U-26. What Does ALPHA and OMEGA MEAN?


SPELLING EDITED


U-26. WHAT DOES ALPHA AND OMEGA MEAN?


This phrase “I am the Alpha and the Omega” is found four times in the Bible and all four times are in the book of Revelation. Most Christians sincerely believe that BOTH Almighty God the Father AND his Son Jesus spoke these same words in the first person singular. In other words, most Christians INTERPRET Almighty God the Father said, “I am Alpha and Omega” speaking OF HIMSELF and the SON OF Almighty God the Father ALSO said, “I am the Alpha and Omega” speaking OF HIMSELF.

And both the Oneness Christians and the Trinitarian Christians interpret these four verses to mean that Jesus is saying that he is Yahweh HIMSELF. But that is NOT what these four verses state. These four verses simply say, “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” So then, what did Jesus mean when he said that he was the Alpha and the Omega? Was Jesus speaking these words OF HIMSELF? Or was Jesus speaking those words referring to his God and Father? And what did Yahweh the Father mean when he said that he was the Alpha and the Omega?

The two Greek letters, the Alpha and the Omega, are the first and the last LETTERS of the Greek alphabet. The alphabet in any language is used to form WORDS. And the first and last LETTERS of the Hebrew alphabet are the Aleph and the Tav. So, I believe that Jesus that IF Jesus spoke these words OF HIMSELF, then he was saying that he is the Aleph and the Tav in the SCRIPTURES. In other words, Jesus is saying that he is PROPHESIED to come in the written word of God. Please read the study “WHAT DO THE ALEPH AND THE TAV MEAN?” But for now, just briefly, Jesus told the children of Israel that they searched the Scriptures for ETERNAL LIFE and that the SCRIPTURES testify of HIM. So Jesus is saying that he is the living word of God that was made flesh and that he has the teaching of the word of God that brings eternal life to those who believe and obey his teachings under the New Covenant written in the New Testament. So Jesus is saying that he is the living word of God that brings eternal life to those who believe and obey his teachings in the New Covenant written in the New Testament. And Yahweh the Father is saying that he created the Aleph and the Tav. In other words, Yahweh came up with the idea to forms words to speak. For you see Yahweh ALONE and by himself created everything that exists by SPEAKING words out from his mouth. And then Yahweh the Father watches over and PERFORMS those words to make them come to pass.

This study is actually part two or a continuation of the study called “REVELATION 1:8-I AM THE ALPHA AND OMEGA” And in that study, I showed that Jesus is NOT the one who is speaking in Revelation 1:8. So the main purpose of that study is to show that Jesus is NOT Almighty God HIMSELF. And in this study we will take a look at what do the three phrases “I am the Alpha and Omega”, “I am the first and the last”, and “I am the beginning and the end” mean in the light of the whole word of Almighty God.


Let us begin this study in God word by reading Revelation 22:13.


I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”


Now, it appears that Jesus HIMSELF is speaking these words OF HIMSELF. And, therefore, both the Oneness Christians and the Trinitarian Christian use this verse to dogmatically demand that Jesus is saying that he is Yahweh HIMSELF. But the vast evidence of Scripture teaches us that Jesus spoke FOR Yahweh. So to me, this verse is no different and Jesus is speaking FOR Yahweh the Father. Simply read the very next verse.


Please read Revelation 22:14.


“Blessed are they that do HIS commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”


Notice that it is indeed Jesus who is speaking in the first person singular in Revelation 22:12-14. But I myself believe that Jesus is speaking FOR Yahweh the Father in verses 13 and 14. In other words, BOTH Almighty God Yahweh the Father AND his Son Jesus are coming at the second coming of Jesus. Almighty God the Father will be WITH Jesus at the coming of Jesus but Jesus will be the REWARDER or the one actually GIVING the REWARDS or the WAGES according to the WORKS of each individual person. Let us read all three verses together.


Revelation 22:12-14.


“And, behold, I come quickly; and my REWARD is WITH ME, to give every man according as his work shall be. (In other words, Yahweh the Father has COMMITTED ALL JUDGMENT into the hands of his Son Jesus. And the rewards include the WAGES of SIN for those who are found living in sin at the coming of Jesus. And those found to be good and faithful servants of God have the license to ENTER into the city of God and into the joy of our Lord. When I read one of the meanings of the Greek word that is translated as “reward” to mean HIRE, I thought of a BOSS HIRING an employee. And Jesus IS a SERVANT OF Almighty God the Father. Please read the study “JESUS OUR FELLOW SERVANT!” And then the thought came to me that Jesus is saying that the HIRER is WITH him. And in the next verse Jesus is telling us that it is Yahweh the Father who GAVE him the AUTHORITY to be the ONE who is given the HONOR to give the REWARDS)

13. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

14. Blessed are they that do HIS commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.

16. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the OFFSRING of David, (We will come back to this verse shortly) and the bright and morning star.”


You may have to read these verses over a few times before you can see that Jesus is speaking FOR Yahweh the Father in verses 13 and 14. And for that reason, I myself do NOT see that Jesus is speaking the words in verse 13 to speak OF HIMSELF. But rather Jesus is speaking FOR Yahweh the Father.

Once you understand and TRULY BELIEVE that Yahweh ALONE and by himself created everything that exists by SPEAKING his own word out from his MOUTH, then you will understand that the “LOGOS” that was WITH God, in the beginning, is the SPEECH of God that God used to create the universe and all that is in the universe INCLUDING the BEGETTING of his Son Jesus.

Let us take a moment and look at the word BEGOTTEN.


Please read Hebrews 1:5.


“For unto which of the angels said he at any time, You are my Son, THIS DAY have I BEGOTTEN YOU? And again, I WILL BE to him a Father, and he SHALL BE to me a Son?”


The writer of Hebrews is quoting a PROPHECY of Yahweh’s yet coming Son who would become the Messiah. And this prophecy was FULFILLED in Acts 13:33 when Yahweh the Father raised the Son of MAN from the DEAD to become the FIRSTBORN from the DEAD. The word “begotten” is the Greek word “gennao” Strong’s #1080 which means the following according to the Blue Letter Bible Concordance. The emphasis is mine.


  1. of men who fathered children

    1. to be born

    2. to be begotten

      1. of women giving birth to children

  2. metaph.

    1. to engender, cause to arise, excite

    2. in a Jewish sense, of one who brings others over to his way of life, to convert someone

    3. of God MAKING Christ his son

    4. of God making men his sons through faith in Christ's work


Now, this Greek word “gennao”, Strong’s #1080, is a variant or an inflection of the Greek word “geno”, Strong’s #1085, which is the SAME Greek word used in Revelation 22:16. Let us read this verse again.


Revelation 22:16.


“I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the OFFSRING (The Greek word “geno”, Strong’s #1085)  OF DAVID, and the bright and morning star.”


Now, Jesus could have just as easily said that he was the offspring of Almighty God Yahweh the Father but Jesus chose to say that he is the OFFSPRING OF DAVID. And the Greek word translated as OFFSPRING comes from the Greek word “ginomai”, Strong’s # 1096, which means the following, according to the Blue Letter Bible Concordance. The emphasis is mine.


  1. to become, i.e. to come INTO EXISTENCE, BEGIN to be, receive being

  2. to become, i.e. to come to pass, happen

    1. of events

  3. to arise, appear in history, come upon the stage

    1. of men appearing in public

  4. to be made, finished

    1. of miracles, to be performed, wrought

  5. to become, be made


This SAME Greek word is used Matthew 1:22 speaking of the Virgin BIRTH of Jesus as a FULFILMENT of a PROPHECY in the SCRIPTURES.


Please read Matthew 1:21-23.


“And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

22. Now all this was done,(The Greek word “ginomai”, Strong’s #1096) that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”


Remember that Jesus said that the SCRIPTURES testify of HIM. In other words, Jesus is saying that the Scriptures PROPHESY of him coming into being and that God would be WITH him. So when Jesus said that he is the FIRST and the LAST he was saying that he is the Aleph and the Tav in the Scriptures and that the untranslated Hebrew letters the Aleph and the Tav pointed to him. Again, please read the study “WHAT DO THE ALEPH AND THE TAV MEAN?” But for now, I want you to read Hebrews 11:6 that may at first seem to be an unrelated verse of Scripture until we look at the Greek word translated as the second phrase “that he is”.


Hebrews 11:6.


“But without faith it is impossible to please HIM: (Speaking of Yahweh the Father) for he that comes TO God (Speaking again of Almighty God Yahweh the Father) must believe that HE IS, AND that he is  (The Greek word “ginomai”, Strong’s #1096) a REWARDER of them that diligently seek him.”


In other words, it is IMPOSSIBLE to please Almighty God Yahweh the FATHER without believing in his REWARDER, our Messiah Jesus Christ, who is the SON OF God that came INTO EXISTENCE. Let us read this verse again with the definition of the Greek word “ginomai” in place of the second phrase “the he is”.


Hebrews 11:6 paraphrased with definition of Strong’s #1096.


“But without faith, it is impossible to please HIM: (Speaking of Yahweh the Father) for he that comes TO God (Speaking again of Almighty God Yahweh the Father) must believe that HE IS, AND that he has brought INTO EXISTANCE  (The Greek word “ginomai” Strong’s #1096) a REWARDER of them that diligently seek him.”


There are several verses in the Bible that clearly teach us that Jesus is the ONLY WAY to Almighty God the Father. So then, who did the “LOGOS” come into existence TO BE? John 1:14 clearly teaches us that the “LOGOS”, which is the spoken word of God became FLESH. And we all agree that the word made flesh is speaking of the Son of man, Jesus who was declared to be or PROPHESIED to BECOME the Son of God.

But what some Christians have failed to see is that the Son of MAN BECAME the SON of God. Let us read the meaning of BEGOTTEN again from the Blue Letter Bible Concordance. The emphasis is mine.


  1. of men who fathered children

    1. to be born

    2. to be begotten

      1. of women giving birth to children

  2. metaph.

    1. to engender, cause to arise, excite

    2. in a Jewish sense, of one who brings others over to his way of life, to convert someone

    3. of God MAKING Christ his son

    4. of God making men his sons through faith in Christ's work


Do you see definition C of the meaning of BEGOTTEN? It says that begotten means that Almighty God Yahweh MADE the ANOINTED Son of MAN to BECOME his ETERNAL Son. Please read the study “WHEN DID JESUS BECOME THE ETERNAL SON OF GOD?”

Now, since Yahweh created his Son or brought forth his Son INTO EXISTENCE, then that means that there was NO pre-existing God the Son in eternity past. And that means that the doctrine of the Trinity and the doctrine of Oneness are NOT SOUND Biblical teachings.

And that means that Jesus CAME OUT FROM Almighty God the Father just like he said in John 16:27,28. Jesus knew that the Scriptures prophesied of him. And, therefore, Jesus knew that he was born of a Virgin without having a human Father. And that is what Jesus means when he said that he CAME OUT FROM God. Please read the study “JESUS CAME OUT FROM GOD-JOHN 16:27,28” So then, since Jesus had a BEGINNING, then that means that Jesus did NOT speak the words “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” OF HIMSELF to be saying that he is Yahweh HIMSELF. But Jesus did indeed say the words “I am the first and the last” speaking OF HIMSELF.


Please read Revelation 1:17,18.


“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 and the last:

18. I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”


And I personally believe that Jesus is giving us a CLUE that he is the two untranslated Hebrew letters the Aleph and the Tav in the Scriptures that point to him. Again, please read the study “WHAT DO THE ALEPH AND THE TAV MEAN?” And in that study, you will find that the Aleph and the Tav are found throughout the Hebrew Scripture from the very FIRST verse in the very FIRST book of the Old Testament to the very LAST verse of the LAST book of the Old Testament. In other words, the Aleph and the Tav are found over 5,000 times from the FIRST verse to the LAST verse of the Old Testament Scriptures. Here is just one example. Please read Zechariah 12:10 from the LITERAL translation on your own. I will insert the two untranslated Hebrew letters into the English translation where they appear in the Hebrew text.


Please read Zechariah 12:10.

 

“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me >>Aleph Tav אֵ ת  whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”

 

So you can see that the >>Aleph Tav אֵ ת is a HIDDEN PROPHECY of the coming Messiah whom we, as Christians, know to be Jesus. Now, both the Trinitarian Christians and the Oneness Christians use this verse from the English translation to try and prove that Jesus is Yahweh himself. For you see, in the English translation it appears to be Yahweh speaking OF HIMSELF in the first person saying that they will look upon ME whom they have pierced. But in the next phrase, it says that they shall mourn for HIM. And also, when we read the LITERAL translation we can see that it is the >>Aleph Tav אֵ ת  who is speaking in the first person as a PROPHECY.

In other words, Yahweh BECOMES what is SPEAKS forth OUT FROM his MOUTH. To say this another way Yahweh becomes his creation. Some Christians believe and teach that God created everything out of NOTHING. But I myself believe that God created everything OUT FROM HIMSELF. Please read the study “DID GOD CREATE ALL THINGS OUT OF NOTHING?”

And that is what Almighty God Yahweh the Father means by his saying OF HIMSELF the words “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last”.

Thanks for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the WHOLE word of Almighty God.


Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Brother Mark.

 

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VERSES USED TO TEACH THAT JESUS PREEXISTED!


To me, the best way to know the ONE true God in ONE person is to know who Jesus TRULY IS according to the WHOLE word of Almighty God so please read ALL the studies under the heading >>>WHO IS JESUS ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE?<<< and you will see that the Bible itself teaches us that Jesus was CREATED by his God and Father. And if you have any questions related to the correct meaning of certain verses of Scripture on this subject of who Jesus is please read all the studies under the two headings >>>A LIST OF STUDIES ON THE TRINITY!<<< and >>>VERSES USED TO TEACH THAT JESUS PRE-EXISTED!<<< These two headings have ALL the studies that I have on who Jesus truly is according to what the Bible itself teaches us in simplicity. I compiled these three headings to make it easy for my readers to send just one, two, or three links to those you desire to help understand what the Bible itself teaches concerning who Jesus is in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God.

Thanks for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of Almighty God.

 

Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,

Brother Mark.

 

RETURN TO HOMEPAGE

AT

AmatterOfTruth.com