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Bible Facts Little Understood by Christians

www.bibleone.net[1]

 

The Hidden Manna and White Stone

 

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. (Revelation 2:17)

 

The overcomer alone has been promised that he will be allowed to partake of the hidden manna” and will be given a white stone” with a new name” in the stone, which no man will know other than the one receiving it.

 

1)  The Hidden Manna

 

“Manna” is found in both the Old and New Testaments, but the “hidden manna” is found only in the third overcomer’s promise in the book of Revelation.  The Israelites were provided manna during their pilgrim journey between Egypt and Canaan; and Christians, in like manner, have been provided Manna during their pilgrim journey between the antitype of Egypt (the world) and the antitype of Canaan (a heavenly land, wherein Christians will realize an inheritance).  And any teaching concerning the future “hidden manna” must be drawn from past and present appearances of the manna as a provision for God’s people.

 

(The fact that the future provision for God’s people is presently “hidden” may be an allusion to the manna that was kept “before the Lord” in the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle.  This manna was placed in a “golden pot” within the Ark of the Covenant, hidden from the people but visible to God [Exodus 16:14-35; John 6:48-54; Hebrews 9:2-4].  So it is with the hidden manna during the present time.  It is hidden from the people but visible to God.)

 

The manna given to the Israelites during the wilderness journey was a provision for their physical needs.  This manna was a special food, prepared by God, containing everything necessary for the sustenance and well-being of the physical body.  It was provided fresh day-by-day, and the Israelites were to gather and eat the manna after the fashion in which it was given.  No supplementary food was provided or required.

 

The “manna” that the Israelites were given in the wilderness typified Christ, “the living bread that came down from heaven”; and this “living bread” is the provision that Christians have been given for their wilderness journey.  Christians “eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood” (John 6:48-54) through the assimilation of the Word of God.  This Word is a special food, prepared by God, containing everything necessary for the sustenance and well-being of the spiritual life.

 

The Spirit of God will render this food fresh day-by-day; and Christians are to partake of the living Word through the written Word, after the manner in which it has been given.  No supplementary food has been provided; nor is any required.

 

The “manna” upon which Christians presently feed has been given to properly prepare and equip them for the wilderness journey, and the “hidden manna” can only be a parallel provision for things beyond the wilderness journey.  The overcomers will be allowed to partake of the hidden manna to properly prepare and equip them as they rule and reign in the kingdom.  The provision is “mannanow and “hidden manna yet future, both given to equip Christians during particular periods for particular areas of service.

 

The “hidden manna” in the third overcomer’s promise and the “tree of life” in the first overcomer’s promise would have to be integrally related in this realm.  Both are set forth as provisions to properly equip Christians as they rule and reign, both point to Christ (the true Manna, the true Tree of Life), and both together will form God’s complete provision for the rulers in the kingdom.  However, a distinction must be drawn between the two, viewing each in the sense of a different facet of this provision.

 

Since partaking of the “tree of life” (Revelation 2:7) will provide that special wisdom and knowledge necessary to judge in equity, justice, and righteousness (ref. chapter 5 of this book), it can be safely assumed that partaking of the hidden manna will apparently constitute God’s provision to properly prepare overcoming Christians in all other realms of life.  Such could possibly include physical needs as well as spiritual needs.

 

Not that much has been revealed about the resurrection body.  Christ partook of food in His resurrection body (Luke 24:41-43; John 21:5-14; cf. Matthew 26:29), but the reason for His partaking of food or details surrounding the matter are not given.  If the resurrection body requires sustenance for the rigors of the office Christians are to hold, the hidden manna will apparently provide that sustenance, along with any other requirements for sustenance that Christians may possess.

 

2)  The White Stone, New Name

 

During the days in which the book of Revelation was written, and days prior to that time, giving one a white stone meant that the person had been charged with some offense but had been acquitted; he had been shown as justified.  Since works alone will be reviewed at the judgment seat, justification shown by the white stone must emanate out of a judgment of works.  Justification on the basis of Christ’s finished work at Calvary cannot be in view at all, for overcomers and non-overcomers alike would receive such a stone if that were the case.  A white stone will be given to every Christian whose works endure the fire, revealing justification on the basis of that coming under judgment — works emanating out of faithfulness (ref. chapter 3 of this book).

 

A white stone was also given to the victor in a contest or battle, which is exactly what is in view through overcoming.  Christians are presently in a battle, a warfare, against “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world [‘age’], against spiritual wickedness in high places [‘against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenlies’]” (Ephesians 6:12).  And Satan and his angels use the world and the flesh in their never-ceasing efforts to bring about a Christian’s defeat.  It is the victor — the one overcoming the world, the flesh, and the devil — that the promised white stone will be given.

 

With the preceding in mind, understanding the white stone, along with the new name in the stone, can possibly best be seen in Joseph’s exaltation by the Pharaoh of Egypt.  Joseph, because of his faithfulness to God, was, through divine providence, brought into a position of such favor with Pharaoh that he found himself exalted to the throne.  Pharaoh took his own ring and “put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.”  He then positioned him as “ruler over all the land of Egypt,” and bestowed upon him a new name — “Zaphnath-paaneah” (Genesis 41:39-45).

 

The white stone will identify the overcomer as the one shown justified, victorious in conquest, and elevated to noble rank.  As Joseph in the type, he will be placed in the position of a ruler and be given a new name.  Joseph was placed over all Egypt, and the overcoming Christian will be placed over all the earth (“Egypt” is always a type of the world in Scripture).  He will then be given “a new name . . . that no one knows except him who receives it.”

 

Such is the present prospect set before Christians, as given in the overcomers’ promise to the church in Pergamos.

 

Concluding Thoughts:

 

When overcoming Christians go forth to rule with Christ in the kingdom, everything will be in a state of readiness.  Through the provision of the tree of life, the hidden manna, the white stone, and the new name, Christians will be properly equipped for every facet of life in the kingdom as they rule the nations with Christ.  They will be given wisdom and knowledge to rule in equity, justice, and righteousness; they will be provided with the necessary sustenance (physical and/or spiritual) to equip them for the office that they are to hold; they will be given identifying stones, showing their victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil; and the One with whom they are to rule as co-heirs will know them by a new name.

 

Through God’s provision, a perfect rule will issue forth when man is once again brought back into the position for which he was originally created.  All authority in that day will emanate from one throne (cf. Revelation 2:26, 27; 3:21), and nothing short of an absolute rule will suffice.

 

 

 


 

[1] Taken from Arlen L. Chitwood’s book, Judgment Seat of Christ, The Lamp Broadcast, Inc., pp. 115-118