Give Thanks to God for Abundant Life

The cornucopia is rooted in Greek and Roman mythology, but it has become a universal symbol of fertility and abundance. The word comes from a combination of words translated in English as “horn” and “plenty”. If you look closely, the cornucopia can be found on official seals, flags, architecture, and coins around the world. The overflowing cornucopia is the recognition of one’s blessings, with plenty to share, and a reminder to be thankful; so naturally, it has become a common symbol around the time of America’s Thanksgiving celebration.

The Old Testament of the Bible describes a feast that the people of Israel would observe, called the Feast of First Fruits. This feast was also a time to express thankfulness for their blessings. People would bring one of the first fruits of their harvest in a basket and symbolically present it to the Lord at the temple, in recognition of His provision as well as faith that He would bring about a full harvest (see Deuteronomy 26:1-11).

Year after year, as the people remained obedient to Him and under His protective care, He brought forth these blessings for them to both survive and thrive: “You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance” (Psalm 65:11).

The feast foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ. As God provided the crops, He also provided Jesus. Jesus, both fully God and fully man, came to the earth to take upon Himself the sin of humanity and suffer sin’s fate: death.

His death was like a seed, planted in the ground, which then rises to life and produces fruit. Jesus rose from the grave three days later – on the very day of the Feast of First Fruits!

“Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

This means that in His resurrection, Jesus became the first to rise from the dead to new and eternal life. And just as that first fruits offering was accompanied with the recognition that God would bring about a new harvest, the resurrection of Christ was accompanied with the promise that God would bring about a “harvest” as well – of souls that would be brought to eternal life.

He did this to reverse the tide of death that came through the sin of Adam in the Garden (see Genesis 2-3)

“For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22).

Jesus said this about Himself: I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

All who desire this abundant life can be part of His “harvest”, which he calls “fruit” that will be gathered for eternal life (see John 4:36).

Thank God for the promise that came through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection:

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)