END OF TIME PROPHECIES 047

PERGAMOS     The Compensation:     Revelation 2v17-18. 

"He that hath an ear to hear, 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 save he that receiveth it"  

Rewards for faithfulness are an integral part of bible teaching, and here the Lord sets before the church three amazing gifts of the future:

1. Eternal provision      the hidden manna.
2. Eternal freedom        the white stone.
3. Eternal dignity          the new name.  

In the hidden manna we have the thought of eternal provision, an inexhaustible supply for the soul!
The manna was the food of God's people for a wilderness journey, the spiritual imagery is obvious; this world is a barren wilderness for the soul of God's people.   A world which is anti-God and anti-Christ can never provide for the needs of those who are in Christ. That Jesus Himself is the food of God's people (spiritually speaking), is made clear in John chapter 6.   There Jesus explains that He is "the Bread of Life."   For the Christian there is no life worth talking about apart from Him.   He says He is "the true bread from heaven; He says "I am the bread of God who has come down from heaven and giveth life unto the world;"   "I am the bread of life, he that cometh to Me shall never hunger;"   "I am the bread from heaven, which if a man eat he shall never die, he shall live forever;"    "The bread that I shall give, is My flesh which I will give for the life of the world."   Jesus came to tell us that there is more to life than material things, and that He Himself is the very bread that the human soul needs.   Jesus is not only our Saviour, He is also our sustainer, and our satisfaction. We feed on Christ by studying His word of which He is the primary subject.   The understanding of the manna can be found in Exodus16, Numbers 11, and Psalm 78.

• The manna was supernatural food   (1st Corinthians 10 & Psalm 78)   It is described in Psalm 78 in a two-fold way; first,  as "the corn of heaven" and secondly, "the food of angels."   In the first of these we see that nothing of this earth produced this bread which fed a nation of several millions in a desert for forty years!   This is a historically indisputable fact.   Secondly, the food of angels carries the idea of "the food of the mighty," and it was not merely good for food, but it was a source of spiritual power.  
• It descended from heaven on the morning dew every single day for forty years and was sufficient for every family of the nation.  
• It was small and round and tasted of sweetness and fresh oil.   All of these refer to features of Christ.  
• It was unique.   They called it "manna" because they did not know what it was and the name means "what is it?"   There was nothing to compare with it of anything else they had ever seen.  

In summary it was an inexhaustible supply of supernatural food and spiritual power for all God's people.   When Jesus speaks of eating of the "hidden manna"  He is referring to what will sustain God's people for all eternity.   The hidden manna is that which was only seen by the eye of God while He was here.   Very little was recorded of His many years in Nazareth; we know something of His life, but there were things only God saw that we will feed on then.   There were many things in His public ministry and especially in His death that were hidden from the eyes of men.   John the apostle said in chapter 21 that only a small sample of "signs" were recorded, and that if they were written every one, he said "I suppose the world itself could not contain the books that should be written."   Christ will become the food of God's people forever, is what is behind this statement.

He also mentions the white stone; it is difficult to know what the Lord meant by this, but the clearest suggestion which would fit with the context of "the overcomer" is that it was the practice in those days to reward the victors at the games with a white pebble containing their name, which when produced would give them freedom of access to all public events.   It was a symbol of honour. similar to someone today receiving "the freedom of a city."   There is little doubt that severe restrictions were placed on Christians in this godless city.   In compensation for their loss they will be granted the freedom of the universe.   God knows how to compensate and he will.

The third reward mentioned is that of the new name written:  if the manna speaks of eternal provision, and the stone speaks of eternal freedom. the new name speaks of eternal dignity.   In a rising population, people complain of "just being a number",  an environment in which your name means nothing.   This symbol of the new name carries the idea of dignity that God will give to every individual Christian in the world to come.   Furthermore this name would be known only to the individual and to the Lord.   It is rather like having (incredible thought), and we have to say this reverently, a hot line to God.   What dignity does this confer on human beings who at best in life have been taken for granted, and at worse have been severely abused.   God grants dignity, and that for eternity upon those who overcome in His name.

Eternal provision, eternal freedom, eternal dignity!!  Who wouldn't want to belong to Christ?