Why It Is So Incredible That God Is "Alpha and Omega"
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The Name: In the last book of the Bible, Jesus reveals himself as "the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Present at the world's beginning, Jesus will also be present at its end, when he and his work are finally and fully revealed. When you pray to Christ as the Alpha and the Omega, you are praying to the One who is, who was, and who is to come. He is our all-sufficient Lord, who will not fail to complete the good work he has begun in us.
Key Scripture: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Revelation 22:13
In this dynamic passage, God reveals part of His character. It corresponds to another name, Jehovah ("I am") which hints at His eternal nature and unending presence. Here, God confirms the praise of Moses in Psalm 90 that "Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God."
The author Tertullian clarified why God used this specific wording, "...just as alpha rolls on to omega and omega returns again to alpha, so He might show that both the evolution of the beginning to the end is in Him and again the return of the end to the beginning."
But Revelation 22:13 is still one of those verses that presents me with a mental challenge. My limited human perception of space and time can make the idea of continuous “being” hard to wrap my mind around. Do you ever think, like I do, that it's too marvelous to be true? Yet, Scripture calls us to acknowledge this aspect of God, even if we can't fully understand it.
"For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God" (Psalm 86:10).
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What Does "Alpha and Omega" Mean?
Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and is defined as "something that is first." It is often used figuratively to describe superiority or dominance.
Omega is the 24th, and last, Greek letter. Put another way, it means "the final part; the end." In Revelation, God is using both of these words literally, as names for Himself.
What Is Revelation All About?
Revelation, where this verse is found, is the final book of the New Testament, as well as the entire Bible. Written in about 95 A.D., Revelation documents a series of visions that was given to John, one of Jesus' 12 Apostles. During his later years, John was exiled to the island of Patmos, off the coast of Asia. There the Lord blessed him with miraculous messages about the End Times, Jesus' return, and glimpses of God's new Holy City.
Many see Revelation as a puzzling and even frightening book. But in truth, one of the main themes of it is hope for those who follow the Lord. Christians at that time were facing great persecution, so being reminded of God's ultimate sovereignty and victory was meant to strengthen them through trials. The return of Jesus and the Final Judgement, two other main topics, were meant to remind them of their glorious future.
First, John discloses letters from Jesus to seven different churches. Jesus both commended and convicted each church, with dire warnings to turn back to God. Chapters 4 through 22 are filled with vivid images of the final rise of evil in the world, the decisive triumph of the Lord, and the New Jerusalem.
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What Happens in Chapter 22?
Just before this, in Chapter 21, an angel showed John the new Holy City, as it comes down from heaven. The description of this amazing place continues on into the first 5 verses of Chapter 22.
John then receives instructions from the angel, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll…" because the messages were meant for those in his time as well as for future generations. This points to the eternal nature of these visions and of God Himself.
The next section, called “Epilogue: Invitation and Warning” in the NIV Bible translation, is a word directly from Jesus. Verse 12 is His opening proclamation that is meant to wake the hearts of believers.
- He states when He is coming - "Look, I am coming soon!"
- He tells what He will do - "My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done."
- He declares who He is - "I am the Alpha and the Omega…"
After this comes the invitation to all who read the Book:
"Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life" (v. 17).
Then a warning is issued about changing any words of the Book:
"If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in the scroll. And if anyone takes words away from the scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City…" (v.18-19).
John's reaction of wonder and longing, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus," (v. 20) helps finish the section.
What Else We Learn About God from Revelation
Through the Book of Revelation, we see a God who is pure, grieved by the sinful behavior of the church. He shows His just nature when bringing down the wicked. Sending the plagues and banishing the enemy forever demonstrates His power. His great love for the saints shines through as He rescues and restores them.
In Chapter 22, the angel's instructions indicate that God is truth, and His Word is trustworthy. He is the only one worthy of our worship. The claim of Alpha and Omega leads to a fresh glimpse of The Lord as complete and steadfast.
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Where Else Does the Phrase “Alpha and Omega” Appear in the Bible?
In Revelation this verse appears two other times as a pronouncement.
"’I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty" (Revelation 1:8).
"He said to me, 'It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End’" (Revelation 21:6).
Years earlier in the Old Testament, God gave Isaiah a glimpse of His eternal majesty to share.
"I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come" (Isaiah 46:10).
Solomon saw God's eternal nature as cause for wonder.
"... He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end" (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
In the New Testament, the Apostle John spoke of Jesus this way as well.
"In the beginning was the word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning" (John 1:1).
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of life" (1 John 1:1).
How Do Different Bible Versions Translate Revelation 22:13?
The majority of Bible translations present this verse in a similar way. But a few make notable choices in wording and emphasis that help us see the meaning better.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End [the Eternal One].”
The tag The Amplified Bible adds is like an echo that clarifies this aspect of God's nature.
"I am the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
The Good News Translation simplifies the statement by taking out the Alpha and Omega altogether.
"I am the A and the Z, the Beginning and the End, the First and Last."
The Living Bible replaces the Greek letters with the English equivalents, perhaps to make the point more universally understood.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
This New King James version uses italics to highlight the notion of God as the only true everlasting One.
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Why It Is So Important That God Is the "Alpha and Omega"
Through the ages, living as believers in the world has been challenging, even dangerous. In our human weakness, we need reassurance of God's strength and closeness to bolster our spirits. Knowing that God is both the Beginning and the End of all things provides that blessing for His people:
- He has an unchanging nature which brings us comfort
- He has a majesty which inspires us to worship
- He has an authority which gives us peace
- He has perfect plan which fills us with joy
Many of us start our faith walk knowing about God, in a distant way. The thought that He is all-knowing and always near might be a fearful thing. The change comes when we begin to really know God in a personal way. Seeing His power, at work on our behalf fills us with delight instead of dread. Then, verses about God's strength and eternal presence become a sweet promise.
When facing times of unrest and anxiety, leaning on God's all-knowing and all-present nature becomes even more vital for believers. He is our Creator, Sustainer, and Perfector, the foundation that has remained firm through every generation. And embracing the truth of God as Alpha and Omega can lead to positive changes in heart attitudes and the way we live each day as well:
- Trust - If we truly believe that He is unchanging, then we know he is always with us. We can start to rely on Him for our needs, with assurance of His provision.
- Confidence - If we know He will always be our source of strength and grace, we can walk through every circumstance with a sense of confidence in Him.
- Love - If we accept that He desires an eternal relationship with us, we can devote ourselves to deepening our relationship to Him through worship.
- Selflessness - If we embrace His unchanging and unconditional love for us, we will grow in compassion for others and seek to serve Him more fully.
Being the Alpha and Omega is an aspect of God's awesome greatness, and also a part of His mystery. If we let go of trying to figure it out, we can start to see this truth is a wonderful source of security for our lives now and into the future.
"...we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began" (1 Corinthians 2:7).
"...he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).
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