Alpha and Omega

ALPHA is the name of the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and Omega is the last letter. In the work of redemption the Son of God declares himself to be Alpha and Omega, giving the idea that he, our adorable Redeemer, is the only source of redemption from sin, in all the ages of human probation. He says, "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." Rev. 22:12, 13. That these are the words of Christ, is evident from the following facts:—

1. It is the Coming One, and not John, who speaks. He says, "Behold, I come quickly." The church is not waiting for the advent of the prophet; but for the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven.

2. The last book of the Bible is not the "Revelation of St. John the Divine," as stated in the caption at the head of the first chapter; but it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ as stated in the first verse of the inspired book; "The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him." Rev. 1:1. Christ is the speaker.

3. The Coming One appears the second time in glory with rewards in his hands for his obedient, trusting people "to give every man according as his work shall be." Scott, in his Commentary p. 730, speaking of the Revelation, says:—

"The prophecy of this book principally relates to the opposition, which, in one form or other, would be made to the cause of Christ; the temporary success of his enemies and his final triumph over them all: and therefore, at the very opening of it, the reader's attention is called to that great day, when these scenes will be closed, and when all will see the wisdom and happiness of the friends of Christ, and the madness and misery of his enemies. For 'behold,' with attention and solemn awe, the Saviour who loved us and washed us from our sins 'in his own blood,' 'is coming with clouds,' or 'in the clouds of Heaven,' in his own glory as Mediator, and in the glory of the Father, to be the Judge of the world!

"The whole vision related to Christ, from whom immediately the revelation was given; most of the expressions here used, or others equivalent to them, are afterwards spoken by him, and concerning himself; and the construction and arrangement of this passage, and the context, would be very intricate, if we were to suppose the Father to be the speaker. The Lord Jesus, therefore, here declared, that he is the 'Alpha and the Omega,' which are the names of the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet, the language in which the apostle wrote. This implies that he is the First Cause and the End, the Author and the Finisher of all things, in creation, providence and redemption; 'the Beginning and the Ending,' the Source of existence, of life, of holiness, and of felicity; and the Completion of them, in every sense, and in all respects."

Speaking of Rev. 1:8, where the words, Alpha and Omega are used, Bloomfield says:—

"With respect to the sense, it is very applicable to God the Father, as most recent commentators interpret (to which purpose similar expressions are cited from the Classical and Rabbinical writers); but the context (see 5:7, and 17, 18; and 2:8) plainly shows that it is applied to God the Son, who, indeed, applies those titles to himself, 21: 6; 22:13; which fully establishes the Deity of Christ."

"Alpha is the first, Omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet. Let his enemies boast and rage ever so much in the intermediate time, yet the Lord God is both the Alpha, or beginning, and the Omega, or end, of all things. God is the beginning, as he is the Author and Creator of all things, and as he proposes, declares, and promises so great things. He is the end, as he brings all the things which are here revealed to a complete and glorious conclusion. Again, the beginning and the end of a thing, is in Scripture styled the whole thing."—Wesley's Notes, p. 654.

"I am Alpha and Omega. These are the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet, and denote properly the first and the last. So in Rev. 22:13, when the two expressions are united, 'I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.' So in chap. 1:17, the speaker says of himself, 'I am the first and the last.' Among the Jewish Rabbins it was common to use the first and the last letters of the Hebrew alphabet to denote the whole of anything, from beginning to end. Thus it is said, 'Adam transgressed the whole law from Aleph to Tav.' Abraham kept the whole law from Aleph to Tav."

"I am Alpha and Omega. The idea here is, that he will thus show that he is the first and the last—the beginning and the end. He originated the whole plan of salvation, and he will determine its close; he formed the world, and he will wind up its affairs. In the beginning, the continuance, and the end, he will be recognized as the same being presiding over and controlling all."—Barnes' Notes, pp. 93, 501.

Sin separated man so far from God that he could not at any period communicate directly with the fallen race. Christ undertakes man's redemption. And there is none other name under Heaven given among men by which he can be saved. Christ bridges the gulf from the fall to the day of redemption. Christ died for sinners. Christ pleads his blood for sinners. "Sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4.

In whatever age we find sin, there we find law transgressed, and a need of Christ, but "Where no law is, there is no transgression," Rom. 4:15, and no need of Christ. Sin reigns from Adam to the time when sin and sinners shall be no more. Parallel with the reign of sin, runs both the existence of the moral code and the mediation of Christ. Remove the law, and you take away sin, and have no need of Christ. We cannot spare Christ. He is the world's only redeemer in all the ages. "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."