Fanning, in the context of the Bible, refers to the act of winnowing or separating grain from chaff using a fan or similar tool. This agricultural process is often used metaphorically in Scripture to describe divine judgment, purification, and the separation of the righteous from the wicked.

Biblical References:

1. Isaiah 41:16 : "You will winnow them, and a wind will carry them away; a gale will scatter them. But you will rejoice in the LORD; you will glory in the Holy One of Israel." In this passage, the act of winnowing is used to illustrate God's power to disperse and judge the enemies of Israel, emphasizing the ultimate triumph and joy of God's people.

2. 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, since they did not turn from their ways." Here, God speaks through the prophet Jeremiah, using the imagery of winnowing to convey the severity of His judgment upon a disobedient nation. The fanning process symbolizes the removal of those who refuse to repent.

3. Matthew 3:12 : "His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." John the Baptist uses the metaphor of winnowing to describe the coming judgment by Jesus Christ. The wheat represents the righteous who will be gathered into God's kingdom, while the chaff symbolizes the wicked who will face destruction.

Symbolism and Themes:

· Judgment and Purification: Fanning is frequently associated with divine judgment, where God separates the faithful from the unfaithful. This process is not only about punishment but also about purification, ensuring that what remains is pure and valuable.

· Separation of Righteous and Wicked: The imagery of fanning underscores the biblical theme of separation. Just as a farmer separates grain from chaff, God distinguishes between those who follow His ways and those who do not. This separation is often depicted as a necessary step before the establishment of God's kingdom.

· Divine Sovereignty: The act of fanning highlights God's sovereignty and control over creation. It serves as a reminder that God is actively involved in the world, discerning and directing the course of human history according to His divine will.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient agricultural societies, winnowing was a common practice. After harvesting, grain was threshed to loosen the edible part from the husks. The mixture was then tossed into the air using a winnowing fork or fan, allowing the wind to blow away the lighter chaff while the heavier grain fell back to the ground. This process was essential for ensuring the quality and purity of the harvest.

The biblical use of fanning as a metaphor would have been readily understood by the original audience, who were familiar with the agricultural practices of their time. The imagery conveyed not only the physical act of separation but also the spiritual realities of God's judgment and the ultimate fate of humanity.(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Fan.

Acts xvii. 32-34, xviii. 1
... 2.) For though it was in the reign of Nero that the war against the Jews was
consummated, yet from the time of Claudius and thenceforward it was fanning up, ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxxix acts xvii 32-34.htm

Letter F
... 1811 * Fairbank, Joseph "Received 1805, Located 1809 * Fales, Caleb "Received 1833 *
Fancher, Daniel "Received 1834 * Fanning Francis "Received 1837 ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/bangs/an alphabetical list of m e preachers/letter f.htm

How Heretics, Craftily Cite Obscure Passages in Ancient Writers in ...
... because they are not afraid to invite others to drink of the poison of heresy; and
secondly, because with profane breath, as though fanning smouldering embers ...
/.../the commonitory of vincent of lerins/chapter vii how heretics craftily.htm

The Doctrine of the Same Apostle Concerning Purity.
... are not ashamed to run counter to the Spirit, but, as though born for this purpose,
they kindle up the smouldering and lurking passion, fanning and provoking it ...
/.../chapter x the doctrine of the.htm

The Creaturely Man.
... In the visible world this action consists in the kindling and fanning of the spark
of life; hence it is quite natural and in full harmony with the general ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/vii the creaturely man.htm

Moses Rightly Called a Divine Legislator, And, Though Inferior to ...
... 2112] so also we shall say that legislation,inasmuch as it presides over and cares
for the flock of men, establishes the virtue of men, by fanning into flame ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xxvi moses rightly called a.htm

Psalm LXXXIX.
... is treating of the fall of the Jews, to prevent any from believing them so far disowned
[4136] of God, that no wheat from that floor's fanning could reach the ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxxix.htm

A Brief Examination of the Construction of Our Bodies from a ...
... others, to subserve the continuance of life, importing by their own means the proper
supplies, as the stomach and the lungs, the latter fanning by respiration ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/xxx a brief examination of.htm

The Personal Return of Christ to the Earth, and the Day of ...
... He then pointed out (v.34-36) the fanning process by which the distinctive characters
of men in the same relations of life would be revealed; "one shall be ...
/.../section 214 the personal return.htm

A Caution to the Presumptuous
... But I am not about to find them there; my business this morning is with God's church.
The fanning must begin with the floor; the winnowing must try the wheat. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/a caution to the presumptuous.htm

Fanning (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Fan. Multi-Version Concordance
Fanning (1 Occurrence). Jeremiah 4:11 At that time ...
/f/fanning.htm - 6k

Fans (1 Occurrence)

/f/fans.htm - 6k

Fanners (1 Occurrence)

/f/fanners.htm - 6k

Salim (1 Occurrence)
... During the hot months of summer, a soft breeze from the water springs up
at dawn, fanning all the seaward face of the Central Range. ...
/s/salim.htm - 15k

Cleansing (37 Occurrences)
... said to this people and to Jerusalem, A hot wind cometh from the heights in the
wilderness, on the way of the daughter of my people, not for fanning, nor for ...
/c/cleansing.htm - 18k

Great (10383 Occurrences)
... During the hot months of summer, a soft breeze from the water springs up
at dawn, fanning all the seaward face of the Central Range. ...
/g/great.htm - 35k

What does it mean that “the smoking flax He will not quench” in Matthew 12:20? | GotQuestions.org

Fanning: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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