LET'S CELEBRATE ALL 12 DAYS!

When I told my wife that my blogs in December would be about the birth of Christ Jesus, she asked, "What can you say about that which has not already been said?" That reminded me of a great song titled "THE SAME OLD STORY!" by Gordon Mote. It goes like this:

"A baby in the manger, Wrapped in swaddling clothes, A little town called Bethlehem. You know how the story goes, The shepherds and the wise men, Came to praise the newborn King, God's gift 2,000 years ago, Still makes His children sing.

And it's the same old story, That never grows old; It's still like the first time, Every time it's told; From Bethlehem to Calvary's Hill, To the tomb where He arose. It's the same old story that never grows old!

Passed down through the ages the message of God's Son; It's been told a million times, In every nation, every tongue. The gift of life eternal, For all who will believe. He paid the price, Gave His life and He died for you and me." AND IT'S STILL THE SAME OLD STORY AND IT NEVER GROWS OLD! (I urge you to listen to this song at this Christmas Season - hear it on YouTube or on Amazon Music.)

And so it is! The Same Old Story, but it never gets so old that is is not yet fresh and amazing! I don't mind at all repeating this exceptional story, whether it is Christmas time or summer time; it is relevant all the time!

In these days of celebrating Advent, we've all listened to and sung the Christmas Carols and perhaps "The Twelve Days of Christmas" has been one of them. If you are like me, we have wondered about the lyrics. Did you know they have a rich Biblical and spiritual meaning? So, let's dive into the hidden meanings of this song, and how we can still use it as a guide to remembering what is really and truly important this special time of the year. And just as it was used centuries ago, this memorable carol can still be a great guide to teaching our children and grandchildren vital spiritual truths.

A little historical background is in order. On the liturgical (ritualistic and very formal worship) calendar, established by Roman Catholicism, the 12 days of Christmas are celebrated from Christmas Day on December 25 until Epiphany on January 6, when the commemoration of the Magi visiting Joseph, Mary and Jesus takes place. During the Protestant Reformation, from 1558 to 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Many believe that "The Twelve Days Of Christmas" was written as a hidden way to teach children of the faith, with its meaning known only to those in the church. Whether that is fact or fiction, this is an excellent way for us to think of and remember the tenets of our faith. The song was first published in a book in England in 1780 and thought to be of French origin. The tune we sing now was composed by Englishman Frederic Austin in 1909.

This carol repeatedly says, "MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME." This phrase is said to represent God the Father. He is our "True Love." John 3:16 tells us that "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. . . ." So, each day teaches us one thing God Has Given to those He loves!

On Day One, we hear the phrase, "A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE." These words are said to be representative of JESUS CHRIST! A partridge is willing to risk its very life to protect its babies by faking injury or illness to distract predators. This bird is totally willing to sacrifice itself for the sake of her young, just as our Savior Jesus was completely willing to sacrifice His life to redeem and restore His People! And so, His death was not fake nor accomplished to distract predators, but He literally died to save people! Jesus sacrificed Himself on the Cross (tree) as a "once-for-all-time" singular, perfect, all-sufficient and Holy Sacrifice for the sins of humanity, including your sins and mine! Jesus thus established a new sacred agreement (covenant) in which His single offering of Himself brings eternal forgiveness and inner cleansing for those who believe in Him; this is what allows our personal access to God! "But when Christ appeared as a high priest. . .He entered in the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. . . ." (Hebrews 9:11-22). "But He (Jesus) having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God. . . ." (Hebrews 10:11-17).

On Day Two, we find "TWO TURTLE DOVES" representing THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS of the Holy Bible. The entire Scripture tell the story of God rescuing His people from their sins. The Bible says, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness. . . ." (II Timothy 3:16). All 66 Books of the Bible are "God-breathed" and are the authorative Word from God to mankind!

On Day Three, "THREE FRENCH HENS" is a phrase denoting FAITH, HOPE and LOVE, referring to the Apostle Paul's words, "And now faith, hope and love abide, these three, and the greatest of these is love" (I Corinthians 13:13). So many Scriptures instruct us to pursue these three vital characteristics for living to honor God and His Word!

On Day Four, God calls attention to "FOUR CALLING BIRDS" which are the four Gospels in the New Testament - MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE and JOHN. Their writings specifically detail the Birth, Life, Ministry, Teachings, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus. There is no better source to Know, Understand and Teach the truth about Jesus Christ than these four Gospels!

On Day Five, the carol speaks of "FIVE GOLDEN RINGS" and these represent the five books of the Pentateuch in the Bible - GENESIS, EXODUS, LEVITICUS, NUMBERS and DEUTERONOMY. These books make up the Old Testament Law, given to Moses by God Himself, for the people. The Law was written down to show the human race's need for a Savior by revealing the sin of all humanity.

On Day Six, we find the phrase, "SIX GEESE A-LAYING". This represents the SIX DAYS OF DIVINE

CREATION. God actively created everything in the Universe and on the Earth and rested on the seventh day. His creation included,

• 1st Day: The light and the darkness, night and day (Genesis 1:3-5).

• 2nd Day: The sky and the atmosphere (Genesis 1:6-8).

• 3rd Day: The land, sea and vegetation (Genesis 1:9-13).

• 4th Day: The sun, moon, stars and all the heavenly bodies (Genesis 1:14-19).

• 5th Day: The birds of the air and the fish of the sea (Genesis 1:20-23).

• 6th Day: The land animals, and man in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1:24-31).

On Day Seven, the carol says, "SEVEN SWANS-A-SWIMMING" and these are meant to symbolize THE SEVEN-FOLD MINISTRIES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, which are, ABIDING PRESENCE, WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING, COUNSEL, STRENGTH, KNOWLEDGE and FEAR OF THE LORD. Isaiah 11:2 says, "A shoot shall come out from the stem of Jesse, and a branch (Jesus) shall grow out of the roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD."

On Day Eight, we sing, "EIGHT MAIDS A-MILKING" which represent THE BEAUTITUDES found in Matthew 5:3-12. "Blessed are 1) the poor in spirit, 2) those who mourn, 3) the meek, 4) those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 5) the merciful, 6) the pure in heart, 7) the peacemakers, and 8) those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake.

On Day Nine, we have "NINE LADIES DANCING". This represents the FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT that is present in the lives of true and devoted followers of Jesus. Notice it is The Fruit not the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. This fruit is: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23).

On Day Ten, there are "TEN LORDS A-LEAPING". Here are the TEN COMMANDMENTS, laid out in Exodus, Chapter 20.

• "You shall not have other gods besides me."

• "You shall not take the Lord's name in vain." Meaning do not disrespect His Name!

• "Remember to keep the Sabbath Day holy."

• "Honor your father and your mother."

• "You shall not murder."

• "You shall not commit adultery."

• "You shall not steal."

• "You shall not lie."

• "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife."

• "You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.

On Day Eleven, the carol says, "ELEVEN PIPERS PIPING"; These pipers represent THE ELEVEN DISCIPLES WHO FAITHFULLY CARRIED THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD after Jesus ascended into heaven.

On Day Twelve, we sing, "TWELVE DRUMMERS DRUMMING". These drummers are representative of the TWELVE STATEMENTS OF FAITH in THE APOSTLES' CREED. The creed is too long to post here, but it would be an excellent plan to look it up and read it!

So, now that we know the deeper, spiritual meaning of "The Twelve Days Of Christmas" Carol, let's include it in our Christmas Celebration by listening to it or singing it. What an awesome teaching tool for your children and grandchildren! And let's use these twelve spiritual meanings to help us in thinking of ALL God has given us to enable us to Know Him Better!