THE HIDDEN MANNA AND THE ENGRAVED WHITE STONE – PART 1
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from Afrikaans
Translator: Robin Barker
Someone wrote to me:
“I would like to hear how you explain or understand Revelations 2 verse 17.”
I explain in this, the first of two thoughts from the Word, how I understand ‘Hidden (concealed) Manna’ in Rev 2:17 through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Revelations came about in a time when terrible persecution of Christians was taking place.
It is important that you should remember while I discuss this section with you –
John is a prisoner on the island of Patmos, when he received Revelations from our Lord.
REV 1:9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
According to the historian Phinius, the island of Patmos, was the place where a state colony was located for the internment (incarceration, house) dangerous state criminals.
Against this background, I read the following:
REV 2:17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To those who are victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give each of them a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.
Let us now look at this first writing, in a series of two, about the “hidden” or concealed manna.
The first time we read about manna, was the manna which the Israelites received from our Lord when they were in the desert.
We read:
EX 16:4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.
EX 16:31 The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey.
The first manna came down from Heaven to the Israelites and this hidden, or concealed manna which is spoken about here, also came down from Heaven and in connection with this we read:.
JHN 6:47-51
47 “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life.
49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.
50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which people may eat and not die.
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
You and I celebrate this great wonderful truth each time when we take Communion:
1 COR 11:23-26
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,
24 e and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
John writes these Words in Rev 2:17 firstly to the 7 churches (congregations) of Asia and which they clearly understood Jesus’s meaning which John spoke of, but Jesus spoke also to you and me and for us, just like the 7 churches (congregations) of Asia, is this Manna, namely Jesus Christ is not hidden or concealed. But clearly understood and according to people around us, could the greatest wonderful great truth could just as well be hidden in a jar on Mars.
For this exact reason Jesus told us, His disciples:
MAT 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
MAT 28:20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
So, come let you and I make sure that this Manna, namely Jesus Christ, which satan wants to hide from the world, is spread to as many people as possible, because we know:
JHN 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
(Part 2 follows)
Greetings,
Sakkie