Alpha and Omega

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I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, says the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. 
(Revelation 1:8)

I have read that God is this Alpha and Omega.  I’ve read and heard often that Jesus is this Alpha and Omega.  If you believe Jesus is God, then you may think, “Hey, no problem,” but if Jesus is Alpha and Omega, what about the Father?  What about the Holy Spirit?  Is the Trinitarian God the Alpha and Omega or only one of the three Persons?  Why did God (or Jesus) refer to Himself in this way?  What do the other phrases mean?  Does Alpha and Omega mean beginning and ending, first and last?  Let’s take a look in Revelation.

The first time any of these types of phrases are used in this book of Revelation is:

John to the seven churches which are in Asia; Grace unto you, and peace, from him who is, and who was, and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;  (1:4)

The key to understanding who this refers to is found in the final three words of this verse; “before his throne.”  Who’s throne?

And immediately I was in the spirit; and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one (not two, not three) sat on the throne.  And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.  And before the throne a sea of glass like unto crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.  And the four beasts … were full of eyes within; and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was, and is, and is to come.  And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to Him Who sat on the throne, Who lives for ever and ever.  The four and twenty elders fall down before Him Who sat on the throne, and worship Him Who lives for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You have created all things, and for Your pleasure they are and were created.  (Revelation 4:2-11)

Couldn’t Jesus be the one on the throne?  The answer is no, for …

And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.  And he came and took the book out of the right hand of Him Who sat upon the throne.  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints.  And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (Revelation 5:6-9)

The Lamb “came and took the book out of the right hand of Him Who sat upon the throne.”  The Lamb had to move (he “came“) to the one sitting on the throne, so he couldn’t be the same as the one sitting on the throne.  Also, the Lamb took this book out of the right hand of the one sitting on the throne, thus he couldn’t be the one sitting on the throne, and the one sitting on the throne is the Lord God Almighty (Revelation 4:8,9).  There is a real distinction made in the book of Revelation between the one who sits on the throne on one hand, and Jesus on the other.  And yet, over and over again the two are treated as almost one.

To him who overcomes will I grant to sit with me (Jesus) in (not on) my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in (not on) His throne.  (Revelation 3:21)

For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.  (Revelation 7:17)

What is this “throne,” which God sits “upon” (epi), but Jesus sits “in” (en) and “in the midst of,” and where the believers of Jesus Christ are also destined to sit with Christ?  

Howbeit the most High dwells not in temples made with hands; as says the prophet, Heaven is My throne, and earth is my footstool; what house will you build me? says the Lord; or what is the place of my rest?  Has not My hand made all these things?  (Acts 7:48-50)

Heaven is the throne.  Heaven is the spiritual realm.  We could take pages to get into more depth concerning God’s throne, in which Jesus is seated and in which believers are destined to sit, but let’s get back to Alpha and Omega.

After verse 4 of chapter 1, the next place these phrases we’re taking a look at are used is verse 8 of the same chapter.

I am (the) Alpha and (the) Omega, the beginning and the ending, says the Lord, Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come, the Almighty.  (1:8)

The original Greek texts include the definite pronoun “the” before both.  The following phrase “the beginning and the ending” is not in most of the critical Greek texts.  Leave that phrase out.  These texts, which are generally more accurate than the Stephens text from which the King James was translated, also add the word “God” immediately after the word “Lord.”  So verse 8 should properly read:

I am the Alpha and the Omega says the Lord God, Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come, the Almighty.

So this Alpha and Omega is the Lord God Almighty, the One who sits upon the throne which is heaven.    I believe this phrase is actually a combination of two figures of speech, metonymy and synecdoche.  A figure of speech is a means by which emphasis is made in written (or verbal) speech.  A figure of speech almost demands the active participation of the reader’s creative mind.  That two figures of speech are in play in the phrase, the Alpha and the Omega, means that a very descriptive and powerful truth is being conveyed here, God is putting a lot of emphasis on what He is saying.

Synecdoche  is where parts are meant to include the whole.  From the top to the bottom.  From a to z.   Bow to stern.  These are examples of synecdoche.   Being  “the Alpha and the Omega” (the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet), indicates that God is not only the first and the last letters, but all the letters in between.  Metonymy is the substitution of one (or more) words for the idea it (or they) suggests.   “She broke my heart” is an example.  In this case, the letters of the alphabet suggest words, communication, writing!  Think of John 1.

In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by means of it (the word); and without it was not anything made that was made.  John 1:1-3

God is every detail of every communication of Himself in and toward His creation.  In fact, God created by means of His word.  He “spoke” creation into being.  God is the first letter of the first word, He is the last letter of the last word.   All of creation is an expression of God.   Now let us continue:

I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last:  what you see write in a book …  (1:10,11a)

Here is where people get it wrong, because when John turns to see who spoke:

And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me.  And, being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man…. 
(1:12,13a)

So most believe Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, but this is incorrect.  The problem is again mistranslation.  Verse 11 should correctly read (based on the same critical Greek texts):

I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, What you see write in a book …  (1:10,11a)

Some later copier of the Scripture (or his boss) decided to add “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.” to what John originally wrote, in order to make it seem like Jesus was Alpha and Omega.  Let’s continue.

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.  And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first (protos) and the last (eschatos); I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore.  Amen; and have the keys of hell (hades) and of death.  (1:17,18)

It is Jesus who lays his right hand upon John, for God does not have any actual hands.  When Jesus says he is the protos, he’s referring to his being the prototype, the first example and pattern of becoming alive after death, of what we who believe unto him will become.  Jesus is the first of many.

… that he might be the first born among many brethren.  (Romans 8:29b)

Who is the image of the invisible God, the first (protos) born of all creation:  And he is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning (arches – original), the first (protos) born from the dead …  (Colossians 1:15,18a)

When Jesus says he is the last, the eschatos, he’s referring to his being the ultimate example of this new creation of God.  He is the prototype (first), upon which there will be no improvement (thus, he is the last, or ultimate).  He’s the first one alive from the dead, in becoming the prototype of the new creation, man-forever-in-the-image-of-God, and there will never be another, “new and improved” prototype.  It begins with him, and it ends with him.  It’s all in and due to and by means of him.

I believe this phrase of his being the last also refers to his being the one to “bring up the rear” as far as raising the last ones to live forever from the dead, for he has “the keys of hell and of death.”  Hades is gravedom, the same as Sheol of the Old Testament, where the dead “go.”  In hades there is no consciousness, no life.  The keys Jesus holds are not keys to put people into the grave, but to get them out!   (There is another New Testament word translated “hell” – Gehenna, transliterated from Hebrew; this is the place of burning).

This phrase “first and last” is also a synecdoche.  Christ is not only the beginning of and the ultimate of life, he is all of life.

When Christ our life shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory.  (Colossians 3:4)

To sum up, at least in this first chapter of the book of Revelation:
In verse 8, “the beginning and the ending” was wrongly added.
In verse 11, “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last;” was wrongly added.
The Alpha and the Omega refers to the Lord God Almighty, the Father of Jesus Christ.
He who is and who was and who is to come refers to the Lord God Almighty, the Father of Jesus Christ.
The first and the last refers to Jesus Christ, as being the first and ultimate example of the
new creation after death, man-forever-in-the-image-of-God.

John to the seven churches which are in Asia; Grace unto you, and peace, from Him Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before His throne;  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.  Unto him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.  And has made us kings and priests unto his God and Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.  Amen.  (1:4-6)

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