Fisherman-Apostle-Writer of Mysteries

There are so many things that can be said about John who began as a fisherman, became a disciple of the Jesus Christ, then an apostle, and a prolific writer of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. However, we are going to keep this very simple. We first meet John at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry while he is mending nets with his brother James and his father Zebedee.

Matthew 4:17-22 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand, (I would sure like to take off on that. There aren’t very many churches ministering the Kingdom of God today. But I said I was going to keep this simple.)
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 And He said unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him.
21 And going on from thence, He saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them.
22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed Him.

What a response! John immediately left his father and the fishing business and became a disciple of Jesus. Why does that not happen today? There are many Christians but very few disciples. It just doesn’t seem to be very important.

Matthew 10:1-2 And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them authority against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
2 Now the name of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother.

I am not listing the other disciples because I am mainly interested in John – keeping it simple. In the first verse they are called disciples. Jesus gives them authority and then in verse two they are called apostles. A disciple is a learner; an apostle has authority to function.

John was first a fisherman. Then he became a disciple, an apostle, and a writer of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. He wrote a Gospel, three epistles, and the book of Revelation. After all that, he was commissioned to prophesy to many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings. Let’s read about it.

Revelation 10:1-4 And I saw another mighty Angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon His head, and His face as it were the sun, and His feet as pillars of fire:
2 And He had in His hand a little book open: and He set His right foot upon the sea, and His left foot on the earth,
3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars: and when He had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

The description of this Angel is the same as those given to the Son of man in chapter one. The Mighty Angel, the Lion roaring, and the seven thunders all speak of the Christ. John is told to seal up the things spoken and to not write them.

Revelation 10:7-11 But in the days of the voice of the seventh Angel, when He shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as He has declared to His servants the prophets.
8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the Angel which stands upon the sea and upon the earth.
9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto Him, Give me the little book. And He said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
10 And I took the little book out of the Angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
11 And He said unto me, You must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

John’s ministry is not completed. He was a fisherman at first. Then he became a disciple, an apostle, a writer of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, and now he must prophesy that which was uttered by the seven thunders. Now, if you remember what was written about the Son of man in chapter one, you will understand that the term Son of man is referring to Christ in His many-membered Body, so we understand that the Body of Christ is active not only in this tenth chapter but in the entire book of Revelation. I would add this: as Christ is a many-membered Body so is John. It will be a John Company that prophesies before peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.