The Gospel of Tribulation

The first eight verses of the book of Revelation are called the introduction. John identifies himself in verse nine, “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.” John was probably the last living apostle of Christ, one of the few eyewitnesses of the life of Jesus still living at that time, and yet he calls himself “…your brother and partner…”

         The humility of John is seen in this opening line; actually, it is the humility of Jesus that comes through. He does not elevate himself to some special status, with a special title, which is so common today among those with special gifts, abilities, and experiences. John certainly had all of those, and more. But he does not see himself as someone in high demand; he sees himself as a brother among the believers. The word “brother” is the Greek word adelphos, which means related by the same father. This word is sometimes translated “brethren.” In the family of God, we are all born from above, by the same Father, and from different mothers (different churches). We are all children of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

         But our tendency is to elevate individuals within the family of God to places of status based upon gifts, abilities, and experiences. Some may even seek to elevate themselves. Hard to imagine, but it happens. But not John. Today, people flock to see and hear the religious rock stars of our time, and we are even exporting their images via the internet to the other nations of the world. But not John. He is alone on an island, surrounded, not by people, but by the sea.

John is suffering because of the word of God and his testimony of Jesus. This does not fit very nicely into the theology of the prosperity gospel that is so popular today. One thing about the prosperity gospel; it requires a personality with status. The personality is the example of the validity of its message. You sure do not see this or hear it coming from our brethren in North Korea, Iraq, Syria, or Iran. And you do not see it or hear it coming from the island of Patmos.

John identifies the brotherhood and partnership as one of tribulation. The Greek word for “tribulation” is thelipis, which literally means to crush. It was used in the Greek culture to describe the process of making wine and/or olive oil, which began by crushing the grapes and/or olives in a press. The crushing brought out what was inside. Suffering does the same thing in the life of a believer. Difficulty, stress, and pressure do not build character; it reveals it, to bring it out. For a believer, suffering reveals the life of Jesus in you, with you, through you, as you, before the Father and the watching world around you. And like the testimony of John the baptizer in John 3:30, so that “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John knew the outcome of the tribulation and persecution in his life; patient endurance. The Greek word hupomeno, is the one used for that phrase in Revelation 1:9. This word is made up of two words, hupo, which means “under,” and meno, which means “to stay, or abide;” to stay under. It is translated in the New Testament with words such as patience, endurance, and steadfastness. It is produced in the life of a believer as a result of the crushing pressures of trials, persecution, difficulties, and stresses brought on as a result of being a follower of Christ in a sinful world. It is the strength of the life of Jesus in you, with you, shining through you, as you, before the Father and the watching world around you.

Today, as a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and in the stress and difficulties you are facing, know that you are not alone; you are in the family of God, Christ lives in you and with you, and His life is shining from you! Hallelujah!!!