Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
Rev 2:15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.Jude 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.
Names in the Bible have significance. They often give some hint as to the character of the individual, something they are being called to do, something they did, etc. In John Chapter 3 Nicodemos a ruler of the Jews comes to Jesus by night. Nicodemus didn’t understand heavenly things, he wasn’t able to recognize the Messiah when He came, but he was one of the rulers and he along with others of his class set the tone for what the common people considered Orthodox Judaism.
Nicodemos’ name is a combination of two words – niko (triumphant/victorious) and demos (people). The picture painted is consistent with what the scriptures say about Nicodemos. He was a ruler of the Jews, he dominated them. What he and others of his class believed and taught set the direction that the common man followed. Who could question as learned a one as Nicodemos?
In Revelation a parallel group is mentioned – the Nicolaitanes. Again this name is a combination of two words – niko (triumphant/victorious) and laos (people). The problem they represent is the same as the problem represented by Nicodemus. The Nicolaitanes are mentioned in association with the church at Pergamos. At Pergamos those who stood against the fathers were being killed. Antipas – anti (against) and pas (father) was killed for standing against these religious fathers. These same fathers were – like Balaam – preaching for a reward. The church at Pergamos represented a significant shift in the direction of the church – the church was moving away from being a hunted, humble band of equal brothers to a hierarchical structure dominated by men with respectable religious titles (see Matthew 23:8 for a warning concerning this). They dominated the people, they recieved an earthly reward for what they did and sadly through their teachings they were beginning to undermine the teaching of the true Manna (a topic I write often about on this blog).
So Christ reminds the true believers at Pergamos – those that can still hear – that if they will overcome the teachings of the Nicolaitanes that He will give them to eat of the Hidden Manna and a new name. What is the hidden manna? It is the teaching of Christ as the True Bread from Heaven. It remains hidden for two reasons. One is only God the Father can reveal who the Son is (John 6:41-51), so only those – like Peter – who will hear understand and receive this teaching (John 6:52-69, Matthew 6:13-17). The second reason it remains hidden is because of the teachings of the Nicolaitanes – those who like Nicodemos and Balaam lead, not by the Spirit of God but by virtue of the position they have obtained. They are spiritually blind and sadly they themselves and those who follow them end up in a ditch (Matthew 15:14).
So now back to the new name. Our name in eternity will reflect our works. Antipas was slain for standing for the name of Christ. Antipas was not this brother’s given name. This is the name that God gave him for his faithful unto death stand for the name of Christ. Antipas stood for the True Manna that came down from heaven, his reward was a new name that reflected his faithfulness and a seat at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. While this is a topic for another post, the bread we will eat at the Marriage Feast will be manifest out of the Word of God just as the flesh of the Son of God was manifested out of the Word of God. We will truly eat of His flesh and drink of His blood (John 6:52-58, Mark 14:24-25).
Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; 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.
