In America we all use the word corn to describe a crop that grows in a field that are set in rows that produce cobs that yields a large yellow or white grain also known as kernels that is used for food by humans and livestock. However, one day in my bible readings I came across the story that mentioned ears of corn. This intrigued me as to why this would be mentioned in the Bible if it wasn't discovered until Christopher Columbus explored the New World we now know as America.
First, I want to tell you how this study came about. It has been a busy few months in my life, but I had asked God to give me a study much like the one he gave me about the fruit in the Garden of Eden. A few days later I came across something about corn in the bible and was discussing it at work. The next week one of my co-workers asked to know more about this. At that point I had not really thought much more about it, but I told him of the story of Joseph in Genesis 41 when Pharaoh had a dream that made him uneasy, and yet he could not find anyone in his court to interpret it for him. This made the butler (cupbearer) remember that two years prior he had also had a dream after being thrown in prison by Pharaoh along with the baker. Joseph interpreted the dream of the two men correctly. Joseph told the butler he would be re-established into his position. The butler had forgotten him until Pharaoh had his dreams that no one could interpret. He told Pharaoh about Joseph and Pharaoh had Joseph brough before him.
Genesis 41: 1-7
1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold he stood by the river. 2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. 3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine pon the brink of the river. 4 And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. 5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and , behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. 6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. 7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
I was taught in school of how in 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed to find a direct water route west from Europe to Asia, but he stumbled upon America which at that time they called The New World. His journey marked the beginning of centuries of exploration and eventually colonization of North and South America. This is where Christopher Columbus was introduced to corn grown by the Native Indians. Historically, it is said that Christopher Columbus recorded in his journal that they had found a land planted with a sort of grain they called maize, that was well tasted when boiled, roasted, or made into porridge. Wait! What? Columbus had found a sort of grain called maize? I can tell you I do not remember studying anything about where corn came from in school nor have I ever question what the word corn even meant. This has now changed! What is maize?
Maize(/meiz/ MAYZ;) is a cereal grain from the grass species Zea Mays. Historians believed that the natives had long been altering a grass plant called Teosinte which grew kernels very small and not fused together which encouraged the formation of ears and cobs. The leafy stalk of the plant produce pollen inflorescences and separate ovuliferous inflorescences called ears that when fertilized yield kernels or seed. Botanically, maize is a special kind of dry one-seeded fruit. Each grain is a separate fruit and unlike other fruits you cannot easily separate the pericarp, or seed coat from the inner parts of the seed, the endosperm and the embryo, except by a milling process which is a characteristic of all cereal grains.
I have a whole new outlook on the word "corn" which I found to be a generic word for grain. I now understand that clarity in translation matters even in the little details in understanding the Word of God. There is also the matter of understanding the culture during biblical times. When King James had the scriptures translated, the word corn meant grain of any type. The Hebrew word translates dagan or grain as "corn" in Genesis 27:28, 37; Numbers 18:27; Deuteronomy 28:51; and Lam. 2:12. Dagan is a general term representing all the types of seeds, kernels and grains, including wheat, barley, and spelt.
In 1828 Webster dictionary says that the residents of the New World used the term corn for maize over the years. "All maiz is corn, but not all corn is maiz." From this we know that the King James Bible is not referring to our maize or "corn" as we know it at all. It is referring to the different kinds of grain, specifically grains found in biblical times which is wheat, barley, and spelt.
I could stop here with this study, but this is only touching the ground surface of where this study will lead. We need to plant this seed and watch it grow into a spiritual lesson as we let God direct our path.
I came across a prophetic prophesy in Psalms 72:16-19 "There shall be handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed. Blessed be the name of the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wonderous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
Psalms 72 is a messianic psalm as it has to do with Jesus as the coming Messiah. As this Psalm is about the coming Messiah it is also a prophetic psalm looking forward to the endless reign of Jesus as king. Let's skip forward just as Psalm 72:16 states that a handful of corn on the mountain. we would find Jesus on a mountain in Matthew 13 teaching a parable about a Sower throwing seeds and how this relates to the people of God.
In order to know how to harvest the field all white and ready for harvest you much first know the processes. The Bible explains the custom of harvesting grain from biblical days which was different from how it is harvested today. Farmers used a 3- part system of threshing, winnowing, and using a sieve just to get the grain prepared to turn into flour.
Jesus told a parable of the tares and the wheat in Matthew 13:24-30 in which he related this to the kingdom of heaven that was like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while this man slept his enemy sowed tares among the wheat and left. When the grain sprouted and produced the tares also appeared. The master informed the servant that an enemy had thrown tares in with the grain seeds and told them to let it grow until harvest or else it would also uproot the good wheat. He instructed them to first gather the tares and bind them in bundles to burn, but gather the wheat into the storehouse. Then Jesus explained the parable to his disciples in that the one who sowed the good seeds is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed the tares is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. The tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire.
1. The threshing process - once the grain had been gathered into bundles it was taken to the threshing floor where cows or oxen were driven back and forth over it. Their feet threshed the grain from the stalk as they walked over it. God made a commandment in Deuteronomy 25:4 that they were not to muzzle an ox while it was treading out the grain so that the ox was able to eat some of the grain it had threshed. There was a piece of equipment called a threshing sled that looked rather like a wide toboggan, with pieces of metal or stone set in the bottom so the wheat could be cut off the stalk faster. Isaiah 41:15 says, See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff. Once the large pile of harvested wheat along with the stalks, were cut into pieces and the heads of grain knocked off which makes it ready for the next process of winnowing.
2. Winnowing process - this is a mixed up pile of grain, stalk, and husk that the edible grain needs to be sifted from. To winnow the grain the workers scooped up the pieces of the crop that was just threshed and threw it into the air by using a winnowing fork and shovel. The wind would blow the light pieces of stalk aside while the grain fell back down. The threshing floor after a period of time would be covered with three different piles of materials. This process is mentioned in Isaiah 30:24. After winnowing the grain was then gathered and stored while the straw and staff was either left to just blow away or used in other ways. In Jeremiah 13:24 states, "I will scatter you like chaff driven by the desert wind. " The process of winnowing is a clear picture of how God will treat people on Judgement Day. If you live for him you will be gathered as the wheat in the parable of the sower while the disobedient will be burned up. Matthew states in Matthew 3:13, "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and He will clear His threshing flor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
3. Sieve process - this is a process just before the grain is ready to be turned into flour. It is necessary as during the harvest that the grain and tares grow together the two prior processes did not separate these seeds that grew together. Nor did the threshing get all the chaff from the grain. A grain sieve was round and fairly large, usually two to three feet in diameter. The process of sieving was done by using a ghurbal that placed a small amount of grain in the sieve and begins shaking it about six to seven times to bring the chaff and short pieces of crushed straw to the surface that then can be removed by hand. Then by holding the sieve slightly slanted it is jerked up and down for a length of time while blowing across the top of it all the while with great force that causes the dust, earth, small seeds and imperfect grains to fall away through the mesh of the sieve. The good wheat goes together in the middle of the sieve in one heap where the pebbles and chaff are removed into a separate pile. There are scriptures using this sieve process such as Amos 9:9 and even Jesus uses this as an example to Peter in Luke 22:31 where he told Peter that satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.
These three processes were a part of the daily life even up until the early 1900's and with many scripture references to these processes it seems that God wants us to learn spiritual lessons. Right now we are on the threshing floor going through the process of being threshed, winnowed, and sieved all together, but the end result of the harvest is that the good grain will be with the Lord while the tares, chaff, and straw will be burned. Jesus told Nicodemus that the Holy Spirit is like the wind that blows and no one knows where it goes. God uses this threshing process to draw us to Him and to spiritual maturity.
Work in Progress!
Next Study: Spiritual Warfare
Spiritual Warfare (sylviasjournalandthouhts.blogspot.com)
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