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What does this scripture mean? - 6/12/2008 10:07:31 AM
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allisonbrett
Posts: 126
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On my homepage I have a daily scripture. It usually always inspires me to focus on what was being said and how I need to apply it to my life. Today's scripture reference is a bit confusing. Of course, so much of Revelation is symbolic and often difficult to understand but I'd like some help with this one.
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. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. Revelation 2:17 NIV
Hidden manna?
White stone?
Name only known to those that receive it?
Can someone explain these to me?
Thanks
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Allison's Mindless Chatter
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RE: What does this scripture mean? - 6/12/2008 11:24:36 AM
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BerianAardvark
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quote:
ORIGINAL: allisonbrett
On my homepage I have a daily scripture. It usually always inspires me to focus on what was being said and how I need to apply it to my life. Today's scripture reference is a bit confusing. Of course, so much of Revelation is symbolic and often difficult to understand but I'd like some help with this one.
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. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. Revelation 2:17 NIV
Hidden manna?
White stone?
Name only known to those that receive it?
Can someone explain these to me?
Thanks
Jesus refers to Himself as the true manna (John 6:31-35) so it could refer to Jesus "The bread of life, the bread from heaven." The living bread is Jesus Christ, unseen in the earth and hence called hidden. This is the most likely interpretation as far as I can see.
The white stone is pretty much a cultural thing from the area and era, though there is a carry over today in that in some situations to be "black balled" it to be rejected.
Among the Greeks a white stone was a symbol of acquittal, as a black stone was of guilt. The white stone implies justification, innocence and victory.
By extension then, a white stone became regarded as a token of favor, prosperity, or success - whether considered as a vote, or as a token given to a victor, etc.
So Jesus giving a white stone would be a mark of favor and approval.
Often the stones would be marked with the name or signet of the person who had given it, and entitled the bearer to special privileges.
As to the new name, very often in scripture the name signifies the nature:
Then he said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking." But he said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." He said, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed." (Genesis 32:26-28)
Jacob means "that supplants, undermines; the heel grabber" (one who trips someone) and that was his nature as well witness his relation ship with his elder brother Esau and others.
Israel" “a prince, one who prevailed.” This also became his new nature from that point onward.
As Christians we are also given a new nature, and the more we persevere in our walk and over come our old nature the more our new nature comes to the fore.
Hopefully this sheds some light,
Tim
_____________________________
The Law is for the proud and the Gospel for the brokenhearted - Martin Luther
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RE: What does this scripture mean? - 6/12/2008 12:58:39 PM
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Liveloved
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quote:
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. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. Revelation 2:17 NIV
Tim gave an excellent explanation. But I'd say the emphasis of this verse is on hearing what the Spirit says. Many listen. Few hear. So for personal application, I'd focus on hearing. We miss so much of what He is saying because of presuppositions, our own thoughts, prior teaching, etc. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Something new each day. . .
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RE: What does this scripture mean? - 6/12/2008 1:19:48 PM
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BerianAardvark
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quote:
The name thing I did figure that since we are new creatures once we are saved that our original name that our parents gave us would change. I wonder though, at what God says our new name is? I assume we will have to get to heaven to know it.
Since in scripture the name is frequently the nature, our new name (new nature) will be based upon our relationship with Christ, so it is a "work in progress". As Liveloved pointed out that progress is guided by direction from the Holy Spirit as we read God's word, and begin to understand what it means to live as our new nature/name requires, the more closely we listen and heed what we hear the more quickly and steadily we will progress towards what we are to become.
So in a very real sense we will not know exactly what our new name is until the work is complete...till we get to heaven.
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)
One of the reasons why we are commanded not to take the Lord's name in vain is because every name we have for Him is a representation of His very nature...so when we use His name in vain we are declaring His very nature in some manner to be "Empty; worthless; having no substance, value or importance." (Noah Webster's Dictionary of American English) That is why scripture find it to be such a grave offense. This, while it would using it as a swear word, would also include using it in a careless or flippant manner.
_____________________________
The Law is for the proud and the Gospel for the brokenhearted - Martin Luther
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RE: What does this scripture mean? - 6/12/2008 1:35:21 PM
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blue1914
Posts: 310
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quote:
ORIGINAL: BerianAardvark
Jacob means "that supplants, undermines; the heel grabber" (one who trips someone) and that was his nature as well witness his relation ship with his elder brother Esau and others.
Israel" “a prince, one who prevailed.” This also became his new nature from that point onward.
Actually "Israel" means "struggles with God". It did indeed describe Jacob's new nature-for he struggled with God then and his children (the people of Israel and really all of us) have been doing so ever since.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_of_Israel
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RE: What does this scripture mean? - 6/12/2008 1:49:29 PM
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BerianAardvark
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The definition I used was a compilation from Smith's Bible Dictionary, Easton's Bible Dictionary and Hitchcock's Bible Names, standard reference works in the era prior to wiki-pedia (which I use on occasion).
Tim
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The Law is for the proud and the Gospel for the brokenhearted - Martin Luther
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RE: What does this scripture mean? - 6/12/2008 2:55:09 PM
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blue1914
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quote:
ORIGINAL: BerianAardvark
The definition I used was a compilation from Smith's Bible Dictionary, Easton's Bible Dictionary and Hitchcock's Bible Names, standard reference works in the era prior to wiki-pedia (which I use on occasion).
Tim
In digging a little further, I do find that there is indeed controversy regarding the literal interpretation of the word as the question is to the etymology of the word itself-apparently, bible scholars are torn on which root word is comes from-so it's possible either intepretation (or neither) is accurate. This page (in wikipedia) gives a little more detail on the possible interpretations of the word in English.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel
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RE: What does this scripture mean? - 6/12/2008 2:56:58 PM
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rcjames
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I think the part of that passage that folks need to be really concerned about is what does "Overcome" mean.
Thsnks
RC
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