Lessons from Patmos

Since returning from galavanting around Greece and Turkey, I've often been asked what my favorite part was.  It's a question that is nearly impossible to answer completely, but I find myself often mentioning the Island of Patmos as landing high on my list of favorites.  It may have been partly the fact that it was absolutely beautiful. 

It may be partly that we spent a longer time there, giving us an opportunity to explore and experience more.

 

 Ancient customs observable today didn't hurt it either.  (These men are harvesting hay with sickles.)

I think, though, that much of the reason that Patmos is a cherished memory has to do with its Biblical significance.

Patmos is actually only mentioned once in the Bible, in Revelations.  


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.  I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea."    
                                                                                                            ~Revelation 1: 9-11


That doesn't give a whole lot of information.  Church History/tradition explains a little more.


According to tradition, the book of Revelation was written by the Apostle John who also wrote the gospel of John and the three epistles of John.  All four of these books were likely written towards the end of the first century - the last of the New Testament to be completed.  If tradition records all the activities of John between the cross and his imprisonment on Patmos, I'm afraid I'm not familiar with everything.  However, it seems that at some point John went to Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) where he took a leadership role in the new churches springing up there - especially the church at Ephesus.  John was the Bishop of Ephesus, and judging from the love and compassion demonstrated in his writings, he loved the people there.  He cared for his "sheep."


Of course, at some point late in his life, the Romans, fearing and persecuting Christianity, banished him to Patmos.  Patmos is a tiny island, less than 40 miles off the coast of Turkey (and about 60 miles from Ephesus, as the crow flies).  On land, even at that time, that distance could have easily been covered in less than a week, and John could have been back with his beloved church.  But with the sea intervening...such a distance was insurmountable.  John would have seen nearby islands, maybe even the coast of Turkey, from his cave, but for him they would have been as unreachable as the moon.


As we sat on Patmos and talked about John it was easy to imagine his discouragement and despair.  He had been busy all his life, serving God, sharing the gospel, offering counsel and encouragement to fellow Christians.  And now he was separated from everyone and everything he held dear.  His ministry opportunities were reduced to almost nothing.  And, possibly worst of all, he knew he was the last apostle: the last of the generation that had actually known and walked with Christ.  He attempted to pass on some of this knowledge in his writings, but he must have wondered, when all the apostles were gone, would the baby church survive?  With persecution growing worse and no actual witnesses to the resurrection left, would it become easier and easier for believers to deny the faith when faced with death?  And, with time, would this precious church slowly cease to exist?

Traditional site of St. John's Cave

Surely such doubts assailed his mind from time to time while he was imprisoned on Patmos.  But then something miraculous occurred.  John was given just a glimpse of what the future of the Church would be.  It wasn't all good.  There was danger on every side.  Even now the church was threatened, from within and without: bad doctrine, lovelessness, immorality, and persecution all posed problems.  But far in the future a light shown brightly.  However you chose to interpret Revelations, one thing is clear: in the end, God wins.  The last enemies will be utterly defeated, and the Church will take her place as the Bride of Christ.


No wonder John's response was worship.  What a joy it would be for him to know that in spite of all the bad in the world, and in spite of his own helplessness, God's plan would prevail and all would be made right.  What joy to know that God cared enough about him to chose to send this encouraging message to him.


And I think this is an appropriate reminder as we head into the new year.  So many people I know are suffering; though their circumstances may differ from John's, some of the discouragement is certainly repeated.  But John's experience on Patmos serves as a reminder of God's love and grace in trials.  And the message that went from Patmos, first to the seven churches, and then down through the ages to us, assures us that in the end, all the wrong will be righted.  God has a plan, and He will triumph.

Hagia Sophia

It's probably one of the largest and oldest churches I've been in (and I've had my share of large, ancient churches).  It's also no longer a church.  As a museum, on a Sunday morning it was filled with people of all faiths, marveling at the decorations and architecture.

Since the book of Revelation had been written to people in this region nearly 2000 years ago, I found a quiet corner and read a few chapters to myself.  

In a part of the world so deceived by Satan's lies, with reminders of his falsehoods everywhere...

this verse stood out:

And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.  ~Revelations 20:10 

In a dark and hopeless world, Revelation offers an abundance of hope.  The Kingdom of God will prevail.  Hagia Sophia may now be filled with people from various tribes, tongues, and nations, merely marveling at a beautiful building, but someday a similar group will sing praises around the throne of God.  

No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.  They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.   ~Revelation 22: 3-5

Samos and Patmos

The last two days have actually been spent on (and around) Greek Islands.  Not only that, but these specific Islands are actually mentioned in Acts.

Acts 20:15 mentions Paul "touching" at Samos before Miletus.  Samos is also (probably) the birth place of Pythagoras.  

On Monday we went from Turkey to Samos where we rented cars and spent the day exploring the Island.  Aside from the gorgeous views and other adventures, a highlight for me was telling a joke about Pythagoras in Pythagoria near the statue of Pythagoras.  

There are quaint Greek Orthodox churches every 10m or so.

And in general it was beautiful.  

This morning we got an early start and headed to Patmos.  We were going into the wind, and with our ship sailing wasn't possible, so we motored the whole way and made good time, arriving about 3:30. 

The trip itself was beautiful with clear blue waters, dolphins, and beautiful sailboats passing by.  

I also got to steer our ship for a while.  That was pretty cool.

At one point we were (roughly) on a collision course with another vessel (as the radar image sort of shows).  We didn't hit him, and he didn't hit us.  It was good.

Once on Patmos we climbed one of the many hills to visit the Cave of St. John.  This is supposedly where John was when he had his vision of Jesus.  It was interested to reflect on his circumstances.  He was forced to be separated from his church in Ephesus and near the end of his life.  He must have felt useless and probably wondered, as the last of the apostles, what would happen after his death?  Would the Kingdom of God prevail, or would the Kingdom of Rome swallow it up?  How encouraging to him this vision must have been.  Not only did it give him something useful to fill his days, but it reminded him that in the end God wins.

The island of Patmos is beautiful.  I think one of my favorite things, though, is the smell.  It's something of a mix between fresh mountain air and more tropical/oceanic smells.  We're spending the day here tomorrow as well, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it.