be disgusted by what we see in ourselves?
