Author Darlene J. Conard         

David tested the Lord when he counted Israel. Gad, sent by the Lord, gave him three options for punishment. David had to choose his judgment: seven years of famine, fleeing from his enemies for three months, or three days of pestilence in the land.

The most careful decision made by David was to place his trust in the hands of the Lord, as he acknowledged that “his mercies are great.” The Lord ultimately chose to spare all three individuals involved. As the angel poised to strike the people, God relented and commanded the angel, saying, “It is enough: stay your hand now.” At that moment, the angel of the Lord was positioned at the threshing place of Araunah the Jebusite, a significant location in this divine communication. (11Samuel 24:16) (Read II Samuel 24:11-17)

David, a devout follower, felt a deep sense of remorse for his transgressions and sought to make amends with God. In a show of repentance, David obtained the necessary threshing instruments, oxen, and wood to meticulously prepare the threshing floor. Upon this sacred ground, he constructed an altar, which he intended to offer up as a symbol of his repentance, knowing that it would be consumed by the purifying flames of God.

In a moment of profound humility, David openly acknowledged his sin of tempting the Lord and fervently requested to be subjected to the Lord’s merciful judgment rather than face the vengeance of his enemies.

In this still and sacred environment, situated on the threshing floor, David encountered a deeply moving spiritual epiphany. It was in this hallowed space that he once more experienced a sense of renewal and clarity, liberated from the weight of wrongdoing.

The connection to the Pharisees and Sadducees is that the threshing floor is symbolic of separating the righteous from the unrighteous. When David purchased the threshing floor, it represented his spiritual separation from those not aligned with his beliefs. It’s a metaphor for distinguishing between genuine people and those not in his kingdom.

A few days ago, as I lay in bed in a state of half-sleep, the Holy Ghost dropped: the concept of contaminated wheat in my spirit. This idea became more significant to me after listening to a sermon about the symbolic meaning of the threshing floor. The speaker explicated that in preparation for a new phase in our lives, we undergo a transformative process similar to the purification of wheat on the threshing floor, where impurities are separated from the valuable grain.

Everything and anything that does not align with God’s values and principles will be eliminated from our lives and mission. This includes negative influences, harmful behaviors, and anything that hinders our spiritual growth and our ability to positively impact the lives of others. This purification process is essential to ensure that we remain true to our purpose of leading souls toward God and living in accordance with His will.

This has caused me to think differently and search myself.

Be encouraged God does these things because He loves us so much.