The Trials and God's Favor Before the First Thanksgiving

This life gives us many trials and sufferings. Through it all, we need to remain faithful to Him who is always faithful with us. He will see us through the good times and the bad times. This is what Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 says: 

1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

The first Thanksgiving came only after a series of trials and favors which would make any modern day Christian shudder – both from the enormity of God’s blessings and the suffering God allowed them to endure.

Here’s a short list of what the Pilgrims went through – there is so much more, particularly before the Pilgrims ever set sail from Europe. 

• Survived 3 month Atlantic Ocean crossing with almost constant storms
• Kept in “tween” decks with very little light, air and poor sanitation.
• Blown to a place where they did not fall under any English authority and could make their own way with God.
• God directed the reconnaissance party to a place where a tribe used to live
• This tribe died from a plague which kept the cleared and plowed land from being occupied by other tribes since the other tribes were afraid of the plague
• They landed at Plymouth Rock in December of 1620 – The temperatures were at freezing, and often much lower, every day until March – and they had to build all their shelter as well as a fort for protection.

As if this wasn’t enough, the Pilgrim’s trials were just beginning - "a time to mourn" was coming. Psalm 66:10-11 says what the Pilgrims were about to go through:

10 For you, O God, have tested us;
    you have tried us as silver is tried.
11 You brought us into the net;
    you laid a crushing burden on our backs;

With the fatigue and weakness from the ocean crossing and the extreme cold, the Pilgrims suffered terribly during what was called the “General Sickness”. 

• 6 died in December
• 8 died in January
• In February they were dying a rate of 2 per day, some days 3 died and on February 21st, 4 died
• At one point there were only 5 men well enough to care for the others
• In the end, 47 had died out of 102 original settlers
• 13 of 18 wives died
• Only 3 families remained without any loss

However, through this killing winter, they kept their faith. 

Then, as Psalm 84:11 says:

11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
    the LORD bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
    from those who walk uprightly.

On a Friday in the middle of March, a native walked into the settlement and, in perfect English, asked if the Pilgrims had any beer (the Pilgrims had run out, so they offered him brandy). He name was Samoset and he explained much about the land and the tribes in the area.

Then, a week later, Samoset brought Squanto who was, as William Bradford said, “a special instrument sent of God for their [the Pilgrim’s] good, beyond their expectation.” 

Squanto:

• Was taken captive in 1605 and spent 9 years in England where he learned English
• He met Captain John Smith (of Jamestown fame) and came back to America to his people
• Squanto became the last surviving member of the Patuxet tribe – all of whom perished in the plague
• He survived because he had been taken captive (again) and sold into slavery in Spain in 1614
• His freedom was purchased by local monks who introduced him to the Christian faith
• In 1619, Squanto made it back to America only to find all his tribe dead from the plague
• He stayed with a nearby tribe (the Wampanoags) where he met Samoset

Squanto adopted the Pilgrims and taught them to fish, plant corn and hunt beaver (which provided the cash the Pilgrims needed to pay off their investors – although it took many years to do so). Without Squanto, the Pilgrim’s would not have made it. Without God, Squanto would not have made it to the Pilgrims.

The summer of 1621 was beautiful, the Pilgrim’s harvest was plentiful, the friendship of Squanto and the Wampanoags was wonderful, and God’s blessings were even greater. 

Now came "a time to dance". William Bradford, the governor, declared a day of public Thanksgiving in October. Chief Massasoit and the Wampanoags were invited, and they brought 90 of their people along with much food. There were shooting contests, races, wrestling matches and everything went so well, Thanksgiving Day was extended for three days. 

And now you know…the rest of the story*.

* - The details about the Pilgrims come from the book, "The Light and the Glory" written by Peter Marshall and David Manuel, published in 1977.