[Feature Story] The origin and meaning of Thanksgiving
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December?05, 2021 |
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When Britain’s Great Awakening of Faith swayed across Europe, the Puritans set out to find their own way to defend their faith. It is said that the origin of Thanksgiving Day was when they finally came to the Americas and went through ups and downs, but dedicated their first harvest to God and worshipped Him.
God made the people of Israel to keep three Feasts, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering. (Exodus 23:14-16) Through the Feasts, He led them not to forget the history of the past and to keep it in mind so that they could go on the perfect path without being biased to the left or the right.
Thanksgiving Day is closely related to Ingathering. Exodus 23:16 says, “… also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field.”
Originally, the Feast of Ingathering is a time to give thanks to God for helping the crops to grow and harvest. After saving the harvested grains, it is to end the farming of the year by offering a Harvest Festival.
God made the Israelites, who had left Egypt and come to the promised land Canaan, to offer thanksgiving with a bountiful harvest so that they could commemorate the hardships they spent in the wilderness for 40 years. In connection with giving thanks to God for saving and guiding them in this way, He proclaimed the eternal ordinance of dwelling in tabernacles for 7 days every year, which is the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:42-43). The Feast of Tabernacles refers to the feast of thanksgiving that is observed after harvesting and storing olives and grapes. On the first day, they rest and hold a holy assembly, and for 7 days, they rejoice and dwell in tents. It is made known from generation to generation that they lived in tabernacles at the time of the Exodus, and on the eight and last day, they rest and hold a holy assembly and keep it as the great day of salvation (Leviticus 23:34-41).
According to the Old Testament tradition, the Israelites believed that the Messiah would come at the Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus let them know that they have to be filled with the Holy Spirit, saying on the last day of the feast, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”
God made Jesus Christ known to mankind, who had no choice but to go the way of destruction due to the disobedience of the first man, Adam, and allowed them to receive the Holy Spirit and have the authority to become children of God. Moreover, by preparing the kingdom of heaven and guiding us to live according to God’s will, He allowed us to live a life of joy, thanks, and prayer. In addition, He gave the blessing of giving to the one who asks, allowing the one who seeks to find, and opening the door to the one who knocks.
For giving us true life and delivering us from death through Jesus Christ, we should offer thanksgiving with all our heart and soul (Psalm 56:12-13).
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