The Feast of Ingathering
Did
you know that the first Thanksgiving in the United States has some
strong similarities to the biblical Feast of Tabernacles? Although the
pilgrims did not consciously observe this biblical feast, it is
interesting to study the parallels between these two celebrations that
share the common spirit of thanksgiving to God.
Both
were celebrated in the autumn in the northern hemisphere, and both were
a time for giving thanks to God for the blessings of the harvest
season. Although forgotten by many, the American Pilgrims were a deeply
religious people whose heritage was strictly founded on the Bible, both
Old and New Testament.
Why
did the Pilgrims have this strong attraction to the Hebrew Scriptures?
Is it a coincidence that the Pilgrims were the first successful colony
in New England and were able to set their stamp on American culture and
religion? Let's explore these questions and see what history reveals.
Few
realize how solemnly and literally the Pilgrims took the Bible. Jewish
sources in particular continue to note, although recognizing there is
not a direct link between the two, the striking resemblance of the
Thanksgiving celebration to the
Feast of Tabernacles, which Scripture also calls the Feast of
Ingathering.
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