It never fails to amaze me that God will wake me up in the middle of the night to point out something to me.

There were 12 tribes of Israel:
Reuben
Simeon
Levi (set apart for priestly duties; not given land inheritance)
Judah
Dan
Naphtali
Gad
Asher
Issachar
Zebulun
Joseph (often represented by his sons Ephraim and Manasseh)
Benjamin

There were 12 spies sent by Moses to scout and report back on the land of Canaan, (the promised land). The 12 spies (one from each of the 12 tribes of Israel) were:
Shammua
Shaphat
Caleb
Igal
Hoshea (Joshua)/(The same Joshua later sent two spies to Jericho)
Palti
Gaddiel
Gaddi
Ammiel
Sethur
Nahbi
Geuel

And there were 12 minor prophets that ministered to the different kingdoms of the north and south (Israel and Judah):
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi

Each one had a name and was specifically called to carry out a mission. It was important to God that their names would be recorded in the Scriptures.

Then there were the 12 disciples:
Simon Peter
Andrew
James
John
Philip
Bartholomew
Thomas
Matthew
James (son of Alphaeus)
Thaddeus
Simon the Zealot
Judas Iscariot

Each one was specifically called. Each one carried a different purpose. The 12 disciples had an important distinction in that they walked with God while He was in the physical realm in human form (aka Jesus). They didn’t just hear His spirit voice. They could see and hear Him in the physical realm too.

Each of the tribes, spies, minor prophets, and disciples were fallible mankind being called out by an infallible God. He is the same, one and only, God that wakes me up in the middle of the night for an impromptu Bible study session. He’s still meeting with those of us whom He has called and equipped.

I wonder how many prophets of God are walking with Him on the earth today? How many disciples? How many ordinary men and women are following Him? One thing is for sure … He knows them all by name. He is fully aware of each assignment. He wants to lead us. Are we willing?

(I’m up in the middle of the night without any chocolate in the house. Is that allowed?)
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