I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 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.” — Revelation 1:9-11
Having introduced the Receiver to the Originator and the Messenger of the ἀποκάλυψις (revelation of Truth), John turns to explaining how he came to be the one recording the Testimony of the Witness. Again, the words John chooses provide us, the Receivers, indications of what the Message IS and How we should REPSOND.
We know it is John, because he introduces himself as an ἀδελφὸς (adelphos) or brother, meaning one who claims a commonality with us.
He goes on to explain that he is a συγκοινωνὸς (sygkoinōnos) partner, or co-participant, in three things: the θλίψει (thlipsis) or tribulation, the βασιλείᾳ (basileia) or kingdom, and the ὑπομονῇ (hypomonē) or patient endurance. All three of these provide the commonality of concerning Jesus.
The tribulation concerning Jesus, is to John, the current suffering of oppression that he and other followers of Jesus are personally experiencing. Some in prison, like John. Others to death through public execution. To us, it is any time when our faith to Jesus brings us hardship in the World.
The kingdom concerning Jesus is that kingdom mentioned in verse 6, over which He has given us dominion for a time. Jesus tells us of this kingdom when He answers Pilot’s questions about His Kingship with,
“My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” - John 18:36
A kingdom is a place for The King to reign. The Church is that “Kingdom of Heaven” on Earth.
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:
"Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."
So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
"The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," - 1 Peter 2:4-7
The patient endurance concerning Jesus is the quiet resolve with which Jesus suffered without violence or outbursts against t hose persecuting Him. All believers are called to strive to live with this quiet resolve in all areas of our lives. We will see this reflected in several of the Seven Churches and being recognized by Jesus.
John is giving us a warning that we are about to hear about a suffering that the kingdom must endure in the name of Jesus. As we are the Kingdom, this should be a warning to us, as well.
After identifying why the Receiver should find commonality with the Recorder, John helps us current tribulation by telling us that he was on the prison island of Patmos because of his testimony to the Word of God and the Truth of Jesus.
Now, as to John’s condition at the time at which he received that which he records, John was “in the Spirit” which would mean in some presence of mind to be open to God either in worship or prayer and on “the Lord’s Day.” Whether this is a specific day of the year or week is not clear, but it carries, at least, that John had a specific time or day during which he would prepare himself to receive God’s Word. This is a practice we should all be better.
During his worshipful exaltation, he hears a loud voice, like a trumpet calling men to attention, announcing what he is about to hear.
NOTE: Some translations have an introduction by Jesus declaring he is the Alpha and the Omega. This is not present in the oldest manuscripts, so most modern translations do not include it. It appears to be a copying error repeating this line from a verse 8.
The first thing John hears said to him is in the imperative or as a command, for John to “Write down what you see,” to put it into a βιβλίον (biblion) or scroll, and to πέμψον (pempō) or send it to the Seven Churches that are in Asia. This is not a request or a suggestion. This is a command from Jesus. John is telling us that he had no choice but to write and send this vision to the Receivers.
Finally, Jesus tells John, specifically, which Seven Churches this ἀποκάλυψις (revelation of Truth) is to be sent. We will go over the reality of these Seven Churches in our next lesson.