Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

BY Henry M. Morris III, D.MIN.
CEO, Institute of Creation Research

Perhaps as a curious reflection on our Western culture, the “thank you” found in normal cultural interchange has no counterpart in the Bible. Society's declining custom of writing thank you notes has some implied connection to biblical emphasis, because prevailing social manners relate more to our own sense of reciprocity than is reflected in Scripture.

Please do not misunderstand. It is a good custom to respond to someone’s gift, or to their assistance rendered, and we should express our pleasure for the effort extended to us from another person - even if the necktie is “strange” or the flowers with which you have been gifted make you sneeze. The old cliché still applies - "it’s the thought that counts." The custom of “thanksgiving” is helpful, both as an acknowledgement and as encouragement. The emphasis in Scripture is much more specific, however, revolving around the concepts of confession and praise.

Confession

There are two Hebrew terms translated with the English word “thanks” in the Old Testament. Towdah is most often connected with sacrificial thanksgiving “offerings” (Leviticus 22:29, 2 Chronicles 29:31). Yadah is used more frequently and is most often translated as “praise” (Psalm 18:49, Isaiah 25:1).

These terms are both built around the idea of “confession” - the listing or acknowledgment of sins committed, and thankfulness to God for granting us His forgiveness. Both terms are used on private as well as formal occasions, and they both consistently imply vocal expression (speaking out loud), repeated communal expression (as in corporate worship), and often formal celebration, as demonstrated in the following passages:

And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto Him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.” (Joshua 7:19)

I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O LORD, proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds. (Psalm 26:6-7)

And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. (Nehemiah 12:27)

Praise

Interestingly, the major Hebrew word for “praise” (halal) is not the same as the companion word coupled with the idea of “thanksgiving.” As noted, the connection between towdah and yadah is confession - indicating that understanding why we are grateful is inseparable from the act of expressing and acknowledging that appreciation. It can be expressed this way:

Confession involves recognition of our failure to meet God’s holy standards.
Thanksgiving is the means whereby we acknowledge the receipt of God’s forgiveness.
Praise is the overt vocal and often public expression of that acknowledgment.

The act of praise is often expressed in singing. Hebrew poetry uses parallel phrases to emphasize the central thought. This is easily seen in the Psalms, where the English words “praise” and “thanks” are translations of the same Hebrew word, coupled with “sing.”

I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high. (Psalm 7:17)

Sing praises to the LORD, O you His saints, and give thanks to His holy name. (Psalm 30:4)

Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto Him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. (Psalm 33:2)

I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. (Psalm 57:9)

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High. (Psalm 92:1)

Agreement

The New Testament emphasizes that the individual who thanks God should be in such close agreement with God that the act of thanksgiving is in harmony with the rationale behind giving thanks. The Old Testament, however, focuses on visible actions as evidence of obedience ("For the Jews require a sign" - 1st Corinthians 1:22)

The historical nature of the Old Testament and the Hebrew language is most easily understood by its emphasis on physical behavior - hence the emphasis on the sacrificial system and the focus on the location of the tabernacle and the temple. That context underscores the emphasis on confession and praise as a part of thanksgiving.

The nature of the New Testament as well as the Greek language is more easily understood through doctrine and the intellectual fulfillment of the prophetic message (..."and the Greeks seek after wisdom" - 1st Corinthians 1:22). The four gospels record the historical events that implemented the work of the Messiah. The epistles that follow examine the theology of that work and outline the spiritual attitudes that should motivate the “twice-born” to emulate the righteousness of the Lord Jesus.

Thus, the thanksgiving of the New Testament believer moves from the sacrificial confession and formalized activities of the nation to personal responsibility, agreement with Scripture, and open confession of biblical truth.

Whenever possible, be Specific in expressing Thankfulness:

But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching which was delivered to you. (Romans 6:17)

Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
(Colossians 1:12)

Our eternal example is the effectiveness of our Intercessory of Thankfulness in the name of our mediator, Jesus Christ:

"For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;" (Ephesians 1:15-16)

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you." (Philippians 1:3)

"so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to Your name.” (Romans 15:9)

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:17)

Our heart's attitude of thankfulness is more important than is any physical act of thanks for God’s ongoing evaluation of each heart has not changed since the creation.

When the Old Testament prophet Samuel expressed surprise at God’s selection of young David, as His anointed:

“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.” (1st Samuel 16:7)

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2nd Corinthians 4:18) Our instructions today are just the same.

America’s continuing official celebration of a Thanksgiving holiday is not only a good policy, but it's continuance is, within itself, a miracle, and the observance of our gratefulness for all we have received as a nation should always continue.

Christian churches routinely make our Thankfulness for God's ongoing blessings publicly known in weekly worship services, just as do most Christian organizations, who acknowledge God’s call upon them, and His provision for their ministries. Many Christian families “say grace” to thank God before meals, and those who do not do so verbally surely do so inwardly. These are all good practices to be pursued and diligently maintained.

However, of most important is how God’s people are continuously inwardly in an attitude of thanksgiving. At the core of our hearts are the firm beliefs of our mind, and at the core of our actions are the attitudes of our hearts, which we must diligently guard -
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander. (Matthew 15:19).

Foundational to all of that is how we approach the text of Scripture - and undergirding that approach is how we treat the information in Genesis {Origins, the Beginnings}. One cannot please God without accepting and understanding the truth of the book of Genesis.

"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." (Hebrews 11:1-6).

Thanksgiving - the attitude as well as the act - can only be enriched by our knowledge of and confidence in the authority and accuracy of the Word of God.

Armageddun Loc: The show me state

Amen