A White Stone

 
        To the church in Pergamum, the Apostle John wrote, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it” (Revelation 2:17).

       There are two words in Greek for “new”. One is “neos”, which means new in time, recent, young. The other is “kainos”, which means new in nature, new in kind, recreated, reclassified. The Book of Revelation uses kainos many times – new heavens, new earth, new Jerusalem, new song, new name.

          Kainos is not an improved version of the old, or an upgrade, or replacement. In Christ, we are not our old selves patched up; we are completely remade. “Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation ( a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold,  the fresh and new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 AMPC).

       What does the white stone mean? First century ears would have thought of three things – courtroom, temple, and covenant. In ancient courts, a white stone meant acquittal, not guilty, fully cleared, the case is closed.

        A black stone meant condemnation.

     If we are in Christ, Heaven has declared us “not guilty” and righteous. “He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness]” (2 Corinthians 5:21 AMP).

       In Christ, we are pardoned and renamed.

   White stones were also used as admission tokens to feasts, assemblies, to sacred spaces. Entrance to sacred spaces gives access to hidden manna, to priestly food, to temple provision, and covenant access.

     We are not just spared from judgment, but are invited inside to the feast, the sanctuary, and into His glorious Presence. “For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as [to beam forth] the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God [as it is manifest in the Person and is revealed] in the face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah)” (2 Corinthians 4:6 AMPC).

     And the new name on the white stone? In Scripture, secret names belong to marriage and kingship. “No more will anyone call you Rejected, and your country will no more be called Ruined. You’ll be called Hephzibah (My Delight), and your land Beulah (Married), Because God delights in you and your land will be like a wedding celebration” (Isaiah 62:4 MSG).

       God is Jehovah Shalom (the Lord is our Peace), Jehovah Sitkanu (The Lord our Righteousness), and Jehovah Rah (The Lord our Shepherd). These are only a few of His many majestic names.

      New names refer to identity, function, authority, and calling. Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel, Simon became Peter.

      The promise of the new name is given to the one who conquers, not to the passive, disengaged, spiritually sedentary. What does it mean to conquer? It means to be faithful under pressure, to obey when compromise is easier, to be a faithful witness, even to our own detriment.

     We receive the new name, not because we are impressive, but because we are faithful. In this topsy-turvy, chaotic world, may we as believers in Yeshua be “strong in the Lord [be empowered through (our) union with Him]; draw (our) strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]” (Ephesians 6:10 AMPC), and go forth in victory.