Di Vision for Patmos

Waves dey hit di rocks of one small island. One old man dey pray, alone, for di Lord day. And suddenly, for im back, one voice sound out, loud like trumpet.

Di island na Patmos, one small, rocky place inside di Aegean Sea, near di coast of di land wey dem dey call Turkey today. Di man na John. Long time ago, e be young fisherman wey follow Jesus. Now e don old, and dem don send am go Patmos because e no gree stop to tell people about Jesus. E call imself una brother and una partner for suffering, and for di kingdom, and for patient endurance. Christians for di whole area dey face hard times. John dey share am with dem. And for dis day, John talk, e dey inside di Spirit, for di Lord day.

For my back, John write, I hear one big voice, like trumpet. E talk, write wetin you see inside book, and send am to di seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. Seven real cities, where real Christians dey wait for news. So John turn round to see whose voice dey talk. And di first thing wey e see na seven golden lampstands, wey dey shine.

And for di middle of di lampstands, somebody stand wey be like son of man. John try to describe am, and you fit feel as e dey search for words. E wear one long robe, with golden band round im chest. Im head and im hair white like wool, white like snow. Im eyes be like flame of fire. Im feet be like fine bronze, wey dey glow inside furnace. Im voice be like di sound of plenty waters, like one mighty waterfall, or di sea wey dey beat di shore. For im right hand e hold seven stars. From im mouth one sharp sword wey get two edges come out. And im face be like di sun when e dey shine with all im strength. Dem no mean make person draw dis things like photograph. Na pictures of who e be: pure, e dey see everything, e strong, im word get power, and e dey shine with glory.

And when I see am, John talk, I fall for im feet like person wey don die. Years before, John lean on Jesus for supper. Now, as e see am inside im glory, e no fit stand. But then something wonderful happen. E put im right hand on me, and e talk to me, no fear. Na me be di first and di last. Na me be di One wey dey live. I die, and look, I dey alive forever and ever, Amen; and I hold di keys of hell and of death. Hell for here na Hades, di world of di dead: Jesus na im hold im keys. Di same hand. Di same gentle Jesus. Then Jesus explain part of di vision. Di seven stars na di angels of di seven churches, and di seven lampstands na di seven churches demselves. Jesus dey stand among im churches, dey waka among dem, dey hold dem for im hand. Write, e tell John, di things wey you don see, di things wey dey now, and di things wey go happen after dis.

Di early Christian writers remember how dem send John go exile. Irenaeus, one bishop wey write around di year one hundred and eighty, talk say John see di vision near di end of di reign of di emperor Domitian. Di church historian Eusebius later write say dem banish John go di island of Patmos because of im testimony about God, and say e return to Ephesus after. Di Roman writer Pliny di Elder list Patmos among di islands of di Aegean.

Di vision for Patmos. You go find am for Revelation chapter one, verse nine reach verse twenty. One lonely man wey dey exile turn round, and e find di Jesus wey rise from death, wey talk, no fear, I dey alive forever and ever. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. When you feel alone or you dey fear, wetin e mean for you to know say Jesus dey alive and e dey stand with im people?