🦃 The Myth and the Mandate: Discerning the Real Meaning of Thanksgiving
The American observance of Thanksgiving is a cherished annual tradition, yet its origins are often shrouded in myth. For believers who anchor their practice in the Word of God, it is vital to separate the historical fiction of the 1621 feast from the eternal, unchanging biblical mandate to give thanks.
The 1621 Event: History Over Hearsay
The story of the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag sharing a harmonious meal in 1621 is the foundation of the national holiday, but its true nature was complex and largely secular.
- A Harvest Rejoicing, Not a Holy Day: The event was a three-day harvest festival—a time of secular rejoicing that included feasting, hunting, and military displays. The Pilgrims, being rigid Separatist Puritans, reserved their official, religious “Days of Thanksgiving” for solemn prayer and fasting in response to specific divine intervention (such as an end to drought). The 1621 event was never called “Thanksgiving” by the participants.
- A Political Alliance: The presence of the Wampanoag, led by Ousamequin (Massasoit), was primarily an act of diplomacy. The Wampanoag, decimated by disease, needed the English alliance for defense against rival tribes. The feast was a geopolitical necessity to solidify a fragile peace treaty, not a spontaneous friendly gesture as often portrayed.
- A Later Creation: The holiday as we know it—fixed on a Thursday in late November—was not formalized until President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Proclamation, which sought a unifying patriotic day during the Civil War. The national holiday is therefore a political and cultural tradition, not an ancient biblical one.
The Biblical Mandate: Giving Thanks Continually
While the national holiday lacks a biblical command, the principle of the day—giving thanks to God—is one of the most consistent and urgent mandates throughout the KJV scripture.
- Gratitude is a Constant State: The Bible calls us to maintain gratitude not merely on one day a year, but as a continuous state of the heart. The Apostle Paul instructs the believer: “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, KJV).
- The Sacrifice of Praise: The ancient Temple services included the “sacrifice of thanksgiving” (Leviticus 7:12, KJV), which was a spontaneous, personal act of gratitude. This practice shows that God delights in sincere expressions of thanks offered from the heart, regardless of the date on the calendar.
- Liberty in Observance: Since Thanksgiving is a national holiday and not a divine commandment, believers have liberty concerning its observance. As the scripture states: “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” (Romans 14:5, KJV). We are free to use this day as an opportunity to gather family and focus their hearts on the Giver of all good things.
Conclusion: We must recognize Thanksgiving for what it is—a cherished, secular national tradition built upon complex history. However, we are commanded to take advantage of the opportunity it presents to elevate the spiritual truth that thanksgiving and gratitude are a continuous, vital part of the believer’s walk.