A CLASH OF THEN AND NOW, LIKE NOTHING BEFORE, nearly tore John apart. He hit the floor expecting to disintegrate in the presence of holy might. But he lived! And he wrote about his experience.

IN REVELATION 1:9-17 Saint John writes that on the Lord’s Day he is “in the Spirit.” He is transported, and he keeps his eyes and ears open with expectancy. He doesn’t mention concern about what is happening to him; he seems calm as he HEARS a voice behind him commanding him to “write this down for the seven churches.”

We can imagine that in response to the command, John obediently settles himself to begin transcribing whatever the voice tells him next. And as he settles, he does what any of us would do—he TURNS to give his full attention to the speaker. And when he does so, John suddenly SEES. The vision of Jesus in His full majesty knocks John to the ground! Verse 17a (NIV) tells us: “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.”

John, the beloved disciple who has known Jesus perhaps better than any of the other disciples, is overwhelmed and overcome. Even though John was present at Jesus’ transfiguration and even though he saw the Lord in His resurrected body, he is now dumbfounded by what he sees. Peter, James, and John had been frightened at the transfiguration but had retained their wits and had even discussed the event with Jesus. And John and the disciples had rejoiced and spent joyous time with the amazing risen Lord prior to His ascension.  But nothing—NOTHING—has prepared John for what he now sees in heaven!

John, the favored disciple that the other disciples sometimes went through to ask Jesus questions, no longer feels chummy enough to ask Jesus if he can sit on His right or left hand in glory. No. John is not chummy, now. He is too busy beating his forehead into the ground at the feet of the Ascended Lord, in abject fear.

In this meeting, John finally comes to grips with the truth of who Jesus truly is: the very God of everything!

The splendor of the figure before him turns John—the “dear friend” of Jesus—into a puddle of human insignificance on the floor of heaven!

BUT JESUS LOVES HIM. Even in all of His splendor, Jesus reaches out and TOUCHES His old friend. Verse 17b says: “Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid.’”

For all of His majesty, the touch of Jesus on John’s shoulder—with John’s eyes tightly closed—is familiar. IT IS HIS LORD!

In addition to the touch, John also knows Jesus’ voice. He thrills to hear it again when Jesus says: “DO NOT BE AFRAID.”

I don’t know about those of you reading this blog, but I am awed that Jesus is saying to John, “You have nothing to fear from Me. You belong here! THIS is who I am, and you are STILL my disciple and friend!”

And it awes me to realize that I have a similar standing with the Lord. The Son of God made Himself familiar to people like me when He came to Earth as a baby. In Jesus, God touched us and spoke face to face with us. He became our friend—and then He conquered our sin and death to become our Savior. Now, we can belong wherever He is. We belong to the Almighty Lord of the Universe, who paid a great price to secure us!

I am grateful for John’s vision.

And I hear in the Lord’s message to John that He wants to love the rest of the world through His followers. “Write it down,” He says to John. “Tell people what they need to hear—now, before it is too late.” He says, in effect, “Stay close and share what you see and what I say.” And then He brings the visions and the words and the miracles that send people to their knees.

It is an old, old story. Prophets and priests have been sharing it for centuries. But not everyone has caught the vision. Not everyone has HEARD or turned to SEE their God. Many plug their ears and cover their eyes, and they send Him to the Cross, thinking to be done with Him.

But He will not be done away with. The eternal God does not die! And one day, when Jesus returns to claim this earth, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. For on that day, there will be no deaf ears or blind eyes. All will be revealed as it truly is.

I have become a writer of stories of faith because I want others to catch the vision and hear His voice, as I have. I have been drawn to Him by words of love, His free gift of forgiveness, and His promise of new life apart from sin and death. I know I will still be sent to my knees on the day I see Him with unclouded eyes. But like John, I rest assured that He will say to me: “Do not be afraid!” And it is my deepest desire that my family and friends (including readers I may never meet) will all hear the same words spoken to them. And we will all see Him as He is, and we will be changed.

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John’s vision:

Revelation 1:9-17 (NIV): I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and someone ‘like the son of man,’ dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid.”