When did the first Thanksgiving Day occur? In 1621 with the Pilgrims correct? The answer is yes or no depending on your definition of the “first Thanksgiving.” But I want to turn the Thanksgiving Day clock even farther back to a different group of refugees who had just escaped religious persecution. Their “first Thanksgiving” occurred over 3000 years before in the desert between Egypt and Israel after escaping slavery. It was known as the Thanksgiving Peace offering. The Israelites had been given sacrifices to perform on the alter to atone for their sins. These sacrificial offerings were the burnt offering, the meal offering, the sin offering, the trespass offering, and the peace offering. This peace offering could be offered for two purposes. These purposes were either to fulfill a vow or as a sacrifice of thanksgiving. We find the description of these sacrifices in the book of Leviticus and specifically of the Thanksgiving Peace offering in chapters 3 & 7.

But what does the term thanksgiving actually mean here. The Hebrew word used here is towdah (to-daw) which means “properly, an extension of the hand, i.e. (by implication) avowal, or (usually) adoration; specifically, a choir of worshippers:—confession, (sacrifice of) praise, thanks(-giving, offering).” It is from the root word yaw-daw which is to cast out. The first time the root of this word was ever used was when Leah praised God for the birth of Judah. Jesus would later be known as the “Lion of Judah.” To simplify the definition, I think we could say thanksgiving in the Old Testament meant an extension of your hand given with the enthusiasm of a choir singing at the top of their lungs. Thanksgiving is not small and passive, but it is big and active.

Here is a simplified summary of the sacrifice. The worshiper killed the animal, and the priest would splash the blood of the animal around the altar. The suet (pure fat) and liver would then be burned as an offering giving a sweet-smelling aroma to God to whom the offering was made. The right shoulder and breast would then be heaved up and down and waved back and forth forming a cross and given to the priests performing the ceremony to eat. The rest of the sacrifice would then be eaten by the worshiper, his family, the other Levites, and the poor. Along with the meat, unleavened bread signifying God’s holiness and leavened bread signifying man’s sinfulness were also part of the meal. The animal being sacrificed had to be without blemish and the participants in the “sweet smelling meal” had to be ritually pure or cleansed pre-shadowing Christ’s perfect sacrifice for us and our need to be covered in Christ’s blood in order to be in communion with him. Everything had to be eaten that day.

This large shared communal meal doesn’t sound that far off from many of our modern Thanksgiving dinners as we combine our thanks to God with a large meal of meat and bread, friends, family, God, and for many a less fortunate friend. The Thanksgiving Peace offering was a real world “word picture” of our relationship with Christ and jhow his sacrifice made peace between ourselves and God. This idea of a connection between thanks and peace is brought out again over 1500 years later in the book of Philippians 4:6-7,

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by  prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (NKJV)

The idea of Christ being the sweet-smelling aroma in our homes is emphasized in Ephesians 5:2

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. (NKJV)

Where does all this leave us. It leaves us with asking ourselves what does our house smell like this Thanksgiving? When we smell the turkey, the stuffing, and pumpkin pie is it just a collection of food or a reflection of the love and devotion to Jesus Christ found in our home? After all, God is severely critical of the Israelites in 1 Samuel 15:22,

Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams. (NKJV)

Let our Thanksgiving this year be filled with the obedience to our Lord and delight in him. Thank you, Jesus, for all you have done.

Doug

The words of British poet Robert Abrahams say it well, “For some men die by shrapnel, And some go down in flames, But most men perish inch by inch, In play at little games.”  Our goal is to identify the little games and put a stop to them and put the right weight on the right things.