They took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in Thy great goodness. Nehemiah 9:25.
God is the source of every blessing for His creatures, and ... to Him man’s gratitude is due for the good gifts of His providence.
“He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.” ... And it is God who gives men power to get wealth. As an acknowledgement that all things came from Him, the Lord directed that a portion of his bounty should be returned to Him in gifts and offerings to sustain His worship.—Patriarchs and Prophets, 525.
The first that ripened of every product of the land, was consecrated to Him.... Thus the people were constantly reminded that God was the true proprietor of their fields, their flocks, and their herds; that He sent them sunshine and rain for their seedtime and harvest, and that everything they possessed was of His creation, and He had made them stewards of His goods.—Patriarchs and Prophets. 526.
In the seventh month came the Feast of Tabernacles, or of ingathering. This feast acknowledged God’s bounty in the products of the orchard, the olive grove, and the vineyard. It was the crowning festal gathering of the year. The land had yielded its increase, the harvests had been gathered into the granaries, the fruits, the oil, and the wine had been stored, the first fruits had been reserved, and now the people came with their tributes of thanksgiving to God, who had thus richly blessed them.
This feast was to be pre-eminently an occasion of rejoicing.... The labors of the harvest being ended, and the toils of the new year not yet begun, the people were free from care, and could give themselves up to the sacred, joyous influences of the hour.—Patriarchs and Prophets. 540.
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