Today is yet another bible study of why we should rejoice as overcomers who receive a white stone from Jesus as an admission ticket to the new heaven that removes all our sins forevermore. Jesus promises saints at Revelation 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.
To understand why Jesus gives overcoming saints a white stone, let's look at another greek definition of how white stones were used in the days of Jesus. Pictured above we see a jury and some black and white stones. In ancient Greece, jurors would use black and white stones to determine whether a criminal was guilty or not guilty. When a jury was in deliberation, the jurors would drop either a white stone or a black stone into a bag. The white stone said the criminal was innocent or not guilty. The black stone said the criminal was guilty.
Sometimes a jury would be hung because there would be one white stone among the black stones or one black stone among the white stones. But when the jury came to a final decision, they would present to a judge a bag with either one white stone or one black stone in the bag. If the stone was black, the criminal went to prison or died. If the stone was white, the criminal was free as anybody in the land. After the judge presented the white or black stone to the criminal, that was the end of the argument; the criminal could not make any more reprisals, rebuttals, or appeals to higher courts. The decision was final.
Now notice that Jesus as the Final Highest Judge gives all saints who confess Jesus as God and believe in their hearts that Jesus died for them on the cross and rose again a white stone. As Jesus gives each saint a white stone, Jesus proclaims that all His saints are not guilty, as Jesus remembers their sins no more. Jesus pronounced His verdict for all saints at Hebrews 10:17 by saying And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Friend reading this anywhere, confess Jesus as God today and believe in your heart that Jesus died for you on the cross and rose again and receive a white stone from Jesus. Jesus will make you free and remember your sins no more. Jesus will forgive you as the blood of Jesus washes away all your sins. Jesus told us at John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Romans 8:33 also says Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? (Friends no one can accuse us of our past sins because Jesus and His white stone has set us free and not guilty forevermore). It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
OK, for our next picture we will look at the life of the Apostle Paul and find the only other place in the bible where the white stone appears. When Paul was a Pharisee sinner, Paul acted like a juror and gave his voice to condemn christians to death by showing a black stone instead of a white stone to christians. Paul said at Acts 26:9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death, I gave my voice (defined as presented black stones instead of white stones to condemn christians to death) against them. When Paul showed a black stone as his vote to condemn a christian to death, Paul blackballed that christian.
Also, people in the old days like Paul voted to accept or reject a person from joining a club by either dropping a white stone or a black stone into a bag. If there was just one black stone in the bag among 100 white stones, the black stone blackballed that person and denied him from joining the club. But friend reading this anywhere, aren't you glad that when we believe Jesus as God, Jesus gives us a white stone admission ticket to heaven and no man or anything can blackball us and stop us from going to heaven. Romans 8:38 promises For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate (or blackball) us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
OK, you might say Brother Bob how do the above pictures of gasoline selling for $5.15 a gallon and a for sale sign in front of a foreclosed home relate to the white stone that Jesus gives all overcoming saints? Friend reading this anywhere, don't be discouraged about the high cost of gasoline, food, or housing in your country because Jesus promises that all saints will overcome this troubled world as Jesus gives each saint a white stone admission ticket to the peaceful kingdom forevermore.
When Jesus spoke to the church of Pergamos, Jesus said at Revelation 2:15 that He hated the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes. Today, the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes (defined as conquering people) still exists where wealthy leaders conquer and control people by raising prices for rent, food, and gasoline. In Jesus' day, the Nocolaitanes became big businessmen over the people. The popes in the catholic church would take all the peoples money and put it into King George's treasury. The rich got richer and the poor got poorer. This is why the Vatican was running over with money and the poor folk had nothing.
But even though the Nicolaitanes were oppressing the people of the church of Pergamos, Jesus' promise of a white stone given to the saints at Pergamos encouraged these saints to rejoice. The hope of receiving that little ole white stone caused the saints at Pergamos to say we're gonna overcome, we're gonna live right, we're gonna hate sin, and we're gonna serve our Saviour Jesus and continue to bless the poor; we don't care about the Nicolaitanes.
Today, friend reading this anywhere, lets be like the saints at Pergamos and not be discouraged by the troubled world and high cost of living around us in our countries. Say the following scriptures and praise Jesus for giving us the hope of a white stone admission ticket to heaven where peace exists forevermore as we overcome this troubled world. Psalm 12:5 says For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. Ecclesiastes 5:8 tells us If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter; for he that is higher than the highest regardeth, and there be higher than they. Right now say and believe Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
To end up today's bible study about the white stone, take a good look at the above picture of a sword and a white stone. Now compare two scriptures that mention the sword and the white stone: Revelation 2:12 says (And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith He (Jesus) which hath the sharp sword with two edges) and Revelation 2:17 says (He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I (Jesus) 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). Note that Jesus is holding two things in his hands. In one hand Jesus holds a sharp sword of judgment with two edges and in the other hand Jesus holds a white stone promising an admission ticket to the eternal peace of the kingdom. Somewhere between the white stone and the sword each saint is standing. Friend which one will you choose; the white stone as an admission ticket to heaven for life and peace or the sword of judgment for damnation and destruction.
Friend reading this anywhere, wouldn't you rather have forgiveness, mercy, and the gift of eternal life with our Lord Jesus in heaven than the sword of judgment and damnation in hell. It's up to you. He that overcometh and accepts Jesus as Lord gets the white stone promising admission to eternal peace in the kingdom. He that does not overcome and rejects Jesus as Lord gets the sword of judgment and damnation in hell forevermore.
Brother Bob prays in Jesus name anyone who forevermore reads this bible study will make the right choice today and receive their own personal white stone admission ticket to heaven by confessing Jesus as God and believing in their heart that Jesus died for them and rose again. Let's all be like Joshua and choose to serve the Lord Jesus stated at Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve; Whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
It has been a great blessing for Brother Bob to write these bible studies about the white stone. I pray in Jesus name that all the bible studies past present and future at preachbrotherbob will strengthen and bless all readers in any country forevermore. Feel free to email Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 604-7133. Till we all meet again soon to lift up our Lord Jesus, everyone have a blessed day in Jesus name.
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