Wheat and Chaff
What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. —Jeremiah 23:28
The chaff in the Bible is always typical of the ungodly (Ps. 1:4; Mt. 3:12). While the ungodly despises the righteous, he is really indebted to the righteous man. The chaff is blessed as long as it abides with the wheat. For as the chaff, while it is united and in contact with the with wheat, it enjoys the same privileges as the wheat. But as soon as it is separated from the wheat, it is cast out and scattered by the wind.
So the wicked, while they are in company with with wheat and live amongst them, they may enjoy some of the same blessings as the godly. But once the godly is removed from them, they are open to God’s judgment.
As long as just Lot dwelt in amongst the wicked of Sodom, God withheld His fiery judgment. But as soon as Lot was removed from Sodom, the fire and brimstone fell.
America owes it’s continuance to the presence of those Christians in it’s population that hold back God’s righteous judgment. At the rapture, Christians will be removed and all that will remain will be the chaff, “ripe” for God’s fiery wrath (2 Thess. 1:7-9; Heb. 10:27).