THANKSGIVING  438 B.C.

                        Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced, for

                        God had made them rejoice with great joy.  And the women

                        and the children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was

                        heard even afar off.  Nehemiah 12:43

This verse sums up the events that took place on a particular day in the fifth century before Christ. The day mentioned is especially noteworthy from a Biblical perspective because the call went out for the whole family to join in the celebration. It is not very often that the religious leaders were so inclusive in Bible times. More often the narratives are describing some ceremony or ritual, and they detail the part played by the various official parties involved, such as the priests, the levites, the musicians or the people viewed as a generic whole. But in our text, the family involvement is specifically emphasized.  Just so, in our own day, Thanksgiving Day is recognized as the most family oriented holiday of the year. More people return home or gather together by family ties on this day than on any other holiday including the Fourth of July and Christmas.

Our Pilgrim Fathers gave thanks to God after that first year in the new world because of their divine preservation through a very rough winter. Their thanks was directed to the God that these fathers served, and who alone protected them from the severe weather and the dreadful shortages of food and supplies that plagued them continuously and which often resulting in loss of life. This thanksgiving in Jerusalem, recorded so long ago, was also directed towards this same exact God, the True God of our Fathers, with particular appreciation for His divine guidance and protection which culminated in the dedication of the rebuilt walls of Jerusalem.

At some point, Nehemiah and Ezra, in conference with the Princes of Israel, set a date for the dedication of the wall. No doubt there was some discussion as to what the nature of this dedication should be. There was unanimous agreement that it must be a "Thanksgiving Day". This was not going to be the gathering of a few politicians with golden shovels, or the Governor cutting a ceremonial ribbon stretched across the “Fish” Gate. The word went forth to the Levites all over the surrounding area, "come to Jerusalem", come with gladness, with thanksgiving, with singing, with music, and with your family.  The word went out to the Singers and the Priests likewise.  What a crowd must have assembled, what an atmosphere of jubilation.  It sounds almost like the Scullville Bible Church family gathering for the Fellowship Luncheon.  Our ladies who serve us and prepare for the luncheon probably appreciate the work and toil involved in the preparations for this event. And what an event! The word that comes to mind is "Spectacular".

When the gathering was completed, but before the festivities and rejoicing got under way, the Priests and Levites "purified themselves, and purified the people, and the gates, and the wall." 12:30. When the whole assembly was purified and otherwise prepared according to the procedures given by God, preparations which were required to be carried out if they would truly please Him, they set about to perform the celebration of dedication. They would declare their recognition that God must own and keep the walls by His own might. They were dedicated to Him, because by Him they returned. To Him because by Him they were successful in the rebuilding. To Him, because only by Him could they ever hope to live in safety henceforth. To Him, because He is Worthy!

Much that is recorded in this portion of Scripture cannot be spoken of in this short article, and so I would encourage you to take the time to read Nehemiah, chapters twelve and thirteen. The relevant portions for this article are recorded below for your convenience. They are from The New International Version. Recognize how carefully the family identification is recorded, how leadership roles are spelled out and how various duties are designated. Note also the magnitude of the required sacrifices and offerings that would be necessary for the purification of all the people and things, not to mention the actual thanksgiving offerings. Visualize if you can the procession that took place on that day.

Exactly where the procession started is not perfectly clear, but it would seem probable that it was opposite the place where they ended up. Here they are, many hundreds of people, Priests, Levites, Singers, Musicians, Soldiers, Politicians, Civilians, and who knows what else, trying to find their proper place in the "Parade". If you have ever participated in such a large parade, or even if you were an observer standing at the spot where the marchers gather beforehand, you can imagine the confusion and feel the excitement as they explain the order of march, list the tunes to be played, adjust their uniforms, and give last minute instructions. Time to march!

                        Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the Wall,

                        and appointed two great companies of them who gave

                        thanks, of which one went on the right hand upon the

                        wall toward the dung gate 

                        And the other company of them who gave thanks went

                        over against them.

Imagine also if you will the thrill of seeing all these people, marching, singing, praising, worshipping, playing music, and generally glorifying God for all His mercy and Loving Kindness. I tell you beloved, as I write this, I am there! In fact, I stand just half way between the Temple and the place upon the wall where the procession starts.  I watch them step out group after group. They sure are a lively bunch! I do not know how many of us would want to get mixed up with these radicals. They are jumping and leaping and praising God. What a display of gratitude!

Finally the whole entourage reaches their destination, standing before the Temple, still holding some semblance of organization. The singers are still able to see their leader Jezrahiah as he gives the signals, and the musicians are still able to beat out the tune. They sang loud that day, and the noise of rejoicing could be heard far away. It was God Himself that made them to rejoice with great joy. What a day! What a God!

Many other events took place also on this same day, and not the least of them was the reading of "Moses" as stated in Chapter 13:1, and the proper restoration of all the Temple procedures. All of these things added to the thankfulness of the Israelites. Although the dedication of the wall in Jerusalem at this time, after the restoration, and that American giving of thanks in the 17 century of the common era have very little in common as to the details, I must wonder if the Pilgrims were not reading Nehemiah 12 as they planned that special day for returning of thanks to God!

What is it in your life that would be cause for organizing a major thanksgiving celebration? Consider writing a list of thankworthy things that God has done for you.  Consider also offering up the praise and worship due His Name. Do it with joy and gladness. And know this, the Old Testament saints would have given anything to see and partake of the things that you have in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Thank you Lord for saving my soul;

Thank you Lord for making me whole;

Thank you Lord for giving to me,

Thy great salvation so full and so free!

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Nehemiah 12:27  At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres. 28  The singers also were brought together from the region around Jerusalem--from the villages of the Netophathites, 29  from Beth Gilgal, and from the area of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built villages for themselves around Jerusalem. 30  When the priests and Levites had purified themselves ceremonially, they purified the people, the gates and the wall. 31  I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate. 32  Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah followed them, 33  along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 34  Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 35  as well as some priests with trumpets, and also Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, 36  and his associates--Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani--with musical instruments prescribed by David the man of God. Ezra the scribe led the procession.   37  At the Fountain Gate they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east. 38  The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of the wall, together with half the people--past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 39  over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. At the Gate of the Guard they stopped. 40  The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, 41  as well as the priests--Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets 42  and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. 43  And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away. 44  At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes. From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and the Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites. 45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did also the singers and gatekeepers, according to the commands of David and his son Solomon. 46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. 47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.

Nehemiah 13:1  On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God, 2  because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.)