Apocalypse Now! Ann Walper © 2012 All Rights Reserved Sharing this document without written permission from the author is expressly prohibited. Chapter 2 — John and the Lord’s Day “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” 2 Timothy 1:7-9. Persecution by the civil powers began early in the young Christian church, bringing social, political, and economic hardship upon the followers of Christ. Over a period of two and a half centuries Christians suffered from sporadic and localized persecutions. Refusing to participate in the imperial cult was considered an act of treason that was punishable by execution. James, the brother of the author of Revelation was beheaded by Herod Agrippa I in A.D. 44. The apostle Paul was imprisoned twice in Rome, the first time he was held under house arrest for two years before coming to trial. After he was acquitted and released, Paul continued his preaching tours for several more years. In A.D. 66 he was again arrested, supposedly for committing crimes against the state. After two years in chains, Emperor Nero Caesar had Paul decapitated in a public execution. “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 1:9. John begins his narrative in Revelation by stating that he was a political prisoner on the Isle of Patmos. From this verse we are able to determine three important facts about the writing of the Book of Revelation: who wrote it, where it was written, and the time it written. The author is identified as the apostle John. The “where” was the rocky island of Patmos located about 40 miles off the west coast of Asia Minor, southwest of the city of Miletus in modern day Turkey. The “when” is known to be during the reign of Emperor Domitian, when the Romans began to use Patmos as a place of exile for condemned criminals. This verse also gives us great encouragement because John identifies with his readers in three ways: he says he is our brother in Christ, that he is a companion in our oppression, and a fellow citizen of the heavenly kingdom of God. His personal witness assures us that through faith in God’s promises, he was able to maintain patience even under terrible trials and persecution. Like Paul, John could say “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8). John’s faith in his Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ, gave him the courage to face affliction, persecution, and even death, knowing that he was bound as a citizen of the heavenly kingdom. His full allegiance was to Christ; no other could take His place in John’s heart. Lord’s Day and Emperor Worship Emperor Domitian Titus Flavius Caesar (A.D. 51–96) was the younger son of Emperor Vespasian, and brother to Titus. Titus was the general responsible for the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Domitian was a ruthless but efficient dictator, and an ardent worshiper of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom and patron of the arts, commercial trade, and military defenses. Domitian revived the practice of the imperial cult that enrolled the emperors among the gods. In his public documents, Domitian informed all the governors of his empire, and leaders of other governments, that he should be addressed as “Our Lord and God Domitian.” In his Lives of the Caesars, Seutonius (A.D. 75-ca. 140), wrote: “With no less arrogance he began as follows in issuing a circular letter in the name of his procurators, ‘Our Master and our God bids that this be done’” (Dominus et deus noster hoe fieri abet). Domitian instituted a day on which he was especially to be worshiped, calling it the “emperor’s day” which, by implication, was “the lord’s day” to those who held him in high esteem. In A.D. 85, he nominated himself as perpetual censor, making himself the moral policeman of the empire. Domitian’s religious policy allowed no tolerance toward those he considered morally corrupt. Toward the end of his reign, Jews and Christians were heavily persecuted for their resistance to emperor worship. Domitian was assassinated in A.D. 96 on September 18, as part of a palace conspiracy organized by court officials. Marcus Cocceius Nerva, who had served as a member of the imperial entourage since the days of Nero, was immediately declared emperor by the Senate. According to the policy of the time, succeeding monarchs set free persons held as political prisoners condemned by their predecessor. John was released from Patmos late in the year A.D. 96, giving us a date for the composition of the book of Revelation between A.D. 95 and 96. “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet” Revelation 1:10. Christians Were Persecuted Persecution by the civil powers began early in the young Christian church, bringing social, political, and economic hardship upon the followers of Christ. Over a period of two and a half centuries, emperor worship (idolizing the civil authority) was embedded into the mythic thinking of the Roman society. Refusing to participate in the imperial cult was considered an act of treason that was punishable by execution. James, the brother of the author of Revelation was beheaded by Herod Agrippa I in A.D. 44. James the less, the brother of Christ, was stoned to death. The apostle Paul was imprisoned twice in Rome, the first time he was held under house arrest for two years before coming to trial. After he was acquitted and released, Paul continued his preaching tours until he was again arrested in A.D. 66, supposedly for committing crimes against the state. After two years in chains, Emperor Nero Caesar had Paul decapitated in a public execution. The apostle Peter was arrested and crucified in Rome. In the early years of the Christian church, many believers had to leave Palestine and seek shelter in other countries. During the Jewish Revolt (A.D. 66-70) which ended with the destruction of the second temple in Jerusalem, animosity increased greatly toward Jews and Christians (who were viewed by Roman authorities as merely a sub-sect of Judaism). During this early time, Christians suffered from sporadic and localized victimization. While Christians may have been able to escape direct participation in the false religious practices of the imperial cult, the pervasiveness of emperor worship in the first-century Roman empire would have confronted them at every turn, effecting even the simplest activities of daily life. For instance, without first making a votive offering to honor the emperor they were unable to buy or sell in the market places. By the fourth century A.D. under Emperor Diocletian (A.D. 303–313), political tyranny increased sharply. Christians were denied their civil rights, had their citizenship revoked, and some were forced into slavery, executed or imprisoned, all because of their faith in Christ as their Redeemer from sin. Perpetual Sabbath Observation John used the phrase “Lord’s day” in his introductory comments in Revelation, both as an identifier of the day upon which he received the visions, and as a declaration that he was not worshiping the “lord” Domitian. For his readers, the distinction would have had significant meaning. When John wrote the words “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” (Revelation 1:10), he was not referring to “emperor’s day,” nor to Sunday, as many Christians today believe. He was in prison “for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” (vs. 9). The Word of God contains no mention of first-day worship practices. John was a political prisoner because he refused to worship the emperor, who claimed to be lord and who had set up a false day of worship. When John penned this verse, he was not worshiping or alluding to the worship of the pagan lord of the realm. He knew perfectly well that the seventh-day Sabbath was the true Lord’s Day. Jesus had said so. John kept the seventh-day Sabbath as the day of worship all of his life, as did all the disciples of Jesus, and Jesus Himself. The Scriptures inform us, “And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read” (Luke 4:16). The Greek word translated “custom” in this verse means “habit.” Going to the synagogue to read and study God’s word, and to praise and worship the Lord of Creation was the customary thing for Jesus to do on the Sabbath.