Revelation Scroll Number Four 



The Twelve Scrolls of Revelation

Revelation Chapter Two
Verses Sixteen and Seventeen

written by
Kraig J. Rice
www.7-star-admiral.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Clicking on these links will move you down this web page)
Revelation chapter two, Verses Sixteen and Seventeen
Revelation 2:16
Revelation 2:16 - Repent
Revelation 2:16 - Sword of My Mouth
Revelation 2:17
Revelation 2:17 - He Who Has an Ear
Revelation 2:17 - Christ's Overcomer
Revelation 2:17 - The Hidden (Spiritual) Manna to Eat
Revelation 2:17 - A White Stone
Revelation 2:17 - A New Name Written






Repent therefore, or else I AM coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth
(Revelation 2:16).

He who has a (spiritual) ear, let him hear what the (Holy) Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give hidden manna to eat, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written that no one knows but he who receives it
(Revelation 2:17).

Are there any Bible scriptures that might help us understand these verses here in Revelation? In my opinion I think so-


Revelation 2:16
Repent therefore, or else I AM coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.

Repent

It appears this revelation was previously revealed in Revelation Scroll Number Two
(Revelation 2:5). Please journey there for Gods's message or

Click here to go to Revelation 2:5 to study repentance


The Sword of My Mouth

It appears this revelation was previously revealed in Revelation Scroll Number One
(Revelation 1:16). Please journey there for Gods's message or

Click here to go to Revelation 1:16 to study the two edged sword of Christ


Revelation 2:17
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 to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written that no one knows except him who receives it.



He Who Has an Ear

It appears this revelation was previously revealed in Revelation Scroll Number Two
(Revelation 2:7). Please journey there for Gods's message or

Click here to go to Revelation 2:7 to study Spiritual Ears to Hear




Christ's Overcomer

It appears this revelation was previously revealed in Revelation Scroll Number Two
(Revelation 2:7). Please journey there for Gods's message or

Click here to go to Revelation 2:7 to study about the Overcomer in Christ


The Hidden (Spiritual) Manna to Eat

It appears manna stands alone in Revelation and is not repeated in multiple scrolls.

What is hidden manna? The hidden manna is symbolic for Christ in glory. Manna was hidden in the Ark of the Covenant (Hebrews 9:4). There was literal or physical manna for the Hebrews to eat in the wilderness (Exodus 16:31-35). But the hidden manna is also symbolic for spiritual manna. Jesus is the spiritual manna:
This is the bread that came down from Heaven- not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever
(John 6:58).

Are there other scrolls in the bible that appear to reveal spiritual manna? Yes. Here are a few-

And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna that you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone- but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord
(Deuteronomy 8:2-3).

Our fathers ate the manna in the desert- as it is written- He gave them bread from Heaven to eat
(John 6:31).
Then Jesus said to them- most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from Heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from Heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from Heaven and gives life to the world. Then they said to Him- Lord, give us this bread always. And Jesus said to them- I AM the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst
(John 6:32-35)...all that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from Heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me- that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me- that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life- and I will raise him up at the last day
(John 6:37-40)...I AM the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and are dead. This is the bread that comes down from Heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I AM the living bread that came down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever- and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, that I shall give for the life of the world
(John 6:48-51).


A White Stone

It appears the white stone revelation stands alone and is not in other scrolls of Revelation.

What is a white stone? Culturally, a white stone or pebble was a means used in an ancient court of law to reveal one's judgement of innocense for an accused suspect. The Greek and Roman courts sometimes used white and black pebbles for many such judgement purposes. In other words in the ancient courts of justice the accused were condemned by the use of black pebbles or acquitted by white ones. The spiritual message in this verse appears to be that each of God's Overcomers will not be condemned in Heaven but be granted clemency and mercy (as revealed by the white stone in symbolism). Their further reward will also be the spiritual manna (symbolized by the Bread from Heaven). God is the greatest treasure in the universe. Therefore, God, Himself, will justify and reward each one of His Overcomers with Himself as well as with other rewards.

What do some bible commentaries have to reveal about this ancient method of legal activity?

John Gill in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, 1887, revealed:
At Rome, some white stones have been dug up, some lesser, some greater, with names and letters, and other engravings upon them. (Referring to) the inheritance to which they (the Overcomers) are adopted- and this new name being on the white stone, may show that the blessings of justification and adoption, though they are two distinct ones, yet they are inseparable- they go together, and both give a right to the heavenly inheritance.

...White stones were used on various accounts. The Grecians used them to mark good or lucky days with them, as they called them- and could the allusion be thought to be to this custom, the sense would be, that Christ promises, to His people that Overcome, happy days.

...White stones were also given to the conquerors in the Olympic games, with their names upon them, and the value of the prize they won- and, here applied- may respect the crown of life and glory given to them who are more than conquerors through Christ, with their right and title to it, and the excellency of it. The Romans in judgment used to give their suffrages for condemnation by casting black stones into the urn, and for absolution white stones.

...The...white stone...could it be applied here, might signify the approbation Christ gives of His church and people here, amidst the testimonies they bear, and the persecutions they endure for His name's sake, and that which He will give of them before his Father, angels, and men, at the last day...

James Coffman in his New Testament Commentary revealed:
Small pebbles (not necessarily white) were used as tickets to public functions, especially feasts- and what is meant is simply that the ones who Overcome shall receive, "a ticket of admission to the heavenly banquet, a very permanent ticket to an eternal feast...the redeemed and victorious alone understand what it means to belong to God." Regarding the stone's being white, Cox said that it was, "not the black stone of their condemnation, but a white stone to their exoneration, admitting them to the secret places of the Most High."


A New Name Written That No One Knows

God reveals a new name for each of His Overcomers in several scrolls of Revelation:

It is revealed in Revelation Scroll Number Four-
...a new name written that no one knows except him who receives it (Revelation 2:17).

and it is revealed in Revelation Scroll Number Eleven-
...He had a name written that no one knew except Himself (Revelation 19:12).

Are there other scrolls in the bible that appear to reveal this? Yes. Here are a few-

Even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters- I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off
(Isaiah 56:5).

...the Sovereign Lord will...call His true servants by another name (Isaiah 65:15; 62:2).

Did the good Lord ever change anyone else's name? Yes.

No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham- for I have made you a father of many nations
(Genesis 17:5).

Then God said to Abraham- as for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. And I will bless her and also give you a son by her- then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations- kings of peoples shall be from her
(Genesis 17:15-16).

And He said- your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel- for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed
(Genesis 32:28).

Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter. James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is- Sons of Thunder
(Mark 3:16-17).

What do some commentaries reveal about this?

Matthew Henry in his Complete Commentary, 1706, revealed:
The white stone, with a new name engraven upon it-
This white stone is absolution from the guilt of sin, alluding to the ancient custom of giving a white stone to those acquitted on trial and a black stone to those condemned. The new name is the name of adoption- adopted persons took the name of the family into which they were adopted. None can read the evidence of a man’s adoption but himself- he cannot always read it, but if he persevere he shall have both the evidence of sonship and the inheritance.

Another biblical author had this to reveal-
The promise to overcomers is that we will be sustained throughout eternity by our Lord Jesus Christ who is the hidden manna. Just as the Romans used the white stone for access and privilege, so the Overcomers in Christ will enjoy the favor of their Lord with access to the glories of Heaven. The new name speaks of the special new eternal relationship that we will have with our Lord for the ages to come. To feed on false doctrine is to feed on ashes, but to feed on the Word of God is to feed on the bread come down from Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Another biblical author suggested the meaning of this symbolism-
The hidden manna is the spiritual life of every one of God's Overcomers while the white stone is a symbol of the triumph of our faith.



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