Transformation into a Transcendent Condition of Existence
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day,"
K.J.V.
"I was in the Spirit," also A.S.V. and R.S.V. Greek Text (Revelation
1:10 (egenomhn en pneumati)
The Declaration of ChangeK.J.V. "I was;" also A.S.V. and R.S.V.
Greek - (egenomhn)
This verb is the one that is regularly used to mark or denote a change of condition. It is used of Christ in John 1:14 when he became incarnate in human flesh. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
The Explanation of Change
K.J.V. and A.S.V. "in the Spirit;" also R.S.V.
At least three general areas of interpretation are seen here.
Change of condition in the realm of the human spirit. Two variations here:
The spirit level of life, that is, minding the higher things of life. No longer occupied with the physical or material things of this life.
The spiritual attitude of life. That is, he had a good spirit; a fine, high, noble attitude.
Change of condition in the realm of the Holy Spirit.
K.J.V., A.S.V., and R.S.V. all capitalize Spirit, indicating that the translators thought this referred to the Holy Spirit. Westcott and Hort do not capitalize the word in the Greek text, but Nestle does.
There are a number of operations performed by the Holy Spirit that have been suggested as explanations.
The regeneration of the Holy Spirit (New Birth).
The baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The filling of the Holy Spirit.
The filling of the Holy Spirit.
The anointing of the Holy Spirit.
The sanctification of the Holy Spirit.
Not one of the above experiences could possibly be meant, inasmuch as John had every one of them already. There is a bare possibility that some special operation of the Holy Spirit could be under consideration. But if so, this might well fall in the next major category.
Change of Condition in the Realm of Divine Spirit
"I became in Spirit" is the best way to translate this expression. The word "became" indicates change of condition. The definite article does not appear with the word spirit, and hence John had in mind qualitative essence by His statement. Thus the word does not refer to the third person of the Godhead as such, but to the nature of the entire Godhead, which is spirit. "God is spirit" (John 4:24) stated Christ. By this change, John came to experience some of the greatness of God in the use of powers that no man shall ever possess as a permanent possession. And by this he was able to rise above the limitations of the creature.
The Instances of this Change.John was not the only one who had ever experienced this change of condition.
This was true of every prophet of the Old Testament who was also a seer. The word seer describes the method of receiving revelation. The word prophet explains the method of imparting revelation. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Amos, Obadiah, Nahum, Habbakkuk, and Zechariah were all seers (cf. Amos 7:12 with 1:1; and Hab. 1:1; Ezek. 2:2; 8:3).
The sanctification of the Holy Spirit.
Not one of the above experiences could possibly be meant, inasmuch as John had every one of them already. There is a bare possibility that some special operation of the Holy Spirit could be under consideration. But if so, this might well fall in the next major category.
Change of Condition in the Realm of Divine Spirit
"I became in Spirit" is the best way to translate this expression. The word "became" indicates change of condition. The definite article does not appear with the word spirit, and hence John had in mind qualitative essence by His statement. Thus the word does not refer to the third person of the Godhead as such, but to the nature of the entire Godhead, which is spirit. "God is spirit" (John 4:24) stated Christ. By this change, John came to experience some of the greatness of God in the use of powers that no man shall ever possess as a permanent possession. And by this he was able to rise above the limitations of the creature.
The Instances of this Change.John was not the only one who had ever experienced this change of condition.
This was true of every prophet of the Old Testament who was also a seer. The word seer describes the method of receiving revelation. The word prophet explains the method of imparting revelation. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Amos, Obadiah, Nahum, Habbakkuk, and Zechariah were all seers (cf. Amos 7:12 with 1:1; and Hab. 1:1; Ezek. 2:2; 8:3).
"Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there."
"The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake."
"The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see."
"And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me."
"And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy."
But this is not confined to the Old Testament. Men of the New Testament also experienced the same thing. There is not doubt that Christ experienced such a thing. But in addition to Him, Paul certainly did. And to this he makes reference in 2 Cor. 12:1-4. In this he was lifted out of the limitations of flesh and experienced the powers of Deity.
"It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord." "I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven." "And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)" "How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."
This may explain death bed experiences of godly people. They linger for a moment on the brink of two worlds.
The Advantages of This Change
There are at least two such advantages one having to do with place and the other having to do with time.
Men are able to surmount the limitations of place and time in some small way. By memory we reach into the past and reconstruct it. But the future is hidden to us. We dream by night or build air castles by day, but they are only the reconstructions of the past.
By a movement of the mind we speak of or imagine ourselves in some other place. But this is a poor substitute for the real thing. But God is not thus limited as men are. He is spirit and therefore can be and is omnipresent. Thus there is no such thing as the limitation of place.
Since God is spirit, there is no such thing with Him as past, present, or future. To Him, everything is one eternal present. The future has not yet taken place, but God sees it before Him as though it were already a reality. In fact, it is a reality to Him.
By experiencing this transcendent state or condition, that is, actually being lifted out of the conditions of flesh and into the condition of spirit, two things could thus happen to John:
"The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake."
"The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see."
"And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me."
"And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy."
But this is not confined to the Old Testament. Men of the New Testament also experienced the same thing. There is not doubt that Christ experienced such a thing. But in addition to Him, Paul certainly did. And to this he makes reference in 2 Cor. 12:1-4. In this he was lifted out of the limitations of flesh and experienced the powers of Deity.
"It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord." "I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven." "And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)" "How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."
This may explain death bed experiences of godly people. They linger for a moment on the brink of two worlds.
The Advantages of This Change
There are at least two such advantages one having to do with place and the other having to do with time.
Men are able to surmount the limitations of place and time in some small way. By memory we reach into the past and reconstruct it. But the future is hidden to us. We dream by night or build air castles by day, but they are only the reconstructions of the past.
By a movement of the mind we speak of or imagine ourselves in some other place. But this is a poor substitute for the real thing. But God is not thus limited as men are. He is spirit and therefore can be and is omnipresent. Thus there is no such thing as the limitation of place.
Since God is spirit, there is no such thing with Him as past, present, or future. To Him, everything is one eternal present. The future has not yet taken place, but God sees it before Him as though it were already a reality. In fact, it is a reality to Him.
By experiencing this transcendent state or condition, that is, actually being lifted out of the conditions of flesh and into the condition of spirit, two things could thus happen to John:
(1) He could be lifted to heaven; and
(2) He could be transferred into the future (Rev. 1:10; 4:2; 17:3; 21:10).
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,"
"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,"
"And immediately I was in the spirit; and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne."
"So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns."
"And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God."
"And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God."
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