I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. Revelation 1:9-17
We see in Revelation 1:9 that John was on the island Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. He was there to receive the Word and the Testimony, which is by definition the office committed to the prophets of testifying concerning future events. He was there because He was ready to receive something from God! I find it interesting that it was in that place that he says that he was in “the Spirit on the Lord’s day” because the word Patmos means “my killing”. John had found himself in the place where he was willing to die to himself and was fully given to the Spirit of God! In fact, he said that it was in the day that belonged to the Lord, the “Lord’s day”, that he was in the Spirit.
This says to me, that any day we give to God, declaring that it belongs to Him can be the place of Patmos for us.
Next, John hears the voice of the Lord and the instruction to write what he sees. This is where I feel like I could just explode with excitement! John’s response was this, “Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw…”
Anytime the Lord speaks to us, it declares His presence and should invoke an awareness in us that He is near to behold and this His word is available to be seen! That word “turn” is a powerful word. It means to “turn to worship the one true God!” and when you ”turn to” something that means that you are also turning away from everything else. When John “turned”, he was worshipping the Word of God! He was giving it, God himself, his full attention and what happens next is amazing!
The word says that it was in John’s turning, that he saw the voice that spoke to him. He saw the “evidence” of the sound. What God was saying, came into “view”. The Word literally met his eyes and his place of vision was full. His eyes became a storehouse to take in things of God. What he saw friend was soon to be made manifest. His eyes and his vision would be a place of provision for him to draw from.
And what he saw was the First and the Last…from Beginning to End…life forevermore!
And then, John states that “I fell at the Lord’s feet as dead.” It doesn’t say that the Lord cast him down. It says, “I”. This was an action of will. John willingly fell at the Lord’s feet. Disciples listening to their teacher’s instruction are said to be at his feet. Turned to His voice to see….
In Simplicity 