Revelation 1:9-10 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,
John had been exiled to the Isle of Patmos. He was not a superhuman but just a man like us but he was one, who loved Christ and was loved by Christ in a special way, John 21:20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? John 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
What is meant by "Whom Jesus loved"? This is a different love than His love for all mankind. This is a love in response to John's feelings toward Him. Does not our LORD say: Draw nigh unto God and I will draw nigh unto you, James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. This is a love in response to John's faith, decision, and faithfulness. 1 Peter 1:7-8 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
He suffered persecution because he followed Christ but he did not consider it persecution. Those who live for the LORD will suffer persecution. In the midst of persecution, the word of God came to him.
The LORD tests those He uses. Obedience is a key for you to be used by the LORD and obedience is the key for God's blessing, 1Peter 1:7-8. The LORD said of Paul, Acts 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
The Word of God and the testimony of Jesus, 1:9, 1:2. Testimony means record, witness, report. The Word of God reports the gospel – it gives the record of God's Salvation (provision for mankind). The testimony of Jesus is the gospel: Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God, who dies and is alive at the Father's right interceding for those who believe, Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Rom 8:34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, What is the Lord's Day? First of all, it is not the day of the Lord, which is a time of judgment and advent and 1000 year reign. The day of the Lord is prophetic, as seen in 1 Corinthians 5:5, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
2 Corinthians 1:14, As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1 Thess. 5:2. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night . But the Lord's Day refers to the first day of the week- Sunday! Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 1 Cor 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
The Lord's Day is found but once in scripture and it shows ownership. Here ownership is to a day! But in 1 Corinthians 11:20 it shows ownership to an act, When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. The supper belonged to the Lord and so does the day. The Lord's Day is the day He arose from the dead: The first day of the week, Sunday. We worship on Sunday because of the resurrection; we have a living Saviour.
Consider the first day of the week and what took place on that day: The resurrection John 20 1-2 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. John 20:16-17 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
The church was started on the first day of the week. This was referred to back in the old testament, Lev 23:16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
The eighth day is Sunday, Lev 15:12-15 and the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water. And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean. And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest. And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD for his issue.
The Eighth Day would be the first day of a new week. It pictures a new week. What happened on the First day of the week? The resurrection 1 Cor.15:17. The resurrection of Christ was pictured in this offering.
Also, Circumcision was on the 8th Day Lev. 12:3 a shadow of what the resurrection affects: which is True Circumcision Col. 2:11-13. We are the circumcision that worships God in the Spirit Phil 3:3. Exo. 22:30
Do you know where you are supposed to be on Sunday? In Church! If you are not and you can be: You Tempt the LORD.
In my lifetime I have noticed that people who worship the Lord in the Local Church as given in the Word of God have a better life than those who don't. From the very beginning as given in Genesis 1:1 you will find the worship of the Lord. The first sin was disobedience to the LORD as Adam and Eve did not obey the LORD. The first murder was about how to worship; Cain made his own rules and found that his way was very wrong. Isaiah 55:9 says, "...His ways are not our ways
Other reasons to believe it refers to the First Day of the Week 1. The character of the vision !:12-20 Christ is glorified in the midst of the churches. I don't believe this refers to the period of coming judgment spoken of as the day of the Lord. Too early in the book to refer to coming judgment 2. The message is addressed to the church age, 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. 3. Because of sentence construction: The Lord's day same as The Lord's supper (shows ownership 1 Cor. 11:20).
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