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.

       
            As we embark on 2026, it behooves us to examine our hearts. Paul told us that "...a person must [prayerfully] examine himself [and his relationship to Christ], and only when he has done so eat of the bread and drink of the cup" (1 Corinthians 11:28 AMP).

            One of the ways to examine our hearts is to ask ourselves what we treasure. Jesus told His disciples, "Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or - worse! - stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and rust and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being" (Matthew 6:19-21 MSG).

        Each of us must ask the question - what do I treasure? What does my mind naturally gravitate to? What do I spend my time on? My money? Our heart follows whatever we treasure.

        Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a [very precious] treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field [securing the treasure for himself]" (Matthew 13:44 AMP).

        The man considered everything he owned worthless compared to the treasure. I recently read an account of a Hindu family living in the Himalayas. One of the daughters received "The Book of Hope", which is a Bible in consensed form for children. Through reading it, she accepted Jesus as her Saviour. Everyone in her family, except her father, came to know Jesus, and began attending a local church.

        The father was so enraged, he decided to burn his whole family alive. He tied everyone up. Just as he was about to light the fire, a man from the church arrived. He stopped the father from committing the heinous crime, and even led him to the Lord.

        That family's treasure was Jesus. They didn't renouce their faith to save their lives. They were willing to give their lives, "everything they had," to "purchase" the treasure of Jesus.

        The Apostle Paul wrote, "For no one is empowered to lay an alternative foundation other than the good foundation that exists, which is Jesus Christ! The quality of materials used by anyone building on this foundation will soon be made apparent, whether it has been built with gold, silver, and costly stones, or wood, hay, and straw. Their work will soon become evident, for the Day will make it clear, because it will be revealed by blazing fire! And the fire will test and prove the workmanship of each builder." (1 Corinthians 3:11-13 TPT).

        I want to do here on earth that which will last for eternity. 

        The man who found the treasure in the field was joyful. It wasn't a struggle for him to sell all he had. He wanted to do it - it was the best day of his life.

        God has given us the ability to choose what we treasure. He knows He will find our heart wherever our treasure is. His heart's desire is for us to make Him our treasure. Dear Lord Jesus, in this new year of 2026, and in all future years, help us to choose wisely what our hearts seek after.

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