Revelation 1:10-11 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.
A renewed appreciation of this text is realized when we consider the circumstances. The Roman government had sentenced John to hard labor in the quarries on Patmos Island, a rocky, treeless, 10-mile long island about 60 miles southwest of Ephesus. He was as exile and prisoner, not for any guilt of his own but because of his faithful proclamation of God’s Word.
There are several of you who receive these daily devotional who are going through a difficult season. I want to offer to you some words of encouragement from Revelation chapter 1.
In verse 1 John received a vision of “things which will shortly take place.” I pray for God to help you look beyond the challenges of today, and birth within you a conviction that He is preparing to do something exciting in your life.
In verse 7 he wrote “He [Jesus] is coming.” Talk about something exciting to meditate on, consider the fact that the Lord’s return could be any day.
In verse 11, John was given the assignment to “write what you see and send it to the churches.” Simply stated, God was telling John He was not finished with him. Out of the abandonment and persecution would come an opportunity for ministry to seven churches scattered throughout western Turkey. You may have heard the enemy whisper in your ears, “you’re washed up…you don’t have any ministry left in you…you are done.” Rejoice my friend, for God has not written the final chapter and He still has something He wants you do to do for Him.
Finally, in verses 12 and following, John wrote of receiving a fresh and new glimpse of Jesus. I wonder if the image of Jesus John received at that time reminded him of what he saw when he was with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17. My friend, I pray for God to give to you a fresh and new glimpse of the glory of the Lord.
Let’s sing: “I feel Jesus. I feel Jesus. I feel Jesus in this place. Yes by soul does burn within me. I feel Jesus in this place.”