Hello Beloved,
We are finishing our long study on the names and epithets of God in this edition of the Voice. Last month, we considered the epithet of God as “Husbandman.” This month, we will focus on the epithet of God as the “Alpha (Α) and Omega (Ω).” This epithet for God comes predominantly from the book of Revelation. There are two places in this book when God speaks directly. Both places contain this epithet for God. In the introduction of the book, God states, “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 (ESV). At the end of the book during the presentation of the New Jerusalem, the voice from the throne emphasizes . . . “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end . . .” Revelation 21:6 (ESV).
“Alpha” and “Omega” are respectively the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, but they are also meant to summarize all the other letters. As Revelation 21:6 indicates, this epithet infers that God controls the beginning and the end as well as everything that is in between. The word we use to describe this control is “sovereignty,” an attribute of God that we have studied in a previous edition of this newsletter. The connotation of God being the Alpha and the Omega relates primarily to history. R. Bauckham believes that this title being placed at the beginning and end of the vision in Revelation signifies that God is the sole origin and goal of all things. The title is built on the prophetic truth ascribed to God by Isaiah, “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 (ESV). God begins history at creation, and He ends it in the “eschaton” or the “end times.” Because God is sovereign over all of history, we can know that God is in charge of our past, present, and future. He has shown Himself faithful in the past; He continues to be a source of strength in present difficulties, and He prophetically reveals He has a firm grasp on the future.
Further, the title of Alpha and Omega is also used specifically of Jesus in Revelation 22:13. Jesus encourages John’s readers by stating, “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” Revelation 22:12-13 (ESV). Therefore, not only does this title attribute deity to Jesus, but it also stresses the unity between the Father and the Son. Jesus, as God’s Son is sovereign over all things, has been given all authority, and will judge righteously. I leave you with this thought from Peter C. Moore.
God is not just the Lord of creation, the one who starts everything going in accordance with a grand plan. He is also the Lord of history. History is 'his story', and in some unfathomable combination of divine sovereignty and human will, God is the master chess player moving his chessmen forward and back in anticipation of the final moment when all that opposes him will be checkmated and his reign will be universally recognized. (Peter C. Moore/ The Complete Gathered Gold)
Until next time, this is Pastor Daniel writing, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”
*Ideas attributed predominantly to Grant Osborne