Revelation Chapter 1
Verse 9 (NIV) 
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9I, John, your
brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient
endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because
of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
I, John, your BROTHER and COMPANION in the
John could have claimed full rank and authority as the last apostle of
the
original twelve, but he humbly says that he is one of us, a brother.
- suffering and
Just because we are Christians and have the full power of God behind us
doesn't
mean we won't face tough times. Christ says we will have tribulations -
John
16:33
; Paul, after being stoned, could say we would pass through many
tribulations
on our way into the kingdom of God -
Acts 14:19-23
; Paul felt closer (more complete) to Christ if he could share His
sufferings
-
Colossians 1:24-29
; and just living the Christian life will bring persecution -
2 Timothy 3:12-15
.
- kingdom and
We all receive this kingdom when we are washed in the blood of Christ -
Revelation 1:6
. But there is another kingdom of which we are a part -
Revelation 20:4-6 and Revelation 22:5
.
- patient endurance that are ours IN JESUS,
It is this endurance which makes the tribulation bearable as we wait
for the final kingdom. One of the best indicators if a person truly is
a believer is if he/she has endurance. It is an important attribute for
the "Church Age".
To the church at Ephesus, `I know ... your hard work and your
perseverance.' - Revelation 2:2
. To the church at Thyatira, `I know ... [your] perseverance -
Revelation 2:19
. To the church at Philadelphia, ` ... you have kept my command to
endure
patiently.' - Revelation 3:10
. To those with their name written in the book of life of the Lamb
(true believers),
they can face captivity and/or death `... with patient endurance and
faithfulness.'
- Revelation 13:10
. To those who refuse the mark of the beast by keeping the commandments
of
God and their faith in Jesus, they `... have patient endurance.' -
Revelation 14:12
.
Suffering tests and purifies the loyalty of a true believer.
Furthermore, Christ's power is perfected in our weaknesses -
2 Corinthians 12:9
.
was on the island of Patmos because of
- the Word of God and
- the testimony of Jesus.
The compelling need of John to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior
got
him exiled to the island of Patmos. Patmos is a small volcanic and
rocky
island about 25 square miles located some 35 miles westsouthwest of
Miletus
in the Mediterranean Sea. Emperor Domitian sent John there in AD 95 and
Emperor
Nerva released him some 18 months later according to Eusebius, the
historian.
These two reasons show one of the characteristics common to the
"Church Age", i.e. the time from Christ's ascension until the 'rapture'
of the Church
(still to come). This characteristic is one of individual witnessing to
the
power of God's Word and to the acquisiton of eternal life through the
death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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"Scripture taken from the The
Holy Bible, New International Version, Copyright ) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by
permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
References to the Revelation of Jesus Christ are in bold
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