Christ appeared to John and commissioned him to write down the vision that he was about to give him and to send it to the seven congregations in Asia.

Revelation 1:9-20

9 I, John, your fellow believer, am suffering as you are because of our letting Jesus rule our lives. We are steadfastly enduring trials because of our relationship with him. I was punished by being sent/exiled to Patmos island because of my proclaiming God’s message and telling people about Jesus. 10 God’s Spirit took control of me on one of the days that we believers met to worship the Lord. 11 At that time, I heard behind me someone speaking to me as loudly and as clearly [SIM] as a trumpet. He was saying to me, “Write on a scroll what you see, and send it to seven congregations. Send it to the congregations in Ephesus city, in Smyrna city, in Pergamum city, in Thyatira city, in Sardis city, in Philadelphia city, and in Laodicea city.” 12 In this vision I turned in order that I might see who had spoken to me [SYN]. When I turned, 13 I saw seven golden lampstands. In the midst of the lampstands there was someone who looked like he came from heaven. He wore a robe that reached to his feet, and he wore a gold band around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like white wool or like snow. His eyes were shining brightly [SIM], like a flame of fire. 15 His feet looked like brass that glows as it is being purified {as people purify it} in a furnace. When he spoke, his voice sounded like the sound made by a huge waterfall (OR, a great/wide river of rushing water). 16 In his right hand he held seven stars. A sword that had two sharp edges extended from his mouth. His face shone as bright as the sun shines at midday [MTY]. 17 When I saw him, I fell down at his feet and was unable to move or speak [SIM], as though I were dead. But he put his right hand on me and said to me, “Don’t be afraid! I am the one who created all things and the one who will cause all things to end. 18 I am the living one. Although I died, I am alive again and will live forever! I have the power to cause people to die, and I have authority over the place where all the dead people are. 19 So write the vision that you are seeing. Write about the conditions that exist now, and the events that are about to happen next. 20 The meaning of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands that you saw is this: The seven stars in my hand represent the leaders, who are like angels, who watch over the seven congregations, and the seven lampstands represent the seven congregations.”