Some people have a phobia about islands. They feel trapped – surrounded by water. Confined. Cut-off. Stranded. They wonder how a person could ever be contented living on an island. Incidentally, we live on Prince Edward Island. For the most part, in 2022, ‘islanders, ‘ as we like to call ourselves, can come and go as we wish. Air travel, boats, and even bridges, if you are as privileged as PEI – have minimized any sense of being cut off or totally isolated. But Patmos was different.
About 40 kilometres off the coast of Turkey in the Aegean Sea, the tiny island of Patmos was used as a prison. If you were just a common criminal or an unknown Christian in the 1st century – you could look forward to your “Upward Call” being expedited by lions or by being burned at the stake. But if you were a well-known, very public Christian, it was too risky for the Roman Emperor to dispose of you that way. No emperor would want to precipitate a riot and cause needless unrest in his empire. So Emperor Domitian chose a little island called Patmos (34 square kilometres in size) as an island of exile.
The Apostle John was banished to Patmos. What did he think as he was dropped off and left alone on that tiny island? It’s a tourist resort today, but in John’s day, it sure wasn’t a destination of choice.
Trapped. Confined. Alone. Exiled. Abandoned. Isolated. Did John question God? As the boat sailed away and he climbed the rugged cliffs, did the tears begin to roll down his face? As the stars came out and he spent that first night all alone on the deserted island, did he pray?
“Lord, I have been faithful to Your Word. I taught and preached the Word. I defended the truth. I told everyone I met about Jesus Christ. Why is this happening to me now, Lord?”
Perhaps you feel that way today: deserted, abandoned and stranded on a very lonely island of circumstances. No escape. While everyone else seems to be enjoying their summer – right now your future is desperately bleak. You feel trapped and overwhelmed with disappointment – maybe despair.
It was Sunday on the Island of Patmos when it happened. There were no Christians with whom to fellowship. No way to reach out to Christian friends virtually to give them an update on your location and status. Very few social media options to be comforted by a prayer line. To say the least, internet connections ranged from poor to non-existent – primarily the latter. From a human standpoint, it could have been A really blue, lonely and bleak Sunday for John. But we read, he was ‘in the Spirit’ that day, occupied with the Risen, Returning and Regal Christ.
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, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore.” Revelation 1:9,10,17,18
Too often we read the Book of the Revelation and forget to think what an encouragement the experience must have been to dear old exiled John.
Would the cruel and vicious Roman Emperor really have the last word on Christianity? Will the kings and emperors of this world have the last say? Was John the loser for taking sides with Christ and remaining true and faithful? Never!! Human governments may flex their muscles against God and act as if they possessed ultimate power, but that will be short-lived.
That Sunday on Patmos, it was clearly revealed to John that the Christ who was hated and despised now will return as the mighty Conqueror. He will be vindicated and all things will be made right. He will reign supreme on this earth. Unpopular and downtrodden believers will share in this triumph of Christ and we can look forward to a glorious future.
When you read the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ – spend more time seeing Christ in its chapters and less time debating its complexities.
Dear Child of the Living God: as you wander around on the lonely island of your circumstances, filled with despair listen to His words:
Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore.” Revelation 1:18
Circumstances are only temporary. Christ is forever!
Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.
Warmly in Christ,
Peter Ramsay
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