Note: when blogging about the carol and the opinion of some that it had a deeper meaning when it was written, I jumped in on the day that we were on, Day 6. So this provides a flashback of sorts!
The first five days of the 12 Days of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree. In the southwest we may have written it as a quail atop a prickly pear cactus. This symbol, a courageous bird willing to die for its young, stands for Jesus and the tree is the cross. When Christmas arrives, Easter is not far behind.
The second day—more birds—two turtle doves. This a reminder of the sacrifice offered Mary and Joseph for the gift of Jesus. Thus fulfilling the law of Moses. Remember Jesus’ words, “I did not come to do away with the law but to fulfill it.”
On the third day of Christmas greeted with the arrival of three French hens. These costly birds may represent the costly gifts of the magi, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. When I have been contemplating this carol and the benefit of incorporating its observance to my holiday season I have thought, “Wow! These guys really went to a lot of trouble to travel to greet a newborn king. Their journey would have been hot and sweaty;long and at some personal risk; and expensive—the gifts they gave, the cost of being on the road and away from their families; perhaps ridicule by their peers and others. My question to me is, “What are you willing to give?"
The fourth day my true love gave to me four calling birds, representing the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Need a spiritual boost? Try a straight read through of Mark. John has recorded some very powerful statements that Jesus had spoken to his disciples and others….I am the bread of life; I am the gate; I am the living water from which one may drink and never thirst again. Look for the I am proclamations of John. Which "I am" do you need to become more real to you today?
With just this brief look at the Twelve Days of Christmas, I am thinking it would be a good thing to incorporate an annual observance of them into my life. Not with more gift giving, and baking, and busyness but with contemplation of the roots of our faith. And development of a deeper walk with the Lord.
Day Five
The fifth day of Christmas my true love got away from giving birds and wised up—jewelry, a shortcut to every lady’s heart. In the carol, they are representative of the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch or the Torah. Those writings of Moses are treated with great reverence and considered to be worth more than gold. What value do we put upon the Bible, Old and New Testaments? The old lays the foundation for the new. Am I given over to study of the Bible and allowing the Holy Spirit to show its meaning to my life?
Moses had seen God face to face. Deuteronomy 34:10-12
Jesus revealed God’s face to the world. John 12:45
The magi, a scholarly and priestly class that served as advisors and astrologers to the Babylonian and Persian rulers: Daniel 2:10, 4:7. note from The Revell Bible Dictionary
Numbers 24:17 A star will come out of Jacob, a scepter will rise out of Israel.
It is quite possible that the Magi would have had access to a copy of the Old Testament and even to Jewish speculative writings. Daniel served as one of the magi, and the large Jewish community in Babylon continued to actively explore and write about the Old Testament for centuries beyond the time of Nebuchadnezzar.
Ponderings:
Looks like much about the Magi will remain a mystery yet reading about them from Matthew—one of the four calling birds—there are some lessons to apply from their journey and search for the newborn King of the Jews.
Think about the cost of the journey in time, money, people thinking they were loco, etc. What cost do you pay as a follower of Christ? It may be easier to just enjoy the possibility that some lady ended up with a ring on each finger! Do I really want to have face time with God?
Happy 2010 to each of you!
Mimi
