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

 A grand award awaits for all those who heed Jesus'  counsel, given by direction of Jehovah's holy spirit.  Listen! "Let the one ho has 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 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 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, 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 26:34)  No one was permitted to penetrate that sacred place in order  to eat the 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 heaven itself." (Hebrews 9:12, 24) At their resurrection, they put on incorruption and immorality-a marvelous provision of Jehovah, symbolized by their given the imperishable  "hidden manna." How privileged that small group of overcomers is! - 1 CORINTHIANS 15:53-57.

These also receive "a white pebble."  In Roman courts, pebbles were used in passing judgment."  A white pebble meant acquittal, whereas a black pebble meant condemnation often to death.  Jesus' giving "a white pebble" to the Christians in Pergamum would indicate that he adjudges them innocent, pure and clean.  But Jesus' words may have a further meaning.  In Roman times, pebbles were also used  like tickets to gain entry to important events. So the white pebble may indicate something very special for the conquering anointed Christian-his being admitted to an honored place in heaven at the marriage of the Lamb .  Only 144,000  such pebbles are provided. - REVELATION 14:1; 19:7, 9. 

Next time:  Holding Fast to Jesus' Name - Conclusion of "Hidden Manna and a White Pebble" 

From the jw.org publications