Topical Encyclopedia Chaff, in biblical literature, is often used metaphorically to represent that which is worthless, fleeting, or destined for destruction. It is the husk or outer shell separated from grain during the threshing process, and its imagery is frequently employed in Scripture to contrast the righteous with the wicked.Symbol of Worthlessness and Judgment The imagery of chaff is prominently featured in the Psalms and the Prophets to depict the fate of the wicked. In Psalm 1:4, the psalmist contrasts the righteous, who are like a tree planted by streams of water, with the wicked, who "are like chaff that the wind blows away." This verse underscores the transient and insubstantial nature of the wicked, who lack the stability and fruitfulness of the righteous. Similarly, in Isaiah 17:13, the nations that rage against God are likened to chaff: "The nations rage like the rushing of many waters, but He will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind, like a rolling tumbleweed before a gale." Here, chaff symbolizes the futility and inevitable dispersal of those who oppose God. Instrument of Divine Judgment Chaff is also used to illustrate the process of divine judgment. In Matthew 3:12, John the Baptist speaks of the coming Messiah, saying, "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." This passage highlights the separation of the righteous from the wicked, with the latter being consigned to destruction. The prophet Jeremiah echoes this theme in Jeremiah 23:28, where he contrasts the true word of God with false prophecy: "Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream, but let the one who has My word speak it truthfully. For what is straw compared to grain?" Here, chaff represents falsehood and deception, which will ultimately be exposed and discarded. Ephemeral Nature of the Wicked The fleeting nature of chaff is further emphasized in Hosea 13:3, where the prophet describes the fate of those who turn away from God: "Therefore they will be like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears, like chaff swirling from a threshing floor, or like smoke escaping through a window." This verse underscores the temporary and insubstantial existence of those who reject God, in contrast to the enduring nature of the faithful. Conclusion Throughout Scripture, chaff serves as a powerful metaphor for the impermanence and ultimate judgment of the wicked. It stands in stark contrast to the enduring and fruitful life of the righteous, who are rooted in the truth and grace of God. Nave's Topical Index Jeremiah 23:28The prophet that has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? said the LORD. Nave's Topical Index Library Preface. Search the Scriptures Concerning Salutations and Recreations, &C. Elucidations. The Strait Gate; Conversion Difficulties and Objections 1 John ii. 18-27 Anti-Pelagian Writings Gregory of Nyssa: Dogmatic Treatises, Etc Resources What is the meaning of Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2? | GotQuestions.orgWho will go to hell? | GotQuestions.org Who was Araunah the Jebusite? | GotQuestions.org Chaff: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus |
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