What John Saw on Patmos

Introduction

John’s Revelation is remarkable in many ways. It is a record of what John saw while on Patmos. Repeatedly, John says, I saw.

“John, who bare record of the word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things that he saw.” (1:2.) “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me.” (1:12.) “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.” (1:17.) “After this I looked and behold, a door was opened in heaven.” (4:1.) “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back side with seven seals.” (5:1.)

There are 42 instances in Revelation where John says, “I saw,” and 5 times when he said, “I looked and beheld.” They occur in every chapter, except chapters 2 & 3, where the seven short letters to the churches are found.

Paul and John. It is interesting to recall that Paul was taken up into the third heaven and received similar revelations and visions. (2 Cor. 12:1-9.) Yet, he was not permitted to write about those experiences. In addition, Paul was given a thorn in the flesh to humble him. He prayed for it to be removed, but the request was not answered. Why was John allowed to write about his experiences of what he saw and heard, but Paul was not?

Some possible considerations might be: 1) John is near the end of his life; Paul was not at the time. 2) John is on Patmos in exile for the Word of God; this might be humbling enough that he did not need another thorn. 3) No other apostles were alive when John wrote. There would not exalting of one apostle above another.

What the apostles saw and heard is significant. Upon their reports, we build our faith. John wrote, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that you also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3.) “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” (Rom. 10:17.)

#1: He Saw What Happened to the Martyrs

The period near the end of the first century was a time of great persecution. The first wave of ten severe persecutions until the reign of Constantine when they ceased. Many Christians were put to death. John wrote that overcame because they loved not their lives unto the death. (12:11.) Those who remained in the churches in Asia Minor only saw the martyrs in death. They believed, of course, that they ascended upon high into the presence of God. John confirmed that very thing.

John saw them when the fifth seal of the book was broken. “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. They cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given to every one of them, and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” (6:9-11.) Later, John them again. He recorded:

“After this I beheld a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, kindreds, people, and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their hands. . . One of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? Whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. He said, These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple. He that sits on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more. Neither shall the sun light upon them nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” (7:9-17.)

The family of the martyrs surely read this part of John’s visions with joy and delight. They had worked hard in the heat of the sun to make a harvest, only to be turned away from the markets by the Roman authorities because the Christians refused to worship the image of Caesar. (13:17.)

John mentioned the martyrs again in chapter 14. He saw them standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion. “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them.” (14:1, 13.)

#2: He Saw What Happened to Jesus

When Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives, the apostles beheld his journey into the skies. Two angels stood by and commented on Jesus’ ascension saying that he would return in like manner. (Acts 1:9-11.) That was the last that John had seen Jesus on earth. Now from Patmos, he is privileged to see him again in heaven in visions. John recorded that he is the same one “who loved us and gave himself for our sins.” (Rev. 1:5.) John gave a symbolic description of Jesus. (1:10-20.) The countenance of Jesus was as the sun shining in its strength. (1:16.) John was so over-whelmed by the sight that he fell to his feet as one dead.

Jesus is next seen at the right hand of God in heaven by the throne. Here are John’s words: “And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” (5:6.) The elders, living creatures and angels all bow down and worship the Lamb, saying, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor and glory and blessing. (5:12.)

Jesus is very active in the visions recorded by John. He is the one opening the book from the hand of God. He is engaged in spiritual warfare against the Red Dragon, the beast and false prophet. From these visions, we can learn the following about Jesus in heaven: 1) He cares about our lives on earth. 2) He is active in the Kingdom of God as he was on earth. 3) He is equal with God the Father in that both are worthy of worship and praise. 4) Man should not worship angels or anyone else. We should worship only God. (19:10.)

#3: He Saw What Happened to Evil

One author has divided the book into two major parts (chapters 1-11 and chapters 12-22). The first section deals with the physical battle on earth between the church and the world; the second section deals with the deeper conflict between Christ and Satan. In the first, there is persecution against the Christians because they would not worship the image of the Caesar. In the second, the Christ is born (chapter 12) and the Red Dragon seeks to kill him as soon as he was born.

The style of writing in Revelation is different for us. The book is composed of letters, prophecy and apocalyptic literature. We are more familiar with the first two, but the third one is more difficult. This style of writing, common to this period (200 BC to 100 AD), was born to express dark and troublesome times. The language is not just symbolic; it is more than that. The symbols are strange and grotesque images. They are not real—like seven headed animals. The lamb had seven horns and seven eyes. A harlot is riding a seven-headed beast while she is drinking wine. This kind of writing expresses dark days in which God must intervene. The conflict has reached a fever pitch. Something must give. A battle rages in heaven between angels and spirit beings, good and evil. The King of kings on a white horse leads the charge against the evil beings. In the end, the followers of the King defeat the forces of evil. The Red Dragon, the old devil, the beast and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire. And all whose names were not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life were cast into the lake of fire.

The aged apostle John saw the battles, the terrifying enemies arrayed against the Lord of lords and his followers. He saw the age-old conflict finally brought to an end. The curse that so long has plagued mankind has now ended. John wrote almost anti-climatically, “And there shall be no more curse.” (22:3.)

This does not mean that the battle is completely over. But it does mean that the outcome is assured. Satan is bound. We are free in Christ.

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he that in you than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4.)

#4: He Saw the Lord’s View of the Churches

John knew and loved the churches in Asia Minor. He has a special relationship with the church at Ephesus. Tradition says that when John was released from exile that he returned to Ephesus and died there.

John was told to write a letter to each of the seven churches. It was a letter from the Lord to them. John was able to see the churches in a new light; in a way that he had not seen them before. He was able to see them through the eyes of the Lord. What we think about a church is one thing, but what the Lord thinks may be something entirely different. To each church, the Lord said to them, I know your work. I know you and what you are doing. Some of you are doing evil work; others are doing good. Each will be judged according his work, whether it is good or evil. (Rev. 20:12-13.)

Churches struggle because of the conflict between good and evil. This conflict is greater than one man’s sins. It goes all the way to the Devil himself. Jesus said to sinful Jews, You are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your father you will do. (John 8:44.) They are deceived and deceivers in churches. There are sinners who have no plans to cease their sinful ways. There are false teachers who use the churches for their own sinful and sinister plans. Then there are always good people who go about doing good just as our Lord did. (Acts 10:38.) Even a few at Sardis would walk with Lord in white because they had not defiled their garments.

The call to all the churches is to be faithful even in the face of persecution, opposition, and infiltration by evil workers. Keep focused on what you know is right. Love one another as the Lord has loved us. God will intervene; there is a better day coming.

As seen through the eyes of the churches of Asia, the book of Revelation is a letter of encouragement and warning. It warned those who did evil; it encouraged those who were doing the Lord’s will. The book let them know the Lord was in charge; the Caesar of Rome was not; the Devil did not rule the world. Evil will be defeated. Get on the right side or your will be judged.