12! What a future we are promised! Thank you Heavenly Father, thank you Jesus, Thank you Holy Spirit!
Long before the Lord Jesus was here on earth, His ancient followers, such as Abraham, also
"looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (
Hebrews 11:10). Therefore, God was
"not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city" (
Hebrews 11:16).
And what foundations it has!
"The wall of the city had twelve foundations" supporting
"a wall great and high," and those
"foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones" (
Revelation 21:12,14,19).
Some expositors think that all this is symbolic of something or other, but I have to believe it will be exactly as John saw it. It does have certain spiritual remembrances built into it as well, for the twelve gates in the great wall are inscribed with
"the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel" and the foundations themselves are inscribed with
"the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb" (
Revelation 21:12,14).
If acceptable, we will need a new question......