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Revelation 1:10
“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,” Revelation 1:10
Peter (1 Peter 1: 3-12) says of the prophets that they searched and inquired regarding the salvation of humankind, diligently, to ascertain the grace and glory of Jesus. They were led by the Holy Spirit to testify, not for themselves, but for those who would see the fulfillment of Christ’s life, death and resurrection; issues that angels also desire to understand. John is also sent to testify of the things he is about to behold, that we may have faith in Jesus and know the assurance of His return and the times in which we live. Amos (Amos 3: 7) tells us “Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? . . . Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He reveals first His secret unto the prophets.”
John has the privilege and responsibility, as the last prophet of the Bible, to show us what is about to come. From the time of Jesus’ death unto the day of His return, God makes sure, through the message of Revelation, that His churches are not left in the dark but are given knowledge regarding the last days of earth and the events that will take place after John’s own death. Even as the OT prophets spoke of things that were yet future, John speaks of issues of equal concern to us. As Paul says (2 Thes. 2: 1-12) regarding the Second Coming, that the day of our Lord will not come until first the apostasy comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, and this message to John reveals that future culture of perdition.
Anomia is the Greek word for lawlessness. It means without law, referring especially to the law of God. Wasn’t the apostasy of Israel linked to their lawless behavior; their blatant disregard for the commandments of God? How many prophets of the OT portrayed God’s judgment on that nation through warnings first? Warnings heralded by the symbol of trumpets blasting, reflecting the serious nature of approaching danger and battle? And here John is alerted by the trumpet blast, the voice of Jesus, to give both comfort and warning about history’s spiritual warfare.
John’s vision came to him on the Lord’s day, a term that by the end of the 2nd Century became synonymous with Sunday. John, however, refers to Sunday in his gospel as the first day of the week. Luke (Acts 20: 7) and Paul (1 Cor. 16:2) also refer to Sunday in the same manner. It seems likely that John was referring to the true day that God blessed at creation: the seventh day. After all, doesn’t Jesus refer to Himself (Mark 2: 28) as the “Lord of the Sabbath?” Is it not, by intuition, the day He blessed since He is noted to be (Heb.1: 2) the One by whom all things were made? The visions are to be written in a book; which we have this very day in our hands; a testimony to the prophetic intent that we are along the path of the messenger carrying the book to the seven churches, mentioned not as a list, but as unto each one; revealing Jesus’ personal message to every church in His midst. What better Sabbath rest can we have than in the assurance of Jesus’ constant care for us? Home | About Us | Bible Study | Billerica Blog | Bible Commentary | Devotional | Online Giving | Ministries | Prayer | Media | Bookstore | News | Calendar | Contact Us | Sermons
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