His Nearness
Peter Mason
“Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.” Revelation 2:16-17
I lost many hours and sleepless nights to endless theological debates, with other young pimple-faced students at Bible college, that ran into the wee hours of the morning. Sadly, discussing theology has become a “turn-off” for many, because of young naive Bible college students like I was. Discussing theology can quickly become a competition for who can sound the smartest, win an argument, or prove a point. When we talk about God and topics of life, death, Heaven, and Hell in the abstract to win arguments rather than to love each other in the reality of our lives, it tends to be unhelpful. However, discussing our beliefs and theology should be a life-giving and soul-edifying activity.
We have seen the church at Pergamum receive praise and commendation for being able to stand up for truth in the face of persecution amid the pressure to serve other gods (verses 12-13). However, a new opponent has walked onto the scene called the “Nicolaitans.” We are not sure exactly what heretical beliefs the Nicolaitans were expounding, but we can guess it had to do with worshiping other gods alongside Jesus. Jesus speaks words of complete love to this church in verse 16 (NIV), “Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”
That might not sound like words of love; does it not sound pretty harsh? Jesus’ words are stark and blunt only because He knows what is at stake: the peace and joy we find in the one Gospel of Jesus. Jesus commands this church to think soberly and clearly about the city they find themselves in and those who actively encourage them to join in with pagan rituals. While we may not be surrounded by pagan temples that explicitly ask for our worship, we are surrounded by a multitude of masked idols who are competing for our hearts; the gods of materialism, success, greed, pride, and self-glory. All of whom seek to take away our peace and joy which is so readily available in the Gospel.
The promise to those who turn to Jesus and remain convinced of His Gospel is to receive “hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone” (verse 17). All three of these items are associated with the office of the High Priest in the Old Testament. The hidden manna was preserved in the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies, Aaron’s staff which budded with white almond flowers was also kept in the Ark of the Covenant, and the names of Israel were placed on the clothing of the high priest. While slightly obscure, this three-fold promise is a promise of nearness and honor. Those who cling to Jesus alone for their salvation, joy, and peace will be rewarded with His nearness and receive the honor of being the ones who safeguard the Gospel.
As you step into your day, remember that a multitude of idols will be asking you to compromise your allegiance to Jesus, but do not believe them. They will only bring discontent, pain, and destruction. Engage in a theological debate with yourself when you are tempted to stray and cling to Jesus. He will do all the work and provide all the grace and mercy you will need.