Revelation 1, verses 10 to 20, part 1, in the Spirit on the Lord's day

 

Revelation 1:10  I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11  Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. 12  And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13  And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14  His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15  And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16  And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17  And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 19  Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; 20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day…, is an interesting phrase. First, it reinforces that Christians worshipped on a special day called the Lord’s day.  Other evidence of a special day that particular worship was held can be found at;

Acts 20:7  And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

1Corinthians 16:2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

What does it mean to be in the Spirit?  Note the uppercase S.

The believer is indwelt by the Spirit of Christ, who is God.

Romans 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

The context of the following shows that as the believer is indwelt by the Spirit of God his sanctification is not accomplished by carnal, fleshy things such as ordinances and commandments but by the change brought about by the Spirit on his or her life.

Galatians 3:3  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

The believer who walks in the Spirit does not seek to fulfill the lust of the flesh. If we live in the Spirit it must be evidenced by our walk.

Galations 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh…25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Being in the Spirit has to do with being detached from the world and focused on and controlled by God.

Ephesians 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Colossians 1:8  Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

1Timothy 3:16  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

John was so deeply given to prayer and so focused on God that the Spirit of God controlled him and was willing to show him things we cannot see because even when we pray we are still firmly planted in this world. Few have prayed hard enough or for a long enough time or in a focused manner that would allow their complete surrender to God.  Usually we want something or we don’t want something but our prayers are not focused on our position in God; our submission to Him or His authority over us. We either mumble a hurried prayer, recite a formula, or preach a sermon to others. What John experienced here was much, much more. Of course, I am assuming John was praying although this could have been similar to Peter’s trance in Acts 10.