I AM the Alpha & the Omega
By Diane Caston
We are going to examine tonight another I AM statement that Jesus made. I AM the Alpha & the Omega.
I. Who God Is
Throughout scripture the Lord reveals who He is. It is good for us to keep ourselves reminded of just Who He is.
Alpha & Omega
Rev. 22:12-16 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” (Jesus)
The words Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. The A to Z. In other words, He is everything.
Rev. 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (God the Father)
Rev. 21: 5-7 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.” Father and Son are interchangeably the Alpha and Omega. One God three distinct persons. It is a mystery. From beginning to the end.
First & Last
God the Father:
Isa. 41:4 Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? ‘I, the Lord, am the first; And with the last I am He.’”
Isa. 44:6 “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God. And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, Since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, Let them show these to them. Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.’” Father and Son
Isa. 48:12 “Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last.
God the Son:
Rev. 1:17-18 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
From eternity and enduring to eternity, first by creation, last by retribution. The First because before Me there was no God formed, and Last because after Me there shall be no other. The First because from Me are all things; Last because to me all things return. Richard of St Vicar 12th century.
Who is, Who was, Who is to come
Rev. 1:4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, (God the Father)
Rev. 11:17 saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
These terms together mean that Jesus, in unity with His Father, is the beginning, middle, and end for the Christian. Spurgeon says, "Preach orthodoxy, or any form of doxy; if you have left out Christ, there is no manna from heaven, no water from the rock, no refuge from the storm, no healing for the sick, no life for the dead. If you leave out Christ, you have left the sun out of the day, and the moon out of the night, you have left the waters out of the sea, and the foods out of the river, you have left the harvest out of the year, the soul out of the body, you have left joy out of heaven, yea, you have robbed all of its all. There is no gospel worth thinking of, much less worth proclaiming in Jehovah's name, if Jesus be forgotten."
Who Jesus is communicates the idea behind the great OT name of God – YAHWEH. It reflects His eternal nature, unchanging presence
Col. 2:9 For in Him (Jesus) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”
Heb. 13:8 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Col. 1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
All the universe is His. It is held together by Him. All things belong to Him.
Acts. 17:28 “for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’
The first and last encompasses everything. He is the Great Shepherd, the Door, the True Vine, the Way, the Truth and the Life, the Living Water, the Light of the World. He’s the Root of Jesse, the Bright and Morning Star. He is all in all.
From the first verse in the bible Gen. 1:1 to the last - Rev. 22:20 God reveals Himself. He has authority over everything in between. He has been there throughout time. He was telling Daniel, Isaiah, and the prophets the hidden truths. If you read carefully He is telling the same story over and over. (Silmarillion)
Ps. 40:7-8 Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”
Heb. 10:7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—In the volume of the book it is written of Me—To do Your will, O God.’”
He is the absolute beginning and end of everything. Everything originates with Him; all things will end with Him. Everything comes from God; nothing will outlast God. He has no competitors. He is the first and last word in history. He is the first, there is no ‘before him’
Ps. 90:2 “Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”
Is. 46: 8-10 “Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors. Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’ it is senseless to fight against the living God. Example: Shirley McLain.
In Rev. 21:6 we read that for those who are thirsty He is the end of their longing. For those who aren’t thirsty for Him He is the end where they will see Him as Judge. “Instead of an oasis of life, they will find a lake that burns with fire.”
We need to meditate on who God is. We should remind ourselves daily, we are just created beings who should follow and obey our Creator.
II. What Has His plan been from the beginning?
Why did He create us? He wasn’t lonely. God doesn’t have any needs. He had a plan from the very beginning. He created us, like everything - for His glory, to reveal Himself and His nature. His plan included creating man who would blow it and then redeem mankind and the earth back to Himself. Amazing to think! But the gospel was the plan from the beginning of time.
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
Job 19:25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (one of the oldest books in scripture)
To Rev. 5:9-10 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God And we shall reign on the earth.”
Rev.13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
The bible from beginning to end is forth telling of the plan God has for man, those who love Him and keep His commands and will live with Him forever in glory and those who don’t love or obey Him and are destined for destruction.
III. Culmination of All Things
And one day the things spoken in His word will be concluded, the end of what He has revealed will come to pass.
Is. 34: 4 All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll; All their host shall fall down As the leaf falls from the vine, And as fruit falling from a fig tree.
The same warning in Revelation:
Rev. 6:12-14 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon[b] became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.
Numbers 24:14-19 “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened; The utterance of him who hears the words of God, And has the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open: “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star (the Morning Star) shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab (Jordan), And destroy all the sons of tumult.“ And Edom (Saudi Arabia) shall be a possession; Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession, While Israel does valiantly. Out of Jacob One shall have dominion, And destroy the remains of the city.”
Ha. 2:21 ‘I will shake heaven and earth. I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms. I will overthrow the chariots And those who ride in them; The horses and their riders shall come down, Every one by the sword of his brother.
Jude 14-15 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” We see throughout scripture that in the Lord’s mercy He is longsuffering, but one day judgment will come.
Matt 24, Mk 13, Lk. 21, Jn 14
Human history as we know it is coming to a climax. The things prophesied through the ages are coming to pass before our very eyes.
IV. What Manner of Persons We Should Be
2 Peter 3 :10-12 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
When the master comes. Being ready for His return. “
Is. 58: 6-8 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
John 13:35 by this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
One day we will all stand before this Alpha and Omega and give account for ourselves.
The past is recorded for our lessons.
1 Corinthians 1:11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
The future is for how we will finish our race. Back to our study on The Door. His sheep hear His voice. His work is different for each of us. But for all it entails picking up our cross and following Him daily.
Rev. 22:7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
And to him who overcomes He promises:
I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’
He shall not be hurt by the second death.”’
I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’
To him I will give power over the nations—
I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
Remember 2 Cor. 4:18 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
He is our reward!
