Sunday: On Patmos
Read Revelation 1:9. What does John tell us of the circumstances in which he received the visions of Revelation?
Patmos is a barren, rocky island in the Aegean Sea; it is ten miles long and six miles across its widest part. The Romans used it, together with other surrounding islands, as a penal colony for banished political offenders.
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Early Christian authors living relatively close to the time of the writing of the book of Revelation state unanimously that Roman authorities had banished John to Patmos because of his faithfulness to the gospel. On Patmos, the aged apostle surely endured all the hardships of Roman imprisonment. He probably was treated as a criminal, chained in fetters, given insufficient food, and forced to perform hard labor under the lash of the whip of merciless Roman guards.
“Patmos, a barren, rocky island in the Aegean Sea, had been chosen by the Roman government as a place of banishment for criminals; but to the servant of God this gloomy abode became the gate of heaven. Here, shut away from the busy scenes of life, and from the active labors of former years, he had the companionship of God and Christ and the heavenly angels, and from them he received instruction for the church for all future time”. – Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 570, 571.
What other Bible characters have endured hardship, even despite (or maybe even because of) their faithfulness to God? See Dan. 3:16-23, Acts 7:54-60.
The followers of Christ should never forget that whenever they find themselves in circumstances similar to those of John, they are not left alone. The same Jesus who came to John with the words of hope and encouragement in the midst of his hardship on Patmos still is present with His people to sustain and support them in their difficult situations.
| How can we understand the difference between suffering for Christ’s sake and suffering for other reasons, including our own wrong choices? Or what about suffering for reasons we cannot fathom? How can we learn to trust the Lord in every situation? |
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I understand the benefits of isolation when you want to study. In the days when I was working on my research, the family were all living at home and I had a naturally noisy family. Some members of the family manage to talk even when they are breathing in! I was wrestling with some of the deep issues of computer science and there is no way you can do that with a conversation going on all around you. I survived by studying in the early hours of the morning. I would wake up and sneak into my study and spend a couple of hours nutting out solutions to problems. Of course, there was no point of staying in my study and keeping the solutions to myself. Eventually, I had to open the door of my study and publish the results for the benefit of whoever needed them.
John, for whatever political/spiritual reason found himself isolated on Patmos and it provided him with the opportunity to see and record the great panorama of the battle between good and evil. And the results were published for the rest of us to appreciate and study.
The experience of John is not an endorsement of the monastic life but it does remind us of Jesus' invitation to:
Have you taken the opportunity yet to sit down in a quiet place and read Rev 1 right though yet?
Patmos a place of imprisonment is the very place God uses to communicate with John
Bethel a place alone in the wilderness Jacob is met with ladder to the gates of heaven.
Ladder representing none other than Jesus Christ.
In prison John Bunyan writes the book The Pilgrim's Progress.
When satan thought he has imprisoned and locked away the fanciful servants of God, he is surprised to learn that he had fanned flames the work of the faithful servants beyond the walls of imprisonment.
Have you felt alone and regarded by no one.
Have no fear the most powerful place on the earth is where God dwells with humanity.
My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be My people. Ezekiel 37:27
After Jesus crucifiction, the Disciples went through a very dark period where it looked like Christianity had failed. In the midst of this, Jesus appears on the road to Emmaus (Lk 24:15) and then reveals Himself to the 11 remaining disciples back in Jerusalem (Lk 24:36). Jesus revelation of Himself at this time brought much needed encouragement to believers.
Fast-forward a few decades and followers of Christianity again find themselves in another very dark period. Persecution has scattered believers all over and all disciples except John have been executed. John, the last remaining disciple has been exiled to Patmos and not heard from for some time. Letters written during this period have ceased and it is again feeling like Christianity is about to fail.
Again, in the midst of this darkness, Jesus appears via revelation to John with a message of encouragement for believers.
True to His parting promise to His followers recorded in Matt 28:20, Jesus repeatedly shows up in our darkest hours to encourage us that no matter how things look and feel, they will turn out. The darkness will not last forever.
In Matt 24:25; Mk 13:23; and Jn 13:19; 14:29; 16:4, Jesus reminds us that we are told things ahead of time so that when they happen, our faith may be strengthened.
Jesus, knowing first-hand what it is like to struggle in this sin-infected world (Heb 4:15,16) and being compassionate in nature (eg Matt 14:14), provides us with just what we need, just when we need it most.
IF John was treated harshly on Patmos, notice that he never mentions it. What we do know is that John was faithful to the cause of his Lord and the gospel, and through this faithfulness was entrusted with the Revelation from Jesus in this barren place which God's providence had led John to. If we serve the Lord always, we will always be where He has led us. What better place to be? No matter where we find ourselves in God's service, Jesus is with us “always”, and holds the 7 stars in His right hand. Jesus, faithfully labors to keep the lamps burning bright, but unlike lamps, we must choose to cooperate with Him, being surrendered to His will and leading, accepting His counsel to "buy of Me...".
John can also be the hero among the disciples due to what he went through. We can pass through difficult moments and situations but when we remain faithful our God is ever present and great to overcome the obstacles.