Is there a correlation between unknown name in Revelation 19:12 and elsewhere in scripture?

Question

I've always been curious to know if there was a relation between the rider on the white horse whose name was known to no one but himself, and the other places in scripture where names have been veiled. These occurred when the angel of the Lord wrestled with Jacob, as well as his visitation of Samson's parents.

Revelation 19:12 (KJV)
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

Genesis 32:29 (KJV)
And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.

Judges 13:17-18 17 (KJV)
¹⁷And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honor? ¹⁸And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?

Answer 1

There are hints in the book of Revelation itself that seem to explain the significance of Christ's unknown name.

In the promises to the seven churches we find mention of secret names. To "him that overcometh" (KJV) or "the one who conquerors" (ESV) the promises are made. To the church in Pergamum the promise is made:

To the one 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 that no one knows except the one who receives it. (Rev. 2:17, ESV, emphasis added)

When speaking to the Laodiceans, the Christ of Revelation includes himself with the conquerors:

The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. (Rev. 3:21, ESV, emphasis added)

The church of Philadelphia is told that Jesus himself has a new name:

The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. (Rev. 3:12, ESV, emphasis added)

The line of reasoning is: conquerors (overcomers) receive a new name, Jesus is a conqueror, therefore Jesus receives a new name. The Christian conquerors were told that 'no one knows the name except the one who receives it,' however, the one who gives them the name (Jesus) must be excepted. He knows the name, as well as the one who receives it. In the case of Jesus himself, the Father knows the new name which Jesus has received from him.

The giving of a new name is elsewhere recorded in the Bible to signify a change in one's life. Thus, Abram's name was changed to Abraham (Gen. 16:5), Jacob's name was changed to Israel (Gen. 32:28), and Simon's name was changed to Peter (Matt. 16:17-18). A new name relates to the character of the person receiving it. In the case of Jesus, his new name was bestowed post-resurrection, and the individual Christian is given a new name post-mortem. The names which Jesus and his followers receive, however, are like names known only within the family. They are never given out publicly.

Thus, the victorious rider of Revelation 19:12 (ESV) "has a name written that no one knows but himself."

Answer 2

Both of the following include the key part about having "a new name that no man knows but he himself that receives it."

Revelation 2:17 (KJV) 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.

Revelation 19:12 (KJV) His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

Some food for thought, don't take my word for it though but,

By my observation the man on the horse is no longer "Jesus" seeing that he's the one that gave him, the overcomer, a new name that no one knows, but himself. The point of Revelation 19 is missed when people assume that it's talking about more than one "overcomer" in earlier chapters 2 and 3.

Why would he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. be in both chapters?

Nowhere does it say we don't know Jesus' new name, it just says he has one.

Don't get me wrong there are overcomers but they are not part of this.

Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

If you can overcome Death and the grave like Jesus did, be my guest. (By your own spirit, Jesus did not overcome because of somebody else. And that's exactly what the overcomer has to do)

Jesus is still number one! :)

Answer 3

There appears to be a correlation. It does have a kink in it though. It appears to be an allusion to this verse:

[Isa 62:1-5 KJV] (1) For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. (2) And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. (3) Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. (4) Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. (5) For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.

In context Isaiah is referring to Jerusalem/Zion.

However, if you isolate verse 2 it seems to work as a separate messianic prediction.

But that solution kind of has a smell to it.

Alternatively it serves of a pattern/shadow of something to be fulfilled by the messiah and is, in Revelation.

Alternatively it suggests that Christ is in some sense the new Jerusalem, just as the new Jerusalem is in some sense the new Covenant:

[Gal 4:24, 26 NASB] (24) This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. ... (26) But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.

Or, the new name could be those predicted for new Jerusalem because Jesus became married to the new Jerusalem; his bride, the 144,000 lost sheep of Israel and Jesus was unmarried until then:

[Isa 62:4 KJV] (4) Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.

Beyond that, as Ozzie points out, perhaps it is not revealed.

[Rev 19:12 NASB] (12) His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.

Of course, Paul is the steward of God's secrets to dispense them to the gentiles during the climax of the Jewish age. Perhaps he inherited his father's name, as taught by Paul and Hebrews.

Answer 4

Re:"Is there a correlation between unknown name in REVELATION 19:12 and else where in scripture?" Answer: YES In Revelation Chapter 1 verse 1 we see quote (KJ) The Revelation of Jesus Christ --- We see in Verse 14 it says ---"his eyes were as a flame of fire". In Revelation 19:12 it is the same person,ie JESUS. This symbolises his OMIPRESENCE.And "on his head many crowns".We can see in chapter 17 verse 14 that he would be "king of kings and Lord of Lords" One only has to read ISAIAH chapter 9 verse 6 and see the many names for Jesus. So you are right there is the correlation and we need to see it. Your on the money.