Gtcotr/ss112215
Today
we begin a very special week in the United States. Sunday being the first day
of the Thanksgiving Holiday week provides us with both the opportunity and the
obligation to shine a light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ on our
nation and thank God for the blessings He has bestowed on America.
I’ve
read that more than 700 million pounds of turkey will be consumed this Thursday
in the celebration of this year’s Thanksgiving Holiday. Families will gather
and a cornucopia of fruits, vegetables and desserts will dress the tables of
homes everywhere and will be served to fill the hearts and stomachs of men,
women, boys and girls, rich and poor alike, given out to soldiers serving on
foreign fields, first responders in cities across our nation, as well as prison
guards and inmates, in hospitals and homeless shelters. Thanksgiving is a
celebration meant for all to enjoy.
Most
of us know enough American history to remember the Pilgrims and their Mayflower
voyage from England to New England late in the year 1620. We probably recall
that they weren’t well prepared and that more than half of them died within a
few months of the landing they made at Plymouth, Massachusetts from the bitter
cold of that first winter.
Such
losses could make anyone wonder if they had made the right choice. Was it the
best decision for them and their families and the future? Why did they come?
All reasonable questions.
The
Pilgrims, much like the far majority of the settlers of that era including the
French Huguenots and the Puritans, made their decision to come to America
motivated by what they believed was the call of God on their lives. Their only
hopes were to establish a world where they could worship God without fear of politically backed religious
persecution and become a witness for Christ to their new world.
Although
it was not an easy undertaking and its costs were great, nonetheless they
succeeded and by the fall of 1621 they realized that God had indeed sent them and
abundantly blessed them and that He deserved Thanksgiving. The rest is history
…
Today
we are going to read three portions of scripture. One will come from the
Prophet Isaiah. This prophecy provides a link to its past and its future, as
well as to our past and our future. We will connect this prophecy in Isaiah
first to a passage in the book of Exodus at the point where God had just parted
the Red Sea and the Children of Israel had crossed over on dry ground while
their enemies were swallowed up and drowned by the waves.
The
second portion of Scripture connected to the verses in Isaiah will be found in
the New Testament Gospel of John. It is a passage detailing Jesus on one of His
several visits to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Let’s look
at these two passages now before we read from Isaiah’s prophecy to begin our
Thanksgiving week.
Exodus 15
1 Then Moses and the children
of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying: "I will sing to
the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has
thrown into the sea!
2 The LORD is my
strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I
will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.
What
a picture of deliverance … The LORD has become my salvation! Keep that in mind.
Next we read from a passage in the Gospel of:
John 7
2 Now the Jews’ Feast of
Tabernacles was at hand.
If
you aren’t familiar with the Feast of Tabernacles you may wish to read a little
about it from Leviticus 23 and Numbers 29. This feast is celebrated in the fall
of each year, just after the harvest has been gathered in. It begins and ends with
a holiday and includes seven days of feasting and public celebrations. The
feast remembers all that God did for the Children of Israel in the wilderness -
including the fact that God dwelled with them in a Tabernacle while they lived
in tents as well. The Hebrew prime root word for tabernacle means to cover and
protect … like a tent or a shelter covers.
This
feast began right after the Day of Atonement when sins were covered.
14 Now about the middle of
the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.
Note:
This is a good place to say that both Jesus and I believe in a mid-week Church
service where the Word of God is taught … just sayin …
So,
Jesus is at the Feast of Tabernacles, He goes into the Temple and teaches the
Word of God at mid-week, and then on the last day, day 8, the last holi-day, a
Sabbath in which no one worked but all attended a special celebration, Jesus
stands up in the crowd, calls attention to Himself and makes a bold public
declaration:
37 On the last day, that
great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If
anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
38 "He who believes in
Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living
water."
39 But this He spoke
concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive …
Everyone
in attendance that day knew exactly to what Jesus was referring. You see,
although not prescribed by Moses it was nonetheless the deeply held tradition
and custom of the Jews to draw water from the pool of Siloam near the Temple in
Jerusalem and to pour it out at the Feast to symbolize the prophecy given
centuries earlier by Isaiah concerning the coming Messiah. It was commonly said
that if a person had never seen the joy associated with the drawing of this water
that they had never seen joy!
The
Feast of Tabernacles was a fun feast and everyone was caught up in the joy of
its celebration. Let’s look at the Messianic prophecy from Isaiah.
Isaiah 12
1 ¶ And in that day you will
say: "O LORD, I will praise You; Though You were angry with me, Your anger
is turned away, and You comfort me.
2 Behold, God is my
salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ’For YAH, the LORD, is my strength
and song; He also has become my salvation.’"
3 Therefore with joy you will
draw water From the wells of salvation.
4 ¶ And in that day you will
say: "Praise the LORD, call upon His name; Declare His deeds among the
peoples, Make mention that His name is exalted.
5 Sing to the LORD, For He
has done excellent things; This is known in all the earth.
6 Cry out and shout, O
inhabitant of Zion, For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!"
2 Behold, God is my
salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ’For YAH, the LORD, is my strength
and song; He also has become my salvation.’"
Verse
2 is taken in reference from Exodus 15 and the deliverance experienced by the
Children of Israel … the song of Moses …
Verse 3 connects this prophecy to its future
and the time when Jesus Christ would become the wellspring of life for all who
would come to Him.
3 Therefore with joy you will
draw water From the wells of salvation.
This
prophecy foretells of a day when eternal life would be freely offered for all
who call upon the name of the Lord … it’s as simple and easy as drawing water
from a well of salvation. Today is that day!
You
know what the Hebrew word is that is translated Salvation
in this prophecy? --- It’s the Hebrew word: “Yshuw’ah”
Jesus
saves! Just like some of you were saved today and many more will be in the coming
weeks and months ahead …
And
for that we are so thankful!
May
the God of grace bless you and keep you and may you trust in the Lord and not
be afraid. I pray that you will praise the Lord and declare His deeds among all
people and that this coming Thursday you will make mention of His name and be
Thankful!
Happy
Thanksgiving!!!!!
