As we look at the Church (Kehila), we discover that G-d followed the pattern of Israel and the tabernacle in the wilderness when He began building His Living Tabernacle. Yeshua also copied this pattern with His work on earth, and selected and treated His disciples accordingly, He Himself being the Foundation Stone of the Spiritual House of G-d¹⁸. In Him the fullness of Deity dwelled bodily, as it now also does in the believer¹⁹. Yeshua became the very Cornerstone in this living structure, the First and Chief "Stone" among many living stones²⁰. And when G-d raised Him up, Yeshua became not only the "Head" of the Church (Kehila), but also the “Firstborn” from the dead of all who are raised unto eternal life²¹. He became the eldest Brother among many brethren who are the "first-fruits" of those who have fallen asleep²². Yeshua is before all things, and in Him all things are held together²³. Likewise the Most Holy Place is before all things, and all the Tabernacle’s furnishings are held together by it. The Tabernacle is headed by the Most Holy Place, with the Ark of  G-d’s Presence in it.

The twelve apostles were the people closest to Messiah. He chose them as foundation stones, living building stones²⁴ for the Living Tabernacle, each representing one of the twelve tribes of Israel²⁵. He personally instructed them and revealed to them Who the Father and the Son are, while they ministered to His needs and obeyed His voice.

They all saw Messiah in the form of His mortal tabernacle, namely His body of flesh. But only three from among the Twelve were chosen to behold Him also in His glory²⁶. Likewise, not all the Levitical priesthood was granted to behold the beauty and glory of the Most Holy Place and the most holy things. Everything had first to be covered up with cloth, the last being a ram's skin, before one entered the sanctuary. Likewise the true glory of Messiah, the Son of G-d, was concealed by His body of flesh and hid from the eyes of these disciples. 

From among the body of seventy disciples only twelve belonged to the inner circle; and from among the twelve apostles only three beheld the Son of G-d both in His triumphant glory, and in the agony of His humiliation as Son of Man²⁷. Only three were chosen to belong to His innermost circle to whom He disclosed the hidden Son of G-d.

And from among the Three one was set apart to be the "Beloved"; to have the choice part of Messiah's bosom; to "know" His heart²⁸. John fulfills the choice position Moses had with G-d.*

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