Meditation on Luke 3:15-20
Scripture Reference:
'15) As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16) John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17) His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” 18) So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19) But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20) added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison. ' - Luke 3:15-20
Jesus describes John the Baptist as more than the greatest prophet ever born, but the greatest man ever born up to that point in time.
' Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ' - Matthew 11:11
This profound statement gives us clear license to hear the words of John the Baptizer and take them with a much deeper measure of conviction than traditionally done with other Old Testament prophets. As we look into the Book of Luke and his account of the words of the prophet describing the Messiah, we find here an interesting insight into the ministry of Yeshua. As the Jewish leadership was looking for a natural King to come and establish Israel, John saw the true nature of the Messiah and His Kingdom and after declaring His glory, called forth the imagery of the winnowing fork and the threshing floor. This was meant to be describing components of the life and ministry of the King.
"His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” - Luke 3:17
Let us now dive into this descriptive element of messianic purpose as it will allow us to more deeply understand what we are dealing with in this current season where many are questioning, "What is God doing?". Let us look at the elements here. As we know many of the allegorical words and descriptions in the bible are agricultural. We see here the tool the Lord will use for those called “His harvest” is a winnowing fork.
So after a harvest, there is grain that is unprocessed. So what is the process that the grain goes through to become profitable for use? It is the threshing floor... The threshing floors at this time in history was used before the invention of machinery. Its purpose was to use the process of threshing to loosen the grain husks or chaff. Farmers would:
Spread the grain out on the threshing floor.
Crush the grain under the weight of an animal, such as a horse, donkey, or ox.
Use a winnowing fork to throw the wheat into the air.
So the obvious question to us who don't know agriculture is what is a winnowing fork? A winnowing fork is a hand device used by a farmer to throw the mix from his shredded pile of grain and straw into the air to let the wind carry the straw and chaff away and the grain falls back for collection.
This particular act has an intense prophetic dynamic to it. When we think of wind we first think of the Holy Spirit, as we should. However, only the enemy is depicted to "sift" people "as wheat" via Peter in the scriptures. Remember, it is the "power of the air" that allows the separation to take place. As the weight of the grain allows for it to fall on the threshing floor, it is the lighter straw and chaff (the outer inedible exterior covering of wheat and other grains) that the power of the air takes away, to be later burned "with unquenchable fire". (correlating scripture verses: Jer 15:7; Mat 3:12; Mic 4:12; Mat 13:30; Psa 1:4; Psa 21:9,10; Mar 9:43-49)
How does this pertain to the current season we are in? Since we now have established a portion of the Messianic purpose, we can now better understand and tackle why we feel like we are being thrown in the air collectively as a Body. Over a year ago the Lord spoke to me about a Spirit of Delusion that He was releasing into the earth. I warned my church to not fall into their own desires as this spirit has been given permission. Recently, this was brought up again in prayer, with an understanding that we (the church) are under judgment and that this spirit has been sent by God for a very specific purpose. “They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness” -2 Thessalonians 2:10-12.
As judgment comes to the house of the Lord first, we see that this process is in full swing. We have been brought to the threshing floor and the Messiah’s winnowing fork is allowing "the power of the air" described as a strong delusion, to separate the wheat and the chaff. This is meant to isolate the lovers of God from those who are the outer shells (chaff) who pretend to love Him. This will only grow in intensity, as repentance and Holiness is demanded, for without it, no one will see God.
We must remember that it is a person’s choice whether to accept and believe the truth of Yeshua as presented in the Scriptures. To receive the truth and the love God offers is in keeping with its teachings, “This is love for God: to obey His commands” - 1 John 5:3. Conversely, to know the truth and not obey it is to face the wrath of God: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness” - Romans 1:18. Frankly speaking, there is no more dangerous condition for man than to know the truth and refuse to obey it. To do so is to harden the heart and make God’s condemnation sure.
Isaiah puts it succinctly: “They have chosen their own ways, and their souls delight in their abominations; so I [God] also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring upon them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in My sight and chose what displeases Me” - Isaiah 66:3-4.
When people know the truth and refuse to receive it, when we refuse to obey it and hold it in unrighteousness, “they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth” - 2 Thessalonians 2:12 NLT.
Throughout the Scriptures, God urges people to accept the truth. But when people reject Him and spurn His message, then—and not until then—God hardens them and turns them over to a deluded mind to wallow in their wickedness to their eternal damnation. This is what the Lord says about those who choose to reject the truth: “They greatly love to wander; they do not restrain their feet. So the Lord does not accept them; He will now remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins” - Jeremiah 14:10.
Though this might seem harsh and heavy to some, we should count it all as joy. We are being given an opportunity to return to God, to submit to Him and His ways, and to strengthen what remains. This means everything is about to change. I don't say that lightly either. When I say everything I mean EVERYTHING!!! We are heading into an age of transition, unlike any other time in history, and only the ones who have set their minds to love Him will enter through the narrow gate. Here is the thing about that... we do not get to define what narrow looks like. Nor do we get to choose for others their ways. The only way forward is love.
The Characteristics of love are as follows: Patient, Kind, Does not envy, Does not boast, Is not proud, Is not rude, Is not easily angered, Does not delight in evil, Always protects, Always trusts, Always hopes, Always perseveres, Never fails.
PURSUE LOVE AT ALL COSTS. REPENT TO THOSE YOU HAVE HARMED. TURN YOUR WAYS OVER TO GOD. BE FOUND FAITHFUL... for truly the prince of the power of the air has been given permission to sift you as wheat, yet the Lord has prayed for you. Be the grain and not the chaff... fall to your knees and rejoice in the threshing. 2024 is going to be a year of Holiness and the Fear of the Lord... HE IS SHOUTING FROM HEAVEN TO TURN AND FOLLOW HIM!!!