The late British Anglican theologian John Webster once wrote: ‘The gospel’s God is eloquent: He does not remain locked in silence, but speaks.’ This is one of the primary roles of the sevenfold Spirit-to speak eloquently to his world.

The apostle John is in exile on the isle of Patmos far removed from the presence of the ascended Christ who is bodily in heaven. However, he is somehow caught up to heaven by the Holy Spirit. Four times John says he was carried away ‘in the Spirit’. To speak of being ‘in the Spirit’ is a way of saying that John is a receiver of genuine divine revelation, just like the prophets in the Old Testament (Ez.1:24). It is the Holy Spirit who is the giver of revelatory experience.