In my study of the Book of Revelation, I read that a professor was asked by a publisher to write a commentary on this book. He studied it for nine years. In the tenth year, he reviewed and made edits to his work for another year, because he had learned more over the ten years. Ten years. This is the magnitude and difficulty of this book. As with every book of the Bible, it is inexhaustible.
This message is going to address three verses, and as with all of the word of God, we will only be addressing a few of the jewels we come across. Obviously, we will leave many truths, applications, insights, and lessons on the table. I encourage you to read and read and study on your own. Many of you have good study Bibles that will help you to continue to learn.
Reading these three verses is like the apostle John saying, “This is how it happened.” We begin with verse nine.
“I, John”. This is the Apostle John. He was one of the 12 disciples whom Jesus chose to follow and learn from Him. John was also in the “inner circle” of the twelve, along with his brother James and Simon Peter. John is credited with five books that are a part of the New Testament—The Gospel of John, First, Second, and Third John, which are letters to churches, and the book of Revelation. It is believed that he wrote Revelation between AD 90-95. John was the last living Apostle. He was the only apostle who died of natural causes. The others were martyred for proclaiming the Gospel and testimony of Jesus Christ.
John says he was on the island called Patmos. This island is located about 40 miles off the coast of Asia Minor. It is ten miles long and five miles wide, mostly composed of a large rock. It is believed that Patmos was used as a Roman penal colony for political prisoners. He says he was exiled to Patmos for preaching the Word of God (referring to the Gospel of Salvation through Jesus Christ) and the testimony of Jesus, who Jesus was and is, and what He did. Well, that kind of preaching got him arrested and exiled.
There are differing opinions about the nature of John’s imprisonment and exile on this island. On the easy side, exiled prisoners on Patmos may have received mild treatment and been permitted relative freedom on the island, although they had lost their property and civil rights. More negatively, one writer paints a stark picture, arguing that John’s exile was “preceded by scourging, marked by perpetual fetters, scanty clothing, insufficient food, sleep on the bare ground, a dark prison, work under the lash of the military overseer.” Whatever his actual circumstances, there can be little doubt that most painful to John the pastor was separation from his beloved church across the sea in Ephesus and his inability to proclaim the gospel of his Savior, Jesus.
A good question to stop and ask yourself is, “If Christianity were outlawed, would I be arrested? Would I stand for Jesus Christ knowing that it was going to cost me everything? Or, would I keep my faith to myself and not share the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ with those who are perishing to hell?” Is your faith worth imprisonment or exile, being ostracized from family, friends, and society? Certainly it is!
In verse 10, John says, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day”. What did he mean by “in the Spirit”? This is not to be confused with the way Christians are to “walk in the spirit” and live their faith, as referred to by the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:9. John is saying that he was taken by the Spirit of God into a different sphere. This was most likely into a trance-like state. See Acts 11:5; 22:17, for other incidences of this type. The Apostle Paul described one such experience in 2 Cor. 12:2, when he was “caught up to the third heaven” and “heard things that cannot be told.”
John said that this whole thing happened to me “on the Lord’s Day.” This is referring to a Sunday. The early believers called Sunday the Lord’s Day because He rose from the dead on a Sunday. The early church began meeting on The Lord’s Day for this same reason. See Acts 20:7, and 2 Cor.16:2.
John said he heard an unidentified loud voice speak to him. It was loud like a trumpet. Like a trumpet blast, this voice could not be ignored. It arrested his whole being. The voice demanded his attention. The voice may have been the voice of Christ, but it was probably the voice of an angel. This seems to be the same voice in Revelation 4:1. An Angel spoke, giving him instructions. Go back to verse two, and John tells us that Jesus was going to use an angel to deliver the message and instructions. These are the reasons I think it was an angel getting his attention. Whether it was an Angel from God or Jesus himself, it was commanding and instructive. John could not miss the instructions.
The instruction was clear. He was to write what he was about to see in a book and send it to the seven churches, which were then listed. John did have a journal, or even a stack of paper. George Eldon Ladd, in A Commentary on the Revelation of John, “Unlike modern books, which are made of leaves of paper bound together, an ancient book consisted of a long strip of papyrus rolled up in a scroll. Furthermore, before the invention of printing in relatively modern times, all books had to be written by hand.”
This is how this book of Revelation happened. This is the who, where, and how. The rest of the book is the “what.”
Before we dive into the “what” of Revelation, I want to go back to the beginning of verse nine. John makes a statement that is revealing. He shares his mindset towards himself and towards other Christians. He also shares his mindset/view of living as a Christian in this broken world. He wrote, “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus.” In those words, we have his view of himself towards other Christians. This is the view we are to have with all believers, and especially within the local church.
John doesn’t lift himself up as an Apostle or someone who is more spiritual or religious, though he was called personally by Christ to be an Apostle, and though he walked with and sat at the feet of Jesus, and though he was an eye witness of the miracles of Jesus, and saw Him die on the cross and then the saw Him as the resurrected Savior. John simply identified himself as an equal partaker of the faith and member in the family of God. This is how John sees himself and his fellow believers in Jesus--“brother and partner”.
The more I learn about who and what the body of Christ is (the community of believers), the more these two terms become clearer and stand out. The more these descriptive terms shape my own views towards my fellow saints in Christ. We are brothers and sisters and partners.
Consider the term “brother.” This is a family term. Not mere co-members of a religious group, but family. That we are, Children of God by the Spirit of God because of Jesus Christ. We have the same heavenly father. You are my brother and sister in the household of God, that is, if you have surrendered your sins to Jesus, seeking forgiveness and to be freed from them; if you have accepted the resurrected new life that Jesus offers for you to live in from his resurrected life; and if you pursue the prize of the Crown of Life from Jesus Christ.
We need to see each other this way. This personal, family-like way. We need to treat each other as close family members. We need to pray with each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to help and encourage each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. Believers of other local churches, across the country, and around the world are your brothers and sisters. These are the family members you will spend eternity with. These are your brothers and sisters in the journey of faith through this life.
The other term John uses to describe his relationship with the fellow believers is, partner. Some translations substitute “partner” with “companion.” The Greek word John uses is, “synkoinonos.” It includes a close-knit togetherness. It is sharing something in common; participating together, in a deep togetherness. The word, companion, holds this meaning, but I think the word, partner, describes the intent better.
“Partner” involves two or more people collaborating together. They are working together towards a common end, and this end is for a diving purpose. Ephesians 4:16 states that saints in the church are united and knit together. That’s pretty tight and has the idea of woven together into one.
To be partners, there is a commitment to one another. A commitment to a cause and purpose. A mutual agreement in the cause and purpose. To be partners, there is the realization that we need each other. You know what this describes? The local Church. This describes why MCBC has church membership. It is one of the reasons we place a high importance on church membership. Church membership is the formal commitment in a partnership. This is why MCBC practices church membership. Membership is a commitment to partner with this body /community of believers. It is a commitment to join and partner with the other believers in who we are and what we are doing, and what we believe. It is partnering in what we are doing in the Kingdom of God and for the Kingdom of God. Church membership is making a commitment to partner with your brothers and sisters in a local church.
Some churches do not practice church membership. That is their way of church government. The word, partner, speaks commitment, and the only way to know if a brother and sister are fully committed to you in who you are as a church and what you are doing is church membership.
In verse nine, the apostle John tells us what he is partnering in with his brothers and sisters of faith. He is a partner with them in three things. The Greek language used here attaches three things with his partnership with the other saints. First, The Tribulation. This refers to suffering and trials that come from belonging to Jesus and holding to the testimony of Jesus.
In America, we do not suffer the tribulations that many of our brothers and sisters do in other countries like Iran, North Korea, or China,. Our culture is different and our government is different. That makes our battles and tribulations different. My opinion is, our tribulations due to our faith are more internal than physically external.
We find coveting, greed, lusts, addictions, self-righteousness, and pride as main opponents to living our faith. Our culture and environment raise us from childhood to embrace such sins and enemies of righteousness. We have immorality in our faces and pushed at us in nearly every media outlet.
We do share tribulations with other Christians around the world, like struggles and rejection by family and friends, as well as suppression of our faith in most workplaces. Most of our external tribulations can be walked away from or handled without being physically attacked or imprisoned. Even though our trials and tribulations of living and speaking our faith are different in nature than of our brothers and sisters in other countries, we are partners together with them in their tribulation. We share in their sufferings and persecution. We should support them in prayer and other means that we are able. As it is written, Hebrews 13:3 (ESV), “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.” Also see Matt. 25:36.
Jesus promises us tribulation in this life because we are his disciples (John 16:33; John 15:18-21). This is the road of the Christian. This is the way it will be for the person who stands for Jesus Christ and does not retreat. This makes tribulation the road we travel as sojourners on this earth.
John also says that we are brothers and partners in The Kingdom. This refers to our home, the total fulfillment and life in the kingdom of God. We are presently in the kingdom of God because we are in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. In the Kingdom, of the Kingdom, and the awaiting of the full manifestation of His Kingdom. There is a time and place when we will live in the fullness of the kingdom of God. Full peace; full and complete wholeness; full and complete rest; love; and the glory of God. And we pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.”
The Kingdom of God is our destination. Our destination is not more toys or things. Our destination is not more of this world and this life. Our destination is the grave. Our destination is the living, life-giving, glorious Kingdom of Christ Jesus.
We know that this life is temporal, and as good and enjoyable as it is at times, it is broken. Some believers suffer throughout their lives. But this is not the end, and we who have our hope fixed on the coming Kingdom of God will one day step into the fullness of the kingdom of the true king.
The final item in which John is our “brother and partner” is “patient endurance.” If tribulation is our road and the kingdom our destination, then patient endurance is our mode of travel, the manner or way in which we reach our destination. This phrase describes our journey. When wrestling with sin or temptations, or with trials and tests of obedience to God, or suffering and pain, remember: Patient Endurance. Be patient and endure.
We are rowing upstream in this life. Everything in this world’s system and culture is moving quickly in the opposite direction of the Kingdom of God. This makes our walk and work for Jesus more difficult, but not defeated. No matter what we go through as Christians, we keep steady, push on, endure the trials and hardships of holding to the faith. Hold the faith regardless of the difficulties or costs. Don’t give up and don’t get impatient with God. Patiently endure through this temporal life. There is a crown of glory awaiting! See the promises in 1 Peter 5:4 and James 1:12.
The Apostle John was exiled for his faith in Jesus. He endured. No matter what you are going through, patiently endure, the crown of life awaits.
There is a Charlie Brown comic where Peppermint Patty said to Marcie: “I’d like to read this book, Marcie, but I’m kind of afraid. I had a grandfather who didn’t think much of reading.” She continued by saying, “He always said that if you read too many books, your head would fall off.”
Marcie responds, “You start the first chapter, and I’ll hold onto your head!”
Brothers, sisters, and partners in this faith, in the journey of faith, and obedience to God in the kingdom, and in patient endurance through trials and tests, we need to hold on to each other as family and partners, and let them hold on to you, so that we will keep walking together as brothers and sisters and partners in the kingdom, towards the kingdom, as people of the Kingdom. Amen.
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