How Jesus Is the Alpha and Omega

The New Testament Scripture is written in Greek, and Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.

In the Book of Revelation, Jesus revealed Himself to John, His beloved disciple, as the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8,1:11,21:6,22:13), which implies the Beginning and the End and the First and the Last.

“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” (Revelation 1:8).

The Jewish rabbis commonly use the first and the last letters of the Hebrew alphabet to signify the whole of anything, from beginning to end.

From A-Z

In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah recorded Jehovah’s revelation as the First and the Last (Isaiah 41:4,44:6,48:12), showing the same, parallel attribute between God and Christ.

Jesus as the Alpha or the Beginning or the First is indicative of God the Creator: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” (John 1:1-3).

This truth means the Word of God (i.e., Jesus Christ) is the Uncaused First Cause, who displays His creative power in the intricate nature of the creation.

All things came into existence only by the eternal Word of God, who is not restricted by time and space.

In other words, Jesus Christ has always existed, from everlasting to everlasting, “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Psalm 90:2).

He is not only the Son of God but also the Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6).

Jesus as the Omega or the End or the Last is indicative of God the Redeemer and the Judge. “Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4).

Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given (Matthew 5:17), through His finished, redemptive work on the cross, so that all who believe in Him are made right with God.

So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit (John 19:30).

By the power of His love, our sins are forgiven, and we are delivered from darkness into His kingdom (Colossians 1:13-14).

Since Christ is the end of the law, no longer do we need any human messenger nor animal sacrifice to reconcile our relationship with God — Jesus is the ultimate, perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

The Beginning and the End

Remarkably, Jesus is the One appointed by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42). He proclaimed that the Father has committed all judgment to the Son (John 5:22-23). The assurance of this appointment has been made clear by Christ’s resurrection from the dead (Acts 17:31).

Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Judgment Day, on which He will judge the world in righteousness and the believers must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive whatever they deserve, according to what they have done in the earthly body (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Jesus Christ will also be Judge on the great white throne of judgment (Revelation 20:11-15), where the final enemy (death) will be destroyed forever (Revelation 20:14; 1 Corinthians 15:26) together with the unbelievers or spiritually dead (i.e., anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life).

The end comes when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power and delivers the kingdom to God the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24).

The title of Alpha and Omega reveals Christ’s divine authority and sovereignty. From creation, Jesus is the Word of God who has made all things through Him.

On God’s plan of salvation to mankind, Jesus has fulfilled the work of redemption, so that all who believe in Him may have peace with God.

This truth should give us comfort and encouragement, as we put our trust in Him, that He is the author and finisher of our faith,

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2).

 And that He will carry on the good work He began to completion until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).

What Scripture Continues to Say

For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen (Romans 11:36).

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last” (Revelation 22:13).

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…” (Isaiah 44:6).

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made (John 1:1-3).

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Romans 10:4).

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill (Matthew 5:17).

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14).

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him (John 5:22-23).

And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42).

…because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17:31).

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10).

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Philip Wijaya, Ph.D. currently lives in Vancouver, Canada with his wife, Sandra, and their daughter, Shalom. His interest in science and faith in God has motivated him to actively write in his personal blog (philipwijaya.com), in addition to his professional research work in the area of clean energy and chemical engineering. In his leisure time, he enjoys sports, football games, music, and traveling with family.