The Lord also promised the overcomer, saying, “I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it.” Enjoying Christ as the hidden manna produces transformation. How can we say this? Because after referring to the hidden manna, the Lord speaks of a white stone. A stone in the Bible signifies material for God’s building. Man was not made with stone but with dust (Gen. 2:7). In a sense, man is just clay, and Romans 9 reveals that man is simply a clay vessel. However, when the Lord first met Simon Peter, He immediately changed his name from Simon to Cephas, which means “a stone” (John 1:42). Recall Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28. When he awoke from that dream, he took the stone which he had used for a pillow and called it the house of God. In 1 Corinthians 3 Paul indicates that precious stones are to be used for the building of the church, and in Revelation 21 we see that precious stones are materials in the New Jerusalem. As we put all these verses together, we see that a stone signifies a transformed person. We cannot understand a verse like 2:17 by itself; we must consider it in the context of the whole Bible. The Lord promises the overcomer to eat of the hidden manna and to give him a white stone. This indicates that if we eat the hidden manna, we shall be transformed into white stones.
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). By eating Jesus as the hidden manna we shall be transformed into white stones for God’s building. If we do not follow the worldly church, but enjoy the Lord in the proper church life, we shall 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. In the book of Revelation the color white denotes approval. When we are transformed into a stone, we shall be approved by the Lord. This will make Him very happy. The white stone is for God’s building. God’s building, the building of the church, depends upon our transformation, and our transformation issues from the enjoyment of Christ as our life supply.
The Lord said that “on the stone” would be “a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it.” A name designates a person, and the new name here is the designation of a transformed person. Every transformed believer as a “white stone” bears “a new name...which no one knows but he who receives it.” Such a “new name” is the interpretation of the experience of the one being transformed. Hence, only he himself knows the meaning of that name. A certain brother may still be quite muddy. Nevertheless, he loves the Lord, has forsaken the world, and has given up every separation. Thus, the Lord would say to him, “I shall give you to eat of the hidden manna.” The more this brother eats the hidden manna, the more he will be transformed into a white stone. As this brother eats the Lord Jesus as the hidden manna, he will have certain experiences and the Lord will write a new name upon him. This new name is simply the new designation of what this brother is. Since this new name is based upon what this brother is according to his experiences, others cannot know what it is.
Revelation 2:17 is a word spoken by the Lord to us. Do not take it objectively but as your biography. Consider it as a word for you. In a sense, we are living in the age of Pergamos, for the so-called church has become worldly. But, being an anti-witness, we are here fighting for the Lord’s recovery. Therefore, the Lord gives us this word in verse 17, and we all need to understand it and say, “Amen, Lord. Thank You for this promise. I may eat of You as the hidden manna, and this eating will transform me from clay into a stone which will please You, be approved by You, and be used by You for the building up of Your dwelling place. Lord, I agree with Your promise. From now on, I shall eat You in a hidden way and be transformed to become a white stone for Your building.” Is this not a wonderful promise from the Lord? Yes, the church may become worldly, but the Lord has promised that we may become a white stone for God’s building.