What does it mean that Jesus is the Alpha and Omega?

"I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last" Rev. 22:13.

— “I am the first and the last.” This is essentially a divine title. Jehovah claims it three times exclusively for Himself in the prophecy of Isaiah (Isa. 41:4; Isa. 44:6; Isa. 48:12), and Christ correspondingly three times in this book (Rev. 1:17; Rev. 2:8; Rev. 22:13). The application of this Jehovah title to the Son of Man is an absolute proof of His Deity. Eternal Self-Existence, with its necessary correlative, Absolute Supremacy, is thus intimated. As the “FIRST,” He is before all, and above all, and from whom all proceed. As the “LAST,” He is after all, and in Him all things centre. He is the source and sum of universal creation. What cause for fear then? In the calm contemplation of this magnificent title, claimed and borne by Jesus of Nazareth glorified in the heavens, fear disappears like mist before the rising sun. Here is a rock of strength for wearied feet and for life’s heaviest burdens.

We will pass on to Revelation 22:13. The Old Testament acrostics not only speak of the blessed God Himself;they also tell us of His thoughts concerning the coming Kingdom and glory, and it is in reference to this that Revelation 22:13 is given. “I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” As the context shows, our Lord Jesus Christ is here seen returning to reward the wicked and the righteous, according to their work. Then He says: “I am Alpha and Omega”—the complete revelation of the thoughts of God. But more—“the Beginning and the End” of all that subsists; not only its Author and Finisher, but its Start and its Finish. And more also—“the First and the Last”; for there was none before Him, and there is no one to come after Him. Happy, indeed, is the believer who has found finality in Him, his blessed Saviour and Lord, Advocate and High Priest; in the Christ who is the exalted Head of the assembly. This gives rest, peace, and joy; individually and collectively. In this scripture, we learn that He is the one essential, whether in revelation; in being; orin order. He is all; in all; and all stands in ordered relation to Him, as all numbers do to the first and the last.

Further, we are reminded of the glories of the One who is coming, and that we seek to follow and serve. He is One who can say, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." As the Alpha and Omega He is the Word — the One who is the full revelation of God. As "the beginning and the end," He is the Creator by whom "all things were made," who can dissolve the things that He has made, and bring in the "new heavens and a new earth." As "the first and the last" He is the eternal God before all created things. So the Lord can say through Isaiah, "I am the first and I am the last, and beside me there is no God" (Isa. 44:6).

In verse 8, this blessed Man Christ Jesus affirms Himself to be the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He had no beginning, for He is the beginning: He has no end, for He is the end. He is the Almighty from eternity to eternity. Some have claimed that this must refer only to God, not to Christ, but Revelation 22:12-13, 16 proves that this refers positively to Jesus the Son of God and adds its absolute seal to the truth of the great Godhead glory of the Lord Jesus.

"Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to give each as his work is" (verse 12). Evidently this confirms what has been remarked. When that day comes, it is the judgment of the living. It is the Lord's coming, not here spoken of as an encouragement to him who hears and keeps the words of the prophecy of the book, but rather in the way of discriminating judgment. "I [am] the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end" (verse 13). That is, the Lord Jesus, beside what is peculiar to Himself, takes the same title here that God Himself did in Rev. 21:6. As God was the sum and substance of all revelation, being, or action, so was Christ. "No man hath seen God at any time: the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him." "Blessed [are] they that do his commandments [or wash their robes], that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Without [are] the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the whoremongers, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one loving and practising a lie" (verses 14, 15).

— “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.” The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, followed by the explanatory phrase, “the beginning and the end,” intimates that all testimony on earth had its origin in God, as its end is His glory. Creation, providence, promise, history, prediction, prophecy, testimony, love, and grace have each their source in God and in Him their end. Nothing really on the divine side ends in failure. God is seen to triumph at the end. The administration of these things on earth shows, as was the divine intention, the weakness and imperfection of the creature; but that in no wise hinders or thwarts the ultimate purpose of God. The manifestation of Himself in moral glory is the end.

The wording here is simply "Alpha and Omega," without any addition or explanation. It is a grand and lofty announcement of God's being. Our verse gives us the first utterance of God's lips in this wonderful Revelation. The seven previous verses are prefatory - an inspired communication through the Apostle John; but verse 8 bursts upon us, in deep and divine solemnity, as the veritable accents of the Lord God, the Almighty. He is the Alpha - the grand source and originator of all things; and He, too, the Omega, by whom all shall be wound up and completed. Hence we read not such words as "I am Alpha and Beta" (the second letter) as though it were His design to present to us the commencement and continuance of His work. That may be true; but if Alpha gives the beginning, Omega would indicate not only a perfect continuance, but the seal being placed on the end of all. It implies the finish of the road, and the completion of the work. And how becoming an intimation, in view of all the fearful course of judgment, detailed in the book that follows!, how solemn a declaration of His ability to begin and carry to a conclusion each of its dread, but certain, events! He proclaims Himself the Omega as much as the Alpha.

— “I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” The announcement of these divine titles forms a fitting conclusion to the introduction. The dignity of the speaker and the character of His utterances demand profound attention. We listen here not to the voice of Christ as man, but God Himself is the speaker. He announces His own titles and glories. “I am the Alpha and the Omega” — first and last letters of the Greek alphabet — would intimate His relationship to creation. God is the source, the beginning of all truth revealed, of all promise given, and of all testimony committed to men. In this respect He is “the Alpha.” But He is also the end. His glory is the goal. Everything finds its answer in Him. Our course, our testing lie between these points, God the Alpha and God the Omega. To Him as the end all gravitate. On our hands the threads are broken; in His hands they have never been rent. In the midst of failed and failing circumstances, and the Church ecclesiastically a ruin amidst the wrecked testimony of the ages, God’s voice is heard above the din and strife. The beginning of all testimony is in God, and the end, too, centres in Him. In Him as the Omega is finished what as the Alpha He began.

If we look further into the book of Revelation — a book specially written for the seven churches — we find other terms used as titles by and of our Lord. In Revelation 21:6 we read, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end." Also in Revelation 22:13, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." Can we doubt that our Lord uses these titles in order to bring to the notice of a failing church that everything for the display and glory of God is resident in Himself? As the "Alpha and Omega" he would assure us that He is the expression of all that God has to say to us; as the "beginning and the end" He would assure us that He is the embodiment of all that God is doing, whilst the "first and the last" would convey to us that He is also the expression of all that God is in His nature, character and disposition.