The High Priest of Israel, who entered the Holiest of all once a year, never lifted the

Mercy Seat or ate from the golden pot of manna that was hidden beneath it. These

"Priests" of God and of Christ do. The white stone bears a "new name" which is one of

several references to a similar honour.  In Rev. 3: 12, the overcomer is honoured by

having the name of God, the name of the city, and a "new name" written upon him. All

this in direct contrast with Mystery Babylon, that had her awful name written upon her

forehead (Rev. 17: 5) and in contrast with those who had "the name of the beast, or the

number of his name" (Rev. 13: 17). Immediately following this awful branding come

the words:

Just as no one knew the name on the white stone, saving he that received it, so no man

could learn the new song sung by this company, but such as had been "redeemed from

the earth". And lastly, Rev. 2: 17 links these overcomers with the Lord in His Coming,

for He too "had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself" (Rev. 19: 12). To

the overcomer in Sardis, the Lord promised, that "they shall walk with Me in white: for

they are worthy". "The same shall be clothed in white raiment" (Rev. 3: 4, 5).

How it can possibly be congruous to add to such "And I will not blot out his name out

of the book of life" is dealt with in the article entitled "The Book of Life", which should

be consulted. We find that this links up with Rev. 20: 6, where "priests of God and of

Christ" are assured that "on such the second death hath no power", again a subject that

has been discussed in the article referred to above. That these "white raiments" are not

symbols of salvation by grace through faith, is manifest by the terms of the next

The gold that is offered also is that which has been "tried in the fire" which Peter

associates with "manifold temptations" but which will be found with praise and honour at

the APOCALYPSE of Jesus Christ" (I Pet. 1: 7). Moreover the purpose of Rev. 3: 18 is

expanded and explained in verse nineteen "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten".

In Rev. 6: 11 "white robes" were given to the martyrs who had been slain for the

word of God, and for their testimony. This is a plain indication as to what "white robes"

and "white raiment" symbolize in this book. The fellow servants who were yet to

suffer must include those described in Rev. 20: 4.  The wearers of the white robes in

Rev. 7: 13, 14 are those that came out of great tribulation "and have washed their robes,

and made them white in the blood of the Lamb". No one can wash robes in blood to

make them white. These symbols of overcoming martyrdom are linked with the Great

Overcomer, "A Lamb as it had been slain" (Rev. 5: 5, 6), and the words of Rev. 7: 14

should never be used in an evangelical sense, or in a gospel hymn; such usage is a

negation of the terms of the Gospel, and a beclouding of the meaning of Rev. 7:  In

like manner, these overcomers are linked with "the armies" of heaven which follow the

Lamb upon "white horses", who are also clothed in fine linen "white and clean".