In order to see the context, let us read Revelation 2:12-17. “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 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.”

I will not comment on the entire passage but will focus my remarks on verse 17. The church or assembly at Pergamos was instructed to “hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” We should take this instruction to heart as well. The Lord Jesus said in John 16:13, “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for He shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” The Holy Spirit teaches us through the Word of God and directs our attention to the Lord Jesus Christ.

We then read in Revelation 2:17, “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna.” We read in 1 John 5:4-5, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (NASB). We also read in Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Do you see how these verses fit together? As we spend time reading and meditating on God’s Word, the Spirit teaches us about the things of Christ, which increases our faith. Increased faith results in a decreased desire to embrace the values of this world, which are described in 1 John 2:16. This verse states, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” By embracing Christ, we overcome the world through faith, and are rewarded with hidden manna.

The hidden manna reminds us of the golden pot of manna that was hidden from view inside the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 16:33-34, Hebrews 9:4). Manna speaks of Christ as the bread of life. The Jews said to Jesus in John 6:31-35, “Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” The hidden manna is a picture of Christ currently hidden from our view in heaven, and yet He is still God’s gift to us. Manna also speaks of Christ’s lowliness in coming to this earth to be our Savior. We feed on Him through the Word and are sustained by Him.

Then we read in Revelation 2:17 that Christ will give to faithful believers “a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” How precious this is! The white stone is a GIFT, so the recipient does not pay for it. Perhaps one stone may say “Courageous,” another “Repentant,” another “Forgiven,” another “Prayer Warrior,” and another “Faithful Witnesser.” Only Christ and the recipient know what new name is engraved in it, which shows how personal it must be. The personalized white stone speaks of Christ’s approval of each believer, and is no doubt cherished by the believer for all eternity. This shows how much value Christ places on each individual believer and speaks of a special connection between Himself and each redeemed one. This is yet another reason to respond in praise and worship to our wonderful Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ!  (DJ)  (519.5)