Sunny Greek islands in the Aegean Sea are pleasant vacation spots for tourists today. For the Apostle John, however, Patmos was hardly a luxury location like it is now. That’s because in his time it was a tough penal colony under the jurisdiction of the Roman Empire. John had been sent there for the “crime” of preaching the Gospel. In spite of his advanced age, most likely he was assigned to hard labor.
Persecution was a word John understood both mentally and experientially. So when Jesus revealed to him some of what the future held for believers, John could fully identify with the hardships involved.
We can assume that soon after the visions from Christ were seen, John wrote down or dictated what he saw to someone. It was probably difficult just to obtain the materials necessary to record what was to become a rather lengthy manuscript. It will be interesting in eternity to hear the details of how this all came about.
The truth be told, the opening chapter of Revelation is not all that hard to understand. The only item that might give one pause is in the opening paragraph:
1:1—What must soon take place
1:3—because the time is near
Soon and near imply everything happening rather quickly. In Revelation 3:11, Jesus again says, “I am coming soon.”And, He repeats this in Revelation 22:7, “Behold, I am coming soon”; 22:12, “Behold, I am coming soon”; and 22:20,“Yes, I am coming soon.”
These verses remind us of what Jesus said in the Olivet Discourse:
“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it [the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory] is near, right at the door” (Mark 13:28-29).
Apparently that’s the sense of anticipation with which Jesus expects us to live.
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