That the number twelve signifies faith, or the
things of love and the derivative faith in one complex, might also be confirmed
by many passages from the Word, as from the twelve
sons of Jacob and their names, the twelve tribes of
Israel, and the Lord's twelve apostles; but
concerning these of the Lord's Divine mercy hereafter, especially in Genesis 29 and 30.
from AC 577
The signification of twelve is all things of faith
or of the church (AC 577,
2089, 2129, 2130). That all numbers in
the Word signify actual things, may be clearly seen from the number twelve, which so often occurs. This number, wherever it
occurs in the Word, signifies all; as for instance the twelve tribes in the Old Testament, and the twelve apostles in the New, signify all things of faith,
and thus all things of the church. So here twelve
princes signify all the primary things of this church, and these are
represented by so many sons of Ishmael.
[2] That twelve has this signification may be seen
from the passages adduced in the sections above cited, as also from the
following passages in the Word. In John:--
I heard the number of those who were sealed out of every tribe
of the sons of Israel. Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand of the
tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand of the tribe of Gad were sealed
twelve thousand (Rev. 7:4, 5);
and so on; where by twelve thousand sealed out of every
tribe nothing else is signified than that all who are in faith, that is,
who are in the good of faith, are saved. Again:--
A woman encompassed with the sun, and the moon under her feet
and upon her head a crown of twelve stars (Rev. 12:1);
the woman denotes the church (AC 252, 253); the sun, celestial love; and the moon, spiritual love (AC 30-38, 1529, 1530, 2441, 2495); the twelve stars denote all things of faith. Stars are the knowledges of good and truth which are of
faith, (AC 2495, 2849).
[3] Again:--
The holy city, New Jerusalem, had twelve gates, and upon the
gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the
twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. And the wall of the city had twelve
foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he
measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. And he measured the
wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits (twelve times twelve), which
is the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. And the twelve gates were twelve
pearls (Rev. 21:2, 12, 14, 16, 17, 21);
here by the holy city nothing else is signified
than the Lord's spiritual kingdom; and by gates,
wall, foundations are
signified the things of charity and faith; and by twelve, so often mentioned, are signified all of these
things; that neither twelve tribes nor twelve apostles are signified, must be
evident to every one. Again:--
In the midst of the street of it, and on this side of the river
and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruit
every month (Rev. 22:2);
the twelve fruits are all things of charity.
[4] In Matthew:--
Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, that ye who have followed Me
in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of His glory,
ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel
(Matthew 19:28);
here apostles are not meant by apostles, nor
thrones by thrones, nor tribes by tribes, but all things that are of faith (AC 2129). Moreover in the Word
of the Old Testament, where twelve tribes are
mentioned, it is all things of the church that are signified; and the case is
the same with the twelve stones according to the names of
the twelve tribes of Israel in the Urim and Thummim (Exod. 28:21);
and with the twelve loaves of the show bread set in
order upon the table (Lev. 24:5, 6); and so in other instances.
The Number 12
Governmental perfection; People of God
TWELVE: Perfection of government. Twelve is the number of the Church, both the Old Covenant Church of Israel founded by 12 physical fathers (the 12 sons of Israel) and the New Covenant Church founded by 12 spiritual fathers (the 12 Apostles). This number also has a relationship to rule along with multiples of 12:
- 12 signs of the zodiac (these ancient symbols are found in Jewish synagogues of the 1st century AD).
- The circle of the heavens = 360' (12 x 30).
- The product of 3 (perfection of divinity) x 4 (the number of the earth).
- 12 tribes of Israel [Genesis 49:28].
- 12 pillars were erected at
- 12 statues of oxen held up the water basin in Solomon’s
- 12 men were selected by God to conduct the census [Numbers 1:2-16].
- 12 princes of
- 12 spies sent to reconnoiter
- 12 months of a year.
- Jesus is 12 when He questions the scholars in the Temple [Luke 2:41].
- 12 legions of angles [Matthew 26:53].
- 144,000 servants of God (12 times 12) [Revelation 7:4].
- 12 gates of the New Jerusalem [Revelation 21:12].
- The Trees of Life in the new creation will bear 12 kinds of fruits [Revelation 22:2].
Daily Sound of Oil
