Chapter Nine/Holding Fast to Jesus' Name -'Hidden Manna and a White Pebble'

 A grand reward awaits all who heed Jesus' counsel, given by the direction of Jehovah's holy spirit. Listen! "Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregation: To him that conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white pebble, and upon the pebble a new name written in which no one knows except the one receiving it." (Revelation 2:17) Thus, the Christians in Pergamum, like the Christians in Smyrna, are congregated to 'conquer.' If they are to 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 and 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 mordaciously, like the 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 "bread" in a golden jar inside the sacred ark of the covenant "throughout [Israel's] generation." - EXODUS 16:14, 15, 23, 26, 33; HEBREWS 9:3, 4.

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