20150212 Thursday, February 12 2015
Psalm 083: Stubble and Chaff

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up"

The English-language word "stubble" originated from an Old English word that referred to the short stumps ("stubs") of grain stalks that remained protruding from the ground after the harvest cutting removed the stalks (that were used for straw) and the heads that contained the grain. Stubble differs from the "chaff" which is the outer husks of the grain heads that are removed during winnowing. In ancient times (and in many places still today), the harvested grain was shaken and thrown upward, from which the wind carried the light chaff away, while the kernels fell straight back down into the grain pile. The Temple Mount was just such a high, wind-exposed winnowing place when King David purchased it (2 Samuel 24:21-25; see also Why Did King David Purchase The Temple Mount?).

The famous "bricks without straw" (see Bricks Without Straw) was a matter of the slave masters withholding the cut straw and forcing the brick laborers to go out and pull up stubble (with roots and dirt) that was then used as a binding material in the clay in place of straw. It was a spiteful command by that particular Pharaoh (see How Long Were They Slaves?) that harmed the quality of Egyptian bricks as much as it abused the overworked Israelites. "So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw."

"5:6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, 5:7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. 5:8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 5:9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.

5:10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. 5:11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished. 5:12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw." (Exodus 5:6-12 KJV)

It seems appropriate that those same slaves, after they were liberated in the Exodus (see Liberation, Not Liberal-ation), used "stubble" in their victory song: "Thou sentest forth Thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble" (see The Song Of The LORD's Victory).

"15:1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying,

I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. 15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. 15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. 15:4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea. 15:5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. 15:6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. 15:7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble." (Exodus 15:1-7 KJV)

Along with chaff, stubble is used in an analogy of the self-inflicted fate of those who refuse to repent and thereby make themselves worthy of the LORD's Sacrifice for them (see Christ Died For Repentant Sinners and Saved By The Truth).

"4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

4:4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:1-6 KJV)

All of the prophets understood the principle. So too did Asaph (see The Songs Of Asaph) in his Psalm in which the wicked will be "as the stubble before the wind."

"83:1 A Song or Psalm of Asaph.

Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. 83:2 For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. 83:3 They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. 83:4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

83:5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: 83:6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; 83:7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; 83:8 Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.

83:9 Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison: 83:10 Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth. 83:11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna: 83:12 Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.

83:13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. 83:14 As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; 83:15 So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. 83:16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.

83:17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: 83:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth." (Psalm 83:1-18 KJV)

Fact Finder: What king of Babylon was given to see the day when the LORD will render the man-made kingdoms of the world "like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth"?
See The Prophet Daniel: Nebuchadnezzar's Image