ROBERT@kontu.utu.fi (Robert W. Johnson) (03/12/91)
In a series of articles I am going to present the entire Church history as
phrophezied in Revelation 2:1-3:22. These verses phrophezy concerning the
first Church to the last Church before the Lord returns.
If you would like a list of references on Church history please send me a
note.
Note: This posting is very long. It will be divided into seven parts (there
are epistles to seven Churches.) Each part will consist of one or more
subparts.
Part III of VII - Subpart 3 of 3 of Part III
CHAPTER 2
III. "THE THINGS WHICH ARE" --
THE SEVEN LOCAL CHURCHES
2:1-3:22
C. Church in Pergamous --
the Church in Marriage with the World
17 He who has an (a)ear, let him hear what the (b)Spirit says to the
churches. To him who (1c)overcomes, to him I will give of the (2d)hidden
(e)manna, and I will give him a white (3f) stone, and on the stone a (4g)new
name written, which (h)no one knows but he who receives it.
(1) To "overcome" here means specifically to overcome the church's union
with the world, the teaching of idolatry and fornication, and the teaching
of hierarchy.
(2) "Manna" is a type of Christ as the heavenly food enabling God's people
to go His way. A portion of that manna was preserved in a golden pot concealed
in the ark (Exo. 16.32-34; Heb. 9:4). The open manna was for the enjoyment
of the Lord's people in a public way; the hidden manna, signifying the hidden
Christ, is a special portion reserved for His overcoming seekers who overcome
the degradation of the worldly church. While the church goes the way of the
world, these overcomers come forward to abide in the presence of God in the
Holy of Holies, where they enjoy the hidden Christ as a special portion for
their daily supply. This promise is fulfilled today in the proper church life
and will be fulfilled in full in the coming kingdom. If we seek the Lord,
overcome the degradation of the worldly church, and enjoy a special portion
of the Lord today, He as the hidden mann will be a reward to us in the coming
kingdom. If we miss him as our special portion today in the church life,
we will surely lose the enjoyment of Him as a reward in the coming kingdom.
(3) A "stone" in the Bible signifies material for God's building (Matt. 16:18;
1 Pet 2:5; 1 Cor. 3:12). In our natural being we are not stones, but clay.
Because we have received the divine life with its divine nature through
regeneration, we can be transformed into stones, even precious stones, by
enjoying Christ as our life supply (2 Cor. 3:18). If we do not follow the
worldly church, but enjoy the Lord in the proper church life, we will be
transformed into stones for the building of God. These stones will be justified
and approved by the Lord, as indicated by the color "white," while the worldly
church will be condemned and rejected by HIm. God's building, the building
of the church, depends upon our transformation, and our transformation issues
form the enjoyment of Christ as our life supply.
(4) A name designates a person. A "new name" is the designation of a transform-
ed person. Every transformed believer as a "white stone" bears "a new name ...
which no one knows but he who receives it." Sucha "new name" is the interpre-
tation of the experience of the one being transformed. Hence, only he himself
knows the meaning of the name.
(a) rev. 2:7 (b) rev. 2:7 (c) Rev. 2:7 (d) Heb. 9:4; Exo. 16:31-34 (e) Exo.
16:4-36; Num. 11:5-9; John 6:31-33, 35,57 (f) Matt. 16:18; 1 Pet. 2:5;
1 Cor. 3:12; Rev. 21:18-20 (g) Rev. 3:12; Isa. 62:2; cf. Rev. 14:1; 22:4
(h) cf. Rev. 19:12
-----
Robert W. Johnson
Computer center, The University of Turku, Turku Finland
robert@kontu.utu.fi (InterNet)
robert@firien.bitnet (BITNET)
The preceeding is my opinion and may not express the opinion of my employer
and furthermore has nothing to do with my employment.