THANKSGIVING TIME TOPIC: The Call of Abraham and the Arrival of the Pilgrims to America; Similarities and Contrasts

[Jacob Ben Avraham]

THANKSGIVING TIME TOPIC: The Call of Abraham and the Arrival of the Pilgrims to America; Similarities and Contrasts 

We know the story of Abraham according to Genesis 12; God spoke to Abraham saying to "leave your land (Mesopotamia) and to go to a land (Canaan) which HE would show him. The Bible also tells us that he took his immediate family members, being at that time his wife Sarah and Lot, and he also took the "People he acquired there (in Haran)" It is interesting to note that the Hebrew word used for the word "people" is "Nefesh" (soul).

In those times, one could acquire "souls" (people) in three ways, those born in the camp, the purchasing of slaves and servants, but also, "winning those "souls" to follow this unseen God "El Shaddai." We would like to think that in this way, Abraham was a "soul winner" telling all the people he acquired about the God of the Bible, who created the world, Adam and Eve, all of mankind, the fall of man, the flood, the Tower of Babel up to that present time.

Abraham was in a "pagan" region (Mesopotamia) and God wanted to start something new, a People who would praise and follow HIM. So, He decided that Abraham would be the man for this mission. There would be three themes: Immigration, Expansion, and Evangelism. (Perhaps not in that same order). Now, let's fast forward 3600 years into the future (give or take a few years). We have the same themes: Immigration, Expansion, and Evangelism.

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,
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