Diligently Seeking God
His Winnowing Fork
HIS WINNOWING FORK
In the following passage, we find John the Baptist preaching to the multitudes.
Luke 3:7-17 So he was saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “You [d]offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore produce fruits that are consistent with repentance, and do not start saying [e]to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children for Abraham. 9 But indeed the axe is already being laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “Then what are we to do?” 11 And he would answer and say to them, “The one who has two [f]tunics is to share with the one who has none; and the one who has food is to do likewise.” 12 Now even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what are we to do?” 13 And he said to them, “[g]Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” 14 And soldiers also were questioning him, saying, “What are we to do, we as well?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone, nor [h]harass anyone, and be content with your wages.”
15 Now while the people were in a state of expectation and they all were thinking carefully in their hearts about John, whether he himself perhaps was the [i]Christ, 16 John responded to them all, saying, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but He is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the straps of His sandals; He will baptize you [j]with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Webster defines repentance as: to turn from sin, to feel regret, to change one’s mind.
Repentance has come in countless forms in every walk of life throughout history.
The one with two tunics or food is to share with the other (vs 11).
Tax collectors are to quit skimming off the top (vs 13)
Soldiers must not threaten and be content with their pay (14)
Under God’s rule, our lives must be conducted in a certain manner. We must be willing to repent, to change.
John declares Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Luke 3:17 His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
The Winnowing fork was something like a pitchfork. The strands of wheat were thrown into the air, and the wheat being heavier fell back to the ground while the chaff floated away. The fork separated what was worthwhile from the useless.
Jesus will evaluate and separate those who have been faithfully obedient, those who changed their will to God’s will from those who have followed their own will.
He sifts us even today. There is a continuing molding process of our lives as we submit to Him. And if we continue that process faithfully, we will avoid the unquenchable fire. We will have life, an eternal life.
- BlakeHIS_WINNOWING_FORK.docx (15.90 kB)
