What's in a Name?

This brief discussion will explore 'names'. Names are important in the Revelation of Jesus Christ. In our key verse in the right column, we see the sea beast coming up out of the sea (the sum of mankind - Revelation 17:15). The sea beast has seven heads covered with blasphemous names. I suspect this looks a lot like fully tatooed individuals. And as tatooed individuals are trying to have people notice them, so, too, the sea beast (one of the mystic figures - Revelation 13:1-10), is trying to draw attention to himself. It is a pride thing.

True believers, too, have names. True believers are referred to as 'overcomers' and in the case of the overcomers in the Pergamum church, the overcomers new name is written on a white stone. This white stone is given to the overcomer and the overcomer is the only one who knows what that name is (Revelation 2:17).

The overcomers in the Sardis church, have their names written in the book of life. Furthermore, they will have Jesus Christ confessing their name before God, the father, and His angels (Revelation 3:5).

The overcomers in the Philadelphia church are told that they will have several names: the name of My God; the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem; and My (Jesus Christ's) Name (Revelation 3:12). That God and Jesus Christ are faithful in this promise is shown at the end of the Book of Revelation when the residents of the new Jerusalem all have His name on their foreheads (Revelation 22:4).

Now imagine the devil cannot find out what your 'name' is? He doesn't know whom to accuse before the Throne (Revelation 12:10). Furthermore, if you want to build up pride in someone, you have a difficult time laying on the compliments to a no-named person. Pride works like that. In the United States (and similarly I suspect in other parts of the world), we have an expression, 'keeping up with the Joneses' meaning to have as much material wealth as the Joneses.  Pretty difficult to build up pride in what you have accumulated when you have to refer to 'those people over there that I don't know their name'; this points out CLEARLY that overcomers, true believers, are satisfied just to be known by what Jesus Christ calls them. Humility is a true characteristic of believers (Philippians 2:1-3-11 and 1 Peter 5:1-5-6-11). Yet, when Jesus Christ is seen in and through the life of a true believer, people know that is what they are missing. Material things give momentary "fun", but a humble committed believer is guaranteed eternal "fun".

Lastly, if you haven't the foggies idea what this is about, perhaps, you haven't had that one-on-one meeting with Jesus Christ. When you do make that commitment, you will get a white stone with your name on it, and you will KNOW what this all means. We pray that you will get your white stone TODAY!