Twelve is the number of COMPLETION. It also signifies a divine accomplishment in the absolute, which, in other words, means PERFECTION.

We can see, therefore, that twelve loaves of bread would mean the perfection of the feeding on the Word, since the bread signifies Christ as the Word of God. 1st Kings 4:7 states,

“And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household.”

In Revelation 22:2, there is the reference to twelve manner of fruits. “In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

Here again, we see a reference to Spirit food; this time not as bread, but as fruit. The reference here is that the sons of God will bring forth the very essence of God’s nature, even as a tree brings forth fruit from that which it feeds upon, and will give forth spiritual energy to support life in others.

The twelve manner of fruits in Revelation 22 refers to the complete life of God coming forth through His people, not through one man, but through a people. Jesus began a work to be completed in us and through us. The TABLE OF SHEWBREAD was made of wood overlaid with gold. Man was the base of the table, but gold or the nature of God was the overshadowing or covering. These twelve manner of fruits should come forth in TWELVE MONTHS. Twelve months make a complete year or measure of time. This refers to the fulness of time, when the sons of God will bring forth all the glory of God.

TWELVE NATURES OF LIFE

Within the twelve tribes of Israel were the twelve basic natures, through which God was manifesting His life to humanity in the earth. The names of the tribes carry the clue to the natures which God is working in His people.

1. REUBEN means visions, from the root word to see or discern. In Ezekiel’s vision in Ezekiel 1, the picture of the Holy Ghost is one with eyes all over, depicting the spirit quality of seeing or discerning.

2. SIMEON means hearing. The idea expressed by Paul when he said,

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

3. LEVI means attached, cleave, unite, remain. Here is another God quality, which is absolutely necessary in the armor of those who would come to perfection.

“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” James 1:6-7.

The Levitical priesthood was that which united God and man until Shiloh (Jesus) came. Union with God is now being accomplished by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost to bring forth Christ within the soul of the believer, which is the womb of the church.

4. JUDAH means praise; worship with outstretched arms. The nature of praise is not the nature of a servant, but that of a SON. The spirit of praise is not that of earth, but of heaven. When man praises God, he joins in a heavenly chorus which he hardly understands, but nevertheless from which he derives benefits. As we join heaven in praise, our spirits become brighter, and as we pull energy from the realms of heaven, we give forth SHAFTS of life in the form of light, which drives all the forces of darkness away. “Praise is comely.”

The angel Heylel (erroneously called Lucifer) was the “Memshak,” or anointed praiser in heaven before his rebellion. With praise, he overshadowed heaven, and while the angels opened their hearts to praise, they received the energy of God. Praising God is feeding the soul.

5. ZEBULUN means dweller. This nature is borne out by many scriptures. Psalm 91:1 says,

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

John 15:4, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”

6. DAN means to minister judgment, to strive lawfully, to attack, to invade. This nature which God works into His children is the only one which does not find any place in the final fulfillment of all things, but in the end is completely abolished, and gives way to another, even to the name MANASSEH. Manasseh means causing to forget. He was the first son of Joseph, which is of the fruitful vine. Dan, the man of judgment, is very unfruitful. Yet the striving lawfully was necessary for a period of time. When man attains Christ, all striving ceases. Matthew 11:12 states that the violent take the Kingdom of Heaven by force, but Revelation 7:6 excludes the tribe of Dan from the FIRST FRUIT COMPANY who have come forth in Christ.

7. ISSACHAR means he will bring a reward. This not only suggests the receiving of a reward, but the knowledge of a new nature within to give a just reward as priests and kings unto God.

8. GAD means that troop. This nature signifies that which is willing and able to be part of a whole and a unit of an army. This is the basic quality which is absolutely necessary in the make-up of those whom God is choosing to function under one head as one, even under Christ as His body. God is recruiting an army.

9. ASHER means honest; happy; prosperous.

10. NAPHTALI means wrestling; struggle. When the carnal nature is stilled in man, then he will really learn to wrestle in righteousness. The OVERCOMER company mentioned in Revelation 14 as the 144,000 will continue to wrestle until they overcome all things – sin, sickness and finally death. These are God’s wrestlers. Praise His name!

11. JOSEPH means the fruitful vine; obedience. Obedience and fruit bearing go hand in hand. John 15:8,

“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit.”

12. BENJAMIN means son of the right hand, or son of strength. Even as it was said in symbolic language, that Jesus Christ is at the right hand of the Father, so shall it be said of the sons who will come forth in the nature of Christ in the near future.

THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL

The twelve loaves of bread in the tabernacle are a type of the complete nature of God being absorbed into man, which must bring forth the GLORY OF GOD, manifested from the human realm. The bread is a type of energy. Jesus Christ is the bread. When we become like Him, we become the bread. Thus Israel, who was a type of the great people of the end-time, was also a type of the bread which was broken for the world. They became the tool of God to enact the Bible on the pages of history, so that we might have not only the type of God’s goodness recorded in actual facts of life, but also of God’s severity to them that disobey. We, therefore, eat this bread until we become the bread broken for a dying world.

If, therefore, bread represents energy, then God, who is LIGHT, would bring forth His final glory in man by showing forth the energy as light. We, therefore, see the Holy City in Revelation 21 showing forth twelve precious stones, the same ones the priest had in his breastplate.

THE TWELVE STONES

Jesus praying to the Father in John 17:5, said,

“And now O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”

And in verse l0b, He states, “I am glorified in them.”

In verse 22, “And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one.”

The twelve stones in Revelation 21:19-20 brings forth the final glory in the symbolic meaning of the stones. The revelations must be translated in the Spirit of God, for it is written in mystery. The twelve stones are here given with their meanings as revealed:

1. JASPER is a translucent stone of various colors, especially that of FIRE. This stone appears in scripture in Revelation 4:3, 21:11, 18, 19. In Revelation 4:3, we see the Christ appearing on His throne, and His countenance being described as a jasper. He was giving off a red glow; at the same time, a bright shining. This signifies redemption; purity, and at the same time judgment.

2. SAPPHIRE is blue. This symbolized anointing. It is a very hard stone, almost like the diamond which speaks of the permanency of the work. Moreover, it is a stone that varies in the shade of blue, which means it has all the various degrees of anointing.

3. CHALCEDONY is a green stone signifying life. It comes from deep down in the earth from whence it derives its color.

4. EMERALD is a light green color, a transparent stone signifying hope, life and purity. It was the appearance of the throne in Revelation 4:3, and there it was described along with the other stones as giving the appearance of a rainbow. The rainbow, apart from its promise factor, has the symbol of the church coming together in one in Christ. The fulness of light; the oneness of the church.

5. SARDONYX is red and white signifying redemption and holiness, blended together by love.

6. SARDIUS is yellowish brown, giving the appearance of a flame, signifying force and rulership. As fire changes the nature of the other elements, so nothing shall stand before the burning presence of the Lord when He sets up His throne within the hearts of men

7. CHRYSOLYTE is God color. It symbolizes the nature of God – Love.

8. BERYL is sea green color. This green completes the third shade of green among the stones and symbolizes the completeness of life. We had the green of the rainbow, the green of the trees and now the green of the sea. Life will come forth from the nations and tongues and languages.

9. TOPAZ is yellow. It is almost as hard as the diamond. It has the power of double refraction, and when heated or rubbed becomes electric.

10. CHRYSOPRASUS is golden green; green mixed with gold. The nature of God, and the life of Christ, comes forth to blend with the other lights of the city. It must here be noted, that this was one of the stones missing from Ezekiel 28:13, which states that “Every precious stone was thy covering.” It is inferred here, that God gave every grace and power available at that time to this being Heylel, but then the word “every” only referred to nine stones. Now here in Revelation 21:19, we read that the city was garnished with “all manner of precious stones,” but this time it refers to TWELVE STONES. Three stones are added. This means that the perfected man has three added natures of light, which the Adamic man did not have. This will be discussed at the end of the chapter.

11. JACINTH is dark blue, meaning purification, anointing, overshadowing.

12. AMETHYST is wine color. The Greek ‘amethustos’ means “not drunken.” This stone refers to the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ in the first place, and the firstfruits in the second. It being the last stone in the foundation, also wonderfully refers to the last son of Israel, Benjamin, the son of strength or the son of the right hand. The reference to wine is, in many cases, made in connection with Christ’s sacrificial death and subsequent judgment of sin. Isaiah 63:3. Moses, prophesying before his death, spoke to Judah these words,

“He washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.” Genesis 49:11-12.

The Greek word for the paschal lamb is “amnos,” used figuratively of Christ in John 1:29, 36, and this also refers to blood or wine. This stone also is one of those missing from the Ezekiel list.

We see, therefore, that the final presentation of the bread of the table of shewbread is one of the manifestations of bread after it is appropriated in the body of Christ. This is the symbol of energy coming forth from the sons of God. Bread going in, and precious stones coming out. Fire going into the bread as an offering of fire before the Lord, and glory coming forth in the form of lighted gems.

The son of God will not be just one Israelite and one member of a tribe, but he will be all Israel in one person. Having the fulness of the meaning, and the glory of such a name imprinted upon his nature, he will have all of God within his being.

On the Day of Atonement, the priests would sprinkle frankincense on the twelve loaves of bread and eat the bread with the frankincense. The implication here is that the Christ whom we eat, and who brings the perfect manifestation of Himself within us, magnifies the anointing within us, so even as the frankincense gives forth a fragrant smell, we give off glory by our partaking of His divine nature.

THE THREE MISSING STONES

(1)  The Seventh Stone – CHRYSOLYTE – The Holy Ghost

(2)  The Tenth Stone – CHRYSOFRASUS – Christ

(3) The Twelfth Stone – AMETHYST – The Blood of Jesus Christ

YAHWHVH, Jehovah God, in English, gave to all His creatures of light the ability to attain nine natures of light, symbolized by stones. There were, however, three natures which God could not give, and these are represented by the three stones above. Without these three – The Holy Ghost, Christ and the Blood, humanity could not come into completion. Adamic man, therefore, had to fall. He could not overcome Satan without these.