The number twelve is found 187 times
total in the Bible, 22 of which are in the book of Revelation. Twelve is a
perfect number, represents divine authority and appointment, signifying
perfection of government, or of governmental perfection. It is found as a
multiple in all that has to do with rule. Twelve is the product of 3 the number
of personages in the Divine Godhead.
There were twelve patriarchs from (and including) Shem (the son of Noah)
to Jacob.
There were also 12 princes of
Ishmael, and 12 sons of Jacob, whose families formed the 12 tribes of Israel
with 12 princes. This number is
symbolically used to represent authority such as the stones in the High
Priest's breastplate, the stones taken out of the Jordan, the number of the
spies sent into the promised land, and the shewbread of the temple consisted of
12 loaves. During the period of the judges, there were 12 judges judged Israel.
Solomon, one of those judges, appointed 12 officers over Israel. Elijah took twelve
stones to build his altar to the Lord.
When we come to the New Testament we
find the same emphasis and significance in the number 12. According to some
church authorities, Jesus may have been born in the 12 month of the year. At age 12, Jesus appeared at the
temple. Jesus ordained 12 apostles, who were sent with authority to preach the
Gospel and to be witnesses of His resurrection. Twelve legions of angels mark
the perfection of angelic powers (Matthew 26:53). The holy city, the New
Jerusalem is described in Revelations with twelve gates with twelve pearls, and
at the gates twelve angels, and twelve foundations with the names of the twelve
apostles. The measurement of
the New Jerusalem will be 12,000 furlongs square, while the wall will be 144
(12 x 12) cubits, Revelation 21:16,17.
In the latter-days we have the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the First Presidency (3 members) holding the
keys of the priesthood and the authority to direct the church on the
earth. A young man may first be
ordained the priesthood at the age of 12.
In every temple, the 12 tribes of Isreal are represented in the oxen of
the baptismal font.
Twelve Trivia
There are: 12 Olympians in Mythology, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 sons of Odin – the Norse
God, 12 Knights of the Round Table, 12 days of Christmas, and 12 Imams of Islam. In
Hinduism there are 12 names for the sun god Surya. In most calendar systems, there are
12 months. There are 12 signs of the zodiac, and the hours of the day are numbered
1-12 A.M and P.M. The human body has 12 cranial nerves and 12 pairs of ribs. There
are 12 edges on a cube, and 12 inches in a foot. There are 12 function keys on
most PC keyboards. There are 12 basic hues on a color wheel. There are 12 members of a jury in
the United States. Twelve men have walked on the moon. Things that come by the dozen: donuts, roses, and eggs. And most importantly you should remember that a maximum of 12
characters can play in a round of Mario Kart.
Elder Robert L. Backman of the Presidency of the Seventy, gave the following challenge: "Imagine yourself in the company of the disciples and other believers on the day of the Resurrection. mere hours have passed since you witnessed the horrifying crucifixion of the gentle Nazarene. you have shared hopeless moments of profound sorrow. Confused, knowing not where to turn, how to act, your minds are clouded with mists of despair. Then two disciples join you with word that they have conversed with the Lord on the road to Emmaus. Dare you believe those who report, 'the Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon'?"
As you read Luke 24, think about your testimony of the Lord's Resurrection and what you might do to strengthen it. One thing that I might suggest is to listen to the testimony of others whom you love and trust in their words. Here is one inspiring testimony that can strengthen yours:
It looked a lot like this when I woke up this morning:
I wondered about how safe the roads would be and whether anyone would come to seminary on a day like this. When I pulled into the parking lot, I was surprised to find someone beat me there and had begun shoveling walkways around the church. This act of service reflected sacrifice and love for all of us....AND got 20 points for his team (a surprise thank you to him!).
Secret shoveler, you made my day!
Jews don't ever want to forget the miracles of God, so they have
holidays to help them remember. The most sacred and serious Jewish
holiday is the Passover which tells the story of Moses and the
Israelites freedom from Egyptian bondage. Today we celebrated an abbreviated Seder meal, also known as the Passover. An actual Passover evening usually takes about 2 1/2 to 3 hours to complete. Ours took about 20 minutes. We did this so that we could better understand the symbolism and the significance of the sacred covenant of the sacrament. There are many things about the Passover which we did not have time to discuss. Here are a few of the points that are important to remember.
In the Passover feast certain foods represent parts of the story and help us to remember it.
1. Sky blue colors = Israels colors
2. A pillow = symbol of reclining. The Passover is eaten while reclining to symboliz that the Jews are able to recline and rest as freed people. They also eat the meal with shoes on their feet and a staff in their hand to represent the haste that the meal was first eaten with. The Israelites were prepared to flee Egypt on a moments notice.
3. Sweeping up the crumbs on the floor = Sweeping or cleaning the house in preparation for the Passover to
make sure that there are no traces of leavening (yeast in bread),
leavening is often considered a symbol of corruption or evil. In the week of the passover, every trace of leavening is removed from
Jewish households and communities. By
sweeping the house, you are removing all evil. This act is highly symbolic of taking upon us the covenants of the new testament.
1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may b a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrifieced forus: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness: but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
4. The bitter herbs = the green herbs that grow in the springtime,
which is the time of year that the Israelites were freed. Eating bitter
herbs brings tears to your eyes and represents the bitterness of
slavery and oppression. When we are enslaved by our sins, it is only
through Godly sorrow that we can repent and be freed by the Atonement.
5. The salt water = tears of affliction, and also the Red
Sea. The symbolic food is dipped into the salt water to remind Jews of
the affliction suffered in Egypt. We are also reminded of the tears of the Savior as he entered into Jerusalem for the final Passover of his life.
Luke 19: 41, 42 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, if thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
6. The egg = represents a temple offering and new birth of
springtime. Passover occurs in the springtime of every year. This symbol was carried over into Christianity as an Easter
symbol of springtime renewal. 7. The lamb = sacrificed so that the blood of the lamb could mark the homes of the Israelites so that the angel of death would pass them by.
In the time of the Holy Temple, the Israelites would bring a pascal lamb in the afternoon before the Passover to sacrificed in the temple. A portion of the sacrifice was returned to the family to be used in the ceremonial meal.
This is symbolic of the Savior, the lamb of God, who was sacrificed so that we could be free from the bonds of sin, and so that we could overcome the affects of spiritual and physical death through His Atonement. The Savior was sacrificed on the Passover at the same time as the lambs were slain in the Temple. His woudl be the final sacrifice by the shedding of blood, replaced with the new testament where we make the sacrifice of a broken heart and an contrite spirit.
8. Matzah/unleavened bread = 3 matzahs represent the High Priesthood, the Levitical Priesthood, and the lay member. The Israelites left Egpyt so fast that they did not have time to allow their bread to rise. It baked in the hot sun. It also represents the manna that God gave to the Israelites to eat in the wilderness. As the meal is served, the father, or the man carrying the greatest authority during the passover meal, breaks the matzah and shares it with others. In the case of the last supper, Jesus was the head of the feast and broke the bread to share with his disciples. In the case of the last supper, Jesus was the head of the feast and broke the bread to share with his disciples.
9. Afikomon = the most important symbol of the Passover, it is broken and one half is wrapped in a napkin and hidden. Later it will be found and exchanged for a gift. All celibrants are required to partake of the afikomon.The afikomon is to remind Jews of people everywhere who are poor and hungry, and call to their minds those who still are enslaved or oppressed. Once the afikomon is found it reminds us that all mankind is invited to enjoy liberty, justice, and peace.
As Jesus Christ became the bread of life and ended blood sacrifice, the afikomon replaced the lamb. The symbolism of the Saviors's suffering, burial, and resurrection is unmistakable, since the matzah/bread, already pierced and striped during its preparation, is broken, wrapped in linen napkin, and buried or hidden, then it is brought forth again, and ransomed for a gift. It was the afikomon that Jesus used as the sacramental bread during the
last Supper. Jesus blessed the bread that represented manna from
heaven, passed it
to his disciples, and told them to eat it in remembrance of his body.
This bread became the sacrament bread that we partake in remembrance of
Christ. It appears that the Savior ate nothing after blessing and
passing this bread, but went straight to Gethsemane, trial, and death.
10. The Charoset(apple dish) =
the mortar the Israelites used to make bricks for the Egyptians. It is
sweet because it also represents the sweetness of hope that the
Israelite slaves had.
In the last days of Savior's life, though though
he would suffer pain beyond comprehension and death, yet the Savior
taught his disciples to be of good cheer. These are some of his words spoken to the disciples during the last supper.
John 14:27-28 Peace I
leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I
unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye
have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If
ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for
my Father is greater than I.
11. The Wine = the fruit of the vine represents the joy that comes from being saved.There are five cups of wine that are traditionally poured for the passover meal. They represent Passover Covenants. The master of the house will pour and bless the wine, he takes a sip then everyone else may sip. It was likely the third or fourth cup of wine that the Savior used as the sacramental cup.
He blessed the wine, "the cup of joy" which represented the blood
that He shed for the remission of sins. When we repent and are forgiven
we experience this great joy of the Atonement. After this cup he stated that he "would not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God come...this cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." Luke 22: 15-20. He did not partake of the fifth cup (which was not portrayed in our Seder) because that is the part of the Passover covenant that is symbolically tied to the second coming. He did not want his disciples to connect the newly instituted sacrament with the second coming, because it was not time yet for the second coming to be fulfilled. This is better understood by the following scripture:
Doctrine and Covenants 27:5-14 Behold, this is wisdom in me; wherefore, marvel not, for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the earth, and with Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal the Book of Mormon,...And also with Elias,...And also John the son of Zaharias,...And also Elijah,...And also Joseph and Jacob, and Isaac, and Abraham, ...And also Michael, or Adam, the father of all,...And also Peter, and James, and John, ...And also with all those whom my Father hath given me out of the world.
12. Elijah's Plate = A door is
opened for Elijah, a seat is reserved, and songs are sung in expectation
of Elijah. The fourth cup of wine is poured as if to greet Elijah the
long-awaited messenger of the final redemption of mankind from all
oppression. Each year, Jews await his coming in great anticipation.
What only the disciples and Jesus knew, was that Elijah had come on the mount of transfiguration heralding the Messiah as was prophesied. Again, on April 3, 1836, while millions of Jews were going through
the festive ritual of anticipating Elijah - he came- to Joseph Smith the
prophet in Kirtland, Ohio.
Doctrine
and Covenants 110: 13-16 After the vision had closed, another great
and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken
to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said: Behold, the
time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi -
testifying that he (Elijah) should be sent, before the great and
dreadful day of the Lord comes - to turn the hearts of the fathers to
the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be
smitten with a curse - Therefore, the keys are committed into your hand; and by this yea may know that the great and dreadful day of the lord is
near, even at the doors.
Jews honor their sacred Passover holiday because it helps them remember significant and miraculous events in their history. In a religious Jewish home, a weekly reminder of the first Passover is done with a "Kiddus". Just like in the Passover Meal, the master of the house always pours a sip of wine with an appropriate blessing, he sips first, then everyone else may sip. He then breaks the bread, says a blessing, eats the first piece, and then everyone else follows his example. The prayers said include a promise that in the future a greater deliverance would occur than the first Passover.
Today we honor the Sabbath day and the partaking of the sacrament because it helps us to remember the miracle of the sacred Atonement of our Savior. Weekly we take the bread that is broken, blessed and and first eaten by the presiding Elder. The water (used instead of wine) is then blessed, the presiding authority partakes first, and then everyone follows. This is done in remembrance of the greater deliverance provided by the Savior's atonement. From the time of the last supper to this day, Jesus wants his disciples to remember that He is their deliverer. He delivered them from the bondage of sin and the spiritual death that results from sin through the Atonement, the way he delivered their forefathers from slavery in Egypt. And he delivered them from mortality or physical death through the power of his resurrection. Please watch this Special Witness of Jesus Christ, Dallin Oaks, as he talks about the sacrament.
We have been reviewing the last week of the Savior's life as recorded in the book of Luke. There are many important details that we learn from Luke. One of the points of emphasis is the focus on Jesus's teaching from the temple. There are many reasons why Jesus does this: 1. to fulfill prophecy, 2. to teach the faithful his gospel, 3. to administer to his prophets and his apostles, 4. to bless us and sanctify us, 5. to gain the strength he needed to fulfill the Atonement, and 6. to show us where we can go to learn of him, grow closer
to him, and be strengthened by him.
Luke 19: 47 And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, And could not fine what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.
Luke 21; 37-38 And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives. and all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.
Jesus demonstrated this same pattern of teaching in the Old Testament when he appeared to Moses in the wilderness tabernacle, and in the Book of Mormon when the resurrected Lord appeared in the Nephite temple in the land of Bountiful.
Exodus 33: 9-11 And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended,
and stood at the door of the tabernacle, an the Lord talked with Moses. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshiped, every man in his tent door. And the Lord spake into Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend....
3 Nephi 11:1, 8-10 And now it came to pass that there were a great multitude gathered together, of the people of Nephi, round about the temple which was in the land of Boutiful; and they were marveling and wondering one with another, and were showing one to another the great and marvelous change which had taken place....And it came to pass as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white rode; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him...And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake unto the people saying: Behold, I am Jesus Christ whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. 3 Nephi 17: 1-3 Behold, now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he looked round about again on the multitude, and he said unto them: Behold, my time is at hand. I percieve that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time. Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again.
As we ponder on the words of Christ, we too are invited to come again to be taught little by little until we become like him. As we desire to have the Savior be a part of our lives, we should strive to go to the temple, the house of the Lord. It is there that we will be taught, blessed, and sanctified. It is there that we gain the strength that we need to do the Father's will. It is there that we will come to know and love Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Please watch the following testimony of the latter day apostle of Jesus Christ, Henry B Erying.
