“I will give him a white stone”

Q. I was reading C.S.Lewis this week and in one of his books he said that the white stone we will be given by Jesus when we reach heaven will be the only possession we will have in heaven. Private ownership evidently will not exist. God will (and does) own everything except that white stone with a new name on it which only yourself and Jesus will know. It must be a very precious thing Do you have any comments or teaching on this White Stone?

A. You’re referring to the last part of Rev. 2:17. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it , known only to him who receives it.

In Biblical times, the white stone was a sign of trust. When an important businessman had to complete a transaction in a distant city, he didn’t travel there himself. It was too dangerous. Instead he sent a trusted servant empowered to act on his behalf. The servant carried a coin-like form of identification made of baked white clay. The seal of the businessman being represented was pressed into the clay as was a secret name, known only to the other party in the transaction. By the presentation of the white stone, the servant authenticated himself as being entitled to all the rights and privileges due his master. This symbolizes the way our Lord Jesus will identify us as being entitled to all the rights and privileges due Him, when we enter into the Presence of our Father in Heaven.