"The Twelve"

"The Twelve"

"And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted.  And they came to Him.  Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons."

(Mark 3:13-15)

This was a critical time in Jesus' ministry, and He did what every strong powerful leader must do  ...  He delegated.  Jesus was in a precarious situation; He came against the long held religious traditions, and the religious leadership of that day were plotting to destroy Him, along with the political leadership.  The enormous crowds that followed Him were not particularly interested in spiritual things, so they could be easily turned against Him.  So, the Holy God of all creation spent all night in prayer, (Luke 6:12), the procedure required for anyone who has big decisions to make, and then He selected "The Twelve."

In the three years of the ministry of Jesus Christ, prior to the cross, nothing was more important than choosing His twelve.  The world would never be the same because of these twelve.  They did not choose Him; He chose them.  Why twelve?  This was the foundation of His chosen people, twelve tribes of Israel made up the Hebrew nation; and the twelve apostles laid the foundation of the Church.  The disciples had three main assignments: To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, to heal the sick and cast out devils, and to wage war with satan and destroy his kingdom and influence.  These men were so valuable to the Lord Jesus Christ that the twelve foundations of God's Holy City are named after them.  

Almighty God gives significance to numbers.  Besides the biblical importance, there are twelve divisions to the sky and an octave of piano notes has 7 white keys and twelve notes total; numbers to God have meaning in all of creation.  God does not use numbers and number patterns haphazardly.  For instance, in the Book of Revelation, He said seven times "let him that has ears to hear, hear what the spirit says to the churches."  In the Bible, twelve women have seven associated with their lives; twelve men are mentioned in groups of twelve; twelve time periods are mentioned for forty days, and there were twelve periods of forty years.

As noted in philologos.org, "Zola Levitt has a video and a book on the Feast cycle mirroring the development of the child in the womb.  Right to Life describes the womb as a sanctuary.  Perhaps an interpretation of the symbolism surrounding the Tabernacle and its function and this number pattern in Scriptures is that they symbolize and parallel reproduction as we know it in the physical world."

Further this study states, "We also see the Bride adorned with twelve stars, the New Jerusalem with 12 Gates, 12 Angels, 12 tribes, 12,000 of each tribe, 12 foundations, 12 apostles, 12 pearls, 12 stones, 12,000 furlongs on 3 dimensions, 12 fruits of the tree of life, 144 cubits the measure of the wall--12 things in all marking again the female, the Bride.  No restraint of a number pattern here--by now, we should understand God's number language... There is no mixing of the use of 7 or 12.  In other words, all things associated with the Bride, the New Jerusalem, are by 12's--she's all girl.  The Bridegroom likewise is surrounded with 7's--all boy.  Our couple is in full maturity.  This is a wedding!  At times, when I see in Scriptures an abundance of 7, 12, or 40's, I see creation, procreation, renewal, redemption and life.  God has adorned His message with a sprinkling of numbers."

You say, "What does all this have to do with me, my rent, grocery bill, and day to day life?"  Everything!  Understanding God's Word, His reason for doing things, His patterns of numbers, and His repetitive use of certain numbers, tells us more about Him, us, and the universe.  "So?" you say.  So, "wisdom" is something only God has, and we are admonished to sincerely seek His wisdom, knowledge and understanding.  Why?  He said in His Word that it is His desire that we prosper and be in health even as our souls prosper.  Therefore, wisdom and knowledge could help us prosper  ...  not to heap it upon ourselves, but to further the Kingdom of God.  

The Lord Jesus Christ chose twelve and they turned the world upside down.  He is still choosing twelve today, and the world is still His realm of every thought.  He is not willing that any should be lost or perish; His powerful number pattern still illuminates the order of the last days; and His use of mathematical reasoning is ever present in Churches today, who understand a methodical God.  The Creator operates with a form of "new math" such as the world knows not of; those who seek to understand Him are privy to His secrets.  

      

The Lord anointed His twelve for the greatest endeavor ever propagated in the history of the world.  Imagine that?  Just twelve everyday normal men, covered by the hands of Glory, taught by the King of Kings, sent out by the omnipotent One who said, "Where were you when I formed the foundation of the world?"  And, the twelve live on in our Home away from home, basking in the light of the One who sits on the throne  ...  The Maker of twelve  ...

We have arrived again at God's significant number: "12."  This year looms with an aura of destiny, arises with an excited anticipated power, and there's an awesome stillness of prophetic insight blowing through breezes of expected Glory  ...  It has climbed the craggy mountain again, and stares down at earth's inhabitants like a settled knowing Eagle, ready to pump its gigantic wingspread and fly to every nation, kindred and tongue.  You say, "What in the world are you talking about?"  I'm talking about  ...  "The Twelve."

(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.

PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, Pastor Kenneth Phillips)

See "The Truth of Twelve" @promiselandchurch.net.