Did the Jewish Sanhedrin have 70, 72 or 73 members? The original Sanhedrin had 70 elders plus Aaron and Moses. Thus at first the Sanhedrin had 72 members with 70 elders and the High Priest and the Chief Scribe (Levite). Later the Judge or the Prophet who was the leader of Israel was added and the number became 73, which in the time of the monarchy the Judge or Prophet was replaced by the King. In the time of Ezra the Chief Scribe or Levite became the Chief Rabbi and the King became the Davidic Nasi. This was the highest governing and judicial body. This mirrors the heavenly court in Heaven.
Besides this Sanhedrin of 73 there was also a Royal Council mentioned in 2 Chronicles 19 made up of the leaders or head of Families, the priests and the Levites. The Temple Scroll at Qumran states that the composition of this Royal Council that advises the King is made up of 12 leaders, 12 priests and 12 Levites. A Royal Council of 36.
"And with him (the king) shall be the twelve chiefs of his people, and of the priests twelve, and of the Levites twelve, who shall be sitting together with him (to counsel) concerning matters of law and Torah. Let him not act presumptuously toward them nor do anything requiring counsel without them."(4 Q 159)
Thus, we can associate these 36 (Lamed Vav) as the Lamedvavniks who discern and live the Divine Will with the King. The symbol of this Royal Council is the measuring rod (kaneh). This tradition of the measuring rod as the symbol of the Royal Council has come down to us in the role of the Usher of the Black Rod in our parliament. This rod represents the Royal authority.
"...The length of the rod is six cubits. Each cubit is six handbreadths. See, therefore, how all the lights are bound together in this light, which is called "All," since all are contained within it. There are six directions [the six ketzavot, alluding to the six sefirot from Chesed to Yesod, all of which are included in Yesod], and when they are all connected to one another, they make thirty-six, corresponding to the length of this rod [36 handbreadths]. (see the writings of Rabbi Moshe Hayyim Luzzato (Ramchal) in "The Future Temple" ).
In the First Testament Period there were the 12 Patriarchs of Israel, in the Second Testament period there were the 12 apostles and in the Kingdom that is coming will be the 12 apostles of the last days. 12+12+12=36. Are these the Heavenly Royal Council in Eternity? As we know the number 36 refers to the Divine Will both in Jewish tradition and in the Catholic spirituality of Divine Will as taught by the servant of God Luisa Piccarreta in the 36 Books of Heaven. Did the original Royal Council also include the Queen Mother as well as the King, the Viceroy or Chancellor and the Chief Scribe which made the number 40? In the Heavenly Royal Council Our Lady is the Queen Mother, Jesus is the King, St Joseph the Viceroy and Luisa the Chief Scribe (as the little secretary of the Divine Will).
Do the three groups of 12 have a role in the Heavenly Kingdom in which the 12 Patriarchs of Israel are the rulers or Kings over the first realm in Heaven who lived in Old Testament times and the 12 Apostles as the rulers of Kings of the second realm in Heaven over those who received the grace of redemption. And the final 12 of those who lived in the Divine Will on earth and attained the highest level of sanctity like Luisa as the rulers or Kings or Queens in the third realm. In this third realm there may also be three levels. The first is for those who lived in the Divine Will at the level of mystical incarnation. The second level is for those who lived at both the level of mystical incarnation and mystical crucifixion and the third level those like Luisa who lived at all three levels of mystical incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection. Each of the realms may have three levels based on the level of righteousness one attained on earth. While one may visit the Divine city and every other place one cannot dwell permanently at a higher level due to the greater light.