Thank you for that excellent question. Yes, there is a definite correlation. We will look at two passages which show us a direct connection between them. We will begin with Matthew 19:23-29 which reads: “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that is hard for a rich man to ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD.’ When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, ‘Who then can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at them and said to them, ‘With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’ Then Peter answered and said to Him, ‘See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore WHAT SHALL WE HAVE?’ So Jesus said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, that in the REGENERATION, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, YOU who have followed Me WILL ALSO SIT ON TWELVE THRONES, JUDGING THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children of lands for My name’s sake, shall received a hundredfold, and inherit life.”

The subject of this passage is the coming “kingdom of God” when Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, will sit on His throne and reign over the earth for one thousand years. This kingdom was predicted throughout the Old Testament by the prophets and is spoken of in the New Testament in Revelation 11:15 and 19:11-20:6. Christ and all His saints shall rule with Him and their “position in His earthly kingdom” will be determined by their willingness to follow Him and serve Him at any cost. It should be noted though that salvation and our place in heaven is not determined by anything we do, but by “believing on Christ as our Savior,” the One who took our place in death and judgment on the cross (see John 10:9; 14:6; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Acts 16:31). When Jesus talked about “entering into the kingdom” Peter spoke up and said, “We have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” He was speaking on behalf of the TWELVE APOSTLES. Jesus responded by revealing to them that in the REGENERATION (a “new world order” when Jesus sits on His throne and reigns in peace and righteousness) they (the Twelve Apostles) would “sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Every believer will be ruling with Christ during His Millennium Kingdom but the Twelve Apostles (with Judas being replaced by Matthias…see Acts 1:21-26) will have the special privilege of ruling over the Twelve Tribes of Israel who will inherit a special place on earth (see Revelation 7:1-8 and 14:1-5).

Now let’s read Revelation 21:12 & 14 where the “heavenly city, New Jerusalem” is being described: “Also she had a great and high wall with TWELVE GATES, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the NAMES OF THE TWELVE TRIBES of the children of Israel….Now the wall of the city had TWELVE FOUNDATIONS, and on them were written the NAMES OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES.” This “heavenly city” will be suspended over the earth during the 1,000 year reign of Christ (and perhaps in the eternal state too). The number “twelve” in Scripture speaks of “government” and the word “gate” speaks of those in “positions of government in a city” (Genesis 19:1, 9; 23:18; Job 29:7, 12-17). Scripture teaches us that when Christ rules over the earth His earthly capital will be the city of Jerusalem and His earthly people, the TWELVE TRIBES of Israel, will be at the center of His government on earth (though the heavenly Jerusalem will be the real center of government). This is all symbolized by their names being written on the “12 gates.” In verse 14 we have the “12 foundations” with the names of the TWELVE APOSTLES. I believe this corresponds beautifully with what we saw in Matthew 19:28, for the Twelve Apostles will rule over the Twelve Tribes and this rule will be the “FOUNDATION for Israel’s government on earth.” There will most definitely be communication and fellowship between the Twelve Tribes and Twelve Apostles during the Kingdom Age, with the Twelve Apostles SUPPORTING the Twelve Tribes.  (DO)  (635.5)