17 He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh
will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in
the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
(Rev 2:17)
The
Collect
Sixth
Sunday after Trinity
|
O
|
GOD, who hast prepared for those who love thee such
good things as pass man's understanding; Pour into our hearts such love toward
thee, that we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which
exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Today's
parable comes from an unlikely source – the Revelation of Jesus Christ – the
last book of the Holy Bible! The parable is full of hidden beauty and mystery
for our mining. Even the slightest of its mystery cannot be discerned by a
perfunctory reading. It must be perused with the eyes, as well as the heart,
for the beauty to be revealed to us. When we contemplate that beauty and
mystery of a single verse, we may be overcome with delight and joy – the kind
of delight and joy one experiences when glimpsing behind the Veil of Heaven
itself.
First
let us observe to whom this verse is directed. It is a general statement
directed to the Churches of God (modern Israel – (unto the churches), but more specifically to the
individuals (let him hear what the Spirit
saith) who have an ear
that is keen to hear the Voice of the Spirit of God speaking. (He that hath an
ear). And it is not directed to hearers only, but DOERS of the
Word. (To him that overcometh)
(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the
law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do
by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law
unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts,
their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while
accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the
secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (Romans 2:13-16)
There
is much said in Scripture about perseverance in the Gospel and "finishing
our race" to the end. This is not related to the strict obedience of the
Commandments written in Stone, but the Law of God written in our Hearts in the
Scarlet Ink of the Blood of Christ. For whatsoever is born of God
overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even
our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that
Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5) And I will give them one
heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart
out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in
my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my
people, and I will be their God. (Ezek 11:19-20)
I
give to eat of the hidden manna. Jesus will give to us that
"Hidden Manner!" He is the only One who can provide this particular
Manna for He is the Bread of Heaven and the Word of Life! Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that
bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the
bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the
world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And
Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he
that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never
thirst. (John 6:32-35) You will recall that the Manna of the
Wilderness Journey required daily collection (except for the Sabbath). If extra
Manna were hoarded for future days, it would mould and ruin. Only on the day
preceding the Sabbath could an extra day's Manna be collected that would not go
bad.
Do you
eat physical food every day? You must if you will remain healthy, but what of
that Spiritual Bread of Heaven? You cannot study intensely for a week and then
refrain from study for a month. We must be fed daily with that Bread of Heaven
(the Word of God) if we will remain healthy believers. Do you? Where do we
gather this Manna, and to whom is it hidden? Howbeit we speak wisdom
among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the
princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God
in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto
our glory (1 Cor 2:6-7) The world cannot receive the Hidden Manna
because a reprobate heart cannot grasp its beauty and meaning. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth;
whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him:
but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
(John 14:16-17)
"….and will give him a white stone."
What meaneth this White Stone? Christ is that pure, undefiled Rock of our
Salvation. He is brilliant in Light and gleaming White in radiance. When we
receive Christ in our hearts, we become His – we should reflect His nature, His
love, His holiness, and His constancy. We, like Peter, becomes stones from that
pure, white Rock! Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye
that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to
the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father,
and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and
increased him (Isaiah 51:1-2) For the promise, that he should be
the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but
through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs,
faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law
worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore
it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure
to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which
is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (Romans 4:13-16)
If we have received that promise of salvation in Christ, we are the true
children of Abraham through faith and not of the law of generations.
Please
understand the meaning of the White Stone – it means forgiveness and/or
justification. White in the East is a symbol of forgiveness. The judges at
tribunal placed a white or black stone in a basket to signify guilt (black) or
innocence (white). We are deemed innocent by that imputed righteousness
conferred by the Blood of Jesus Christ at Calvary. The White Stone given
to the overcomer signifies FULL PARDON!
"………and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth
saving he that receiveth it." Why a `new name?' Do you wish
to carry that old name you have drug through the pits of the filth of this
earth with you to heaven? Do you remember how many terrible deeds and sins have
been connected with that scandalous name? Would it not be wonderful to receive
a new name free of the black blemishes of past sin, and against which no man
can utter a single gossip? Only WE shall know that new name – and, of course,
the One who granted it to us. There will be no lies, no immoral thoughts or
actions, no scandal, nor any evil thing at all associated with that new name.
God has deigned "not to remember" our past sins. For I will be
merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I
remember no more (Heb 8:12) I, even I, am he that blotteth
out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
(Isaiah 43:25) and As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he
removed our transgressions from us. (Psalms 103:12) As they say in
Alabama, "….and that is a right smart distance!"
Can you
even imagine the joy of being completely exonerated (by the imputed righteousness
of Christ), not only from all sins and transgressions, but even from the past
record of these? Have you been exonerated, friend? Will you receive a new name
written on a White Stone?
