Times and Seasons – The Book of Revelation FOR TODAY

After addressing the church at Pergamum regarding the things they need to clean up in their lives, Jesus offered them (and us) this encouragement:

¹⁷ Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna.  Revelation 2:17a (NIV)

The hidden manna is in part a reference to the daily miraculous provision given by God to feed the ancient Israelites as they wandered in the desert under Moses. Reading from the Old Testament book of Exodus:

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.  

¹⁰ While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked towards the desert, and there was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud.  Exodus 16:4,10 (NIV)

The next morning, manna covered the ground as the dew evaporated, presenting a window of opportunity for the people to gather it to make bread. 

¹⁴ When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. ¹⁵ When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was.

Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.’ Exodus 16:11-15 (NIV)

After a time, the manna would dry up and disappear in the heat of the day. 

The gift of manna was meant to be a short-term solution.  But having been freed from slavery by the Lord through His ten plagues against Egypt and Pharaoh, the people rejected God’s call for them to enter the Promised Land.  Though in fear they disobeyed God, He continued to provide bread from manna for them through forty years of wandering until the next generation was ready to take possession of the land and its fruitful bounty.

The hidden manna of Revelation is a future gift to those who choose to pursue Christ.  It may also be a reference to intimacy with Jesus Christ Himself.  As the apostle John recorded in his Gospel:

³² Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

³⁴ “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.  John 6:32-35 (NIV)

The hidden manna is promised to overcomers, and we overcome through our faith in Christ.  Under His grace, forgiveness, and leadership, we seek to follow Him each day.  He cleanses us of our impurities and forgives us all of our sins through His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead.  All He asks is that we confess our sins to Him and extend the same forgiveness to others that He so generously extends to us.

If we make Christ our priority, He will reveal more of Himself to us through His word, in worship, in prayer, in service, and by His miraculous presence in all the events of our lives, both good and bad.  Jesus has promised to never leave us nor forsake us, and to complete the good work that He has started in our lives, through faith.

The valuable gift of intimacy with Him is reinforced by Jesus’ next promise to the overcomer:

I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.  Revelation 2:17b (NIV)

An eternal life of intimacy with Christ is a pearl of great price, greater than what any amount of gold or silver could ever purchase.  Only the precious blood of God’s Son could provide such grace and mercy at the hands of a loving God.

Reflection

We become overcomers by turning our will and our lives over to the care of Jesus Christ in faith.  He cleanses us with the sacrifice of His shed blood on the cross, and we take on a new, pure resurrected life in Him.  We take inventory of our lives, confessing our sins to Him, and seeking to make it right with those we have harmed through past actions.  Many find it helpful to also confess our shortcomings to a trusted human being to be totally free of the harmful baggage and shame of our past actions.  Let the Lord be your guide in this regard.

Heavenly Father, we praise You and thank You for extending such grace to us in Christ.  Help us to walk with Jesus daily, forgiven and cleansed, as we take our sins to the cross and seek to reflect Your love to those You have placed in our lives.  Grant us patience and tolerance as we endeavor to love and forgive others in Your name and power.  We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.