12 Tribes 12 Apostles 4 Mothers
Laban did
not think much of his daughters or their handmaids. Their names mean as follows:
· Leah – Wild Cow
· Zilpah – A Drop
· Rachel – Ewe (Female Sheep)
· Bilhah – Simple or Foolish
Seeing as
these are the Mothers of Israel the Matriarchal names describe the nature of
Israel by the Prophets. When in rebellion a Wild Cow in heat, a
Drop in comparison to the nations. A precious Ewe Lamb when Israel was in obedience or needed rescued by
God. When in rebellion and when viewed by pagan nations seen as Simple and Foolish.
Rachel and
Leah, competing sisters and opposite in personality are separated by East and
West with the Tabernacle in between them.
We will also
pair once again the Tribe to the Apostle
EAST:
Sunrise, Children of Leah, Leah first to give birth
· Judah – Peter
· Issachar – Andrew
· Zebulun – James Zebedee
WEST: Sunset, Children of Rachel, Rachel
last to give birth
· Ephraim – James Alpheus and Thomas
· Manasseh – Matthew
· Benjamin - James
Alpheus and Thomas
The
Handmaids are North to South seen as equals, like a balance. When paired with
the Apostles each Apostle is juxtaposed to its corresponding Tribe on both
North and South!
NORTH: Trouble, Children of the Handmaids;
Zilpah and Bilhah
· Dan – John Zebedee, Judah/Thaddeus/Lebbeaus
· Asher – Phillip and Simeon
· Naphtali – Matthias and Bartholomew
SOUTH: Comfort, Children of Leah and Zilpah
· Reuben - John Zebedee, Judah/Thaddeus/Lebbeaus
· Simeon - Phillip and Simeon
· Gad - Matthias and Bartholomew
Please note
that the Encampment of the Tribes around the Tabernacle corresponds to the
location of the Gates named after the Tribes in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21).
We have already paired Apostle to Tribe. In Deuteronomy 27 we witness
Israel being divided, half to pronounce the blessings of keeping Torah on Mt.
Gerizim and the other half to pronounce the curses of disobedience to Torah on
Mt. Ebal. Will the Apostles and tribes line up?
Mt. Gerizim: Simeon, Levi,
Judah, Issachar, Joseph, Benjamin – Peter, Andrew, Thomas, Matthew, James
Alpheus, Phillip
Mt. Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher,
Dan, Zebulun, Naphtali – James and John Zebedee, Matthias, Simon, Bartholomew,
Judah/Thaddues/Lebbeaus
The diving of the tribes is symbolic of several things; the onyx stones
of the priests (Ex. 28:9-12, 39:6-14) as well as united Israel divided after
the death of Solomon.
The
following is the Mother, Tribes and Apostles paired in regards to the meaning
of their names and see if a relevant message for or about Israel emerges.
Direction of
Encampment: East, North, West, South
· Leah, Judah, Simon Peter: The wild cow praises God and the rocks hear
· Leah, Issachar, Andrew: The wild cow is a manly man for hire
· Leah, Zebulun, James: The wild cow dwells catching by the heel
· Bilhah, Dan, Reuben, John: The simple judge is a beloved son
· Zilpah, Leah, Asher, Simeon, Phillip: The wild cow is but a drop, a happy
listening warrior
· Bilhah, Zilpah, Naphtali, Gad, Bartholomew/Nathaniel: Though but a simple drop, the wrestling fortunate troop is
a gift of the LORD
· Rachel, Benjamin, Ephraim, Thomas: The Ewe lamb’s son of my right hand
is a doubly fruitful twin/pair.
· Rachel, Ephraim, Benjamin, James: The Ewe lamb’s doubly fruitful son
of my right hand catches by the heel
· Rachel, Manasseh, Matthew: The Ewe lambs gift of God causes me
to forget my troubles.
· Zilpah, Bilhah, Judah (Thaddeus/Lebbeaus): Even the simplest of drops gives
hearty praise to God
· Leah, Zilpah, Asher, Simeon: The wild cow is but a drop, happily
hearing
· Leah, Bilhah, Reuben, Naphtali, Matthias: The wild cows simple son wrestles
for the gift of the LORD.
Direction of
Juxtaposition: East, West, North, South
· Leah, Judah, Simon Peter: The wild cow praises God and the rocks hear
· Leah, Issachar, Andrew: The wild cow is a manly man for hire
· Leah, Zebulun, James: The wild cow dwells as a catching by the heel
· Rachel, Ephraim, Benjamin, James: The Ewe lamb’s doubly fruitful son
of my right hand catches by the heel
· Rachel, Manasseh, Matthew: The Ewe lambs gift of God causes me
to forget my troubles.
· Rachel, Benjamin, Ephraim, Thomas: The Ewe lamb’s son of my right hand
is a doubly fruitful twin/pair.
· Bilhah, Dan, Reuben, John: The simple judge is a beloved son
· Zilpah, Leah, Asher, Simeon, Phillip: The wild cow is but a drop, a happy
listening warrior
· Bilhah, Zilpah, Naphtali, Gad, Bartholomew/Nathaniel: Though but a simple drop, the wrestling fortunate troop is
a gift of YHWH
· Leah, Bilhah, Reuben, Naphtali, Matthias: The wild cows simple son wrestles
for the gift of YHWH.
· Leah, Zilpah, Asher, Simeon: The wild cow is but a drop happily
hearing
· Bilhah, Zilpah, Naphtali, Gad, Bartholomew/Nathaniel: Though but a simple drop, the
wrestling fortunate troop is a gift of the LORD
We are left
with two dominate pictures; one of a Wild
Cow and one of a Ewe Lamb,
with a combination of attributes and messages. Both are symbolic of atonement
of the Red Heifer and the Passover Lamb. A Third pictures
ties these two together that it is a simple message of redemption which is
seemingly Foolish to others
but honed to a Singularity (a Drop).
This double picture of redemption causes us to hear and obey, wrestle, obtain
and rest. This is the message of the Apostles which were sent out to the Tribes
to gather them back in the herd/flock.
