I spent the day launching my daughter, Lindsay, her husband Pete, and my twin grandchildren, Raewyn and Theo as they are flying back to England - their home. It's been a bit sad to say goodbye and yet we have some really good memories and stories from their vacation back home here.
This weekend is days 6 & 7 of the 12 days of Christmas.
The 12 days are thought to begin on Christmas day and end on the fift or sixth of January - the day of Epiphany, which is the celebration of the appearance of the wise men and their gifts to Jesus.
my true love gave to me,
six geese-a-laying...
In England, where the song originated, a goose was a traditional Christmas meal. I made one once, and because it was a wild goose it was given a thumbs down by my family. Yet Geese were important because they were domesticated so that not only did they lay eggs to provide a constant source of food, but they also were raised as a delicacy to eat.
Symbolically, the six geese represented the six days of creation, when God "laid" the foundation for creation, and thus "feeds" the earth.
On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me,
seven swans a swimming...
Swans are considered to be graceful, beautiful birds...even given as gifts in old England when this song was probably composed.
So what did the authors have in mind?
Isaiah 11:1-2 (NIV)
1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD--
The scripture says there are seven aspects of the ministry of Jesus:
1. Wisdom
2. Understanding
3. Counsel
4. Power
5. Knowledge
6. Fear of the Lord
7. The Spirit of the Lord rests on Him
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