Day 346: Revelation 2:14–17

I will also give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name is inscribed that no one knows except the one who receives it (v. 17).

Not long ago I received a letter from a loved one with whom I shared my testimony about the transforming power of God’s Word. He, a practicing Buddhist, wrote me his own testimony about how life had improved since he changed his “karma.” My heart broke over the inevitable disillusionment of self-worship. At some point surely a self-worshiper looks in the mirror and says, “If I am as good as God gets, life really stinks.” And yet counterfeits continue to be sold and manufactured on every corner.

Christ, for example, rebuked an undesignated number in Pergamum for holding to the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans. The fact that He commanded the repentance of the whole church means the number had to be significant. Although God esteems repentance of the faithful on behalf of the unfaithful, He doesn’t require it from people who haven’t sinned. Look back at His commendation to the church of Ephesus in Revelation 2:2. I suspect the church in Pergamum may have tolerated “wicked men” and false apostles more than the church of Ephesus.

We can’t dogmatically identify the teaching of the Nicolaitans, but they are closely associated with the teachings of Balaam. The account of Balaam and Balak is found in Numbers 22–24. In a nutshell, Balak, the king of Moab, greatly feared the Israelites as they settled in the promised land. He hired Balaam the soothsayer to curse Israel, but Balaam blessed them instead. He did, however, instruct Balak how to defeat the Israelites. He told Balak to seduce them into idolatry through the harlotry of the Moabite women. Based on all I’ve read, I believe the basic concept of Balaam’s teachings is this: If you can’t curse them, try to seduce them!

The whole idea makes my blood boil. You see, Satan is waging war on our generation with Balaam’s weapon (see 1 Tim. 4:1). Satan can’t curse us because we are blessed (Eph. 1:3)—children of God, covered by the blood of the Lamb. If the devil can’t curse us, then how can he defeat us? He can try to seduce us! How does seduction differ from temptation? All seduction is temptation, but not all temptation is seduction. Many temptations are just plain obvious and outright. The aim of seduction, on the other hand, is to catch the prey off guard. That’s why Satan’s best henchmen (or women) are often insiders rather than outsiders. Some in the church of Pergamum were being enticed into sin by others among them, and Christ expected the church to jump to action.

Whether or not the seducers were truly saved is unclear. If the seducers were indeed true believers, they needed to be confronted properly and restored when repentant. Some may wonder how believers could be used by Satan to seduce. Beloved, seduced people seduce people. And if the devil’s scheme is not exposed and the chain is not broken, it perpetuates. We must develop discernment and guard our hearts jealously without becoming fearful and suspicious. Authentic godliness rather than religiousness is our best defense against seduction.

Christ’s letter to the church in Pergamum must have hit hard, but the tenderness and encouragement of the conclusion spared their hearts.

Christ promised two things to those who overcame: hidden manna and a white stone. The hidden manna contrasts beautifully with the food sacrificed to idols. Jesus Christ was the Bread of Life sacrificed on the altar before the one true God. Now His Spirit falls like manna from heaven to all who hunger. Jewish tradition holds that the ark with the pot of manna in it was hidden by order of King Josiah and will be revealed once again during the earthly reign of the Messiah.

The most probable meaning of the white stone in verse 17 is remarkable. In an ancient courtroom, jurors voting to condemn the accused would cast their vote by tossing a black stone or pebble. In contrast, jurors voting to acquit the condemned would cast their vote by tossing a white stone or pebble. Scripture actually records this ancient practice, but our English translations don’t portray it. In the course of sharing his testimony, Paul said he “cast my vote against” the Christians (Acts 26:10). The original wording is katenegka psephon. The Greek word katenegka means “to deposit or cast.” The Greek word psephon means “pebble or stone,” and is only used in Acts 26:10 and Revelation 2:17.79 Paul formerly deposited or cast his pebble to vote against the saints.

If we’re on target, the terminology Christ used was perfectly fitting for Pergamum, which was the legal center of the district. How I praise God that the Judge of all the earth pitches a white stone to acquit us—not because we’re innocent but because Someone has already served our sentence. And the new name on the stone? It could be Christ’s, but I also think we each have an overcoming name that’s unique and individual to us, not unlike Abram had Abraham, Simon had Peter, and Saul had Paul.

I’ll be honest with you. I’ll be glad to leave Pergamum and its insider seducers. But the manna and the stone? Those were worth the trip. See you tomorrow in Thyatira!