Revelation 1:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet

NIV: On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,

NASB: I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet,

CSB: I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet

NLT: It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast.

KJV: I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

NKJV: I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,

Here, John explains the circumstances surrounding his charge from God: to write to the seven churches. He was somehow "in the Spirit," when he heard a loud voice behind that sounded like a trumpet. This might refer to a state of deep communication with God, or even an overt moment of control by the Holy Spirit.

Some scholars believe that by "Lord's day" John was referring to the tribulation, the seven years of judgments that follow the rapture. It is true that the term "day of the Lord" is used in the Old Testament (Joel 2:1) and 2 Thessalonians 2:2 to refer to the tribulation. However, that does not seem to be what John means in this verse. In 2 Thessalonians 2:2 Paul wrote that the claim that the day of the Lord had already come was false. He declared it was still in the future, and would follow a rebellion—an apostasy—and the appearance of the "man of lawlessness." Most likely, then, John's use of "the Lord's day" implies the first day of the week, when Christians gathered for worship (Acts 20:7).

John writes that he heard a loud voice that sounded like a trumpet. The word for trumpet used here specifically identifies a war trumpet. This would certainly have gotten John's attention. It was definitely a commanding voice that must be heeded.

Revelation 1:9–11 explains why John is on the island of Patmos: ''the word of God and testimony of Jesus,'' likely referring to some kind of persecution. He further explains that he was ''in the Spirit.'' This possibly refers to a spiritual state of mind, a sense of being controlled by the Holy Spirit, or a feeling of overt communication from God. While in that condition, John heard the Lord command him to write on a scroll what he saw, and send it to seven churches existing in that era.

The Roman government had banished John to the island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea, off the coast of Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey. While John was at Patmos, the risen, glorified Son of God appeared to him and commanded him to write ''the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this'' (Revelation 1:19). John pronounces blessings to those who read and obey Revelation, and then he greets his readers warmly and describes Jesus' appearance.

The apostle John begins this chapter by stating that he received the revelation of Jesus Christ by divine activity. God sent this vision to John while he was on the island of Patmos, likely as a punishment from the Roman government. This book follows John's four prior messages contained in the New Testament: the Gospel of John and the letters 1, 2, and 3 John. Chapters 2 and 3 tell what Jesus dictated to seven churches in Asia Minor, while the rest of John's message concerns future events.

The word ''revelation'' means ''an unveiling or disclosure.'' This writing unveils future events such as the rapture, three series of judgments that will fall on the earth during the tribulation, the emergence of the Antichrist, the persecution of Israel and her amazing revival, as well as Jesus' second coming with His saints to the earth, the judgment of Satan and his followers, and finally, the eternal state. This content, combined with the original Greek term apokalypsis, is why we now refer to an end-of-the-world scenario as ''an apocalypse.''