Is Thanksgiving in America a legacy worth reclaiming?
We all know the traditional Thanksgiving story of the Pilgrims, but have you considered the little-known experiences of the his-story that COMPELLED those humble believers to take such risks, posed by tyrants, to make the choices they did?
America is a nation of people with a centuries-old tradition of celebrating annual solemn days of Thanksgiving. Yet, it seems that our current generation has almost no concept of the deeply personal conviction of the crucial importance of gratitude. And it’s pretty obvious that that gratitude should most deservedly be directed to the Almighty Giver of every blessing and perfect gift in our lives.
When you’re stunned with the reality that you survived what could have been a fatal event, how does that make you feel?
Let’s look back to the time of the infancy of our American republic, two and half centuries ago.
Like those times of ancient Israel, before the long age of their many kings, America… and our whole world really… has mirrored those generations when “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). As a society, it seems to most ordinary folks, that the people in charge of the nations… the rulers, the princes, the governing bureaucrats, and people with influence in the halls of schools and churches alike… have partnered with the gatekeepers of hell. To the horror of honest men and women who are just trying to raise their families with some kind of common decency and respect for righteousness, we’ve wondered if common sense and sanity would ever return in our lifetimes.
Well… like the prophet Daniel wrote, the Most High God is in charge… “And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” (Daniel 2:21).
Being human… every king that God has ever raised up … has flaws. Their knowledge is imperfect. They are all subject to being influenced by misguided counselors. They make mistakes… sometimes grievous mistakes. And that’s why God’s faithful people who love God and observe to do His commandments as best they know how (1 John 5:2-3), do “…not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:9-10). And never forget to “Pray for kings and all who are in authority…” Why? “…so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:2).
Did you know that the word Halloween can be translated as holy night? But holy for whom? What happens when a night meant to be sacred is hijacked by rituals of death and darkness?
The word Halloween comes from something that sounds sacred. It means ‘All Hallow’s Eve,’ meaning the evening before All Saints Day. In the medieval Christian calendar, November 1st was chosen to honor believers who had died as martyrs. The night before became known as the eve of this holy day. When church leaders chose November 1st for All Saints Day, that date was already marked by ancient peoples across Northern Europe. It was a time for rituals far older than any Christian observance. The church tried to overlay a holy remembrance on top of existing pagan celebrations.
The integrity of King Josiah’s promise to lead his people to obediently comply with God’s covenant, was followed by immediate action; After the ways of God, recorded in the Torah were brought to the attention of all the people of the land in a public declaration, King Josiah ordered the high priest to remove and destroy all the objects of Baal worship in the country; He did away with the idolatrous priests appointed by the two previous kings over the course of 57 years. Think of it… That’s like removing all the evil, anti-God, secularist bureaucrats from public office in today’s nations. He even tore down the houses of the male cult prostitutes where women were weaving some kind of tent-like coverings used in grossly degrading and immoral pagan practices (2 Ki 23:4-7).
Then King Josiah tore down all the depraved, idol-worshipping high places across Judah, outside of Jerusalem. He even managed to tear down some of the deviant shrines of pagan perversion north of Judah in Samaria. This would be like shutting down all the porn shops and human trafficking dens across the nation. This was social reform on a scale never seen in the four hundred years since the time of King David.
Think about crisis moments in history. In modern times it might be the 1929 day that the stock market collapsed or the ‘infamous day in history’ – December 7th – when the American naval fleet was attacked at Pearl Harbor. For many who lived through those days of terrifying turmoil, there is no doubt that it seemed like their world was being shaken. But it wasn’t the end of the world. And neither is the present shaking, that understandably puts people in a state of confusion and perplexity. Do you think that God is getting the attention of millions, if not billions, of people all across the world?
When God’s Word says “A prudent man sees evil coming and hides himself, but the naïve proceed and pay the penalty” (Proverbs 27:12), don’t you think we should consider how we respond to that in concert with our own local church? … or at least with the group of like-minded Christ-followers that we can trust to be our fellow “watchmen” for each other’s safety in times of crisis?
Does our church, as well as our family, have a contingency plan to gather emergency teams to help one another in our neighborhoods? Have the experienced men of our assemblies gotten together regularly, like the patriots of New England in the 1770s, to hammer out action plans for when there are threats of crisis?
The early church is strongly urged in the letter to the Hebrews to continue gathering because it was through gathering together that they would be encouraged to hold fast the confession of their hope without wavering. In other words, it was by gathering together that they would be heartened to stand fast in the day of affliction. Yet, in our day of affliction, we have instead opted to refrain from gathering together. And that has resulted in many, within the church, becoming disheartened. The Bible plainly states that one of the best ways to love our brethren is by regularly gathering together …as well as to honor the Lord’s Sabbath Day of rest! By gathering together, we can stir each other to love and do good works, as well as encourage each other in the midst of affliction, even if you want to argue about which day to do it.
For Righteousness to regain dominant influence in America, or any society, ‘we the people’ must assertively refresh the spirit that ignited the founders to declare a new nation would be free by declaring their independence from tyrants. Just as that premise became the catalyst to fuel the American Revolution, can we really believe that a similar revitalization of Christian society can happen with any less commitment? Should not ‘We the people,’ as representatives of a civil society, also assert ourselves as a body of ‘we the people’ as members of Messiah’s Ekklesia? How can compromised leadership, on the level of civil government, result from anything less than compromised leadership on the level of Ekklesia government?
When millions of people in countries all over the entire world are dying unexpectedly and prematurely, while millions more are being handicapped for life, you can understand why practically all your friends and neighbors are wondering how to explain these tragedies to their children.
