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 don
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 ESV).
We live in a semi-rural setting. We have neighbors close enough to know they are there, but far enough away not to disturb the quiet of country living. It is not unusual for me to go outside early in the morning and sit on the deck to simply listen while the world wakes up. The breeze blows a bit and the leaves rustle; the birds begin to sing their singular songs; and a few dogs bark in the distance while coyotes howl across the road. It is my favorite time of the day. Sunrise and sunset provide a quiet when I can push aside the noise of our world. I know there are many people less fortunate than I am in that regard.
The Apostle John’s
situation might have been a bit different. I imagine that the silence was the
most painful part of John’s exile on the island of Patmos. John had been used
to the noises of busy cities like Ephesus, Sardis, and Philadelphia. These were
thriving communities filled with endless sights and sounds. More than anything
else, John would have missed hearing the prayers of fellow believers and the
praises of the people raised to the Lord in worship on Sundays and in their
everyday working life. Patmos was as silent as death.
It was silent until
that Sunday, the Lord’s Day, when John heard a voice as loud as a trumpet
blast. It must have made every hair on his neck stand at attention! John later
learned that the voice came from none other than the Lord. Jesus broke into
Patmos’ silence and commanded John to write a record of what he was about to
see. Then later John would send it to the seven church communities he had
worked with. That Sunday, Jesus also broke heaven’s silence. From that day
forward God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit revealed God’s big
salvation story in greater detail. The book of Revelation is not a gift to
satisfy our curiosity. It is God’s way of helping us come to faith in him,
deepen our faith, and give it staying power even in the toughest of times. As
we go further in this series, I hope you will be encouraged in your noisy day!
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