The beloved disciple had been banished to the isle of Patmos “for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Just when this took place is not known with positive certainty, but it was certainly many years after the ascension of Christ. While there he had wonderful visions, and this is how he begins the account of them. “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice.” Revelation 1.10
From this we know that there was a certain day known at that time as the Lord’s day, and that John, as a faithful follower of Christ, observed it. We also know that if the Lord had a special day for His own then, He must have it still. Let us see if we can find out what day it is. The only place where we can surely find it is the Bible.
In the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah we find the Lord’s day mentioned in those words: “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride on the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Isaiah 58.13, 14
Here the day, which the Lord Himself calls, “My holy day,” is “the Sabbath!” Now what day is the Sabbath? The Lord Himself tells us this, also: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work.” Exodus 20.8-10
It is plain that the Sabbath—the seventh day—is the same day that in Isaiah is called by the Lord, “My holy day.” With these two texts alone we have found that the Lord’s day is the Sabbath—the seventh day of the week. Therefore the day on which John was in the Spirit, and received visions from God, was the seventh day, the Sabbath. Thus, to put the matter into compact form: The seventh day is the Sabbath; it is the Sabbath of the Lord; it is a holy day, and is to be kept holy; the Lord Himself calls it “My holy day.” John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day; therefore John was in the Spirit on the Sabbath day.
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