Does the Bible Talk About the Thanksgiving Holiday?

Does the Bible Talk about the Thanksgiving Holiday?

What comes to mind when you hear the word “Thanksgiving?” Many think of the Thanksgiving holiday as a joyful time—gathering with family, sharing meals, watching football, shopping for a Christmas tree, or reconnecting with someone you haven’t seen in a while. For others, the season sparks hope for new beginnings such as planning a wedding, welcoming a new baby, preparing for graduation, stepping into a new career, or looking forward to an upcoming vacation.

• But for many, the word “Thanksgiving” brings something entirely different. It may stir up painful memories or shine a light on difficult circumstances such as experiencing infidelity, going through divorce, battling addiction, facing incarceration, losing a job, struggling with financial strain, enduring homelessness, surviving abuse, or grieving the loss of someone close.
• Often the trials we face are God’s “smoke signal,” drawing help, deliverance, or blessing in ways we could never have predicted. What may feel like loss today may be the very thing God uses to rescue us tomorrow.

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Is the Thanksgiving Holiday Found in the Bible?

To determine whether the Thanksgiving holiday appears in Scripture, we must understand the timeline of biblical history. The Bible was written over roughly 1,500 years, by approximately 40 different authors, spanning from around 1,500 B.C. to A.D. 100. Therefore, the earliest American Thanksgiving observances—beginning in 1619 at Berkeley Hundred in Virginia, and later in 1621 at Plymouth Colony—occurred more than 1,500 years after the Bible was completed.

• Because of this, the American Thanksgiving holiday is not mentioned in Scripture. However, thanksgiving as a spiritual practice is woven throughout the entire Bible, appearing in nearly every book. Scripture repeatedly highlights gratitude, worship, and thanksgiving as essential expressions of faith.

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A Brief History of the Thanksgiving Holiday

The holiday known today as Thanksgiving in the United States contains several historical “firsts”:

• December 4, 1619 – Berkeley Hundred (Virginia):

Thirty-eight English settlers landed and, per their charter, declared that “the day of our ship’s arrival … shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.”

• Autumn 1621 – Plymouth Colony (Massachusetts):

A widely recognized early harvest celebration took place between the pilgrims and the Wampanoag people.

• October 3, 1863 – National Holiday Established:

President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving to be observed on the last Thursday of November.

While these events mark the development of the modern holiday, biblical thanksgiving predates them by thousands of years.

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Thanksgiving as a Central Biblical Theme

Scripture emphasizes thanksgiving extensively. “Praise” and its derivatives appear more than 280 times, and “thanks” over 150 times. Thanksgiving is portrayed not as a seasonal event, but as a foundational posture of worship toward God.

• Romans 1:21 says, “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

The Bible portrays ingratitude as a mark of spiritual rebellion—while thanksgiving characterizes those who walk with God.

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Thanksgiving in the Psalms

Many Psalms call believers to give thanks to Yahweh, highlighting His goodness and enduring lovingkindness:

• Psalm 105:1
  • “Oh give thanks to Yahweh, call upon His name; Make known His acts among the peoples.”
• Psalm 106:1
  • “Praise Yah! Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good; For His lovingkindness endures forever.”
• Psalm 107:1
  • “Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good, For His lovingkindness endures forever.”
• Psalm 136:1–3
  • “Give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good, For His lovingkindness endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, For His lovingkindness endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, For His lovingkindness endures forever.”

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Thanksgiving in the New Testament

The New Testament continues this theme, urging believers to bring prayers marked by gratitude and to receive God’s gifts with thanksgiving:

• 1 Timothy 2:1
  • “First of all, then, I exhort that petitions and prayers, requests and thanksgivings, be made for all men,”
• 1 Timothy 4:4
  • “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,”

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Thanksgiving in the Prophets

Even prophetic writings anticipate future thanksgiving among God’s redeemed people:

• Isaiah 51:3
  • “…joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and sound of a melody.”
• Jeremiah 30:19
  • “From them will come forth thanksgiving And the voice of those who celebrate; And I will multiply them, and they will not decrease; I will also honor them, and they will not be insignificant.”

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Biblical Thanksgiving: A Lifestyle, Not a Holiday

Thanksgiving in the Bible is not tied to a single date on a calendar. It is a continual expression of worship flowing from a heart that recognizes God’s goodness:

• Psalm 100:4
  • “Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.”
• Matthew 11:25
  • “At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.’”
• John 6:11
  • “Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish, as much as they wanted.”

Jesus demonstrated continual gratitude—even at the Last Supper:

• Luke 22:19
  • “And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’” Christ gave thanks. His example teaches that gratitude is a daily practice, not an annual appointment.

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Thanksgiving and the Gospel

Thanksgiving points us to the greatest gift ever given—God’s Son:

• John 3:16
  • “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

And Scripture reaches its climax with eternal thanksgiving offered before God’s throne:

• Revelation 7:12
  • “saying, “‘Amen, the blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.'””

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Practical Steps for Giving Thanks

1. Confess any unconfessed sin before God. Unconfessed sin becomes a spiritual roadblock. Believers can miss God’s daily blessings if they continue in willful disobedience. Learn more by clicking here.
2. Start the day by verbally thanking God for specific blessings. Speak at least three things God has done—salvation, breath, provision, forgiveness, strength, or even grace to endure trials. James 1:17 “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”

3. Give thanks in the middle of your trial.n Not for the trial, but in the trial—because God is still working. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

4. Express gratitude through prayer, worship, or obedience. Thanksgiving produces movement toward God. Psalm 69:30 – “I will praise the name of God with song And magnify Him with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7 – “Therefore as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and being built up in Him, and having been established in your faith—just as you were instructed—and abounding with thanksgiving.”

5. Thank God for His sovereignty in your story. Reflect on how He has guided, protected, sustained, or shaped you. Psalm 139:14 – “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.” Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in Yahweh with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

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A Final Word and Prayer

Thanksgiving is not just a holiday; it is a daily posture of a heart that sees God’s hand and trusts His goodness. For those who have not accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, repented of their sins, and sought forgiveness, their eternal destination is hell—where there is no thanksgiving.

Father, we pray that you would change the hearts of those during this holiday season who do not know you or who have refused to accept your Son, Jesus Christ. We know that all persons must hear the word of God before they can be saved, and for that reason, please encourage us to spread your Word about the good news of salvation available to anyone who accepts Christ no matter what they have done in their past. In the name of Jesus, Amen.