A Place of Worship, Sifting, And
Separation.
In the ancient agricultural societies of the Bible, the threshing floor held significant spiritual and practical symbolism. It was a place where the harvest was brought in, where grain was separated from chaff, and where the livelihood of many depended on the success of this process. More importantly, it became a place of encounter with God, where significant events unfolded in the lives of His people.
Understanding the Threshing Floor
The threshing floor was typically a flat, open area where farmers would beat sheaves of harvested grain to separate the edible grain from the chaff. This separation process was crucial for gathering the valuable harvest, as the chaff needed to be blown away while the grain remained. It required careful handling and often involved the use of animals or tools to aid in the separation.
King David and the Threshing Floor
One of the most profound stories involving a threshing floor is found in the life of King David. In 2 Samuel 24, we find David at a pivotal moment in his reign. He had sinned against God by ordering a census of the people, and as a result, God sent a plague upon Israel. When David saw the devastation caused by the plague, he sought the mercy of God and pleaded for forgiveness.
God instructed David to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
2 Samuel 24:18-25 NIV
David Builds an Altar
18 On that day Gad went to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 19 So David went up, as the Lord had commanded through Gad. 20 When Araunah looked and saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.
David went to Araunah and offered to buy the threshing floor from him to build an altar to the Lord. Araunah, in his generosity, offered to give David the threshing floor along with the oxen and the wood for the offering. But David insisted on paying full price, saying, “I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24).
Significance of the Threshing Floor
The significance of this event goes beyond a mere transaction. The threshing floor symbolizes a place of worship and surrender. It represents the willingness to offer to God that which is valuable to us, even if it comes at a cost. David’s insistence on paying for the threshing floor reflects his acknowledgment of the gravity of his sin and his desire to honor God with a genuine sacrifice.
The Spiritual Lesson: Surrender and Separation
In our spiritual journey, we often find ourselves on the metaphorical threshing floor. It’s a place where God does His work of sifting and separating our lives. Just as the grain is separated from the chaff, God separates the things in our lives that hinder our relationship with Him. This process can be painful and uncomfortable, but it is necessary for our growth and spiritual maturity. Think of it friends when the wheat is separated from the chaff and undergoes all the process of separation the end product is amazing and delicious. We get to enjoy delicious bread that is made from the wheat that was separated from the chaff. But we cannot enjoy the delicious and yummy bread if the wheat does not go through the process of separation. So my question to you beloved friends is: Are you willing to let go and surrender to the LORD on the threshing and let him have his way? The end product will be fantastic if you are willing and ready.
Currently, as I write this blog I can attest to the pain one experiences when on the Threshing Floor. But I have come to understand that the Threshing Floor is a necessary place for me. It is a place of surrender a place where I let the LORD take away everything that is not of me and anything that may be a hindrance in my walk with him. I feel like I have been on my Threshing Floor for a while now. Even though it has been a long and painful process. But I see the handwork of GOD in my life. I have seen as he has separated and taken away mindsets, strongholds, belief systems, and even relationships and I have come off of the Threshing Floor lighter than ever before because my Abba Father has removed all the chaff and all the things that have been weighing me down.
One of the things that I love about David is that he knows how to worship the LORD. He knows how to let the LORD have his way with him and for the will of GOD to prevail.
Beloved friends, I do not know where you find yourself today. Perhaps you may be like me and you have found yourself on the Threshing and you feel every pain of the process of the chaff being sifted out. I want to encourage you that the LORD loves you and that this will not last and you will see the beauty of the LORD’s sifting and separation.
One of the painful things about the Threshing floor is that it may include a separation of relationships that are no longer supposed to be attached to you. But I pray that you will let the LORD have his way, knowing that the LORD knows what is best and he sees we do not see and often some relationships are no longer fit for the season that the LORD is taking us into. And this doesn’t necessarily mean that the person isn’t good. It may just mean that their season in our lives is over and that are not unable to go with us into our next season. And this is where discernment is crucial, we must learn to ask the HOLY SPIRIT to guide us and direct us in all that we do. So trust the LORD and trust the process.
Encouraging Scriptures
1. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
2. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18 (NIV)
3. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28 (NIV)
4. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
5. “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
Conclusion
The threshing floor is a place of surrender, where we lay down our lives before God and allow Him to do the necessary work of sifting and separating. It’s not always a comfortable place to be, but it’s where we experience the transformative power of God’s love and grace. As we yield to His will and allow Him to remove the things in our lives that hinder us, we find freedom, healing, and a deeper intimacy with our Heavenly Father.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the privilege of coming before You in worship and surrender. Help us to trust You in the process of sifting and separation, knowing that Your plans for us are good. Give us the strength to let go of anything that hinders our relationship with You and fill us afresh with Your Holy Spirit. May our lives be a reflection of Your love and grace, bringing glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Friends always remember that GOD loves you so much and the plan that he has for you is amazing and no one and nothing can stop. You are loved and you are cherished.
GOD Bless,
At his Feet,
Prophet Ijeoma
Healing Well of JESUS Ministries Intl.
