A New Name

One of our texts this morning was Revelation 2:17 which says, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.

Now we have the part of the letter where Jesus promises salvation to the over comer.  And not only that, but He will give them some of the hidden manna to eat. What is manna?  In Exodus 16, the people of Israel were in their wilderness wandering, and complained that there was no food.  Exodus 16:4 tells us, Then the LORD said to Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you...  So, they awoke to the next morning and it was all over the place.  Exodus 16:14-15 says, When the layer of dew evaporated, behold, on the surface of the wilderness there was a fine flake-like thing, fine as the frost on the ground. When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, What is it? For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat."  In other words, God will be that "hidden manna" for us.  This speaks of eternal life!  Just as it sustained the children of Israel in the desert and gave them life, so too, we have life in Christ.  Jesus said in John 6:48-51 "I am that bread of life.  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.  This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."  So, He Himself is the hidden manna and eating of Him means life eternal.  Jesus referred to this also in John 6:54-56 when He said, "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him."  Of course, he was speaking spiritually, not physically.

Notice in this verse that it says that those who overcome will also receive a "white stone" with a "new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it."  Without going into much detail; in the Old Testament when there was a decision of innocence or guilt, two stones would be placed in a bag: one white and the other black.  The white was an indication of innocence and the black, an indication of guilt.  There are many that feel these stones were the Urim and the Thummim.  We see them referred to in Numbers 27:21 where it says, "And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation."  They are also referred to in Deuteronomy 33:8, Ezra 2:63, Nehemiah 7:65, Exodus 28:30 and Leviticus 8:8.  Do your own study.  So in giving you a white stone, Jesus could be saying, "you're innocent, I have made you not guilty."

There is also another historical white stone.  It was a piece of pure white marble that was given to the winners of the first Olympics as a trophy.  One day Jesus will also declare us to be winners.  But what about this new name carved on it?  One day Jesus will give me a name that only he and I know.  This new name is also referred to in Revelation 3:12 where it says, "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name."

Can you imagine getting a name that only you and God knows?  How many Dwayne's are there in this world?  I'm sure that there are literally thousands.  However, this promise says that one day when we get to Heaven, God is going to give those of us who have accepted His Son, a new name that only He and the person He gives it to knows.  I remember when I was just boy out in the neighborhood playing with my friends and my Grandmother would yell out, "Herbert Dwayne Spearman!"  You probably have memories like that too.  She did that to distinguish me from all others.  So too, our Heavenly Father is going to give us a name to distinguish us from all others!