The Apocalypse of the Last Day - Part 5: “And the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.”
The concept of the shaking the heavens and the earth is found throughout the Bible, as in the following passages.
Isaiah 2:19-21 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Isaiah 13:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger.
Joel 3:16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
Haggai 2:6-7 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
Haggai 2:21-23 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.
Matthew 24:29-31 Immediately [and with] the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken; And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Hebrews 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear; For our God is a consuming fire.
Notice that in each of the passages above, the shaking of the heavens and the earth occurs simultaneously with the day of the Lord, or Judgment Day.
Isaiah 2:19-21 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Isaiah 2:19-21 describes people trying to hide from God by going into the caves of the rocks. This is the same scenario found in Revelation 6 that is to occur on "the great day of God's wrath". Notice that Rev 6:12-17 also makes a reference to the darkening of the sun and moon as well as the shaking of the heavens and the earth.
Revelation 6:12-17 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of His wrath has come; and who shall be able to stand?
Isaiah 13:13 also states that the shaking of the heavens and the earth will occur “in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger.”
Isaiah 13:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger.
Reading Joel 3:16 in its context, the shaking of the heavens and the earth is also seen to be occuring simultaneously with the reaping of the earth in the day of the Lord, in the valley of decision, when the sun and the moon will be darkened.
Joel 3:12-17 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.
In the language of Haggai 2, the shaking of the heavens and the earth is also shown to be associated with Judgment Day and the battle of Armageddon; as it refers to the overthrowing of the thrones and kingdoms of the heathen, the overthrowing of chariots, horses, and their riders, and a reference to the use of swords. The expression “in that day” is always a Biblical reference to Judgment Day.
Haggai 2:21-23 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.
Matthew 24:29-31 describes events that will occur at Christ's return on the Last Day. As I had explained in a previous study, the verse of Matt 24:29 is more accurately translated as, “Immediately and with the tribulation of those days”; it also shows that the darkening of the sun and moon will occur simultaneously with the shaking of the powers of the heavens and the appearance of the Lord Jesus in the clouds of glory.
Matthew 24:29-31 Immediately [and with] the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken; And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
This event could only occur after the passing away of the heavens and the earth, the Rapture, and the resurrection of the dead because the passage states that “they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven.” First of all, Scriptures makes it clear that no human living in their earthly body is able to see God; secondly, 1 John 3 explains that we believers (who are alive on Earth) are not able to understand what we will be like after we have translated into our heavenly glorified bodies, but when Christ appears (at His Coming on the Last Day), we will be able to see Him only because we have already been translated into our heavenly glorified bodies because, as it states, "we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is."
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.
Hebrews 12:25 quotes Haggai 2 which says: Haggai 2:6-7 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
Hebrews 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear; For our God is a consuming fire.
The fact that Hebrews 12:25 associates the shaking of the heavens and the earth with God being a consuming fire clearly indicates that this event is directly associated with God coming as a consuming fire on the Last Day (Judgment Day), as we read in 2 Thessalonians 1.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
Hebrews 12 explains why God must shake the heavens and the earth on the Last Day. Verse 27 explains that the shaking of the heavens and the earth will result in the removing of those things which can be shaken so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Hebrews 12:25-27 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
The concept of the removing of those things which can be shaken while those things which cannot be shaken can remain is also taught in 1 Corinthians 8 while using different language. 1 Corinth 8 explains that God will come as a consuming fire and that if any man’s work remain, he shall be rewarded, but if any man builds his foundation with wood, hay, and stubble, it will not remain after it has been “tried by fire".
1 Corinthians 8:10-15 But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
This concept is also found in Matthew 3 while again using different language. Here John the Baptist is teaching that the Lord Jesus would one day come to cut down every tree that does not bring forth good fruit and cast it into the fire. He also described the Lord as having a “fan in His hand” and that the He will “thoroughly purge His floor” and burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Matthew 3:10-12 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
The reference made to the “floor” here is a reference to the threshing floor of a building where wheat is thrashed. Interesting enough, I found a passage in Isaiah 21 that also makes a reference to a threshing floor as associated with the fall of Babylon and her graven images.
Isaiah 21:9-10 And behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground. O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.
The outer husks from grains of wheat are called chaff. In order to separate the chaff from the grains of wheat, the wheat plants must be first thrashed. In ancient times, wheat plants that were harvested from the filed would be placed on the floor of a wheat barn where they would be thrashed, or beat, in order to loosen and separate the grains of wheat from the rest of the plant. However, once the stalks and course parts of the plants are removed from the threshing floor, what still reamins are the grains of wheat mixed together with the chaff. The process used to remove the chaff from the grains of wheat is called “winnowing” and a fan is commonly used to blow away the chaff. The definition of the verb “winnow” is: “to blow upon”; or “to fan”. Another interesting thought when looking at Matthew 3:10-12 is the fact that one can also use a fan to feed a fire and cause it to burn hotter. I am not sure if this is ever implied in Matthew 3 or not, but it is merely an interesting thought.
Another passage that teaches us about the separation between the Elect of God and the unsaved is seen in the parables of Matthew 13.
Matthew 13:38-50 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear… Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
As evidenced from the passages quoted above, the Bible uses the concept of the shaking of the heavens and the earth to convey not only the concept of the passing away of the heavens and the Earth, but also the events that will ensue as God begins to throw down all the thrones and kingdoms of the heathen. Even as Matthew 3:10-12 describes the Lord as having a fan in His hand in the process of the thrashing and winnowing of wheat in order to gather in His Elect, the passage of Rev 6:13-14 also conveys a parallel concept with the picture of untimely fruit that are being separated from their tree.
Rev 6:13-14 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together.
When the Lord Jesus returns on the Last Day to shake the heavens and the earth, He will also come as a consuming fire to burn away the chaff and to judge every man's work through a fiery trial. This will be Judgment Day; the day when people will be trying to hide from the face of God in “caves” because “the great day of His wrath has come”. It will be the day when the Son of Man will send forth His angels with a great sound of a trumpet to sever the wicked from among just and gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other, into His garner. And it will be the glorious day when God will set up all His elect as signets in Heaven for all of eternity.
Isaiah 2:19-21 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Isaiah 13:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger.
Joel 3:16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
Haggai 2:6-7 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
Haggai 2:21-23 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.
Matthew 24:29-31 Immediately [and with] the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken; And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Hebrews 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear; For our God is a consuming fire.
Notice that in each of the passages above, the shaking of the heavens and the earth occurs simultaneously with the day of the Lord, or Judgment Day.
Isaiah 2:19-21 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Isaiah 2:19-21 describes people trying to hide from God by going into the caves of the rocks. This is the same scenario found in Revelation 6 that is to occur on "the great day of God's wrath". Notice that Rev 6:12-17 also makes a reference to the darkening of the sun and moon as well as the shaking of the heavens and the earth.
Revelation 6:12-17 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of His wrath has come; and who shall be able to stand?
Isaiah 13:13 also states that the shaking of the heavens and the earth will occur “in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger.”
Isaiah 13:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger.
Reading Joel 3:16 in its context, the shaking of the heavens and the earth is also seen to be occuring simultaneously with the reaping of the earth in the day of the Lord, in the valley of decision, when the sun and the moon will be darkened.
Joel 3:12-17 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.
In the language of Haggai 2, the shaking of the heavens and the earth is also shown to be associated with Judgment Day and the battle of Armageddon; as it refers to the overthrowing of the thrones and kingdoms of the heathen, the overthrowing of chariots, horses, and their riders, and a reference to the use of swords. The expression “in that day” is always a Biblical reference to Judgment Day.
Haggai 2:21-23 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.
Matthew 24:29-31 describes events that will occur at Christ's return on the Last Day. As I had explained in a previous study, the verse of Matt 24:29 is more accurately translated as, “Immediately and with the tribulation of those days”; it also shows that the darkening of the sun and moon will occur simultaneously with the shaking of the powers of the heavens and the appearance of the Lord Jesus in the clouds of glory.
Matthew 24:29-31 Immediately [and with] the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken; And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
This event could only occur after the passing away of the heavens and the earth, the Rapture, and the resurrection of the dead because the passage states that “they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven.” First of all, Scriptures makes it clear that no human living in their earthly body is able to see God; secondly, 1 John 3 explains that we believers (who are alive on Earth) are not able to understand what we will be like after we have translated into our heavenly glorified bodies, but when Christ appears (at His Coming on the Last Day), we will be able to see Him only because we have already been translated into our heavenly glorified bodies because, as it states, "we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is."
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.
Hebrews 12:25 quotes Haggai 2 which says: Haggai 2:6-7 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
Hebrews 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear; For our God is a consuming fire.
The fact that Hebrews 12:25 associates the shaking of the heavens and the earth with God being a consuming fire clearly indicates that this event is directly associated with God coming as a consuming fire on the Last Day (Judgment Day), as we read in 2 Thessalonians 1.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
Hebrews 12 explains why God must shake the heavens and the earth on the Last Day. Verse 27 explains that the shaking of the heavens and the earth will result in the removing of those things which can be shaken so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Hebrews 12:25-27 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
The concept of the removing of those things which can be shaken while those things which cannot be shaken can remain is also taught in 1 Corinthians 8 while using different language. 1 Corinth 8 explains that God will come as a consuming fire and that if any man’s work remain, he shall be rewarded, but if any man builds his foundation with wood, hay, and stubble, it will not remain after it has been “tried by fire".
1 Corinthians 8:10-15 But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
This concept is also found in Matthew 3 while again using different language. Here John the Baptist is teaching that the Lord Jesus would one day come to cut down every tree that does not bring forth good fruit and cast it into the fire. He also described the Lord as having a “fan in His hand” and that the He will “thoroughly purge His floor” and burn the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Matthew 3:10-12 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
The reference made to the “floor” here is a reference to the threshing floor of a building where wheat is thrashed. Interesting enough, I found a passage in Isaiah 21 that also makes a reference to a threshing floor as associated with the fall of Babylon and her graven images.
Isaiah 21:9-10 And behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground. O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.
The outer husks from grains of wheat are called chaff. In order to separate the chaff from the grains of wheat, the wheat plants must be first thrashed. In ancient times, wheat plants that were harvested from the filed would be placed on the floor of a wheat barn where they would be thrashed, or beat, in order to loosen and separate the grains of wheat from the rest of the plant. However, once the stalks and course parts of the plants are removed from the threshing floor, what still reamins are the grains of wheat mixed together with the chaff. The process used to remove the chaff from the grains of wheat is called “winnowing” and a fan is commonly used to blow away the chaff. The definition of the verb “winnow” is: “to blow upon”; or “to fan”. Another interesting thought when looking at Matthew 3:10-12 is the fact that one can also use a fan to feed a fire and cause it to burn hotter. I am not sure if this is ever implied in Matthew 3 or not, but it is merely an interesting thought.
Another passage that teaches us about the separation between the Elect of God and the unsaved is seen in the parables of Matthew 13.
Matthew 13:38-50 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear… Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
As evidenced from the passages quoted above, the Bible uses the concept of the shaking of the heavens and the earth to convey not only the concept of the passing away of the heavens and the Earth, but also the events that will ensue as God begins to throw down all the thrones and kingdoms of the heathen. Even as Matthew 3:10-12 describes the Lord as having a fan in His hand in the process of the thrashing and winnowing of wheat in order to gather in His Elect, the passage of Rev 6:13-14 also conveys a parallel concept with the picture of untimely fruit that are being separated from their tree.
Rev 6:13-14 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together.
When the Lord Jesus returns on the Last Day to shake the heavens and the earth, He will also come as a consuming fire to burn away the chaff and to judge every man's work through a fiery trial. This will be Judgment Day; the day when people will be trying to hide from the face of God in “caves” because “the great day of His wrath has come”. It will be the day when the Son of Man will send forth His angels with a great sound of a trumpet to sever the wicked from among just and gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other, into His garner. And it will be the glorious day when God will set up all His elect as signets in Heaven for all of eternity.
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