The Conquerors, Part 2

Outline

Big Idea:

The Tree of Life - Revelation 2:7.

The Second Death - Revelation 2:11.

The Hidden Manna, White Stone, and New Name - Revelation 2:17.

The Authority Over Nations and the Morning Star - Revelation 2:26.

The White Garments, Book of Life, and Confessions - Revelation 3:5-6.

The Pillar and Inscription of Names - Revelation 3:12-13.

The Granting of Fellowship and Relationship - Revelation 3:21-22.

Introduction

Review

First Two Promises to the Conquerors…

They will be granted the right to eat of the Tree of Life

They will not be hurt by the second death.

Body

Who was the third church?

Pergamum

What was the church at Pergamum?

The Worldly Church

The Hidden Manna, White Stone, and New Name - Revelation 2:17.

Revelation 2:17 ESV

17 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.’

What was the problem at Pergamum?

They were worldly.

They were running after worldly pleasures.

They were “eating the food offered to idols” and they were “practicing sexual immorality.”

Following the way of Balaam, the way of the Nicolaitans, they were feeding the passions of the flesh in their pursuit of “worship” rather than denying it.

They were allowing the appetites of the flesh to creep into their worship of God and thinking it was acceptable.

What does Jesus promise to those who OVERCOME the appetites of the flesh in their pursuit of God?

Three things.

Hidden Manna, White Stone, a New Name written on the stone

Hidden Manna

Those who conquer will be giving hidden manna.

Notice the contrast with the fact that they were following the Nicolaitans who followed the teaching of Balaam who put the stumbling block before them that they might eat food offered to idols.

What is manna?

Manna was a bread like wafer, like coriander seed, white, tasted like wafters made with honey that the people ate for 40 years in the wilderness. It was God’s provision for their nourishment and sustenance

Ex 16:13-15, 26-35.

Exodus 16:13–15 ESV

13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.

We are told in Deuteronomy 8:3 why God fed them solely on a supply of manna and quail all those years.

Deuteronomy 8:3 ESV

3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

He humbled them.

He intended it to be a lesson…that they needed to depend upon HIM, that they were not intended to live alone on man’s bread, but that they were supposed to live dependent upon the word of God.

God kept them on a steady diet of manna and quail to remind them to physical food was not supposed to be their focus.

His LIVING WORDS OF LIFE were supposed to be.

As commemoration of this period in their lives, a jar of manna was kept in the Ark of the covenant.

Hebrews 9:1-5.

Hebrews 9:1–5 ESV

1 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. 2 For a tent was prepared, the first section, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, 4 having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. 5 Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

It was supposed to serve as a reminder of God’s faithful provision to them during those years.

It was supposed to serve as a reminder that more important than physical food is spiritual food. We are supposed to live dependent on HIS WORDS of life.

We are suppose to submit ourselves unto them.

We are supposed to be nourished by them.

We are supposed to be delighted and sustained by them.

We are supposed to DELIGHT in them

Psalm 1:1-2; 119:97; Romans 7:22.

Instead of delighting in the delicacies of the world, we are supposed to be delighting in the word of God, the things of God.

To overcome, we must run from the world’s pleasures and take refuge in God’s word.

Listen to Jesus own words…

John 6:31-40.

John 6:31-40.

John 6:31–40 ESV

31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

God gives the true bread - Jesus

He gives life - in the same way that the manna gave life in the wilderness.

As bread, he satisfies. Those who take him will have/know eternal life. He is life, eternal. He is manna of life.

Jesus, his flesh is the manna (bread) of life.

Jesus IS THE HIDDEN MANNA spoken of here in Revelation 2:17.

(Hidden is revealing that the fully reality and expression of this is not yet revealed and is being kept for the day in the future when we are taken into His presence)

If we reject the false pleasures of the world, if we overcome, if we conquer, WE WILL GET JESUS IN HIS FULLNESS FOR OUR FULL SATISFACTION AND DELIGHT.

But if we reject him here and now for the temporary and fleeting pleasures of this life, we will lose him now, and if our profession of faith proves to be false, we will lose in him eternity as well.

We may well have to deny ourselves the pleasures of the flesh and the world, we may have to defer our desire for comfort, rest, pleasure….

But when we do…

We will be blessed with the hidden manna of Jesus that is far more satisfying and filling than anything this life has to offer.

White Stone

The white stone is a bit more problematic to identify and discern.

There are several possibilities

Victor. In Roman custom, white stones were awarded to the victors in athletic contests. The stone would be inscribed with their name. It would serve as their ticket to a special awards banquet.

In this view, the white stone given to conquerors, with their new name written on it, serves as their admission into the eternal celebration of heaven.

It is a symbol of their overcoming, their conquering, their victory.

Guidance. Some link this stone the Urim and Thummin on the breastplate of the high priest (Ex 28:15, 30; Lev 8:8; Num 27:21; Deut. 33:8.) These stones were used to determine God’s will and represented the right of the high priest to seek the direction of God for the leader who did not have direct access to God to ask for Himself.

In this view, the white stone represents the promise for God to give us knowledge of His will.

Eternal Life. Some see this white stone as a diamond, one of the most precious stones. They liken this stone as the gift of eternal life that is given to His children.

Acquittal. In ancient times, white (and black) stones were used for voting. White stones were used to vote for acquittal while black stones were used to vote for condemnation.

Thus in this view, the white stone is God’s vote for our acquittal, his expression that those who conquer are free from guilt and condemnation and are welcomed into His eternal presence, clean and clear because of the work of Jesus and their faith and repentance.

Purity. The white stone could simply symbolize the purity of the bearer, having been justly declared righteous and free from guilt, the acquittal.

It could be that the white stone is a combination of these possibilities.

The stone’s exact meaning is not specified to us here in Revelation, so any answer we give is merely speculation but these all seem potentially sound explanations for the meaning of the white stone.

A New Name

The Authority Over Nations and the Morning Star - Revelation 2:26-29.

Revelation 2:26–29 ESV

26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Authority References

Rev 2:26-27 quotes Ps 2:8-9.

Psalm 2 - The authority to rule is God’s. One he gives to the Son. One the son will apparently share with us.

We think we rule (in this life) but only God truly does rule.

Luke 19:11-19 - Those who are faithful with what they have been given to steward, will be given more and will be given authority to rule.

Rev 5:10 - Jesus is worthy. He was slain, ransoming a people for God making them priests and giving them authority to rule.

Rev 3:21 - God is the one who gives us the authority to rule.

Morning Star References

Dan 12:1-4; Matthew 13:43 - When we live like Christ, for Christ, we reflect brightness and light to others.

2 Peter 1:19 - The prophetic word SHOULD be paid attention to LIKE a bright lamp(star) shining in a dark place. UNTIL the morning star (Jesus) rules in our hearts until Jesus is fully revealed to us, his word is the light we should follow.

Rev 22:16 - THIS VERSE INFORMS how we understand the first two…

Jesus IS the bright morning star

Jesus is promising to give us Himself in all his fullness.

Rev 22:16 makes clear WHO the morning star is. The conqueror then is being promised JESUS. Yes, we will shine like His glory and we will reflect his glory but this points are secondary. The conqueror is being promises Jesus Himself.

The White Garments, Book of Life, and Confessions - Revelation 3:5-6.

Revelation 3:5–6 ESV

5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Book of Life References

Rev 13:8 - Book of Life of the Lamb (Before foundation of the world)

The anti-Christ, the beast was given authority over all whose names were not written in the book of life. He waged war on those whose names were in it.

All whose names were not written in it WILL worship him.

Rev 17:8 - Book of Life (Before Foundation

All whose names were not written would marvel at the beast. They will worship and be deceived by it.

Rev 20:12, 15 - Book of Life

Great White Throne

Judgement - Books were opened.

All judged by what is written

All not written in book of life cast into Hell/Lake of Fire

Books…another book…book of life

Rev 21:27 - Lamb’s Book of Life

All those whose names were written will enter heaven.

Ps 69:19 (tells you “who”), 22-28

Book of the Living

Those who persecute Jesus and his saints…may they be blotted out and not enrolled with righteous

The consequences of being blotted out is that they are not numbered with the saints.

Confessed before Father and Angels

Matthew 10:32-33; Luke 12:8-9

Those who openly and publicly confess Jesus he will confess before the Father and the angels in heaven.

Those who deny Him, he will deny before God in heaven.

The consequences of not being confessed before God in heaven are that he will be rejected by God.

Conclusion

Application