Yes — Jesus promised the disciples who had followed Him that they would rule the twelve tribes of Israel from twelve thrones when He sits on His throne of glory.
The promise appears in Matthew 19:28, where Jesus answered Peter's question about what they would have after leaving everything to follow Him. Les Feldick teaches that this is a literal, plain-English promise: when the regeneration comes and Christ's kingdom is set up, the twelve will rule the twelve tribes of Israel. Judas is excluded from that number, with Matthias later taking his place.
Matthew 19:28 — This is the verse where Jesus directly promises that those who followed Him will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Matthew 19:27 — Peter's question, 'What shall we have therefore?' is what prompted Jesus' kingdom promise.
Acts 1:6 — The disciples later ask whether Jesus will restore the kingdom to Israel, showing they had kept this promise in mind.
In Matthew 19:27, Peter asks Jesus, 'Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?' In the next verse, Jesus answers with a direct promise: 'Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.' The reference to 'the regeneration' places the promise at the future time when creation is renewed and the Son of Man takes His seat on the throne of His glory. The promise is specifically made to those who had followed Him, and it assigns them twelve thrones corresponding to the twelve tribes of Israel. Later, when the disciples gathered with the risen Jesus, they asked, 'Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?' (Acts 1:6). The question shows that the promise of the coming kingdom had remained central to them.
Les Feldick stresses that Matthew 19:28 is plain literal language. He points out that when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory in the kingdom, the twelve — not including Judas — will sit on twelve thrones, ruling the twelve tribes of Israel (Clip1, Clip3). He defines 'the regeneration' as the time when the earth is restored to its original state before the curse, after the tribulation has ended and the kingdom is ready to come in (Clip2). Les also notes that Christ will sit at Jerusalem, on the throne of David (Clip1). Les shows that this promise was not about salvation. Peter asked what they would have for forsaking all, and Les observes that the disciples already had their salvation; the question was about future reward and their place of authority in the kingdom (Clip6). He also explains that the men were just as human as anyone, and the promise 'stuck' with them. On the Mount of Olives they were still thinking about taking their thrones, and they had spent forty days with the risen Christ hearing about the kingdom and their role in it (Clip4, Clip7). Les also connects the promise to the Abrahamic covenant, noting that everything written in the Gospels regarding Israel's kingdom rests on that covenant (Clip5).
Peter said, 'Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?' This was not a question about salvation, since the disciples already had their salvation; it was about what they would receive for leaving everything to follow Christ. Les explains that they had their salvation already, so the question concerned their future reward and role in the kingdom (Clip6).
Les explains that the regeneration speaks of when the earth is restored to its original state as it was before the curse. The curse is lifted, the tribulation is over, and the kingdom is ready to come in. At that time the Son of Man will sit on the throne of His glory, and the twelve will sit on twelve thrones ruling the twelve tribes of Israel (Clip2, Clip3).
Jesus spoke to the twelve who followed Him, but Judas was not included. Les says the promise is given to the twelve minus Judas, which is why Matthias had to take his place in Acts chapter 1. The promise uses the number twelve because the thrones correspond to the twelve tribes of Israel (Clip1, Clip3).
The eleven men had not forgotten the promise. After forty days of hearing Jesus speak about the kingdom, they asked whether He would at that time restore the kingdom to Israel. Les says their question was appropriate and that all they could think about was the kingdom and their respective places of authority over the twelve tribes (Clip0, Clip4, Clip7).
The Disciples' Kingdom Expectation
Les shows that the eleven men had David's and Solomon's glory in mind, so their question about restoring the kingdom to Israel was appropriate and shows the kingdom was uppermost in their thinking.
The Twelve Thrones Promise
Les explains the plain-English promise that the twelve will sit on twelve thrones ruling the twelve tribes, with Judas excluded and Matthias taking his place.
The Regeneration and the Throne of Glory
Les defines the regeneration as the earth restored to its pre-curse state after the tribulation, when the Son of Man sits on His throne and the twelve rule the tribes.
Plain Promise to the Faithful Twelve
Les emphasizes the promise is in plain language to the twelve, who have eternal life, and that Judas is not included.
A Promise the Disciples Never Forgot
Les describes how the disciples were just as human as us; the promise stuck, and on the Mount of Olives they were ready to take up their thrones.
The Promise Rests on the Abrahamic Covenant
Les links the kingdom promises in the Gospels to the Abrahamic covenant, calling Genesis 15 Israel's title deed.
Peter's Question About Reward, Not Salvation
Les clarifies that Peter's question about forsaking all was not about salvation — they already had it — but about what they would have in the future kingdom.
Forty Days of Kingdom Teaching
Les shows that for forty days Jesus had been talking to the disciples about the kingdom and their role, so the promise in Matthew 19 was driving them.
Matthew 19:27: Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
Peter's question directly prompts Jesus' promise about the disciples' future role in the kingdom.
Matthew 19:28: And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
This is the clearest statement of the disciples' promised role: twelve thrones judging or ruling the twelve tribes in the regeneration.
Acts 1:6: When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
The disciples' post-resurrection question shows that the kingdom promise and their expectation remained central.
In Matthew 19:27-28, Jesus told them that in the regeneration, when He sits on the throne of His glory, they will also sit on twelve thrones, judging — or ruling — the twelve tribes of Israel. Les Feldick teaches that this is a literal future promise.
Yes. After the resurrection, they asked Jesus whether He would at that time restore again the kingdom to Israel (Acts 1:6). Les says this shows the promise had stayed with them and the kingdom was still uppermost in their minds.
No. Les points out that Judas is not included in the promise, which is why Matthias has to take his place in Acts chapter 1 so that the full number of twelve throne-rulers corresponds to the twelve tribes of Israel.
Les explains that the regeneration refers to when the earth is restored to its original state before the curse, after the tribulation has ended and Christ's kingdom is ready to come in. At that time the Son of Man sits on His throne and the disciples receive their thrones.
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