The Twelve Sons of Israel
Are Equal To
The Twelve Apostles
 

The blessings that Jacob bestowed upon his twelve sons are a prophetic view of the spiritual character of the twelve apostles of Christ and their respective Christian denomination.

Twelve Sons of Israel     =

Twelve Apostles of Christ

1. Reuben – Genesis 49:3-4 Reuben lost his birthright because he slept with his father’s wife. Reuben fell from his first estate. 

1. Jude Jude 1:6 The words of the apostle Jude warn Christians not to fall from their first estate through sin. 

2. Simeon - Genesis 49:5-7 Simeon and Levi were cruel, quickly angered, murderers. They were lawless and self-ruled. Being right in their own eyes, they gave fierce wrath to their opponents. 

2. James of Zebedee Matthew 20:20-24 These two brothers of Zebedee, supposing them to be more righteous than the other apostles, asked Jesus for two of the highest positions in his kingdom. This request was a fierce blow to the other apostles.

3. Levi – Genesis 49:5-7See Simeon above. These to sons were partners and agreed with one another.

3. John of Zebedee Matthew 20:20-24.
See James of Zebedee above. These two apostles were also brothers and partners with similar characteristics.

4. Judah – Genesis 49:9-12 The king of Israel, the lawgiver and law enforcement officer. As a lion, he shows mercy and grace only to those who keep his law and out of his way.    

4. James the brother of Christ James 2:20. Apostle James, the author of the book of James, like his brother Jesus is also a lion of the tribe of Judah. He warns Christians that faith without the works of the royal Law of Moses is dead faith. Worthless faith.

5. Zebulun – Genesis 49:13 A hard-working fisherman – nothing else.

5. Andrew  Matthew 4:18. A hard-working fisher of men – nothing else.

6. Issachar – Genesis 49:14-15 The tax collector. Servant unto tribute.

6. Matthew  Matthew 9:9.    A collector of customs. A tax collector and bookkeeper

7. Dan – Genesis 49:16:18 The serpent, adder, snake. Symbols of a devil.

7. Judas Iscariot John 6:70-71 One of the chosen apostles but he was a devil.

8. Gad – Genesis 49:19 The last to overcome.

8. Thomas John 20:26-29 The last apostle to overcome his doubts about Jesus.

9. Asher – Genesis 49:20 Out of Asher came fat bread and royal food.

9. Philip John 6:5-14 With the help of King Jesus, Philip fed five thousand with only five loaves of bread, and two fish.

10. Naphtali – Genesis 49:21 A kind person speaking goodly words.

10. Nathanael John 1:47-51 An apostle with no guile who praised Jesus at first sight.

11. Joseph – Genesis 49:22-26 The stone of Israel verse 24.

11. Peter John 1:42 Jesus surnamed Simon, Cephas, a stone.

12. Benjamin – Genesis 49:27 A ravenous wolf that destroys sheep. After the civil war, Benjamite men only married Canaanite women. The tribe of Benjamin became nearly 100% Canaanite.

12. Simon the Canaanite Matthew 10:4 The Israelites did not kill all of the Canaanites as God commanded. Israel therefore, learned the sins of the Canaanites, which destroyed the holy nation.

Page 2

Next Page                                                      Previous Page                                                              Home Page