“Why the First Thanksgiving Wasn’t Really the First Thanksgiving” by May Patterson

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, so I’ve found it interesting to learn that the Pilgrim’s first Thanksgiving feast probably wasn’t the first Thanksgiving feast.

Actually, many scholars believe the Pilgrims based their Thanksgiving feast on a biblical one, the Feast of Tabernacles. Both were harvest feasts. Both were celebrated by “pilgrims” who had made a long journey to settle in a new land. And both feasts had the same purpose: giving thanks to God and celebrating His blessings. Perhaps this verse inspired the Pilgrims to hold their first Thanksgiving Feast:

So What Was the Biblical Feast of Tabernacles Like?

1. This feast had several names (which can be confusing): The Feast of Tabernacles, Booths, Ingathering, Shelters and Harvest. Long before mass entertainment, NFL football games and endless social events, the Jewish feasts were the highlights of their year. God established several annual weeklong feasts for His people to enjoy. I think this means that it’s good for us–emotionally and spiritually–to break away from our normal routine to celebrate God and His blessings. Setting aside a time for joy increases our own.

2. The Feast of Tabernacles is held in October, at the end of the grape harvest and five days after the Day of Atonement (a very solemn day of repentance). The Feast of Tabernacles celebrates God’s provision for both sin and sustenance.

3. Each family made an outdoor, temporary booth and camped in it alongside their friends for seven days. Each booth was elaborately decorated according to personal taste, much like our own holiday decorations. There were stories, traditions and much laughter. Each day began with worship and a prayer walk through Jerusalem. Each day ended with a great feast of roasted lamb and fine wines. Singing, dancing, flutes, stringed instruments and horns were part of the celebration. It was referred to as “the season of joy,” much like our holiday season. Here is a twelfth-century drawing of a Sukkot booth:

4. The booths or tents symbolized three things:

• The temporary dwellings or tents that the Israelites lived in as they wandered in the desert for 40 years. (Lev. 23:43)
• God’s “tent,” or the Tabernacle, the place He dwelt among the Israelites as they wandered. It was always placed in the center of the Israelites’ camp.
• The temporary tent we now live in, our bodies, which will be replaced by a glorious permanent one.

5. The weeklong celebration included joyful ceremonies such as the “water drawing” procession and the “lighting of the lights.” Jesus stood up at this feast and proclaimed loudly that He was living water (John 7:37-38) and the light of the world (John 8:12). He used the favorite symbols of the Feast of Tabernacles to illustrate who He was and what He offers to the world.

6. Many scholars think Christ was born during this feast. Actually, this makes sense—Christ is God’s ultimate provision for us, bringing joy to the world. John wrote: “The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made His dwelling (or tent in Greek) among us.” John 1:18

Why this Feast is Important to Christians

The Feast of Tabernacles will be celebrated in the future by all nations (Zech. 14:16/Is. 25:6-9). That means we will get to participate in the celebration. That is why it’s important for us to understand the meaning of this feast. It will be a joyous and important part of every believer’s future.

Consider what it might be like:

“The Lord who rules over all will prepare a feast for all the nations. The best and richest foods and the finest aged wines will be served. On that mountain the Lord will destroy the veil of sadness that covers all the nations. He will destroy the gloom that is spread over everyone by swallowing up death forever. The Lord will wipe away the tears from everyone’s face. He will remove the shame of his people from the whole earth… At that time they will say, “He is our God. We trusted in him, and he saved us. Let us be filled with joy.” Isaiah 25:6-9

It sounds like the greatest feast, ever! I’m trusting the Lord to bring me there and I hope you are, too.

As you enjoy Thanksgiving with your family this year, ponder the history, symbolism and future meaning of the holiday. Perhaps Thanksgiving foreshadows the day all nations will feast to celebrate the great harvest of souls. Make the holiday holy by making it a time of spiritual observance (as the Pilgrims did). Give sincere thanks for both the spiritual and physical abundance God has provided, is providing, and will provide in the future.

 Believers will celebrate a new kind of Thanksgiving–Feast of Tabernacles style–for a very, very long time to come.

Written by ~ May Patterson

May Patterson, author of the book A Time to Seek, began writing in response to God’s grace. And by His grace, she has written magazine articles, Bible studies, and spoken at a variety of events. Her desire is to help people draw closer to God. May is married to her dear friend Mike and they have three grown children. She has a great love for the outdoors, travel and blogging at maypatterson.com

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