A New Secret Name

Sometimes scripture has such hidden meaning that the unstudied cannot decipher it. In ancient times, especially in the Bible, names mean things. God has a plan for all of us, and throughout time his plan for people were in their names. Take for instance Moses - "to draw out of the water".  Thus, Moses, a few months later, was drawn out of the water for God's purpose - to save his people. Since, Moses has been symbolic of God the Father. He was selected to present God's Law to mankind. 

If we continue in this vein, the Law was written on stone because it was to be everlasting. We don't know if it was white stone or not, but regardless, coming from God, it was pure. White is always associated with purity:

Dan 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

Mark 9:2 ...he was transfigured before them. 3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. 4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

Mat 28:2  And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow...

Rev 1:13 ...one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow...

Jesus was in these four verses: (1) the ancient of days, (2) Jesus transfigured, (3) Jesus resurrected, and (4) Jesus glorified - ascended unto glory, respectively. Even Jesus's name has deep meaning - "deliverance", very fitting for the Deliverer!

The only point to be made here is that white represents the purity of God, and is manifested in Jesus. Note that from the ancient of days unto glorification the One without Name received a name - he was "called Jesus" (Luke 2:21). It may be stretching it a bit but the ancient of days was JHVH, God in the flesh was called Jesus, and God Glorified was called the Comforter - the "Ghost of Jesus" (John 14:26) and was sent in Jesus's Name. Like it or not, the crucified Spirit was the Ghost of Jesus. 

Thus, in Christ's case, when God's purpose changed, his Name changed with his purpose. Likewise, with his children, upon adoption, there comes a change in name - most notably, Simon became Peter, and Saul became Paul. Not always did converts receive name changes as far as we know, but obviously Jesus had specific purposes for those two! He does for us as well!

Guess what Peter's name means? Stone! Jesus was the cornerstone of the church (Psalm 118:22). Many of the Old and New Testament writers prophesied or spoke of the Cornerstone - Jesus Christ. But Peter was "the Stone" as well!

1 Pet 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Just as the twelve leaders of the tribes of Israel were to set up twelve stones:

Deut 27:1 And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day. 2 And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister: 3 And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee. 4 Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister. 5 And there shalt thou build an altar unto the Lord thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them. 6 Thou shalt build the altar of the Lord thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord thy God: 7 And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the Lord thy God.

We know that when Jacob wrestled with God and won, his name was changed to Israel. His twelve male heirs made up the names of the new land - the land of milk and honey. As the tribes passed over the Jordon, Canaan was transformed, a new nation, into Israel. The whitewashed stones may very well be the meaning of today's key verse:

Rev 2:17 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

This passage commences with an Old Testament concept - manna from heaven which preserved the Israelites (Psalm 78:24). However, the New Testament speaks of a different name for the same bread:

John 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

The bread spoken of in Rev 2:17 is the bread of John 6:57, it had a different purpose than the bread of life whose Name is Jesus.  Like the twelve tribes who overcame the wilderness, crossed the Jordan, and set up white stones, as they entered into "paradise"; we are given a white stone as well as we pass over into Paradise!

Canaanland got a new name - Israel. So will we! On that white stone a new name will be written. I don't know mine yet, and neither do you. My thought is in Heaven I will get a new name:

Paul told the Church about this transformation:

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

New creatures get new names! "Old things are passed away." That includes our names because "all things become new."  Paul was validated by John's revelation:

Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

I know, I have sort of meandered through this one, but I believe the conclusion is that we are made white as snow at glorification - just like Jesus, and that in Paradise we will have a new name. I like to think that I will bear my name somewhere on my glorified person just as those who are damned will bear the mark of the beast - 666.

Paul bore a mark:

Gal 6:17 I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. 

Notice that Paul's "mark" was not on his flesh but as he said, "in my body". That mark is the scar of a circumcised heart as Paul became a new person!  Perhaps, because we will be as white as snow when we're glorified, our soul will bear a new name, and that name will be only known to me.