Revelation: The Context

REVISION : This book is a revelation of Jesus. It speaks about Him, reminding us of His first coming and telling us that He is coming again.  ||||||| THE TEXT FOR TODAY Rev 1:9-11 reveals five important facts that we have to keep in mind.  ||||||| 1. WHO THE AUTHOR IS. It says, "I John." Which John is this? If we study the writing, we will conclude that it is apostle John who wrote the gospel. He does not say, St John, not apostle John, Not Rev John, or Rt Rev John. But just plain John. Obviously he is so well known, that he would.not need more introduction. Tradition tells us that he is the senior pastor in the church of Ephesus. He is at this point, the only apostle who is left. Studying the gospels.and epistles, we know that he was a gracious loving godly man. ||||||| 2. WHERE HE WAS WHEN HE RECEIVED THE REVELATION. He was on the Island called Patmos. It was a volcanic island, a small island near Athens in Greece. Today it is a holiday resort. In those days it was a place to which criminals were exiled. So John was there, far from his church and family. He would have been constantly thinking of his church and the other churches he was connected with.  ||||||| 3. WHY HE WAS ON THE ISLAND. He was there bcause of his "crime" of preaching the gospel. He had witnessed the torture and murder of Jesus.  He was there at the cross. Jesus had spoken to him from the cross. He had been close to Peter and with James and Paul and others who by this time were all executed. So John is not thinking that something unfair and unique had happened to him. He had heard from Jesus Himself so many many times that such persecution was coming to them. Christians are up against persecution and troubles. The only way to avoid this is to compromise and water down the gospel. Paul wrote, "Indeed all those who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus WILL be persecuted." 2Tim 3:12. It is because of the offence of the cross that persecution comes to us.That is why John says "your brother and companion in the suffering" because he knew many were going through persecution.  ||||||| 4. WHICH DAY HE RECEIVED THE REVELATION. John was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. It was on the Lord's day. The first day of the week, the day Jesus rose from the dead. All the gospels record this. Mat 28:1 Mark 16:1 Luke 24:1 John 20:1 And on the first day of the week, Jesus appeared to the disciples (John 20:19). We know that the Holy Spirit was given on the first day of the week (Lev 3, Acts 2). It was the day on which the church met and celebrated the Lord's supper. Acts 20:7 1Cor 16:1-2. It is sometimes known as the Christian Sabbath.  ||||||| 5. WHAT STATE HE WAS IN WHEN HE RECEIVED THE REVELATION. He was in the Spirit on the Lord's day. In today's church, this day has become so eroded that it is treated almost like any other day. Because the church had allowed the world to squeeze it into its mould, and it is treated as a family day, a sleepin day, a recreation day, a sports day. Sunday is a special day, that needs to be set apart, as it was for 2000 years. Isaiah 58:13-14.