Question about Rev 2:17

In the Bible, God changed the names of many of the saints when there was a change in their relationship with Him, such as Abram/Abraham, Jacob/Israel, and Saul/Paul. Maybe the Lord will give us a new name to indicate what He has done in our lives.

I don't have any concrete answers for your questions, but there is a hymn based on this verse:

1.
I was once a sinner, but I came
Pardon to receive from my Lord
This was freely given and I found
That He always kept His word.

Chorus:
There's a new name written down in glory
And it's mine, oh yes, it's mine
And the white-robed angels sing the story
"A sinner has come home!"
There's a new name written down in glory
And it's mine, oh yes, it's mine
With my sins forgiven I am bound for Heaven
Never more to roam

2.
I was humbly kneeling at the cross
Fearing not but God's angry frown
When the heavens opened and I saw
That my name was written down!

Chorus

3.
In the Book 'tis written, "Saved by Grace,"
O the joy that came to my soul!
Now I am forgiven, and I know
By the blood I am made whole!

Chorus

 

Hello Sue

Maybe if the lambs book of life is made of stone? could be...!

I agree with you & Gwen. We will have a new name change which signifies our permanent new standing with God. It will be a descriptive label. Like the name Abram means "father of nothing,” then he was renamed by God to be Abraham, “father of multitudes;”
Sarai “complainer,” was renamed Sarah - “princess"

Maybe you looked this up but overcometh is from the word "nikao" which means "to conquer." So if we conquer the devil, and follow God's will, then we will have a new name.

Stones were used in ancient times as ballots. It is a forever symbol of acceptance or approval by Jesus. That's what I understand.

Yet I wondered if the stone in that verse also signifies a headstone. Headstones are also forever symbols of a permanent state of being (dead). Hadstones also list names of the dead, dead being a permanant state of being.
So this stone would be similar except it lists the new names of the saved. Just a thought.

I wonder why our new names would only be known by us. Maybe when we receive the white stones with our new names, they are only readable by us.

 

Pure speculation: maybe the new name is a "pet name" just between us and our Lord, a special name He calls us by that no one else knows! The names might be like those in Pilgrim's Progress. Someone who was martyred might be "Faithful Follower." A blessed soul-winner might be "Joyful Witness." A bed-ridden but faithful saint might be "Prayer Partner."

An interesting parallel is that when a Japanese Buddhist dies the priest tries to sell him what is called a kaimyo, a special name for the afterlife. You might literally pay $1000s for a good one. It's a racket. A certain good Buddhist lady paid for a top drawer name for her dead husband. The priest guaranteed it would get him into Gokuraku, the Buddhist paradise. Then in August he told her that her husband was set free from Hell for a short period, so she should entertain him in what is called the Bon Festival. She said, "Wait. I thought I bought him a good enough kaimyo to get him into Heaven!" That was what turned her towards the truth, and she eventually trusted Christ as Savior.

P. S. My Hebrew teacher thought Heaven's language would be Hebrew, so....

 

We have to admit...there are some things we won't know until we are in Heaven. I think that this is one of them.

Debbie Mc

 

Isnt' this verse addressed to those who will die for their faith in the tribulation?

Or at least to martyrs? I don't think it's for every believer because it talks about him who "overcomes."

 

It's not about the tribulation. It's said to the church at Pergemos, an historical church meant to teach people in churches of all ages. I believe we will all overcome by God's grace at death, so this verse is to all believers.

 

I don't know of believers that die then....I will be in Heaven, so I won't be around. raying:

 

My understanding is that some will be saved in the tribulation (I realize there are different views on this).

Also, there is a theme of martyrs in Rev -- the 2 witnesses who are killed, the martyrs crying out under the altar, etc. In fact, Pergamos was the only church of the seven to have had a martyr (v. 13).

This promise about the white stone and the name is given to those at Pergamos who resist eating things sacrificed to idols (v. 14) and overcome this problem that is mentioned there. They are told to repent in v. 16 and then told about this white stone and new name to the overcomers. I don't think this is to all believers. This is in a specific address to Pergamos.

Just my thoughts on it.....

 

RE: Rev 2:17?

I may be way off base here, but here is the thought I have had for a while now(subject to change at a moment's notice, LOL). When we are born again, we get The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost at the same time. Jesus is mentioned as a Stone in Daniel 2:36, Psalms 40, Matthew 21:42-44, etc. I can't help but think the "White Stone" is Him. Why? When we are saved, we are the only one(God and us) who knows we are truly saved. There will be some who may/will question our salvation. I am not saying we each will have the name "Jesus", but the "White Stone" is made in reference to Him coming into our lives.

Willis

 

Three rewards here, hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name.

Like JOJ said, pure speculation but maybe it has to do with being born again. Being a new creature. Perhaps we get a new name that goes with our new eternal life.

I guess we'll understand it better by and by...

I had read or heard somewhere that white stones were used for social invitations like weddings, feast etc... They would send you a stone with your name on it. They concluded this stone was our invite to the banquet in heaven where we will partake of the heavenly manna...

 

I recall hearing the late Dr. Mark G. Cambron, one of my teachers and Dean at Bible College, who also taught for a number of years at Tennessee Temple, your own alma mater, where he was also Dean, saying that he hoped his "new name written" would be "Eleazer". :thumbsup:

(Incidentally, he also thought Hebrew would be the language of heaven.)

Me? I'll be completely satisfied with whatever one I am freely given. But I am kind of partial to Boaz, personally. :smilewinkgrin:

Ed

 

You think maybe there's a Ruth for you in Heaven? :smilewinkgrin:

 

Depends

I think it depends on how you interpret overcomes.

1Jo 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Many of the other letters in Revelation also mention rewards to him who overcometh. I generally take the 1 John 5:5 definition.

Love,
Beth

 

Revelation 2:17
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.

It's a mystery which only God knows at this point in time and in time, those who will receive it, so it's pointless making assumptions about the new name on the stone. It's like setting a date for the rapture - fruitless.

 

The Gospel will be preached to Jews during that time, and they can still accept the Messiah. But I don't think anybody else is going to be given that opportunity that they rejected before the Rapture.

God's chosen people still will have a chance, but even then, some will still reject the Good News...amazing (shaking head)

Debbie Mc

 

Yes, I agree in part, so I'm looking at the context of martyrdom in Rev as well as the situation in that church to intepret "overcomes." They were dealing with false teachers and needed to combat this and overcome.

 

Difficult

Marcia, you have a formidable task. I still don't have a working handle on Revelation.

So, you are looking at the letters in Revelation to pertain to the time period between the sixth and seventh seal? And you are considering overcoming in the context of this massive martyrdom to come?

Rev 7:13 ¶ And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
1 ¶ And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.