A New Name

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”  Revelation 2:17

Jesus had been giving the apostle John His message to write to the seven churches in Asia Minor.  He had just ended His words to the church in Pergamos with the same exhortation to hear and heed His words that He urged those believers in Ephesus and Smyrna.  To those who overcome, Jesus will give the hidden manna.  What is it that these believers in Pergamos, and all believers, must overcome?  Pergamos was a city filled with idolatry.  They were like a tiny island of peace surrounded by a sea of confusion, blasphemy, immorality, and hatred.  (I think today’s church, the body of believers, likely feels the same way.  Persecution against the church will never stop until Jesus destroys evil and reigns over the earth.)  Jesus knew what they were going through, and how that they were putting forth a real effort to remain faithful among, as Jesus called it, the “seat of Satan” (Revelation 2:13).  There were some, though, in the church at Pergamos who were bringing in worship of Baalam, a collection of false gods, and the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes who denied the existence of God.  This reminds me of a conversation that I had with a young man several years ago.  He grew up in a certain denomination, but left it because, as he said, “You don’t even have to believe in God to be a member of ______!”  Apparently, though, this idea is nothing new.

Jesus was willing to give the faithful church members an opportunity to repent by the complete removal of every person who held to these false doctrines.  If they didn’t follow through and cast these idolaters out of the church, then Jesus would remove them Himself.  Those who had not been partakers in these false doctrines were too weak to confront those who brought shame upon the church.  They were, as folks say, “going along to get along”.  They were compromising righteousness for peace.  Those who refused to rid the church of the idolaters would also be found guilty.  When Jesus identified Himself at the beginning of this letter as “He which hath the sharp sword with two edges”, it was an indication that He was serious about purging any church who compromised their faith in Him.

It is idolatry and the potential to compromise the true worship of the Lord which must be overcome by any church in order to receive the hidden manna.  What is this manna?  We know that God the Father supplied the children of Israel with manna, the food that fell from heaven to sustain them physically as they journeyed to the promised land.  That manna did not sustain them spiritually or eternally, though.  Jesus is the Manna, or Bread, which came down from heaven to give everlasting life to as many as who partake of this Bread which is Jesus’ life that He gave for the world (John 6:48-51).  The hidden manna that Jesus gives to the overcomer is the unseen spiritual food that sustains the believer.  It can only be received by grace through repentance of sin and faith in Christ.

Jesus also promises a “white stone” to those who overcome, and the stone will have a name written on it that no one else besides the one who receives it will know.  Commentators can’t agree on the meaning of the “white stone” and the “new name”.  Most agree that they represent the acceptance by Christ of the believer.  Matthew Henry, in his commentary, probably sums it up best by stating that the white stone is a symbol of the justification of a sinner from guilt.  There was an ancient custom of giving a white stone to those found not guilty in a trial and a black stone to those condemned.  This made me think about the old western movies and television shows wherein the good guys wore the white hats, tipping them to the ladies and saying, “Howdy, Ma’am”, and the outlaws wore the black hats.  In scripture, white refers to purity and black refers to the darkness of the soul.

The new name is the name of adoption.  When I was adopted as a baby, my parents gave me a new name of their choosing, and a new birth certificate was issued.  No other can claim title to that specific identity but me.  When God adopted me into His family, He gave me a new name of His choosing.  When a person is born again, his or her name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, sort of like receiving a new birth certificate because, in reality, it is a new birth.  Paul wrote in II Corinthians 5:17 that we are new creatures in Christ.  Old things pass away, and all things become new, including our identity.  We have a close, personal, intimate relationship to Christ.  He is the only One who knows all of our struggles, worries, thoughts, fears, and doubts.  While we may hide our burdens and concerns from others, there is nothing about us of which Jesus is not privy.  While for some that knowledge may cause fear and dread but knowing that Christ cares that much about me gives me a calm assurance that He has my back.