The first step in the process of sifting wheat is to loosen the chaff from the edible grain, which is called threshing. The old-fashioned way to do this is to spread the wheat onto a floor made from stone, concrete or tamped earth and to beat it with a flail.
What does sifting wheat mean in the Bible?
In biblical times, wheat or other grain was sifted through a sieve or large strainer. As it was shaken violently, the dirt and other impurities that clung to the grain during the threshing process would separate from the good, usable grain. In sifting Peter and the other disciples as wheat, Satan’s goal was to crush them and wreck their faith.
When there was only a little wheat, the kernels of grain could be knocked off the stalk with a stick, which is what Gideon was doing when he was trying to hide the fact he had harvested some wheat ( Judges 6:11 ). A much more common way of threshing was to pile it on the threshing floor where cows or oxen were driven back and forth over it.
This begs the question “What does the Bible say about the winnowing of wheat?”
The wheat is thrown into the air, and the light chaff blows away while the heavier grain falls. The winnowing of wheat, like threshing, is used to represent God’s judgment of sin (Matt 3:12; Luke 3:17).
What is the history of wheat?
The archaeological record suggests that wheat was first cultivated in the regions of the Fertile Crescent around 9600 BCE. Botanically, the wheat kernel is a type of fruit called a caryopsis. Wheat is grown on more land area than any other food crop (220.4 million hectares or 545 million acres, 2014).
Those who recognize this are behind the ancient grains revolution. Ancient grains are not only “more natural, ” they also tend to be higher in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals than modern wheat.
The four wild species of wheat, along with the domesticated varieties einkorn, emmer and spelt, have hulls. This more primitive morphology (in evolutionary terms) consists of toughened glumes that tightly enclose the grains, and (in domesticated wheats) a semi-brittle rachis that breaks easily on threshing.
What happens after sifting wheat?
After wheat has been threshed, it is winnowed. In this process, the chaff that has been separated from the grain is removed entirely. The manual way of doing this is to toss the chaff and grain up into a light breeze. The wind blows the light chaff away, and the heavier grain falls into a waiting dish, tray or basket.
Is modern wheat making you sick?
And it’s very clear to us: modern wheat is making people sick. More and more people are going “gluten-free” to fix long-standing digestion issues and they feel better. Yet, it is also very clear that there is more to this than gluten. For instance, we get many people telling us how they can’t eat gluten so they eat spelt or Kamut.