JOHN ON ISLE OF PATMOS

Sir,

“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,” Revelation 1:9.

At the time he wrote the book of Revelation, John was the only living survivor of Jesus’ original 12 disciples, and he was a Roman prisoner on an island called the ‘Isle of Patmos’. Before the imprisonment the emperor had put John in a cauldron of boiling oil; praise the Lord for the oil did not kill him.

For many years John had been the spiritual leader for at least seven congregations of Christian believers in seven cities in ‘Asia’. But at this moment hard times had come. He was in prison and his brothers and sisters were being persecuted. So John was not simply feeling sorry for himself; he was also deeply concerned about the churches back home.

John was all alone on the island, he was considered a criminal; without anyone who shared his faith. Wondering why all these things were happening; what about all his Christian brothers and sisters in those seven churches and all the others. Praise the Lord because at such a time Jesus came to visit him.

“Heaven came down and glory filled his soul.” Christ came to show John things that were going to shortly come to pass. But before Christ could show John the future, He took him back to the time before His ascension.
On the mountain of transfiguration a voice was heard; “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.

But Jesus came and touched them and said; “Arise, and do not be afraid.” When John saw Jesus on Patmos, he saw the same Jesus he saw on the mountain; he reacted the same way they did on the mountain and then he felt the same hand on his shoulder and heard the same words from the same voice: “Don’t be afraid.”

The book of Revelation is not only a book about the future but it’s also a book about the past. Jesus says; “I’m the Alpha and the Omega,” the beginning as well as the end.

Dearly beloved, your history is filled with reminders that heaven is so close to your life. Think of all those moments in your life when heaven came down for you.

And just as Jesus came and reminded John of that dramatic moment on the mountain years before, so God wants to call back some memories of what He’s done in your life. If you’re bogged down in some kind of trouble, go back and review the ways He’s led you, protected you and taught you in the past.

The book of Revelation is from somebody who loves you! And how do we know He loves us? It’s because of what He has done in the past.
Dear readers, we have nothing to fear for the future unless we forget how the Lord has led us in the past.

It may happen in this life that you sometimes feel like heaven is far away, just read the book of Revelation and remember how the Lord has intervened in your life in the past. (For more insight on the book of Revelation like our Facebook page; Present truth-Swaziland)

Bopoto Gwinyai
(7663 8191)

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