Meaning of Winnowing, Winnowing Fork, Threshing Floor

When reading the Bible we often come across words, tools, or phrases that do not make sense to us in today’s world. For example: winnowing, winnowing fork or chaff. What is a threshing floor?

These terms are often used but not always as a picture of God’s judgment. It is a visual that the Jewish people understood very well but is foreign to us today.

Winnowing is a farming method developed by ancient people for separating the grain from the chaff. The chaff is the dry, scaly protective casing of the seeds of grain or the husk of corn.

In simple terms, after harvesting the grain, they would strike, beat or crush the grain to loosen it from the desirable grain from the stalk. Then they would go through a winnowing process which was to throw the mixture into the air, often with a basket or winnowing fork, so the wind blows away the lighter chaff and the heavier grain falls to the floor. It’s separating the good from the bad. In modern farming, this process is made easy by the combine.

The threshing floor is where this process happens. It could have been outdoors on a flat piece of land or indoors over a smooth floor of earth, stone or wood.

Here are some examples in scripture where the writer uses these terms to create a picture for the reader of God’s judgement. When God will separate the good from the bad.

Matthew 3:12 (Luke 3:17)

His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”


Isaiah 41:14-16

“You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away,

And the storm will scatter them;

But you will rejoice in the Lord,

You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.


Jeremiah 15:7

“I will winnow them with a winnowing fork

At the gates of the land;

I will bereave them of children, I will destroy My people;

They did not repent of their ways.


Jeremiah 51:1-2

“I will dispatch foreigners to Babylon that they may winnow her

And may devastate her land;

For on every side they will be opposed to her

In the day of her calamity.


winnowing: biblical meaning

Be Loved & Be Love


As we draw upon Valentine’s Day, let us remember how precious and perfect the love of our Savior is. And while our earthly relationships may fall short, He never will. And may we love others more and more like He loves us.

Verses:

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” - John 15:9

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” - John 15:12

Pray and meditate on this:

His love- lavished on us.

Unconditional and unlimited.

Never weighted by worth.

Remain in his love that remains.

And love because he loved you first.

His love cannot be earned.

There is nothing expected or required in return.

He makes no demands. There’s no reason to strive.

He invites you to come and simply abide.

His love compels you to love like he loves-

to choose love, to show love, to BE love.

His love grows your love.

Rest. Remain. Just be.

You are his beloved.

Be LOVED.

And BE love.

Open up your bible and dive deeper into these verses:

  • John 13:34-35

  • 1 John 4:16

  • Ephesians 3:17-19

  • Matthew 22:37

  • Deuteronomy 6:5

  • 1 John 3:1

  • 1 Corinthians 13

  • John 15:9-14

  • Luke 6:35

  • Romans 5:8

Heavenly Father, 

Thank you for your perfect love for us.

Though it is hard for us to comprehend your perfect, holy love,

remind us that when we love you first and remain in your love,

we are able to more rightly love others. 

By your Spirit, equip us and guide us to lead with love in all we say and do.

Amen

christian poem: be loved and be love

Words from Aimee Thornton - a dear friend of Six Notes whose words always inspire us.

Pray This Instead

We serve an omnipresent God.

Will we ever truly understand the term omnipresent? We might know what it means but do we truly attribute the power, wonder and awe that is behind the word?

Be reminded of how awe inspiring it is that we serve a God that is Omnipresent and we get to connect with Him personally at any moment in time.

christian quote: prayer

Rest - Christian Playlist

I was really feeling the weight of this verse, thinking about how often it is that we do fail to experience the fullness of God’s rest by keeping our schedules so full and busy, even on the day that is supposed to be dedicated to rest! My hope is that those who listen to this playlist are encouraged to find even just little moments where they can embrace the fullness of this promise.

play in spotify - be sure to click the “heart” and save for later.

Verse that inspired:

Hebrews 4:1 TPT

"Now the promise of entering into God’s rest is still for us today. So we must be extremely careful to ensure that we all embrace the fullness of that promise and not fail to experience it."

Pin for Later

christian playlist: Rest

New Year, Same God

Each year we strive for changes, set goals, create intentions, try to be better. A new year can be invigorating or exhausting. Change can be fresh or intimidating. But maybe sometimes we need to let go and look to God to transform us, renew us. Maybe it’s less of what we do and more of who we look to.

Pray and meditate on this:

NEW YEAR, SAME GOD.

Need a resolution re-do?

Set your intentions on The One who sets the way before you.

He is the re-solution.

Restoring, renewing, redeeming,

in a cycle of complete and repeat.

He is the God of again.

“New year, new you”, can always be true.

Surrender to The One who formed you and re-forms you.

Release the burden of perfection.

Trust in His grace and intercession.

He is the God of again.

Open up your bible and dive deeper into these verses:

  • Proverbs 16:9

  • Isaiah 40:31

  • 2 Corinthians 5:17

  • 2 Corinthians 3:18

  • Colossians 3:10

  • Colossians 3:1-3

  • Isaiah 43:19

  • Ephesians 4:22-24

  • Jeremiah 29:11

  • Hebrews 13:8

Heavenly Father-

Here in the tension of the now and the not yet,

Remind us that you are making a way and doing a new thing.

Help us to remember so we don’t forget-

You are the same God now that you were then.

You are the God of again.

Hallelujah. Amen.

christian reading and prayer: New year same God

Words from Aimee Thornton - a dear friend of Six Notes whose words always inspire us.