12 and 7

I love numbers. I'm pretty sure I've bored you previously with some love prose to numbers and math, so don't worry; I won't repeat myself here.

Well, not quite.

Several years ago I was reading a book of commentary on the Book of Revelation; the author talked a bit about the importance of numbers in Hebrew and what those numbers can mean. 12 means perfection in regards to the priesthood and 7 is complete and total perfection.

I think about these numbers while reading the miraculous feeding of the five and four thousands.

After feeding the five thousand, Jesus delivers the incomparable sermon (which always feels a bit cannibalistic to me) on the bread of life and the heart of the gospel - that through the atonement we are saved. After feeding the five thousand, there are enough pieces of bread and fish to fill 12 baskets which leads me to thoughts of Jesus establishing His church, it's organization with the 12 apostles and the priesthood connecting to the atonement, with the atonement being the center of the gospel and also the culminating moment of the priesthood in Jesus our ultimate high priest.

After feeding the four thousand, a mixed audience of Jews and Gentiles, there are enough pieces of bread and fish to fill 7 baskets, indicating to me, the perfection of the work of the gospel once it has been received by all mankind.

I don't know how accurate all these thoughts are, but I certainly pause whenever I see numbers in the scriptures; I doubt that the amount of remnants was a random event and I wonder what God was trying to communicate not only in the miracles but through what was left after the miracle was accomplished.