'Hidden Manna And A White Pebble'

A grand reward awaits all who heed Jesus' counsel, given by direction of Jehovah's holy spirit. Listen! "Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: To him that conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white pebble, and upon the white pebble a new name written which no one knows except the one receiving it." (Revelation 2:17) Thus, the Christians in Pergamum, like the Christians in Smyrna, are encouraged to 'conquer.' If they are succeed, those in Pergamum, where the throne of Satan is, must shun idolatry. They must overcome the immorality, the sectarianism and the apostasy linked with Balak, Balaam and the sect of Nicolaus. So doing, those anointed Christians will be invited to eat some of "the hidden manna." What does this mean?

In Moses' day, Jehovah provided manna to sustain the Israelites during their wilderness journey. That manna was not hidden, for each morning-except on the sabbath-it appeared miraculously, like a flaky hoarfrost covering the earth. it was a divine provision to keep the Israelites alive. As a memorial, Jehovah commanded Moses to keep some of this "bread" in a golden jar inside the sacred ark of the covenant "throughout [Israel's]generations."-Exodus 16:14, 15, 23, 26, 33; Hebrews 9:3, 4.

What a fitting symbol! This manna was hidden in the Most Holy compartment of the tabernacle, where the miraculous light that hovered over the Ark's cover symbolized the very presence of Jehovah. (Exodus 36:34) No one was permitted to penetrate that sacred place in order to eat the hidden manna. However, Jesus said that his anointed followers who conquer would eat "the hidden manna." Like Christ before them, they get to enter, "not into a holy place made with hands, which is a copy of the reality, but into heavens itself." (Hebrews 9:12, 24) At their resurrection, they put on incorruption and immorality--a marvelous provision of Jehovah, symbolized by their being given the imperishable "hidden manna." How privileged that small group of overcomers is!--1Corinthians 15:53-57.

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