Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Who Were James and John? Sons of Thunder



And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. Luke 24:13-15


James & John


James and John had left their father's fishing business to follow Jesus. Mark 1:20 Their business was pretty prosperous because both of these men left the hired help to continue on while they left their comfortable lifestyles to follow Christ.


John was with Jesus throughout his ministry. Through the thick and thin of it, as it were. In the garden with Jesus and right down to when Jesus ascended into heaven that fateful day when he would no longer be on earth with them to teach them. 

John had been there to care for Mary, Jesus's mother. He had watched as literally thousands of people became a part of the newly formed early church. 

He knew who Jesus was.

The bible does not tell us why John was arrested and held at a Roman prison island called Patmos. Or if he served time there and was released. Or how he died. 


However, there are theories and a plausible one is this:

At the time, he had been held captive on a Roman prison island called Patmos. (Revelation 1:5) He was banished there to stop his preaching of the gospel at an old age. They thought it would shut him up......

It is not known what happened to him. But, was he the last disciple to die? Again, speculation. However, although it would have been interesting to know that, it is much more important that we know that John was not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Luke 9:26. And he was willing to die for the cause of it.


(sources used in addition to scripture:)   The Apostles, Part 16: Son of Thunder, Apostle of Love  and   How did the apostle John die?


Indeed. If the Roman Government was trying to shut his preaching down, it did not work. God did not in all his sovereignty let that happen. He gave John, even more, to preach about. Because he knew all of humanity was going to need it. He knew that we were going to need it.


He wrote the book of Revelation as the mandated reporter of that time period to tell of future events that are still in our own future and yet getting closer and closer with each passing day. His visions are coming through to speak to our own futures. Warnings of where we need to be if we want to go home to be with the Lord when he comes back again. 


Where will you be at that time Friend? Have you taken John's visions to heart or think it was all  hogwash? A fairy tale of his time.

Me? I choose to believe. Because in the end, it is a choice we will have to make one way or another.

Coming tomorrow: Who Was Bartholomew?


May God's richest blessings rain down on you today Friends. Thanks for stopping by!



Peace. Mildred Williams




















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