12 Tribes 12 Disciples 2 Parallel Histories
Let us look other similarities between the Tribes and the Talmidim
(Disciples).
·
Rachel had Joseph and Benjamin – Peter and Andrew were
brothers from Galilee/Bethesda
·
Bilhah Rachel’s handmaid had Dan and Naphtali – James
and John were brothers from Galilee/Bethesda and were fishing partners with
Peter and Andrew.
·
Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid had Gad and Asher – James and
Judah/Thaddeus/Lebbaeus were brothers from the same unknown town
·
Leah had Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and
Zebulun – The remaining Disciples were same in number; Phillip, Bartholomew,
Judas, Matthew and Simeon
·
Jacob adopted Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh –
Paul and Matthias were added to the Apostles
·
Ephraim though younger was given prominence – Paul was
from Benjamin the smallest Tribe
·
Manasseh like Matthias was not as prominent as
Ephraim/Paul respectively
Other miscellaneous similarities:
·
Just as “Simon” Peter was hasty with a blade and as an
Apostle to the Jews reached out to Levi – The tribes Simeon and Levi were known
for and cursed to be scattered due to their haste with swords
·
Just as James and John were called “Sons of Thunder”
Simeon and Levi acted as such when they destroyed Shechem with swords
·
Just as Judah proposed to betray and sell Joseph so
too Judas betrayed and sold Yeshua who Joseph was a type and shadow of
·
Just as Reuben attempted to save Joseph and failed,
Peter tried to save Yeshua and failed
·
Just as Joseph loved his only brother Benjamin, Yeshua
so loved John and at the cross Yeshua gave his mother into John’s care
·
Just as Joseph when in power in Egypt sat his brothers
down for a meal in order of their birth, in similar manner Yeshua had a
Passover meal and sat the disciples in a particular order
·
Judah offers himself a ransom for Benjamin’s life and
Peter claims he would die for Yeshua
·
Joseph while in Egypt ruled the family and when he
died Jacob confirmed in so many words that such a position Judah would now
hold. In kind, Yeshua while living headed up the Disciples, but after Yeshua’s
death Peter was commissioned by Yeshua to be the “Rock” for the others
·
Just as Yeshua forgave Peter for his betrayal, Joseph
forgave his brothers for what they had done to him
I am sure there are more parallels you can make between the Tribes and
the Disciples. But as you can see, even at a quick glance, the lives of the
Disciples were in a way the Life of the Sons of Israel in miniature.
12 Stones 12 Gates 12 Foundations
We know the 12
Gates of Pearl in the New Jerusalem compares to the Encampment of the 12 Tribes
around the Tabernacle.
Some have
asked me if the Greek and Aramaic really do say pearl because they wonder why a
product of an unclean animal would be found in the pure and holy New Heaven and
New Earth. Simply put is that the animal is unclean to consume as a food
source, not unclean as in it cannot be handled. If this were the case we could
not have dogs and cats as pets, or ride a donkey or a camel which our Biblical
ancestors certainly did. Oysters are unclean to eat but we may use the product
of an oyster which is a pearl.
We know that
during the times of the Tabernacle and Temple that the Tribes were represented
by the precious stones on the Levitical breastplate and in the New Jerusalem
the 12 Apostles are represented as precious foundation stones.
We will
examine them both.
Exodus 28,
39: Levitical Breastplate and its Stones:
Row One: L-R
·
Reuben – Sardius - Red
·
Simeon – Topaz – Clear Yellowish Green
·
Levi – Carbuncle – Green
Row Two: L-R
·
Judah – Emerald – Greenish Blue
·
Dan – Sapphire – Greenish Yellow
·
Naphtali – Diamond – Clear/White
Row Three:
L-R
·
Gad – Ligure – Orange Amber
·
Asher – Agate – Sky Blue
·
Issachar – Amethyst – Reddish Brown
Row Four:
L-R
·
Zebulun – Beryl – Golden Yellow
·
Joseph – Onyx – Sea Green
·
Benjamin – Multi-Colored
Revelation
21: The 12 Apostolic Foundation Stones
·
Peter – Jasper – Multi-Colored
·
Andrew – Sapphire – Blue
·
James Zebedee – Chalcedony – Greyish, Purplish
Blue
·
John Zebedee – Emerald – Green
·
Phillip – Sardonyx – White
·
Bartholomew/Nathaniel – Red Orange, Flesh Colored
·
Thomas – Chyrsolite – Golden
·
Matthew – Beryl – Pale Green
·
James Alpheus – Topaz – Greenish Yellow
·
Judah/Thaddeus/Lebbeaus – Chrysoprasus – Green
·
Simeon – Jacinth – Dark Blue
·
Matthias – Amethyst – Violet -
Now let us
properly pair them up Apostle to Tribe and see what we get.
·
Peter – Jasper – Multi-Colored - Judah – Emerald – Greenish Blue
·
Andrew – Sapphire – Blue - Issachar – Amethyst – Reddish
Brown
·
James Zebedee – Chalcedony – Greyish, Purplish
Blue - Zebulun – Beryl –
Golden Yellow
·
John Zebedee – Emerald – Green - Dan – Sapphire – Greenish Yellow
- Reuben – Sardius - Red
·
Phillip – Sardonyx – White - Asher – Agate – Sky Blue - Simeon – Jacinth – Dark Blue
·
Bartholomew/Nathaniel – Red Orange, Flesh Colored - Naphtali – Diamond –
Clear/White - Gad – Ligure –
Orange Amber
·
Thomas – Chyrsolite – Golden - Benjamin – Multi-Colored - Joseph – Onyx – Sea Green
·
Matthew – Beryl – Pale Green - Joseph – Onyx – Sea Green
·
James Alpheus – Topaz – Greenish Yellow - Joseph – Onyx – Sea Green - Benjamin – Multi-Colored
·
Judah/Thaddeus/Lebbeaus – Chrysoprasus – Green - Gad – Ligure – Orange Amber - Dan – Sapphire – Greenish Yellow
·
Simeon – Jacinth – Dark Blue - Simeon – Topaz – Clear Yellowish
Green - Asher – Agate – Sky Blue
·
Matthias – Amethyst – Violet - Reuben – Sardius – Red - Naphtali – Diamond – Clear/White
What could
this mean, at first glance it seems pretty random, but note that like colors or
complimentary colors are paired with one another. Granted the colors are
debateable due to one precious stone can be represented and or come in many
different colors. But generally we see an esthetic balance of the color palate.
If I could personally
make but one confirmation is that Gad’s stone is the same color the Igbo chiefs
(who come from Gad through his son Eri) wear in their necklaces and bracelets
and Bartholomew’s stone is virtually the same color.
