I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
I was - `I came to be:' 'I became.'
In the Spirit - in a state of ecstasy: the outer world shut out: the inner spirit, being taken possession of by God's Spirit, establishing an immediate connection with the invisible world. While the prophet 'speaks' in the Spirit, the apocalyptic seer is in the Spirit wholly. The spirit alone (which connects us with God) is active, or recipient, in the apocalyptic state. With Christ this being "in the Spirit" was not the exception, but invariable.
On the Lord's day. Though forcibly detained from church communion with the brethren on "the Lord's day," the weekly commemoration of the resurrection, John was enjoying spiritual communion. The earliest mention of the term. But the consecration of the day to worship, almsgiving, and the Lord's supper, is implied, Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2: cf. John 20:19-26. It corresponds to "the Lord's supper," 1 Corinthians 11:20. Ignatius alludes to "the "Lord's day" ('Ad Magnes,' 9:), and Irenaeus, in the 'Quaests. ad Orthod.,' 115: (in Justin Martyr). Justin Martyr, 'Apology,' 2:, 98, etc., 'On Sunday we hold our joint meeting: for the first day is that on which God, having removed darkness, made the world, and Jesus Christ our Saviour rose from the dead. On the day before Saturday they crucified Him; on the day after Saturday, Sunday, having appeared to His apostles, He taught.' To it Pliny refers ('Ep.,' 97:, b. 10:): 'The Christians, on a fixed day, before dawn, meet and sing a hymn to Christ as God,' etc.
(second Tertullian, 'De Coron.,' 3:, 'On the Lord's day we deem it wrong to fast.' Melito, Bishop of Sardis (second century), wrote a book on the Lord's day ('Eusebius,' 4:, 26). Also Dionysius of Corinth (A.D. 170 AD), in Eusebius, 'Ecclesiastical History,' 4:, 23, 8; Clement of Alexandrinus (A.D. 194 AD), 'Stromata,' 5: and 7:, 12; Origen, 'C. Cels.,' 8:, 22. Romans 14:5-6 Romans 14:5-6, refers not to the Sabbath, but to days of Jewish observance: "He that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it," is not in 'Aleph (a) A B C Delta G f g, Vulgate. The theory that the day of Christ's second coming is meant, is untenable. 'The day of the Lord' is different from х hee (G3588) kuriakee (G2960) heemera (G2250)] "the Lord's (an adjective) day," which in the ancient Church always designates Sunday, though possibly the two shall coincide (at least in parts of the earth), whence a tradition is in Jerome, on Matthew 25:1-46, that the Lord's coming was expected on the Paschal Lord's day. The visions of the Apocalypse, seals, trumpets, and vials, etc., are grouped in sevens, and naturally begin on the first day of the seven, the birthday of the Church, whose future they set forth (Wordsworth).
Great voice - summoning solemn attention: Greek order, 'Aleph (') C h, Vulgate, 'I heard behind me a voice great (loud) as (that) of a trumpet.' The trumpet summoned to religious feasts, accompanying God's revelation of Himself.