Seventh Sunday in Easter: First Lesson, Acts 1:12-26                          

Acts 1:12-26

Twelve is a number figuring prominently for the people of God. We see the Old Covenant people founded on that number of tribes. And as the Old Covenant is brought to full fruition with a new and better covenant, so the “forever” people of God, who do not replace Israel but are its perpetuation, are founded not on twelve tribes, but twelve apostles. It’s no accident and the plain reading of Scripture yields this revelation clearly. If the number of apostles was random, then at the suicide of Judas, the twelve could have simply remained “the eleven.” No such plan was in place.

And indeed it is imperative for us to see the plan. Twelve tribes bearing a “new Israel” with twelve leaders. An Old Covenant bearing fruit in the promises of the Messiah who is Himself the perfect Israel in one man. The Old Testament and the writings of Paul in Romans 9-11 make clear that from the beginning the people of God was open to all. And that takes absolutely nothing away from the physical seed of Abraham. God be praised for His plan and for those who faithfully carried the message pointing to a Messiah for all. 

While the Bible is not to be approached as a work of numerology, numbers bear an important role in helping us toward right interpretation. And for reasons known only in the mind of God, twelve, be they tribes or apostles, is the number chosen by our Lord. And He will have His way. Tribes gave way to Apostles. Judas Iscariot gave way to Matthias. Eleven gave way to twelve. And an old earth and heaven will give way to new with a people of God founded on an even dozen. God be praised!

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!