The island of Patmos… where is this island you may wonder… well, it’s right here: off the coast of present day Turkey, and one of the Greek islands.
Tradition holds that John was exiled to this island in the latter years of his life and was the place where he received his revelation. Today, it looks more like a vacation island than a place of exile. With a current population of merely 2,750, it probably was a very isolated island in John’s day. It is interesting that from the island, John could see the land on which the seven churches resided. It appears God’s message to the churches were just out of reach by John.
In his isolated exile, John highlights his tribulation (suffering), the kingdom of God, and perseverance (patient endurance) — three themes found throughout this revelation. I am reminded that John wrote down this revelation some time after it was revealed to him (he writes in past tense). Consequently, these impressions probably remained with him as he sat down to write. But note also that John states that these are things that he possesses not just in the revelation, but in his life and ours now — things “that are ours in Jesus”, things that made John our “companion” and “brother”. Suffering, the kingdom, and perseverance… how much the apostle could attest to this as one who lived and testified to Christ at an unpopular time in Christian history.
Looking ahead, one thing is clear: it is going to get even worse as the end draws nearer. Perhaps any suffering, kingdom hope, or perseverance is something we need to start working on now so we’ll be ready when the time comes. Granted, some believe God’s people will be transported or raptured to heaven before the time of great tribulation described in later chapters. Whether that is true or not, these things exist even today. And for the apostle John, he saw it all — his past, his present, the future, and for him the end probably couldn’t come soon enough. Why? Because the revelation, as terrifying as it was also revealed a great hope for his future. That same future awaits us as well. So as we read through this mysterious book, it might be easy to camp on God’s wrath and judgment and Satan’s powerful but temporary influence in this world, but there is a God of love who will keep us to the end and will lead us to a place of eternal peace. Whether we live through the times to be described or whether we are spared, our future is secure in Him.