Revelation 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.... John's letter to the saints in Pergamos ends with the same admonition found in his letters to all seven churches in Asia.¹ Those in Pergamos who hear what the Spirit saith and overcome will eat of the hidden manna.² The Lord provided manna, which in the Hebrew language of the Old Testament means what is it?³ The Israelites physically subsisted on manna during their forty-year exodus⁴ so it was not hidden from their view by any means.⁵ The visible manna from the days of Moses foreshadowed Jesus Christ, who is the hidden manna⁶ and bread of life.⁷ Some people also say that this symbolism has reference to the mysteries of God that people can know when they eat the hidden manna of the Savior.⁸

The symbol of hidden manna comes from the pot of manna that Aaron placed (hid)⁹ in the ark of the covenant.¹⁰ The ark included the mercy seat above the lid,¹¹ which represents God's earthly throne¹² and his presence.¹³ The manna in the ark was miraculously preserved to foreshadow the incorruptibility of those who gain eternal life.¹⁴ Anyone who desires to eat the hidden manna must approach the throne of God by coming unto Christ.¹⁵

Jewish tradition states that the hidden manna in the ark of the covenant will be restored when the Messiah comes.¹⁶ This tradition is reflected in Revelation 11:19, which describes the Second Coming with an image of the ark of the covenant unveiled in the temple of heaven.¹⁷ Those who eat the hidden manna from the ark of the covenant at the Second Coming will be resurrected in the morning of the first resurrection¹⁸ and shall have eternal life.¹⁹

The hidden manna that must be eaten for eternal life is juxtaposed to the sacrificial food of pagan idols that brings spiritual death when it is eaten.²⁰ The hidden manna came from the mercy seat of God above the ark of the covenant,²¹ while the food of idols came from the seat of Satan.²²