Thanksgiving (1 Chr 16:41)

THANKSGIVING:
The Tradition of Giving Thanks (1 Chr 16:41)

pdf

Dr. Paul Manuel—2005

The holidays are often times for families to get together. When children grow up and move away, such times become more precious but also more precarious, as the busyness of life can cause us to neglect those important occasions.

A father in Florida calls his son in New York and says to him, "I hate to tell you, but we've got some troubles here in the house. Your mother and I can't stand each other anymore, and I've had it! I want to live out the rest of my years in peace. I'm telling you now, so you and your sisters won't go into shock later when I move out." He hangs up, and the son immediately calls his sisters in Illinois to tell them the news. The oldest says, "I'll handle this." She calls Florida and says to her father, "Don't do anything till we all get there! We'll be there Wednesday night." The father agrees, hangs up the phone, and turns to his wife, "Okay, they're coming for Thanksgiving.... Now, what are we going to tell them for Christmas?"

We must not lose sight of what God has given us, through family, friends, or in other ways, and we must express and demonstrate to Him our gratitude.

The apostle Paul, by example and by exhortation, repeatedly stresses in his letters the importance of thanksgiving. He is full of gratitude for the many blessings God has given to him and to his readers.¹

Rom 6:17 [T]hanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed [sound] teaching....

I Cor 1:4 I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.

2 Thess 2:13 [We] thank God for you...because from the beginning God chose you to be saved....

He also calls upon the churches to express their own gratitude for God's manifold goodness.²

Eph 5:19b Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything....

Phil 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

1 Thess 5:18 [G]ive thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you....

If you want a good exercise for your regular devotions, read Paul's letter to the Colossians and look for the expression of or exhortation to thanksgiving he includes in each chapter, then turn that gratitude into a prayer.³

Paul's concern for being thankful does not arise in a vacuum, nor does it come upon him in sudden inspiration. He is in good company, for he echoes what has been Israel's practice from the beginning and what, for centuries, has been part of the nation's worship. We do not have to search the scriptures long or hard to see The Tradition of Giving Thanks among God's people.

1 Chr 16 offers an example of that tradition when King David moves the ark to Jerusalem.

1 Chr 16:1 And they brought in the ark of God and placed it inside the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God.

Devotion to God has many elements, and the people who serve in the sanctuary have different, often specialized tasks. For example, in v. 4 we read that...

I. David selects a team for worship.

1 Chr 16:4 He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel:

In addition to ensuring an ample supply of offerings, the king organizes some of the descendants of Levi to oversee worship at the new sanctuary. Is this a random process?

• Does he have them draw lots?
• Does he put them in a line, have them count off, and take every fourth one?
• Does he just take those who cannot stomach the smell of animals or the sight of blood?

We read about this team again in v. 41, where the author describes them as...

1 Chr 16:41 ...those chosen [lit. "purified"] and designated by name....

Evidently, this is not a low-level position for those unqualified or otherwise unable to perform more demanding tasks. David takes great care in selecting the ones best suited for this job. In fact...

A. He makes a special appointment, naming the members.

If the king is that particular about the ones he appoints, then he must also have something particular he wants them to do. Again, v.41 has the answer, for...

B. He makes a specific assignment, thanking the Lord.

These individuals are...

1 Chr 16:41 ...chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD....

Knowing what the king expects them to do may indicate his intention when he assembles this team.

• He may want people with literary proficiency to create stirring compositions extolling God's goodness.
• He may want people with musical talent to perform uplifting hymns.
• He may want people with rhetorical expertise to direct a congregation's attention heavenward.
• He may also want just the right combination of these skills.

Whatever the king has in mind, the significance of the appointment is evident in that they are not those left over after he has made other assignments. They are the ones best suited to this task, even as others have duties elsewhere that correspond to their abilities.⁴

Considering the numerous demands on the Levitical staff, from caring for the animals to controlling the crowds, it seems hardly practical to appoint a group just for saying "Thank You" to God; yet that is precisely what David does, testifying to the importance of the job. No matter what else is happening, no matter how busy it gets, there are certain individuals whose primary duty is to offer thanksgiving.

What is your primary duty in the church? Before you answer that, think back to when you were in gym and the teacher had everyone run laps around the track or sprint from one point to another and clocked your performance. If you were like me, the only time you ran was when you were late to class. I had neither the speed necessary for sprints nor the endurance needed for distance. My choices during gym class, though, were severely limited. I could either participate in these athletic events or sit and watch.

Thankfully, you have more than two options in the Kingdom of God, because He equips people for certain tasks and, like David, He assigns people to different tasks. You may feel unfit for some things—like speaking on the radio or singing in the choir— but God has prepared you for something else, something He wants you to do and something you can do well. It may be...

• Helping at the local food bank, or
• Providing outerwear for needy children, or
• Joining the trash patrol along the road by the church.

These tasks may not seem very important to you, and you can still decide to sit and watch, but if you only warm the bench (or a pew) you will never win the race.⁵

As I mentioned earlier, the people David chooses here are not the only people assigned to the sanctuary. They are simply the ones entrusted with leading the congregation in giving thanks to the Lord. That is rather general, though. Thank Him for what? Does the king have anything more specific in mind? Indeed, he does, and after selecting a team for worship...

II. David selects a theme for worship.

While God's people can certainly give thanks to the LORD for many reasons, there is one overarching reason that invigorates their efforts and directs their expression. Look again at v. 41, where they are...

1 Chr 16:41 ...to give thanks to the LORD, "for his [mercy] endures forever."

This virtue characterizes His particular favor toward Israel, beneficence He does not offer to the world at large or to any other people.⁶ Consequently, David focuses the nation's worship on that theme...

A. He advocates a concentration on God's lovingkindness

...and...

B. He advocates an appreciation for God's longsuffering.

From the days of the Patriarchs, through good times and bad times, periods of obedience and disobedience, the LORD has demonstrated repeatedly and consistently a commitment to the welfare of His people, which David himself experienced numerous times. This proven track record enables them to see that they are in good company, because God will not renege on His commitment. It is permanent.

When King David moved the ark to Jerusalem, he appointed a particular team to promote a particular theme, giving thanks to the LORD because His lovingkindness endures forever. It was important for those who led worship and for those who attended worship. That reason has been a repeated refrain in Israel's worship, appearing more than thirty times elsewhere in scripture and, to this day, in the prayer book of the synagogue.

It is no less important now. In your preparations for the holiday this week, or in the distraction and disorientation of seeing decorations for the next holiday this soon, do not lose your concentration on or your appreciation for God's mercy. Whatever you may be doing on Thursday, whether going out or staying home, purpose now to thank God for at least one specific act of His mercy in your life this past year. What will it be? Take a moment and pick one. I will wait.... The extent of your gratitude to God is often a measure of your attitude toward God.

While expressing thanksgiving for God's mercy is central to Israelite worship, it is also integral to our worship. Remember the passages I read earlier from Paul's epistles, whose recipients included believing gentiles. Having been grafted into Israel through the messiah, you continue The Tradition of Giving Thanks by expressing your gratitude for the same reason. So, "give thanks to the LORD, 'for his [lovingkindness] endures forever."

For the Bibliography and Endnotes, see the pdf here.