Let’s look at Revelation 1:8
today where it says, “I am the Alpha and
the Omega, the Beginning and the End," saith the Lord, "who is and
who was and who is to come, the Almighty." It cannot escape notice
that Jesus uses the same description of Himself as God does of Himself back in
verse 4 when He said, “Grace to you and
peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come.” This is another
proof text for the Trinity.
Now let’s take a look at verse 9,
“I, John, both your brother and companion
in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island
that is called Patmos for the word of God and
for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” In this verse, John gives two reasons why
he was imprisoned on the island of Patmos: "For
the word of God" and "for
the testimony of Jesus Christ." I can’t think of any better reason for
a man to be imprisoned than that! Peter said in 1 Peter 2:20, “For
what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it
patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is
commendable before God.” It’s a whole lot better to go to jail for your
faith than for your faults.
Notice verse 10 which says, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and
heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.” The Lord’s Day is Sunday. Two
great things happened on Sunday. First, the resurrection of Jesus Christ
happened on Sunday. It says in John 20:1, “The
first day of the week cometh Mary
Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone
taken away from the sepulchre.” Second, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
and the birth of the Church occurred on Sunday in Acts 2:1-4. Some will say
these verses in Acts don’t specifically mention that it was the first day of
the week. No, they don’t, but Leviticus 23:15-16
does. The verse is speaking of the day of Pentecost when it says, “And you shall count for yourselves from the
day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave
offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath;
then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD”. The “day after the seventh Sabbath” is
Sunday. The Bible teaches that the early church always worshipped on Sunday. It
says in Acts 20:7, “And upon the first day of the week, when the
disciples came together to break bread,…” They were gathering for communion
and Bible study on Sunday.
It also says, when speaking of
when the offering was to be taken that it was to be done on Sunday. 1
Corinthians 16:2 says, “Upon the first day of the week let every one
of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him...” Clearly, the
early church worshiped on Sunday. Now, I know that there are those within the
church today who are convinced that we must all worship only on the Sabbath or
Saturday. I’m not here to knock them in any way. However, I will go to
Scripture on anyone who tries to put me back under the Old Testament Law. Jesus
came and fulfilled the Law so that I would not have to. If I could have done it
myself, Jesus would not have had to do it for me. When Jesus prayed in the
garden, “O my Father, if this cup may not
pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done” (Matthew 26:42);
what He was in essence saying was, “Father, if this is not the only way for man
to be saved, don’t make me do this.” Of
course, God’s answer was delivered in the form of a kiss (Matthew 26:48-49).
The Bible warns us in Galatians
5:1 to “Stand fast therefore in the
liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the
yoke of bondage”. It goes on to say in verse 2, “Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall
profit you nothing.” We must choose whether we want to live under the Law
and thus be judged by it, or accept the deliverance from the Law that comes by
faith in Jesus Christ.
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