A New Name
“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious, I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it.” Revelation 2:17
I love to study the Word of God, but to be honest, I used to avoid even reading the Book of Revelation. Let’s face it, Revelation can be a challenge to understand, but lately, I have started to fall in love with it. I can’t say that I fully understand all the imagery and prophecies it contains, but not being able to fully understand something may not be reason enough to avoid it. After all, I can barely understand how this computer I am typing on works. And I sure don’t understand how I can push a button on this side of the world and talk to my daughter who lives on the exact opposite side of the world!
Lately, I have been studying the seven churches in Revelation. One thing that stands out to me is the “To everyone who is victorious” statements at the end of each message to the churches. Here in chapter two, Jesus says that to the victorious ones, He will give a white stone engraved with a new name.
Throughout my life, I have been given endearing nicknames by various people, names that reveal something about me to that person. For example, my Mom’s endearing name for me was actually my middle name, Sue. No one else ever called me by my middle name. My oldest brother called me Sis, while my youngest brother called me Sissy. My husband and I had funny nicknames for each other when we were dating that only he and I would understand. Today, one of my Bible study students lovingly calls me “Teach.”
While Revelation doesn’t give an explanation of this new name Jesus will give us, it does say that no one understands it except the one who receives it. Perhaps it’s an endearing nickname that reveals something about me that only Jesus would know. It seems that this new name is something that’s just between me and Jesus.
Just something to think about, but I wonder what name will be on the white stone Jesus will give me.