The First Day - Revelation 1:8-10

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.