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.
– Revelation 1:9
Oh, there is so much here as the book of Revelation starts. One of my favorite books in the whole Bible. It’s so beautiful. And I think one of the reasons I love this book so much is because of one phrase I just read. So many people when they think about Revelation, think about, well just end times, of course, and all kinds of questions and confusion about how’s this all going to work in the end? And when’s this going to happen? When’s that going to happen? That actually leads to all kinds of discussions and debates among followers of Jesus about how all this is going to play out.
Revelation 1:9 encourages us to endure patiently amidst trial and tribulation.
But that was not the primary effect of this book when it was written. This letter that was written by John from this island where he was exiled because of being a follower of Jesus. That’s what he just said. He’s on this island because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus because he’s proclaimed God’s Word and followed Jesus.
He’s been exiled, being persecuted in this way, and he says, “I write this to you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom.” And then here’s the phrase that I really want us to pray according to. “And the patient endurance that are in Jesus.” Patient endurance. We live in a world of tribulation, of trial. This is a fallen world and the effects of the fallenness of this world are all around us, and we are patiently enduring as we wait for Jesus to come back.
And that was the primary effect of this book. That’s one of the primary reasons John wrote this book under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit was not to confuse Christians or cause Christians to have all kinds of questions about this or that. He wrote this book to help Christians patiently endure the trials and tribulations and persecutions like he was experiencing that they were facing in this world.
Revelation 1:9 challenges us to look to Jesus amidst the fallenness of the world.
And here’s how he encourages them right after this. I wish we had time to read it and meditate on all of it, Revelation 1, but John gives a glorious picture of Jesus, a vision of Jesus, and he basically is saying to those who are reading and hearing these words, look to Jesus amidst the fallenness of this world. Keep your eyes on Jesus. See his power. See his love. And his might. See his wisdom. See Jesus. And I would argue that the rest of the book of Revelation revolves around the glory of Jesus in a fallen world, and the glory of Jesus in the end.
Some of the most powerful depictions of Jesus from Revelation 1 all the way to the end are of Jesus. And I just want to encourage you with that today. Patiently endure amidst whatever this fallen world brings you. Amidst all the fallenness of this world that you see around you, keep looking to Jesus and patiently endure until he comes back, and we see him face to face, and we will be with him forever.
This verse encourages us to hold fast to the faith when we suffer.
God, I pray Revelation 1:9 over every single person listening to this even as I prayed over my own life today. Help us to patiently endure. God, we pray for patience amidst suffering, amidst trial, amidst tribulation, amidst the sin of this world, the sin in our lives. God, we want to be free from sin in all of its effects. We pray for patient endurance. Help us to hold fast to faith as John did on this island where he was persecuted and holding fast, and he’s encouraging others amidst all the temptations of this world to hold fast to faith amidst the trials of this world, to hold fast to faith.
God, I just pray this over every single person listening right now amidst whatever temptations they will face today, amidst whatever trials they’re going through, that you would help them to endure in faith in Jesus. To see you Jesus in a fresh way right now. To remember who you are, Sovereign King over all of creation, and to remember how much you love us, and all of your promises to us that will keep us to the end. God, we pray for patient endurance, and we pray for the spread of Jesus, your glory, among all the peoples of the earth.
Prayer for the Czech Jewish People
We pray specifically today for Czech Jewish men and women in Czechia. God, we pray for the thousands of Czech Jewish men and women amidst the unrest of this world, amidst the violence of this world, especially amidst war in this world that’s causing Jewish men and women and children to be more afraid in this or that part of the world. God, we pray for the spread of the peace and the love of Jesus among the Jewish diaspora around the world, and specifically among Czech Jewish men and women and children that they might see you, Jesus, for who you are. Even as we pray in our own lives today, help us to see you for who you are and to patiently endure with our hope in you. In your name we pray, Lord Jesus. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
