Unmasking Thanksgiving: Exposing the Myth, Remembering the Covenant
BY VCG @ LOR ON 11/02/2025
Introduction: Giving Thanks or Giving Place?
Foundation in Scripture:
What true thanksgiving to God looks like (Psalm 100, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Hebrews 13:15)
Distinction between biblical thanksgiving and national holidays
Chapter 1: Pilgrims, Puritans, and Providence
The truth about the Pilgrims’ beliefs, and why many were not true to God’s Word
The mythologized narrative of harmony with Native tribes vs. documented massacres and land covenants
Chapter 2: The Native American Spirits and Paganism
Native spiritual practices (animism, spirit worship) and their incompatibility with biblical faith
How syncretism has blurred the line between biblical worship and false worship
Chapter 3: Thanksgiving Declared—But By Whom?
The declarations of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and others—were they led by the Spirit of God or by nationalistic unity?
The rise of civil religion
Chapter 4: The Harvest Feasts and Satanic Imitation
Comparison between God’s feasts (Leviticus 23) and man-made feasts
How Satan mimics God’s holy convocations with counterfeits
Chapter 5: Is Thanksgiving Found in the Bible?
Scriptural foundation for giving thanks—but not as a ritual feast
Daniel, David, Paul, and Christ’s examples of thanksgiving
Chapter 6: The Subtlety of the Serpent—Deception Through Tradition
How family-centered traditions, food, and “gratitude” become idols
The warning of Mark 7:13—making the Word of God of none effect through tradition
Chapter 7: Come Out of Her My People
Revelation 18:4 applied to cultural Christianity
A call to sanctification and separation
Appendices
Primary source letters from Pilgrims, Puritan leaders
Timeline of Thanksgiving declarations
Scriptures on true thanksgiving
Prologue: A Table Prepared in the Presence of My Enemies
“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” — Psalm 23:5, KJV
The world is full of feasts —
tables overflowing with:
- food
- tradition
- sentiment
- cultural meaning
But not all tables are the LORD’s.
Scripture reveals this distinction:
the Israelites were fed with manna from heaven, yet later lusted after the flesh pots of Egypt (Exodus 16; Numbers 11).
In Psalm 78, God prepared a table in the wilderness, but the people despised it.
In Isaiah 65:11,
God rebukes those:
“that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number,”
exposing the idolatry hidden in national and cultural feasting.
In a world that delights in:
- mixture
- compromise
- seasonal rituals
the remnant must discern not just what is on the table — but whose table it is.
Each year, millions gather around tables on the fourth Thursday of November, joining in what is perceived as an innocent tradition:
Thanksgiving.
Officially declared a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 during the Civil War,
its roots stretch back through:
- colonial myth
- native rituals
- political symbolism
But few pause to ask:
where did this feast originate?
Who decreed it?
What spirits are behind its rituals and narratives?
What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
We are not called to sentimental tradition but spiritual truth.
The LORD has His own feast days, set apart from the foundation of the world, holy convocations rooted in covenant and prophecy.
When we trade the appointed times of God for the traditions of men, we walk into spiritual fog — and ultimately, rebellion.
This book is not about casting stones.
It is a call to awaken.
To unmask.
To remember.
You may be surprised by what lies beneath the golden leaves and turkey centerpieces — by what has been hidden under patriotic slogans & church bulletins.
But you must not fear the truth.
You were born for such a time as this.
The remnant must see clearly, speak boldly, and walk faithfully.
Let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, where the feasts are holy, the light is pure, and the thanksgiving is eternal.
As it is written,
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established… and many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD… for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:2–3).
Introduction: Giving Thanks or Giving Place?
“In every thing give thanks:
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:18, KJV
Thanksgiving is often portrayed as the most wholesome of holidays — a day for
- family
- food
- gratitude
But behind the:
- roasted turkeys
- pilgrim hats
- seasonal festivities
lies a deeply rooted system of tradition that demands spiritual discernment.
This book is not a denial of the biblical command to give thanks — rather, it is an urgent call to separate the holy from the profane (Ezekiel 44:23).
For too long, God’s remnant has mingled the pure worship of Jesus with man-made customs born of:
- political unity
- revisionist history
- even occult roots
We must ask:
is this celebration truly biblical, or is it a subtle deception crafted by the adversary, who
“beguiled Eve through his subtilty” (2 Corinthians 11:13)
The King James Bible — our final authority in all matters of faith and practice — commands thanksgiving as a continual state of the heart, not a ritualized feast (Psalm 50:14, Hebrews 13:15).
- The prophets
- apostles
- our Lord Jesus Christ Himself
never ordained a day of national thanksgiving tied to political or agricultural milestones.
Yet today, Thanksgiving stands as a civic religious feast — one that has been sanctified not by Scripture, but by state decree.
Historically, the idea of a national Thanksgiving was promoted by political leaders such as George Washington and later institutionalized by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War in 1863.
Lincoln’s proclamation called Americans to a day of “Thanksgiving and Praise,” but it was framed within a unionist and civil religious context — not theocratic worship of the Most High.
Earlier colonial observances were inconsistent, varying by region and often tied to military victories or harvest outcomes, not biblical commands.
Civil religion cloaks itself in piety while denying the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5).
It borrows the language of Scripture but substitutes the Spirit of God with the spirit of nationalism.
It teaches men to honor a deity in name, while transgressing His Word in practice.
When men gather to give thanks around a feast ordained by governors and presidents, but ignore God’s holy convocations (Leviticus 23), they give place not to the Holy Ghost — but to another spirit.
In our previous work, Unmasking Samhain, we exposed the Druidic and satanic origins of Halloween, proving from Scripture and history that its customs are abominations before God.
We showed how modern Christians are deceived into participating in the works of darkness under the guise of innocent tradition.
Thanksgiving, though appearing more benign, must also be weighed in the balance of God’s Word.
In this book, we will uncover the mythologized narrative of the “First Thanksgiving,” examine the spiritual practices of the indigenous tribes involved, analyze the declarations of political leaders who institutionalized this day, and contrast them with the holy convocations ordained by the Most High.
We will test every tradition against the unerring Word of God and reveal how Satan subtly counterfeits God’s appointed times with his own.
Just as Halloween was unmasked for its Druidic and satanic origins, Thanksgiving must now be weighed on the scales of Scripture.
Will it stand as righteous, or be found wanting (Daniel 5:27)?
Come now, let us reason together — and return to the ancient paths (Jeremiah 6:16).
Chapter 1: Pilgrims, Puritans & Providence
The tale told in American classrooms is simple:
Pilgrims fleeing religious persecution:
- arrived on the shores of Massachusetts
- befriended Native Americans
- celebrated a joyful feast together
This version is:
- sanitized
- romanticized
- stripped of biblical scrutiny
The true narrative reveals a tangled web of:
- partial truths
- man-made religion
- unrepentant compromise
The “Pilgrims” were not unified in doctrine.
The Separatists desired to form independent congregations free from the Church of England’s corruption, while others aboard the Mayflower — known as the “Strangers” — were secular colonists motivated by economic prospects.
Even among the Separatists,
debates raged over issues like:
- infant baptism
- ecclesiastical authority
- Sabbath observance
This fractured spiritual foundation sowed early seeds of division and confusion that would echo throughout the colonies.
Some were Separatists — dissenters from the Anglican Church — but many were simply adventurers seeking opportunity.
They did not carry the pure Gospel of Christ but a mixed bag of Reformed theology tainted by state church ideology.
Though they spoke of providence,
their covenant was not with the Most High alone but with:
- king
- colony
- commercial interest
Even among the Puritans who followed, their goal was to “purify” the Church of England — not abandon it.
They carried with them the seeds of civil religion:
a blending of state governance with spiritual language.
These colonists, while sincere in many convictions, did not adhere to the biblical feasts of Leviticus 23, nor did they seek to restore the faith once delivered unto the saints (Jude 1:3).
They replaced God’s appointed times with their own declarations of fasting and feasting — precisely what the Pharisees did (Mark 7:6-9).
Furthermore, the so-called “peace” between the settlers and Wampanoag tribes was temporary and based on necessity, not spiritual unity.
The Native Americans did not convert en masse to faith in Christ.
The Wampanoag, like many tribes, practiced animism — the belief that spirits inhabit natural objects and phenomena.
They engaged in:
- seasonal rituals
- spirit offerings
- shamanistic healing
Their feasts honored nature spirits and ancestral beings, which the Bible identifies as interactions with devils (1 Corinthians 10:20).
Such spiritual frameworks stand in direct opposition to the First Commandment:
‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me’ (Exodus 20:3)
Their animistic, spirit-based practices remained intact.
Participation in the feast was not worship of the True God, but a diplomatic gesture.
Amos 3:3 asks:
“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
The answer is no.
If the foundation of the Thanksgiving narrative is already cracked, then what is built upon it must also be examined.
Was this really an act of holy gratitude — or a ritual of man attempting to blend light with darkness?
The LORD warns in Deuteronomy 12:30-31 not to adopt the ways of the heathen or inquire how they worship their gods.
Historical records show that colonial celebrations began to incorporate seasonal harvest rites similar to those of European paganism —
such as:
- Corn Mother symbolism
- wreath offerings
- bonfires
meant to honor the ‘spirit of the land.’
These traditions, imported from old-world customs, were repackaged with Christian language, but bore the spiritual DNA of Babylon.
The result was a syncretistic feast designed more to please men than to honor God, not to adopt the ways of the heathen or inquire how they worship their gods.
Yet the colonists adopted:
- pagan symbols
- seasonal harvest rites
They crafted a story that would become sacrosanct in American lore.
Let the remnant examine these matters soberly, returning to Scripture and rejecting every tradition not rooted in the Word.
The righteous shall not walk in the counsel of the ungodly (Psalm 1:1), nor join in feasts not appointed by the LORD.
This chapter calls us to discernment — to identify the leaven in the lump — and to prepare for a pure worship restored in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24).
Chapter 2: The Native American Spirits & Paganism
“And they provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.” — Deuteronomy 32:16, KJV
The spiritual world of the indigenous tribes was not a blank slate awaiting the Gospel.
It was a well-established system of:
- spirit worship
- animism
- necromancy
- elemental reverence
For example, the Wampanoag venerated a creator god known as Kiehtan, but also feared the wrath of Hobomok — a spirit associated with death and chaos.
These spirits were not analogues to the God of Israel, but demonic powers disguised in cultural garb.
The Pequot and Narragansett similarly revered animal totems and invoked the presence of ‘manitou’ — spirit forces that governed nature and fate.
- Wampanoag
- Pequot
- Narragansett
and countless other tribes practiced complex rituals that included:
- calling upon ancestral spirits
- honoring totemic animal guides
- sacrificing offerings to nature gods
These were not cultural oddities but deeply entrenched spiritual worldviews.
Tribal shamans acted as mediums between the natural and supernatural realms.
- Ritual dances
- drum beats
- smoke ceremonies
were used to invoke the presence of spirits —
the very kind of practice condemned in Leviticus 19:31:
“Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.”
Many Christians, deceived by romanticized notions of Native spirituality, view these customs as harmless or even noble.
But Scripture is clear:
any worship not directed to the one true God is idolatry — and often communion with devils.
Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 10:20 that:
“the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God.”
Moreover, the seasonal feasts of these tribes —
often tied to:
- solstices
- equinoxes
- harvest moons
— mirror the same occult calendar used by:
- ancient Babylonians
- Druids
- modern Wiccans
The Green Corn Ceremony, for instance,
involved:
- ritual purification
- fasting
- dancing
and offerings to the spirits of the crops — much like the Babylonian Akitu festival or the Druidic Mabon observance.
These feasts aligned with celestial movements and sought the favor of nature deities through rites forbidden by Scripture.
These cycles were marked by:
- blood offerings
- fertility rites
- covenants
made with spirits of the land.
The so-called “Thanksgiving” celebration in 1621 was not a merger of biblical worship, but a convergence of Christianized colonialism and indigenous paganism.
The LORD God does not accept strange fire (Leviticus 10:1-2).
When His people attempt to worship Him using the forms and customs of the heathen, it provokes His wrath, not His blessing.
Consider Jeroboam, who instituted false feasts and golden calves in Israel (1 Kings 12:28-33), or Ahab and Jezebel, who mixed Baal worship with Israelite identity (1 Kings 18:21).
BLOODLINES OF KINGS: FROM ANCIENT THRONES TO MODERN DOMINION – Library of Rickandria
These examples reveal that syncretism always brings judgment.
The presence of “peace” and “fellowship” between Pilgrims and natives is not proof of divine approval, but rather a warning sign of spiritual compromise. (Leviticus 10:1-2).
As God’s remnant people, we must learn from these things written for our admonition (1 Corinthians 10:11).
To accept Thanksgiving without discernment is to participate, even unknowingly, in a counterfeit system of worship.
Let us come out from among them and be ye separate (2 Corinthians 6:17).
The next chapters will expose further how these unholy roots spread into the national consciousness and into the very fabric of American Christianity.
Chapter 3: Thanksgiving Declared—But By Whom?
“Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed.” — Isaiah 10:1, KJV
Who has the authority to declare a day holy?
Only the Most High.
From Genesis to Revelation, the LORD alone appoints sacred times.
In Leviticus 23, He outlines His feasts —
- Passover
- Pentecost
- Tabernacles
— as His appointments with man.
Yet Thanksgiving was not decreed by the God of:
- Abraham
- Isaac
- Jacob
It was declared by men — political leaders, many of whom were Masons, deists, or nominal Christians at best.
George Washington issued the first national Thanksgiving proclamation in 1789, urging the nation to give thanks to a generic ‘Great and Glorious Being’ — language eerily reminiscent of Enlightenment philosophy rather than biblical reverence.
Washington, a known Freemason who frequently referenced ‘Providence’ instead of the God of the Bible, adopted deistic terminology that aligned more with Masonic universalism than with the faith of Christ.
His writings often praised:
- reason
- moral virtue
- civic unity
— ideals consistent with Masonic doctrine but devoid of Christ-centered repentance.
Washington, a known Freemason, invoked a deity acceptable to all, avoiding the name of Jesus Christ.
Decades later, during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving an annual tradition in 1863.
In his proclamation,
he stated:
‘No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things… They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God.’
Yet nowhere did he call the nation to repentance or name the Lord Jesus Christ.
The proclamation reads more like a moralist tract than a prophetic call.
Contrast this with biblical leaders like Ezra and Nehemiah,
who led national repentance with:
- confession of sin
- covenant restoration
- reading of the Law
In the midst of national bloodshed, Lincoln proclaimed a day of unity and gratitude — but his language again was that of civil religion.
He called Americans to give thanks to a divine being for ‘fruitful fields and healthful skies,’ echoing the sentiments of Roman Stoics rather than Old Testament prophets.
His proclamation reads more like a moralist tract than a call to repentance and covenant renewal.
The pattern of these declarations reveals a troubling reality:
Thanksgiving was institutionalized not as an act of national repentance before the God of Israel,
but as a tool for national:
- healing
- unity
- pacification
It was a political instrument designed to soothe a fractured people — not to call them to righteousness.
This is not the way of God’s prophets, who cried aloud, spared not, and called the nation to return to the covenant (Isaiah 58:1).
Moreover, later presidents — from Roosevelt to Obama — continued this tradition, often invoking vague theistic language while upholding laws and ideologies that rebel against the Word of God.
Roosevelt supported socialist policies and wartime internment of citizens.
Obama openly celebrated:
- LGBTQ agendas
- abortion rights
- Islam
while still issuing ‘Thanksgiving proclamations.’
How can a nation claim to honor God with feasts,
while promoting abominations such as:
- abortion
- sodomy
- idolatry
Such hypocrisy mirrors Israel’s corrupt worship condemned by the prophets. — continued this tradition, often invoking vague theistic language while supporting policies that defy God’s Word.
Biblically, when kings or judges declared fasts or feasts, it was done under the direction of the Holy Ghost, often accompanied by national repentance and covenant re-commitment — as in the days of Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:3-4) or Nehemiah (Nehemiah 9).
In contrast, the modern Thanksgiving was crafted by men who had no prophetic mandate and no reverence for God’s appointed times.
If the root is corrupted, the fruit will be as well (Matthew 7:18).
Let us not sanctify what God has not commanded.
Let us return to the feasts of the LORD — and forsake the holidays of men.
Chapter 4: The Harvest Feasts & Satanic Imitation
“Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.” — Galatians 4:10–11, KJV
God has always had appointed times — moedim — that mark His plan for redemption and remembrance.
These include:
- Passover
- Pentecost
- Tabernacles
and others listed in Leviticus 23.
These are not “Jewish feasts” but the feasts of the LORD.
They are:
- prophetic
- holy
- centered on Christ
In contrast,
the harvest festivals celebrated by the nations are rooted in:
- fertility cults
- sun worship
- nature reverence
Thanksgiving, though cloaked in colonial garb, mimics ancient harvest rites practiced by pagans around the world.
The Roman festival of Cerelia honored Ceres, the goddess of grain.
The Babylonian Akitu honored Marduk, the god of order and fertility.
The Celtic Mabon celebrated the sun god with offerings of the final harvest.
Native American rites often invoked the Corn Mother or other earth spirits.
These feasts were times to honor false gods for provision and fertility.
Their common features include:
- communal meals
- offerings to the earth or sky
- seasonal rituals
and expressions of gratitude to created things rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25).
These satanic imitations are designed to draw men into the worship of nature, self, and state — and away from the covenant God of Israel.
Satan knows he cannot create, so he counterfeits.
Passover becomes Ishtar (Easter), Pentecost is overshadowed by Saint’s Days, and Tabernacles is replaced with Thanksgiving or Harvest Home.
The Wiccan ‘Wheel of the Year’ mirrors the biblical feast cycle with its solstices and equinoxes, but centers on:
- sun worship
- goddess veneration
- reincarnation myths
These false calendars serve the same function —
marking:
- time
- identity
- spiritual focus
— but lead to destruction.
He replicates God’s calendar with his own:
The Wiccan Wheel of the Year with its solstices and equinoxes; the Roman Catholic calendar with saints’ days and man-made feasts; and modern state-decreed holidays like:
- Christmas
- Easter
- Thanksgiving
— which blend Scripture with myth, and truth with lie.
The Apostle Paul warned the Galatians not to fall back into observing days and seasons that God never commanded.
He called such observance bondage.
The same warning applies today.
When we partake in holidays not ordained by God — especially those modeled after ancient fertility rites and harvest festivals — we risk mingling with darkness.
In Ezekiel 8, God showed the prophet abominations committed by Israel:
women weeping for Tammuz, men worshipping the sun at the temple gate.
These practices were not overt Satanism but spiritual mixtures — just as Thanksgiving mixes biblical-sounding gratitude with pagan seasonal worship.
Furthermore, the focus of Thanksgiving — food, family, and national pride — subtly replaces the fear of God with comfort and tradition.
The turkey becomes the idol, the table the altar, and the family gathering a ritual of appeasement to comfort and culture.
This mirrors the idolatrous feasts warned against in 1 Corinthians 10:21:
‘Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils.’
Paul rebukes participation in feasts linked to false worship, even if done ignorantly.
To ‘give thanks’ at a table rooted in rebellion is to offer strange fire before the LORD., and the act of “giving thanks” becomes a performance rather than a sacrifice of righteousness (Psalm 4:5).
The LORD says,
“Learn not the way of the heathen” (Jeremiah 10:2)
We are to be a set-apart people, holy unto God, keeping His feasts and His Sabbaths.
To substitute these with festivals of man is to declare that man knows better than God — a position no true believer should ever take.
In the next chapter, we will examine whether any trace of Thanksgiving appears in the Bible — and what true, biblical thanksgiving actually looks like.
Chapter 5: What the Bible Says About Giving Thanks
“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” — Hebrews 13:15, KJV
True thanksgiving is not confined to a date on the calendar.
It is a continual posture of the redeemed.
Scripture teaches that giving thanks is a daily sacrifice, paralleling the morning and evening offerings commanded under the Law (Exodus 29:38-42).
In the New Covenant, our lips become the altar, and our praise the incense (Psalm 141:2; Hebrews 13:15).
Thus, thanksgiving is no longer tied to animal offerings, but flows from a regenerate heart in
- communion with God through Christ
- a spiritual act of worship
- a weapon of war
against:
- fear
- anxiety
- idolatry
In the Psalms, thanksgiving is offered in the tabernacle (Psalm 100:4), in the assembly (Psalm 111:1), and from the individual heart (Psalm 34:1).
It is not tied to harvests, weather, or civil decrees — but to the person and works of the LORD.
The saints gave thanks:
- in prisons (Acts 16:25)
- in exile (Daniel 6:10)
- in persecution (1 Thessalonians 1:6)
Thanksgiving is the aroma of heaven, not the liturgy of national identity.
Biblical thanksgiving is marked by:
Continual Offering — Not a once-a-year event, but a daily sacrifice of praise.
As David declared,
‘Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments’ (Psalm 119:164)
and Paul instructed,
‘By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually’ (Hebrews 13:15)
but a daily sacrifice of praise (Psalm 119:164; Hebrews 13:15).
Content of Truth —
Giving thanks for God’s:
- holiness
- justice
- mercy
- truth
— not vague “blessings.”
The psalmist cries,
‘Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness’ (Psalm 30:4)
and the elders in heaven declare,
‘We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty… because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned’ (Revelation 11:17)
- justice
- mercy
- truth
— not vague “blessings” (Psalm 30:4; Revelation 4:9).
Covenant Context — Always rooted in obedience and reverence.
‘Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High’ (Psalm 50:14)
and
‘the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him… to such as keep his covenant’ (Psalm 103:17-18)
and reverence (Psalm 50:14; Psalm 103:17-18).
Christ-Centered Focus — Directed to the Father through the Son.
‘And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him’ (Colossians 3:17)
and
‘Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Ephesians 5:20)
through the Son (Colossians 3:17; Ephesians 5:20).
The apostles did not institute a feast of thanksgiving, nor did they assign a “holy day” for gratitude.
Instead,
they urged continual:
- prayer
- praise
- rejoicing
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
This is the fruit of the Spirit, not a fruit of the field.
The danger of institutionalizing thanksgiving is that it becomes routine, self-congratulatory, and disconnected from repentance.
For example, in 1863, the same year Lincoln instituted Thanksgiving, the Civil War raged, and thousands were dying — yet the proclamation made no mention of national sin or a call to repentance.
Similarly, modern Thanksgiving feasts often coexist with indulgence, entertainment, and disregard for God’s Word.
Just as Israel offered sacrifices while breaking God’s covenant (Isaiah 1:13-17), so too do modern nations ‘give thanks’ while murdering the unborn, promoting perversion, and rejecting Christ.
The Lord Jesus gave thanks — but always in accordance with the Father’s will.
He gave thanks before feeding multitudes (John 6:11), before instituting the New Covenant (Luke 22:19), and before raising Lazarus (John 11:41).
His thanksgiving was:
- intercessory
- covenantal
- powerful
Let us follow His example — not the traditions of men.
In the next chapter, we will expose how Thanksgiving has been used to reinforce false American exceptionalism and cloak national sins with a veil of piety.
Chapter 6: Civil Religion & the American Beast
“And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” — Revelation 13:12, KJV
Civil religion is the counterfeit worship system of the end times —
a blend of:
- nationalism
- generic theism
- moral symbolism
used to unite a nation under a false god.
This concept was seeded by Enlightenment thinkers like Rousseau, who proposed a ‘civil profession of faith’ to uphold the moral order of the state.
Founding fathers like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin echoed these ideals, advocating for virtue and providence without covenant or Christ.
It is not biblical faith.
It is the religious spirit of the second beast in Revelation 13 — pointing men not to the Lamb of God but to a beastly image that looks like a lamb yet speaks as a dragon.
In the United States,
civil religion was birthed out of:
- Enlightenment ideals
- Freemasonic allegiances
- deistic frameworks
It uses Scripture selectively, invokes God in political speeches,
and creates civic “holy days” like:
- Thanksgiving
- Independence Day
- Memorial Day
Yet it never calls the nation to repentance or to the lordship of Jesus Christ.
It elevates unity above truth, and patriotism above righteousness.
Thanksgiving is one of its high holy days.
On this day, political leaders issue proclamations using language modeled after biblical psalms.
Interfaith services are hosted in cathedrals and civic halls.
The president ‘pardons’ a turkey, echoing sacrificial themes in mockery.
- Television hosts
- military officers
- celebrities
perform their roles in this liturgy, blessing the national myth.
The ritual order is familiar:
- invocation (prayer)
- confession (acknowledging struggles)
- thanksgiving (for material bounty)
and benediction (a call to unity and hope).
But none of it is unto the God of Israel.
On this day,
- political leaders
- entertainers
- religious figures
alike offer vague prayers of thanks to an undefined deity.
Churches host interfaith services.
Military officials give speeches.
The media broadcasts parades and football games.
It is all designed to reinforce a narrative:
America is blessed, favored, and good — regardless of its sin.
But the Bible shows no such thing as a nation being “Christian” while rejecting Christ.
A fig tree with no fruit is cursed (Matthew 21:19).
A land that honors God in lip service but defiles His commandments will be judged (Isaiah 29:13; Hosea 4:6).
The American Beast is not merely political.
It wears the garments of the church —
borrowing its:
- hymns
- architecture
- oratory
National monuments resemble temples; flags are treated as sacred relics; political speeches mimic sermons.
Pastors pray over corrupt officials while the Ten Commandments are chiseled into court buildings that uphold abominations.
The language of righteousness is retained, but its power is denied.
It seduces the masses with the promise of liberty, but binds them with false worship.
It rebrands rebellion as heritage, and syncretism as tradition.
It is spiritual.
Thanksgiving is one of its tools —
a feast to unite all under:
- one flag
- one meal
- one sentiment
— while ignoring the covenant demands of the Most High.
We are told,
“Come out of her, my people” (Revelation 18:4)
This call is not just to flee Babylonian economics or politics, but also its religious forms.
Civil religion is Babylon’s choir, singing songs of peace and unity while the world drowns in iniquity.
True believers must not sing along.
In the next chapter,
we will confront the real choice before every believer:
Will you join the feast of kings and governors, or will you keep the appointments of the King of kings?
Chapter 7: Two Tables—One of the Lord, One of Devils
“But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God:
and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils:
ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.” — 1 Corinthians 10:20-21, KJV
The Word of God draws a hard line between two tables:
one belongs to the LORD, the other to devils.
This is not a metaphor, but a covenantal reality.
The Lord’s Table was first established in the Passover —
a memorial of:
- deliverance
- judgment
- blood covenant (Exodus 12)
It was fulfilled and transformed by Christ at the Last Supper, where He instituted Communion as the new covenant meal in His body and blood (Luke 22:19-20).
This table is holy, set apart, and guarded by divine instruction (1 Corinthians 11:27-30).: one belongs to the LORD, the other to devils.
There is no middle ground, no third option.
Every feast, every ritual, every holy day is either a participation in the covenant of the Most High — or a communion with darkness.
Thanksgiving is no exception.
On one hand, the Lord has ordained His own feasts — Sabbaths and appointed times —
for His people to:
- gather
- remember
- repent
- rejoice
These moedim include:
- specific instructions
- prophetic significance
- covenant blessings
The table of the Lord is holy.
It is defined by:
- His presence
- His Word
- His blood
On the other hand, the table of devils is any feast established by man to replace or rival God’s appointments.
These tables are often:
- decorated with piety
- cloaked in tradition
- filled with carnal indulgence
Yet beneath the surface lies spiritual corruption — a meal offered in the name of unity, heritage, or thanksgiving, but not in truth.
Thanksgiving — as shown in previous chapters —
is rooted in:
- false narratives
- pagan rites
- civil religion
- political agendas
Yet even today, sincere believers gather to ‘worship’ on this day, mixing Scripture readings with family traditions, praying over tables set by cultural habit, not divine command.
The subtlety of deception is that it feels good, looks righteous, and echoes biblical themes — but it is not from the Father (James 1:17).
It is a golden calf covered in worship music.
A table filled with delicacies but devoid of covenant.
Paul warns the Corinthians not to partake in both.
To do so is to provoke the Lord to jealousy (1 Corinthians 10:22).
Just as Israel could not worship YHWH and Baal, or partake in Passover while bowing to Ashtoreth, so too the remnant today must choose.
Which table will you serve?
This is not about food, but about authority.
As Jesus rebuked the Pharisees,
‘Ye make the word of God of none effect through your tradition’ (Mark 7:13)
Who defines your days?
Who commands your worship?
Who sits at the head of your table?
When we follow tradition instead of truth, we enthrone man in the seat of God.
Who defines your days?
Who commands your worship? Who sits at the head of your table?
Let us cast down every idol, every vain tradition, and every feast not written in the Book. Let us return to the ancient paths — the table of the Lord, sanctified by truth, sealed by blood, and filled with glory.
In the final chapter, we will examine how to fully separate from this counterfeit feast and restore biblical thanksgiving — not once a year, but daily in Spirit and in truth.
Final Chapter: Come Out from Among Them—Restoring True Thanksgiving
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” — 2 Corinthians 6:17, KJV
We have traced the origins of Thanksgiving and found it wanting — rooted in myths, civil idolatry, and spiritual compromise.
Now, we must answer the call of Scripture: come out from among them.
To come out means more than avoiding a meal or ignoring a holiday.
It means choosing the fear of the LORD over the approval of man.
For example, a remnant family in rural Missouri chose to forgo Thanksgiving for several years, replacing it with a Sabbath gathering where they read Psalm 100 aloud, shared testimonies of God’s faithfulness, and studied the appointed feasts of the LORD.
Though relatives mocked and church members questioned them, their peace and conviction deepened as they aligned their calendar with Scripture.
It means choosing the fear of the LORD over the approval of man.
It means restoring biblical:
- worship
- calendar
- gratitude
— not once a year, but as a way of life.
God has never needed national holidays to be praised.
David praised Him continually on his harp in the fields (Psalm 34:1).
Daniel gave thanks daily with his windows open toward Jerusalem even under threat of death (Daniel 6:10).
Anna the prophetess served God with fastings and prayers day and night (Luke 2:37).
These were not bound to feasts of men, but were devoted to the LORD in spirit and in truth.
He has given us His own calendar:
- Sabbaths
- Passover
- Pentecost
- Tabernacles
These are holy convocations — not cultural, but covenantal.
They are prophetic, pointing to Messiah.
When we embrace these instead of the holidays of the nations, we declare allegiance to the Kingdom of Heaven.
So what does true thanksgiving look like?
It is daily:
“In every thing give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
It is obedient:
“Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High” (Psalm 50:14)
It is Christ-centered:
“Giving thanks always… in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20)
It is holy:
offered at God’s altar, not mingled with pagan tables (1 Corinthians 10:21).
We must teach our children not to inherit lies (Jeremiah 16:19).
Let them know the true stories, the true commands, and the true Messiah.
Read Leviticus 23 together. Celebrate the Sabbath with candles, Scripture, and bread.
Speak of the Exodus during Passover, and rehearse the gift of the Spirit during Pentecost.
Let their memories be shaped not by parades and turkeys, but by the glory of the LORD in His appointed times. (Jeremiah 16:19).
We must cleanse our homes from traditions that contradict the Word.
We must lead our assemblies back to biblical worship,
- free from Rome
- free from nationalism
- free from compromise
Yes, there is a cost. Family may misunderstand. Churches may resist.
Yet Messiah warned:
“Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27)
But there is a promise:
“I will receive you… and ye shall be my sons and daughters” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)
Let us rise and return to Zion — not in flesh, but in spirit and in truth.
And let us not ignore the unholy shadow that follows Thanksgiving — Black Friday.
Originally associated with the slave trade in the 1800s, where slaves were sold at discounted rates the day after Thanksgiving, the name ‘Black Friday’ later morphed into a term of economic frenzy.
Today, it represents the climax of consumer idolatry — a day when millions trample over one another to buy things they don’t need with money they don’t have.
It is the feast of Mammon, the altar of greed.
Modern Americans, after offering a token prayer of thanks,
arise early to serve another god:
materialism.
The joy of the LORD is replaced with the rush of discounts.
Parents who neglect Scripture will rush into debt.
Children raised to chase deals will miss the treasure of contentment.
What fellowship hath light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)
Black Friday is not just a shopping day.
It is a ritual — the high holy day of covetousness.
The Lord warns:
‘Thou shalt not covet’ (Exodus 20:17)
and yet it is this very sin that fuels the entire economic engine of this fallen nation.
When the people of God participate in this day, they not only fellowship with the world but bow before the same idol.
We must repent of both false feasts and false idols.
True thanksgiving is incompatible with Black Friday.
One cannot praise the LORD with one breath and praise Mammon with the next (Matthew 6:24).
Let our tables be sanctified by His Word.
Let our worship be governed by His appointments.
Let our thanksgiving be:
- continual
- covenantal
- consecrated
The feast of the LORD is before us.
Choose this day whom you will serve.
Epilogue: The Narrow Road of Remnant Obedience
The journey to unmask Thanksgiving is not just about uncovering historical facts or identifying pagan roots —
it is about confronting the deeper question:
whom do we serve, and whose calendar governs our lives?
To reject Thanksgiving is not to reject gratitude, but to reject idolatry.
True gratitude for the believer is not confined to a holiday but flows daily from a life surrendered to Christ.
It is expressed in praise (Psalm 34:1), obedience (Colossians 3:17), and contentment (1 Timothy 6:6).
It looks like a mother singing hymns over her children, a brother rejoicing in trials, or a household giving thanks in all things — even in affliction.
These are the fruits of a life rooted in covenant, not culture.
To abandon Black Friday is not to despise provision, but to expose Mammon.
To forsake civil religion is not to dishonor authority, but to honor the authority of the King of kings.
The remnant walk a narrow path, often misunderstood, mocked, and even persecuted.
But they are not alone. Elijah stood against 850 false prophets and cried out, ‘I, even I only, remain’ — yet God had reserved 7,000 who had not bowed to Baal (1 Kings 19:18).
Jeremiah preached to a rebellious people and was cast into a pit.
Daniel refused to eat the king’s meat or bow before idols.
These are our examples.
They stood — and so must we., mocked, and even persecuted.
But their reward is the presence of the Most High, the peace of a clean conscience, and the joy of true worship.
They do not need man’s feasts, for they are seated at the Master’s table.
Let every reader examine their heart, their house, and their heritage.
Let the Word of God be the plumb line.
Let the Spirit lead into all truth. Let the Lamb be exalted — not in mixture, but in purity.
The hour is late.
Babylon is rising.
But Zion stands firm.
‘But the end of all things is at hand:
be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer’ (1 Peter 4:7)
The Lord stands at the door and knocks (Revelation 3:20).
Now is not the time for compromise, but consecration.
Come out from among her.
Return to the LORD.
And let your thanksgiving be holy.
Zion stands firm.
Come out from among her.
Return to the LORD.
And let your thanksgiving be holy.
Unmasking Thanksgiving: Exposing the Myth, Remembering the Covenant
Unmasking Thanksgiving: Exposing the Myth, Remembering the Covenant – Library of Rickandria