Revelation 2:17
"......To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written.........."
In the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John while exiled on the island of Patmos, Jesus promises some interesting rewards to the overcomers in the church at Thyatira. Theologians tend to agree on the meaning behind the overcomers receiving the hidden manna to eat but there are differing interpretations regarding the white stone with the recipient's name in it.
One interpretation refers to the time when a person may have been arrested for a crime and received a jury trial. Each juror would be given two stones, one black and the other white. When time came for them to present their verdict, each juror would present the black stone for the guilty verdict or a white stone if innocent.
At other times there would be a trial by the judge only. The judge would present his verdict by sliding either of the two stones in front of the accused. The black stone was the judge's condemnation and the white was the judge's release.
One other interpretation refers to the white stone being used as an athlete's ticket to the awards banquet held after the games were over. Athletes who did well in their competition could only enter the banquet hall by presenting the white stone that bore their name.
Whether the stone releases the accused or grants admission to the banquet, it's a stone worth shouting about. If you are an overcomer, celebrate your release and I look forward to seeing you at the banquet. It's a stone worth shouting about.
