Revelation 1:10-11: I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send [it] to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”
ἐγενόμην ἐν πνεύματι ἐν τῇ κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἤκουσα ὀπίσω μου φωνὴν μεγάλην ὡς σάλπιγγος λεγούσης, Ὃ βλέπεις γράψον εἰς βιβλίον καὶ πέμψον ταῖς ἑπτὰ ἐκκλησίαις, εἰς Ἔφεσον καὶ εἰς Σμύρναν καὶ εἰς Πέργαμον καὶ εἰς Θυάτειρα καὶ εἰς Σάρδεις καὶ εἰς Φιλαδέλφειαν καὶ εἰς Λαοδίκειαν.
Why was John in the Spirit? The verse implies that he was worshipping on the Lord’s Day, which is the day of resurrection, Sunday. The question is, what does it mean to be “in the Spirit”? This vision was not something that came about because John was beating his body or doing yoga but he was in worship. To be in the Spirit requires one to be in worship, with focus upon God. It does not require any kind of chemical, special position, or trance. John could still hear and see. Not everyone has these types of visions. John’s vision was a special one that God used to reveal his words for future generations. God was in the process of developing Scripture for future believers to know about the “things to happen” and for unbelievers to be warned about the need to repent. This was no ordinary vision because of the loud voice that spoke to John.
Revelation is directed specifically to the seven churches which were found in Asia Minor. These churches each have their own special letter given in chapters 2-3. John was not far from the city of Ephesus. All of the cities were close to where he was exiled. All these churches knew him. John was likely an old man by this time. The rest of the apostles had probably died by this time. Tradition states that all the others died as martyrs but John lived to old age. This is one of his parting messages to these churches that knew him and he knew them. Although John received this book in the form of revelation, it is filled with his personality and insights.
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