THANKSGIVING TIME TOPIC: The Call of Abraham and the Arrival of the Pilgrims to America: Similarities and Contrasts
In England, a group of people, some called them "separatists" or "pilgrims" left England because they wanted religious freedom away from the Church of England. Did they receive a definite "calling" from God like Abraham? maybe not, yet they felt in their hearts that they needed to worship the one true God in a sincere way, following the way of God's Holy Writ. So, they left their "Mesopotamia" and headed for "Canaan" (North America) This was the "immigration" from one land to the other.
When the Pilgrims reached the shores of the New World in 1620, they suffered a lot and many died during the first winter as we know. God, however, prepared Squanto, of the Patuxet Tribe, to help the Pilgrims who had suffered a great loss during the winter. He was the translator between the Wampanoag tribe and the Pilgrims.
The next year was better, good harvest and the time of Thanksgiving. Squanto had taught the pilgrims to plant and harvest, fishing techniques,etc... Thanksgiving was a 3-day celebration of "Giving Thanks to God" for the blessings received, all the crops were gathered in. Somewhat like the time of Sukkot, or the "Feast of Tabernacles" where we "count our blessings" and celebrate for 7 days.
In the following years, the population of the Pilgrims had grown. More and more immigrants came from England to live in the New World. Some groups (such as the Puritans) took the opportunity and challenge to bring the gospel to the different Indian tribes living in New England. Some were sincere soul winners, yet some wanted conversion by force. I would say that there was also the language barrier.
The time for "expansion" also came after Abraham during the time of the sojourning of the Children of Israel in Egypt. From 70 immigrants to Egypt, 400 years later brought forth perhaps 3,000,000 children of Israel. God promised that the Children of Israel would "be like the stars of Heaven" (shining forth) the Word of God to reach pagan peoples with the knowledge of "One God" (Adonai-Elohim)
So we have "immigration, expansion, and evangelism" in the time of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. Starting in the 1600s with the Pilgrims and later the Puritans. However, there were those true to the faith and those who were not. Before and even now. Some were led to superstition that brought on the murder of 19 innocent women in Salem, MA, in 1692, for being "witches". One of my ancestors, Richard Ellis was alive at that time, in his 70s, and lived near Salem. (he was on my paternal grandmother's side of the family)
So, to sum it up; Abraham left Mesopotamia and went to Canaan. The Pilgrims and later the Puritans left England and went to North America
Abraham left behind paganism. The Pilgrims left behind religious bondage under the Church of England. Abraham's descendants grew to the millions. Plymouth colony grew and hundreds more came to set up more colonies. The children of Israel taught there is "One God" who created all things. The Basic Judeo-Christian teaching is the same, One God, One Messiah, 3 in ONE, from way back in 1620 to the present.
Immigration: We leave behind the life of perdition and the things of the lost world and cross over into the new life with Messiah Yeshua.
Expansion: God has blessed us with family, sons and daughters, we need to share the gospel with them and with those around us, which comes to
Evangelism: Take the gospel to the whole world. (It's easier now through the Internet).
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
In England, a group of people, some called them "separatists" or "pilgrims" left England because they wanted religious freedom away from the Church of England. Did they receive a definite "calling" from God like Abraham? maybe not, yet they felt in their hearts that they needed to worship the one true God in a sincere way, following the way of God's Holy Writ. So, they left their "Mesopotamia" and headed for "Canaan" (North America) This was the "immigration" from one land to the other.
When the Pilgrims reached the shores of the New World in 1620, they suffered a lot and many died during the first winter as we know. God, however, prepared Squanto, of the Patuxet Tribe, to help the Pilgrims who had suffered a great loss during the winter. He was the translator between the Wampanoag tribe and the Pilgrims.
The next year was better, good harvest and the time of Thanksgiving. Squanto had taught the pilgrims to plant and harvest, fishing techniques,etc... Thanksgiving was a 3-day celebration of "Giving Thanks to God" for the blessings received, all the crops were gathered in. Somewhat like the time of Sukkot, or the "Feast of Tabernacles" where we "count our blessings" and celebrate for 7 days.
In the following years, the population of the Pilgrims had grown. More and more immigrants came from England to live in the New World. Some groups (such as the Puritans) took the opportunity and challenge to bring the gospel to the different Indian tribes living in New England. Some were sincere soul winners, yet some wanted conversion by force. I would say that there was also the language barrier.
The time for "expansion" also came after Abraham during the time of the sojourning of the Children of Israel in Egypt. From 70 immigrants to Egypt, 400 years later brought forth perhaps 3,000,000 children of Israel. God promised that the Children of Israel would "be like the stars of Heaven" (shining forth) the Word of God to reach pagan peoples with the knowledge of "One God" (Adonai-Elohim)
So we have "immigration, expansion, and evangelism" in the time of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. Starting in the 1600s with the Pilgrims and later the Puritans. However, there were those true to the faith and those who were not. Before and even now. Some were led to superstition that brought on the murder of 19 innocent women in Salem, MA, in 1692, for being "witches". One of my ancestors, Richard Ellis was alive at that time, in his 70s, and lived near Salem. (he was on my paternal grandmother's side of the family)
So, to sum it up; Abraham left Mesopotamia and went to Canaan. The Pilgrims and later the Puritans left England and went to North America
Abraham left behind paganism. The Pilgrims left behind religious bondage under the Church of England. Abraham's descendants grew to the millions. Plymouth colony grew and hundreds more came to set up more colonies. The children of Israel taught there is "One God" who created all things. The Basic Judeo-Christian teaching is the same, One God, One Messiah, 3 in ONE, from way back in 1620 to the present.
Immigration: We leave behind the life of perdition and the things of the lost world and cross over into the new life with Messiah Yeshua.
Expansion: God has blessed us with family, sons and daughters, we need to share the gospel with them and with those around us, which comes to
Evangelism: Take the gospel to the whole world. (It's easier now through the Internet).
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
