Revelation 1:8-10 — I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. I John, your brother and companion in the affliction, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the island called Patmos, on account of the word of God, and on account of the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a great voice like that of a trumpet,
John’s vision: Alpha Omega #
A revelation, or uncovering, an unveiling of the Person of Jesus Christ, is what the book of Revelation is all about. This is precisely what the book’s title says it is. This book, which is an account of John’s spiritual vision, is not only a revelation of things that Jesus showed John; nevertheless, those things are included. Rather, this book is John’s vision of the Person of Jesus Christ. In other words, this book is an account of John’s spiritual vision.
The words of Jesus Christ: “I am Alpha and Omega” #
It is not a coincidence that the very first assertion that Jesus makes about Himself in this book is that He is, “the Alpha and the Omega.” This proclamation comes right at the beginning of the book and is the very first thing that Jesus says about Himself. There are nine different “I AM” utterances made by Jesus that are found in the gospel of John. Another one may be found right here, at the opening of the book that explains who Jesus Christ is: “I AM the Alpha and the Omega.”
It should come as no surprise that “Alpha” comes first in the Greek alphabet. And the very last letter of the Greek alphabet is, “Omega”. Therefore, by using that straightforward illustration, Jesus is implying that there is no one who came before Him because He is the first, and there is no one who will come after Him because He is the last.
And He is equally everything that is in between. Jesus Christ is the first word that God said, and Jesus Christ will be the last word that God speaks; thus, Jesus Christ is the only word that God speaks. This is because an alphabet is a mechanism by which one may convey words and one’s ideas. Indeed, Jesus is the sole Living Word that God has for mankind, and Jesus Christ is the only Person that God has for humanity. God’s sole provision for humanity is Jesus Christ.
A Revelation of the Person of Jesus Christ #
Now, what this does is bring together in Christ the whole of the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation is a revelation that Jesus provided to John from Himself, as was previously said. However, this concept also encompasses the effect that the redemptive work of Jesus Christ has had not just on nations and believers but also on the adversary himself.
And we don’t have to go very far into this book before we see that when John says at the beginning of this book, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day,” he is informing us that what he is documenting is a spiritual vision. This is because John mentioned that he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day. This revelation is not some type of chart predicting the future; rather, it is a spiritual vision of the influence that Jesus Christ has had on the world from the viewpoint of God.
Jesus Christ as the Lord of all #
Obviously, there are a lot of things that may be mentioned in regard to this book. But for the time being, we just want to focus on what Jesus said about himself when he said, “I AM the Alpha and the Omega.” This proclamation is a revelation of Christ all by itself in its own right. Both the beginning and the conclusion of the book of Revelation include occurrences of this passage. As a result, it is a proclamation that controls the whole of the book; furthermore, it is a revelation that controls “all things.” Jesus Christ is the Lord of all.
Philippians 2:9-11 – “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
This verse speaks to the exaltation of Jesus Christ by God the Father, giving Him a name that is above every other name. It also proclaims that every knee will bow and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, indicating His absolute sovereignty over all creation.
Revelation 19:16 – “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
This verse is a declaration of Jesus Christ’s ultimate authority as the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is a reminder that no power on earth or in heaven can compare to His sovereignty and rule.
In summary, these verses testify to the lordship of Jesus Christ over all creation. He is the Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer of the world, and every knee will bow and every tongue should confess that He is Lord. As believers, we are called to submit to His authority and live our lives in obedience to His will.
Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end of all things #
This truth about Jesus being the beginning and the end has implications that will last forever, but as was said, it also has applications in the here and now. It explains to us the way that God operates. For instance, anytime God becomes involved in a person’s life or in a circumstance, Jesus Christ is both the beginning and the conclusion of it, and Christ is in charge of all that takes place in between.
Hebrews 1:2-3 – “has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
This verse emphasizes that Jesus Christ is the heir and creator of all things, as well as the sustainer of all things by the word of his power.
Revelation 21:6 – “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.'”
This verse again emphasizes Jesus Christ as the beginning and the end and also emphasizes his role as the giver of the water of life.
To put it another way, no matter where we are in life; no matter where we are in our knowledge, God will begin with us on the foundation of Christ and Him alone, and the aim, or objective, of what God is doing is Christ and Him alone. God begins with Jesus and God ends with Him, or to put it another way, no matter where we are in life; no matter where we are in our understanding, God begins with Christ. And the methods by which God will accomplish Christ in the interim period between the beginning and the end will also be unto Christ.
Meeting us where we are in our understanding #
For instance, every single one of us has, to some extent or another, been blind, uninformed, or simply flat-out duped at some point in our lives. That very well may be the beginning of our relationship with God.
What response does God have to this problem?
The thing is, He can’t possibly take us anywhere we’re not already there, so He needs to meet us exactly where we are. But even if our starting point is error – even if it is an error in our own unbelieving heart – God’s starting point in dealing with us will always be the truth – He will begin with us with something of His Son – He will bring some conviction or stirring that is intended to lead us Out of our blindness and Into His Son. God’s starting point in dealing with us will always be the Truth.
Sometimes God may start by showing us our mistakes since the error is where we are. However, even that is the consequence of seeing some truth; when we understand that our error is an error, we have taken a step towards recognising that God is right and we are wrong.
God may reveal our wrongs in a variety of ways, one of which is by allowing us to exhaust ourselves completely as a result of our errors. It’s possible that He’ll let us fail or be found out. But what all of this boils down to is God beginning with Christ, and that will start the process of bringing us out from where we are and into Christ’s presence. We shall spend all of eternity “learning” about Christ because He is the only Word of God and He is God’s beginning, middle, and finish.
God’s work as being Unto Christ #
If there is one thing that we should take away from this, it is the realisation that God never validates mistakes. Even if He brings us to the exact spot where we are, it is never with the intention of leaving us there. If I ever get to the point where I can really see Jesus Christ, I will no longer be able to persist in the same kind of wrong and remain in the same kind of ignorance. Because Christ is the only Word that God has ever spoken, He is also the sole Truth.
Colossians 1:16-17 – “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”
This verse emphasizes that all things were created through Christ and for Christ. This means that everything in creation is intended to bring glory to Him and fulfil His purposes.
Ephesians 1:9-10 – “Having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.”
This verse emphasizes that God’s ultimate plan is to bring all things under the headship of Christ. This includes not only things in heaven but also things on earth. This also highlights that this plan and goal was put in place before the foundation of the world. The goal that God has for me is to make Him “my” Alpha and Omega, which implies that I should let up on anything in my life that is not centred on Christ.
The significance of Jesus Christ as Alpha and Omega #
This idea that Jesus is both the beginning and the end applies to a lot of different situations. Revival is one area in which it most surely is applicable. The term “revival” has been used for a great number of different events that have taken place throughout the course of the last century and over the past few decades.
A large number of individuals with a variety of worldviews are becoming swept up in these movements. Some of them may not believe in Christ, while others are affiliated with a number of different churches or denominations. There are also those people who are deeply mired in erroneous thinking. And whenever anything like this, a “revival,” occurs, people invariably ask one question above all others: “Is this revival of God?”
The issue may be simply answered by asking a second question, which is whether or not Jesus Christ is being revealed and manifested in that revival as “The Alpha and the Omega.” Or is Jesus subordinate, serving just as a “means there unto?” Is Jesus now everything to people who participated in this revival as a direct consequence of what happened? Or, to put it another way, has the desire to keep the revival continuing along with the emotional experience become the primary focus?
The assignment of the spirit of God is to reveal the truth that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega – both “to” the people and “in” the people – and God’s goal is to show Jesus as all to each person. This work is accomplished by revealing the truth that Jesus is the beginning and the end.
This is something that He never stops doing. The issue is whether or not we will believe Him and whether or not we will be willing to open ourselves up to him. We do not need anything that is referred to as a “revival” in order to do that. Because of the mercy of God, this door has always been open for Christ and the purposes of God are accomplished through Him.
How does this affect us? #
The significance of Jesus Christ as Alpha and Omega in our lives is profound. As the beginning and the end of all things, Jesus is the source of our life and our hope. He is the one who created us, sustains us, and will ultimately bring us to our eternal destiny. As the only Word that God speaks, Jesus reveals to us the fullness of God’s character and His plan for our lives.
In our day-to-day lives, recognizing Jesus as Alpha and Omega means we place our trust in Him as our ultimate source of guidance, comfort, and strength. When we face challenges, we can turn to Him for wisdom and guidance. When we experience pain and suffering, we can find solace in His promise to be with us always. And when we confront our own mortality, we can rest in the assurance that our eternal destiny is secure in Him.
As we walk through life, we can find meaning and purpose in knowing that our lives are ultimately a part of God’s larger plan and that He is working all things together for our good. This understanding gives us a sense of hope and confidence in the midst of life’s uncertainties. Ultimately, recognizing Jesus as Alpha and Omega means that we live our lives with a sense of purpose and direction, knowing that our ultimate destiny is secure in Him.
Let us Pray #
Loving Father, we come to you today with hearts full of gratitude and reverence. We thank You for Your love, your mercy, and Your grace, which sustain us each day.
As we reflect on the significance of Jesus Christ as Alpha and Omega, we are reminded of your eternal plan of salvation for all humanity. We ask that you give us the wisdom to understand the message of the book of Revelation and the strength to live in accordance with your will.
We also pray for those who are struggling, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually. We ask that You provide them with the comfort, healing, and peace that only You can give.
Finally, we pray that you continue to guide us on our journey of faith and help us to grow closer to you each day. We ask all of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Blessings,
