Revelation 1:10
It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast.
In Revelation 1:10, John states he was in the Spirit “on the Lord’s day.” The phrase “the Lord’s day” has been interpreted in two primary ways. One interpretation is that it refers to the end-time “Day of the Lord.” According to this view, John describes being spiritually transported by the Spirit to the future Day of the Lord. While many agree that John experienced a spiritual vision of the future, some argue that this specific passage does not necessarily refer to the end times. A big reason for this view is that John uses the phrase “the Lord’s day,” not “the Day of the Lord.”
The second interpretation, widely preferred, suggests that “the Lord’s day” refers to the first day of the week, known today as Sunday. Critics of this view often point out that this designation for Sunday is not found elsewhere in Scripture. However, in the New Testament, Sunday is consistently called “the first day of the week” (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1, 19; Acts 20:7) or “the first day of every week” (1 Corinthians 16:2). It’s also important to remember that Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. By the time John wrote it, the phrase “the Lord’s day” may have come into common usage, possibly after the earlier New Testament books were completed.
This description for Sunday is also found in early Christian writings, such as The Didache (also known as The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles), which states:
“On the Lord’s own day gather together and break bread and give thanks, having first confessed your sins so that your sacrifice may be pure” (Didache 14:1).
Most scholars date The Didache to between AD 60 and 80, making it one of the earliest extrabiblical documents related to New Testament practices. By the end of the second century, referring to Sunday as “the Lord’s day” had become customary, as it was the day of Christ’s resurrection.
Given this historical and linguistic context, John’s use of “the Lord’s day” in Revelation 1:10 most likely refers to Sunday, the day set apart for Christian worship.
Do you have any questions about the Book of Revelation or the End Times you’d like >SM to answer? If so, leave them in the comments below. I am learning and following Jesus like anyone else, so I welcome your biblical insight. Your questions and insights help me grow in my faith as I search the Scriptures for God’s answers.
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