The New Name - The Holy Spirit Incarnate (Part 1) by Danilo T. Nacua

Let’s slice this prophecy into pieces and analyze each one of them. The full text in Revelation 2:17 reads: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone which no knows except him who receives it.”

Okay, first things first, let’s discuss the ‘new name’ written on the ‘white stone’. So, what’s in a name that makes this topic so important? Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, page 786 defines ‘name’ as ‘a word or phrase that constitutes the distinctive designation of a person or thing’. The Bible Dictionary of the New Revised Standard Version, page 36, defines ‘name’ as ‘a word by which a person or thing is known and distinguished from others. God’s name was important to the Hebrews, for they believed that it revealed his character and divinity (Exodus 3:13-15)...’. Be also reminded that a ‘title’ is also a ‘descriptive name’ as per definition by Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, page 1238. Therefore, names are important in distinguishing between persons, things and God. Names given to persons are personal names and reveal their human nature. Likewise God’s personal name reveals his true character and divinity. Let’s bear that in mind. Anyone who claims he is God but doesn’t have divine powers is a fraud.

So, why then did God make such a prophecy forecasting the advent of the one to be known to the world as a ‘new name’ when it already knows two divine personal names: The name of the Father (Jehovah) and the name of the Son (Jesus Christ)? It’s because it was pre-programmed to be that way. The world must come to know the names of the three divine persons of the Holy Trinity. Christ declared it in Matthew 28:19 when he said “...in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. If the Father and Son were already known by their personal names, it would be unfair if the Holy Spirit wouldn’t bear a personal name.

The plot began a long time ago and the heavenly drama started with God the Father. When it was yet the era of Jehovah, his name alone and his foundation title as a ‘rock or stone’ was preached throughout the known world at that time (Deut.32: 3-4). He had sole domination of the world and He did not recognize any other gods or any other stone (Isaiah 44:8). The Son and the Holy Spirit had nothing to say during this time and did not intervene with His administration because that was their agreement. Remember that at this context, the word ‘stone or rock’ refers to ‘foundation title’ because the stones symbolize the foundation used by God the Father when he established his people Israel (1 Kings 18:31). Yet while it was still his era of authority, a provision or prophecy was established to make the necessary transition of administration from the Father to the Son. He made a decree establishing the fact that when the era of the Son comes, his name shall no longer be invoked starting in Judah and Egypt (Jeremiah 44:26), but the decree was not limited to that places mentioned because the decree encompasses everyone and to all places (Deuteronomy 29:12-15). And for all eternity the name of Jehovah was strictly forbidden to be taught to all persons throughout the world (Jeremiah 31:31-34).What was this prophetic provision concerning the Son? Zechariah 3:8-9(KJV) provides that “...I will bring forth my servant, the BRANCH. For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall have seven eyes; behold I will engrave the graving thereof...”. Today’s English Version renders “..I will engrave an inscription in it...”. An inscription is ‘an entering of a name’ according to Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, page 625. Therefore, the Branch mentioned in this prophecy has a ‘stone’ for its foundation title and a ‘name’ will be engraved or written on that stone with the seven eyes. The Branch and the ‘stone with seven eyes’ are interrelated because one can’t be without the other. In other words, when you speak of the Branch, the ‘stone with seven eyes’ goes with it.