Leviticus 23:2, Happy Thanksgiving!

//Holy convocations. The word “feast”, in the original Hebrew, means an “appointment with God.”

When God declared a feast day for the Children of Israel, it was more than opportunity for gluttony. It was even more than a day of thanksgiving, in remembrance of the goodness of God. It was, in fact, a sort of dress rehearsal. This “appointment with God” was a reminder and a preparation for the great Day of the Lord, in which the new age would be inaugurated with a great feast.

Readers of Revelation will recognize the feast theme throughout the book, culminating in a great celebration of the age of plenty, when food and wine would be overflowing. Readers of John’s Gospel will recognize the feast theme throughout that book as well, as John leads us from one feast setting to another, gently reminding us of the great day God has planned. Christians, today, may not be nearly as aware of the intense meaning behind these Johannine themes, and thus miss much of the atmosphere John wanted to convey.

But as we Americans enjoy our feast today, let’s remember the dream Jesus held of a new age when all would be filled with the abundance of God’s provision. Perhaps we can each help bring that dream about.