"Visiting the Isle of Patmos" - by Rev. Weldon Bares

One of the highlights of a recent group trip to Greece was visiting the small island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea.

Does the name of Patmos ring a bell with you? This was the small island to which the Apostle John was banished during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian.

On the island, in a small cave, John was given a vision from God, the Revelation, comprising the last book of the New Testament.

If you have never done so, I encourage you to read the book of Revelation. It is 22 chapters long, full of symbolism and sometimes challenging imagery.

But the message of the book - the bottom line - is very clear: Some great day Jesus Christ is coming back to this world.

Nobody knows when. Nobody has it all figured out, in spite of their claims. But make no mistake, history is going somewhere. Christ is coming back.

The Apostles’ Creed affirms, “From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.” For centuries many churches have recited these words in prayers celebrating Holy Communion: “Christ had died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.”

This great Day of the Lord is pointed to all through the Bible. And the word of admonition is very clear: be prepared!

I am thankful for the powerful experience of walking on the Isle of Patmos. But infinitely more, I am thankful for a word of hope, that history is going somewhere.