The Call of Thanksgiving by James Brown Jr.

Posted: 26 November 2009

A special message from BVG

The Call of Thanksgiving

By James Brown Jr.

© Baptist Vision

"Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people...O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise." -I Chronicles 16:8, 34-35

This chapter follows the grand procession of bringing up the Ark of the Lord from the house of Obededom in chapter 15. The ark in its proper location and ministry since before the days of Saul.

In chapter 13 of I Chronicles, the ark was brought up from Kirjathjearim. After the Philistines had captured it, they eventually sent it back due to its curse upon them. However, due to neglect, Israel had just let it remain in Kirjathjearim, the place the Philistines had sent it.

Finally, under David's reign, it is resolved by David and the men of Israel to bring the Ark up from Kirjathjearim. In the process, Uzza touches the ark, which was forbidden, and dies by the hand of the Lord. Great fear comes upon David and all Israel and the ark is left in the house of Obededom.

In I Chronicles 13:9, we see they were attempting to bring the Ark back on a cart:

"And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled."

Then, three months later as the Ark is brought from the house of Obededom in chapter 15, Israel does exactly as God had commanded.

"And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD." -1 Chronicles 15:15

In Numbers 4:15, Israel is commanded that they are "not [to] touch any holy thing" in the sanctuary "lest they die." In Exodus 25:12-15, we find the requirements for bearing the Ark of the Lord:

"And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them. The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it." -Exodus 25:12-15

This is important because here in our text immediately follows their restoration of their heritage and religion done according to God's instructions. It is not enough to reinstate the Ark. They must do it as God said or even their desire for God's institution is ungodly.

Once they followed in obedience to God, they were blessed for it. In recognition of God's goodness, David proclaims a thanksgiving celebration. In verse 3 of chapter 16, David deals "to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine."

We celebrate a day of Thanksgiving in America on the fourth Thursday of every November. The purpose is to glorify God and give Him thanks for His goodness and blessings upon His people. It stems from the first day of thanks given by our Pilgrim forefathers in this new promise land.

Thanksgiving is not to be confused with the modern prosperity "gospel." It is recognition of obedience, for true thanksgiving cannot be separated from obedience. If it is, it ceases to be thanksgiving but rather hypocrisy.

Thanksgiving is not a denial of hardships, nor does obedience take away trials, persecutions, tribulations, and temptations. However, God will bless the obedience of His people and obedience requires continual conformity to God even when troubles arise. These testing's prove the faith, perseverance, sincerity, and actual obedience of the professing believer. Therefore, even in these we are told to rejoice and give thanks.

The offering of thanks can and is to be done in difficulties but never in disobedience. Israel had been without the Ark of the Lord in its proper place of ministry for a long time. It had been in the possession of the Philistines and then in the house of a Levite in Kirjathjearim. For at least fifty years, it had been neglected in the ministry of Israel.

It is strange that so much time passes before there is an interest in bringing back the Ark. At any rate, there is much excitement and fanfare. Yet, for some strange reason, instead of following the instructions of the Lord, the Ark is placed on a cart.

This is strange since the Philistines moved the Ark exactly the same way some fifty years earlier (I Samuel 6:1-15).

David and the rest of Israel proceed in disobedience, tragedy occurs, and Uzza dies. As a result, the Ark is left at Obededom's house for three months. There are no festivities, no thanksgivings, and no celebrations. What utter hypocrisy that would have been. True thanksgiving is for an obedient people.

"Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting." -Isaiah 1:13

It was only in obedience that Israel could offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving to God lest it be vain rhetoric and vain sacrifice. This is mainly what our modern day of Thanksgiving has become--a quick "thank you 'god'" prayer. "Are you ready for some football!"

It is not that we are against football or recreation on this day. We believe festivals should include fun activities. However, our focus must always be to glorify God and to give thanks to Him for all His blessings bestowed upon us.

In Israel's obedience, David proclaims a time of thanks and within his public declaration states three things concerning thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving: The Call to Publication

"Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people." -1 Chronicles 16:8

Verse 8 actually begins the beautiful hymn of Psalm 105. In I Chronicles it is recorded through verse 22.

But notice here the intent is established here in verse 8 and is carried throughout verse 22, which is Psalm 105, and then verses 23-33, which is mostly Psalm 96, that the purpose of calling upon God for deliverance is that God's deeds might be know among the people.

Who are these people that we are responsible to make known God's glory?

Posterity

First, we have a duty to publicize the glory of God in making known His deeds to our posterity.

"Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:" Psalm 78:3-6

American Christians have lost all sense of their duty. We have abandoned our responsibilities and handed them over to the government, the church, day-care, Hollywood, and just about anyone willing to recruit our children for their agenda.

However, God's Word is explicitly clear; it is the parents who have been given the authority and task for their own children. Parents are the ones who will be held accountable by God.

"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." -Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Parishioners

In Ezekiel chapter three, the prophet shows that we are to give testimony to both the righteous and the wicked. At best, most Christians think we have a responsibility to the "lost" in the area of the Gospel. However, we have a responsibility to the whole counsel of God in relation to the repentant and the revolting.

Among the covenanted body of saints, we are to edify, encourage, and effect love and good works in one another.

Therefore, the Psalmist wrote, "I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation (Psalm 40:9-10)

"I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people." -Psalm 35:18

"I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee." -Psalm 22:22

Perfidious

By perfidious, we are speaking about those who do not have faith, i.e., the wicked. As Moses and Aaron gave testimony before Pharaoh, it is stated the purpose was so that wicked Pharaoh would know everything belonged unto Jehovah.

"And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD'S." -Exodus 9:29

Planet

Ultimately, our bearing witness in thanksgiving, or any proclamation of God, is to proclaim the glory of God to all the kingdoms of the earth.

When the Assyrians came against king Hezekiah notice his prayer in 2Ki 19:19 "Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only."

As we continue to work toward the day when the "kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ" (Revelation 11:15), may our giving of thanks be so that God's "way may be known upon earth" and his "saving health among all nations" (Psalm 67:2).

Thanksgiving: The Call to Purpose

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever." -1 Chronicles 16:34

Following the command to give thanks, the statement is reflective. It does not call for action beyond giving thanks. The statement to be thought upon is that the Lord is good. We are to give thanks because He is good.

Now how does this give us purpose? How does this make any kind of change within our hearts and lives?

If our thoughts become centered on the goodness of the Lord, and not on ourselves, our problems, our difficulties, our tribulations, our wants, our lack of whatever it is we think we need, it will change our purpose, focus, direction, and so forth.

When our center is messed up, we are messed up. This is why modern Christianity is in such a mess. We are not focused upon the knowledge and fact that the Lord is good.

Today's focus is the goodness of man and his happiness. Man has become the treasure and heart of the Gospel message replacing Christ. Yet, Christ was God's goodness manifested to save us from our sins so that we would give thanks, "for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever."

Notice the thought pattern of the Psalmist in chapter 136.

What if we thought like the Psalmist in chapter 136? What if we thought like the Psalmist in Psalm 34:10 who wrote "The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing." In Psalm 84:11, he writes, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”

The Psalmist could write and think in complete faith in God because he had a Psalm 136 worldview. He understood that God is good unto His people and that His mercy endureth forever. Therefore, they remembered all the things Jehovah had done, seeing what He is doing, and was trusting in what He would do.

Would not this kind of trust in God’s goodness change our purpose? Our focus would be upon God to glorify Him trusting that He will to good to us. Therefore, we would be faithful, obedient in all things, persevering, trusting, and would not compromise anything in His Word. If He allows persecution, we would know it is for our good and that He will bring victory in due time. If we suffer hunger, we would have confidence it is for our good and that He will give us bread in due time. He is good and will do well unto us.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28

Thanksgiving: The Call to Prayer

"And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise." -1 Chronicles 16:35

Verse 35 states a thanksgiving prayer of deliverance, only at this time Israel was not under tribute or rule of a foreign nation. Yet, whether in dominion or oppression they were to pray for deliverance from the heathen. The enemies of God never sleep. Our forefathers said, "eternal vigilance is the price of liberty."

First, the prayer is a prayer for God's sovereign power. Salvation and protection can only come from God. There is none other hope.

The Psalmist said, "Vain is the help of man."

"Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man." -Psalm 60:11

The hope of princes, horses, and chariots, which is speaking of political and military power, is hopeless without the power of God. Without question, God uses men and means, but men and means without God will come to nothing. Our hope is in God.

Second, the prayer is for unity. Biblical unity is never unity at any price but unity in truth. The God of Scripture is the center of our unity. Notice the purpose of the deliverance and unity is so we may give thanks to God and glory in praising Him.

This is where the modern liberty movements in America are so messed up. They think our deliverance is for exercising our autonomous rights to express individual liberty. No, it is for glorifying God in showing that the earth is the Lord's. Whether it is the liberals or conservatives, America is still in need of learning the lesson God taught Nebuchadnezzar.

"And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase." -Daniel 4:34-37

This Thanksgiving, let us pray God would unite us around His truth and deliver us from our enemies, both foreign and domestic.

Conclusion

May we begin to return the blessings of God upon our homes, churches, and civil government. It begins first in our individual lives and then in our homes. Let's not fool ourselves, if we don't first make it real in ourselves and then our homes, we will never see a change in our society.

Martin Luther said, "If obedience is not rendered in the homes, we shall never have a whole city, country, principality, or kingdom well governed."

"Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice..." -1 Samuel 15:22

Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim,

And publish abroad his wonderful Name;

The Name all-victorious of Jesus extol;

His kingdom is glorious, and rules over all.

God ruleth on high, almighty to save;

And still he is nigh, his presence we have;

The great congregation his triumph shall sing,

Ascribing salvation to Jesus our King.

Salvation to God, who sits on the throne!

Let all cry aloud, and honor the Son: