THE TWELVETH APOSTLE

Acts 1:26 ""And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias and he was numbered with the eleven".
1Cor. 15:8-10 "And last of all, just as if unto the unseasonable birth, He appeared even unto me; for I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the Assembly of God. But by the favor of God I am what I am.......But much more abundantly then they all have I toiled-albeit not I, but the favor of God with me."

When the gathering of the disciples, including the original eleven, drew "lots" and chose Matthias to take Judas' place, they made a mistake. They were babies before the outpouring of the Spirit and did not know the Holy Spirit no longer worked in the "old testament manner" of drawing lots. Variations on the same thing are used by babies today, such as praying for or about something, then opening the bible at random and closing the eyes and pointing a finger at whatever page is opened, to get the answer or guidance needed.

Matthias is never mentioned again in scripture record. The apostles had matured somewhat by the sixth chapter of Acts, where it records their choosing of seven to handle distribution of food to the needy. The larger assembly chose seven and the apostles prayed and laid on their hands, and that was it.

God doesn't prevent the will of man but He does circumvent it. Another example is the case of Stephen, chosen as one of the "food distribution servers", but God had other things in mind for him. Likewise was His choosing of Paul to take Judas' place. God didn't stop the eleven from expressing their will by using a method He was bypassing- He went ahead and circumvented their "lot choice" by not anointing their choice and instead anointed a man who was actually persecuting them.

This is a good example of how God does exactly opposite of what religious, literal minded men think He is going to do.

Paul is the twelveth apostle.