John identifies himself as the brother of the readers, a fellow partaker in the tribulation--at Ephesus? and a fellow partaker in the kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus. What is 'the kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus'? It could go so many ways...His perseverance to/on the Cross? The perseverance needed to make it through to Heaven like Jesus? I feel like there is a division between "tribulation" and "kingdom and perseverance". I need to check that out. Patmos! I <3>not on the list of "Most Desired Places To Be". Why was John there? Because of the Word of God and testimony of Jesus. John counted it worth it to be imprisioned at the age of ninety or above on a barren, uninhabitable, isolated island if that was the consequece of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
10I was a]">[a]AJ)">(AJ)in the Spirit on AK)">(AK)the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice AL)">(AL)like the sound of a trumpet,
How was he inhabiting this island? Well, on the Lord's day (phrasology) he was in the Spirit. Praise to the Father that regardless of circumstances we can be in His Spirit on His Day! I don't think it is an accident, either. John's faithfulness to be where God had previously called him to be lined up perfectly with God's message to John. What does God sound like? "A loud voice, like the sound of a trumpet." I can get goose bumps all over just thinking about that split second when for the first time ever, these human ears of mine hear the out-of-Earth, other worldly Heavenly sound of a trumpet call, and knowing in that instant...MY LIFE WILL BE CHANGED! Praise HIS NAME! Wow! It makes me antsy even now! But back..."a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet" ...as clear as a trumpet? ...as piercing as a trumpet? ...as powerful as a trumpet? ...as melodically commanding as a trumpet? Definitely "loud"! :-)
11saying, "AM)">(AM)Write in a book what you see, and send it to the AN)">(AN)seven churches: to AO)">(AO)Ephesus and to AP)">(AP)Smyrna and to AQ)">(AQ)Pergamum and to AR)">(AR)Thyatira and to AS)">(AS)Sardis and to AT)">(AT)Philadelphia and to AU)">(AU)Laodicea."
I'm not trying to be ridiculous here, seriously, but I wonder what this 'book' is. I can't exactly see Roman centurions handing out moleskin journals and quill feathers with jars of ink to arriving prisoners. What book? What is the Greek for this book? Is it a book that God provides for John? Was there a practical way to write all this down? I know later that John is told to not write some stuff down...what about this? How did it happen? And how in the world was he to send it to the seven churches? Could/did they smuggle things out with prisoners leaving the island? Did prisoners leave the island? Was one of the Roman centurions a friend and a brother and willing to risk his position and possibly his life to do God's work?
And these churches *are* rather scattered...how are they 'the' seven churches? Was there a connection amongst these before God revealed this Revelation? I'm curious to dig out just how this verse played out in real life! Of course, if (from what I remember holds true) John *does* get off Patmos and goes back to Ephesus and dies there, was *that* when he was to take the letter? Was that God's 'message' to John that he *would* get off and go back to his loved ones? So much to learn!
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