Jacob's Sons 

The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob's firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.  The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.  The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's servant: Dan and Naphtali.  The sons of Zilpah, Leah's servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram. (Genesis 35: 23 to 26) 

At first, Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi committed the atrocity against Shechem.  Then, Reuben, Jacob's oldest son, went in and slept with Jocob's concubine Bilhah while Jacob was away.  It seemed that Jacob had enough trouble with his sons.  Don't even mention that later on, they plotted to kill their own sibling Joseph.  Yet, God still counted on Jacob's sons to form nations as described below. 

And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body.  The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.”  Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. (Genesis 35: 11 to 13) 

So, even though they were not perfect, Jacob still gave his sons high regard.  When Rachel named her newborn son Ben-Oni - Son of my trouble, Jacob renamed him Benjamin - Son of my right hand.  Because he trusted that God would safeguard His own inheritance. 

Jesus chose twelve disciples.  Just like Jacob's sons, they were not perfect.  One of them, Judas, betrayed Jesus to send Jesus to his death.  One of them, Peter, denied Jesus three times.  The rest of them deserted him and fled when Jesus was arrested.  However, the number twelve is not a coincidence.  In Revelation, apostle John described the New Jerusalem as below. 

It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed—  on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (Revelation 21: 12 to 14) 

The New Jerusalem is not only built based on the twelve tribes of Israel but also the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ.  John continued to describe it below. 

But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. (Revelation: 21: 27) 

God had promised Jacob that nations and kings should come out from his offspring, so the names of Jacob's twelve sons were inscribed on the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem.  The twelve apostles were chosen by Jesus Christ, so their names were on the twelve foundations of the New Jerusalem.  For us to enter New Jerusalem, our names need to be on the Lamb's book of life.  To be in the Lamb's book of life, we need to abide in the Lamb.  It's the same as abiding in God.  One way to verify if we abide in the Lamb and God is through the love as described below.  

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. (First John 4: 7) 

No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.  By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.  By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.  We love because he first loved us. (First John 4: 12 to 19) 

God is love.  If we love one another, then we are born of God.  Because of Jesus Christ, we not only could know God, but God abides in us.  So, if we abide in love then we could enter New Jerusalem Just like the twelve Israel tribes and the twelve apostles. Emmanuel. 

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