Understanding who is the Alpha and Omega ? (Part 1)

Understanding who is the Alpha and Omega ? (Part 1)

It is claimed by many Christians that God is the Alpha and Omega and further claimed that Jesus is also called the Alpha and Omega. It is then even further claimed that as both are called the Alpha and Omega Jesus must be God.

This argument hangs on 3 premises

God is the Alpha and Omega 
Jesus is the Alpha and Omega 
Nobody but God can be the Alpha and Omega

This argument actually is completely self defeating and for a number of reasons.

The first being the simple fact that there is NO verse in the Bible that states ONLY God can be called the Alpha and Omega. Even if both God and Jesus stated I am the Alpha and Omega this does not mean that nobody else can be, unless there is a specific statement that declares nobody can which there is not. Therefore even if premises 1 and 2 were correct, it has to be assumed that nobody else but God can be called the Alpha and Omega. It can be argued that nobody else is called the Alpha and Omega but this itself fails due to the assumption that because nobody else is called the Alpha and Omega this automatically means that nobody else can be which has no biblical support. It also circle reasons by already assuming that Jesus is God as if Jesus is not God and he is called the Alpha and Omega this in itself defeats the argument nobody but God can be called the Alpha and Omega.

Secondly, there are 3 or 4* occurrences of Alpha and Omega in the book of revelation

Revelation 1-8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Revelation 1-11* Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

Revelation 21-6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Revelation 22-13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

*The authenticity of verse 11 and whether it belongs in the bible is actually debated (most versions do not include the words “I am Alpha and Omega”) but we will deal with that later.

Most Christians assert that all 3/4 occurrences in this book are referring to Jesus. What is interesting with this claim is that these are actually the ONLY 3/4 occurrences of the Alpha and Omega in the whole of the Bible. Therefore if it is to be asserted that all 3/4 are in reference to Jesus then the whole argument falls apart at the first premise as there would in fact be no scriptural evidence that God himself is the Alpha and Omega. Jesus would be the only one given this title.

This is where most who claim Jesus is the Alpha and Omega in revelation assert that God is the Alpha and Omega of the OT.

Verses such as Isaiah 41-4, 44-6 and 48-12 are then usually offered as evidence. 
However if we look at those verses we will see God never actually claimed to be the Alpha and Omega in the OT and it would be impossible for him to do so. The Alpha and Omega are Greek. The OT was not written in Greek. Isaiah was written in Hebrew.

Isaiah 41-4 Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.
אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ רִאשֹׁ֔ון וְאֶת־אַחֲרֹנִ֖ים
’Ă-nî Yah-weh ri-šō-wn, wə-’eṯ- ’a-ḥă-rō-nîm

Isaiah 44-6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
אֲנִ֤י רִאשֹׁון֙ וַאֲנִ֣י אַחֲרֹ֔ון
’Ă-nî ri-šō-wn wa-’ă-nî ’a-ḥă-rō-wn,

Isaiah 48-12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
אֲנִ֣י רִאשֹׁ֔ון אַ֖ף אֲנִ֥י אַחֲרֹֽון׃
’Ă-nî ri-šō-wn, ’ap̄ ’ă-nî ’a-ḥă-rō-wn.

Even if we look at the Greek Septuagint rendering of these verses there is no use of Alpha and Omega.
Isaiah 41-4 ἐγκαινίζεσθε πρός με νῆσοι οἱ γὰρ ἄρχοντες ἀλλάξουσιν ἰσχύν ἐγγισάτωσαν καὶ λαλησάτωσαν ἅμα τότε κρίσιν ἀναγγειλάτωσαν

Isaiah 44-6 
οὕτως λέγει ὁ θεὸς ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ Ισραηλ ὁ ῥυσάμενος αὐτὸν θεὸς σαβαωθ ἐγὼ πρῶτος καὶ ἐγὼ μετὰ ταῦτα πλὴν ἐμοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν θεός
Isaiah 48-12
ἄκουέ μου Ιακωβ καὶ Ισραηλ ὃν ἐγὼ καλῶ ἐγώ εἰμι πρῶτος καὶ ἐγώ εἰμι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα

God simply is NOT the Alpha and the Omega in the OT.

God did however as shown in these verses claim to be the first and the last and it can and then often is argued that The Alpha and the Omega is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew first and last and both are referring to the same claim. But that makes no sense at all. If the Alpha and the Omega are the same things as the first and last then we have a problem in verse 22-13 in this verse referencing the Alpha and Omega we will see that the Greek has its own rendering of first and last.

Revelation 22-13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
First being πρῶτος prōtos and last being ἔσχατος, eschatos
The verse also uses the beginning ἀρχὴ archē and the end τέλος. Telos (which is also found in revelation 1-8)

In this verse we have 3 separate referents that the speaker is claiming to be. Not that all 3 referents are a reference to the same thing being claimed. Whoever the Alpha and the Omega is, it is not a reference back to the first and last in the OT.

The claim that both God and Jesus are called the Alpha and Omega simply fails if it is asserted that Jesus is the only one referenced as such in revelation. The only thing that stands would be that Jesus is called the Alpha and Omega. 
However when we analyze the verses we will see that even that claim is incorrect. It is in fact GOD and NOT Jesus that is called The Alpha and Omega in Revelation. God most certainly is the Alpha and Omega just not in the way most Christians try to prove him so. Jesus is never called the Alpha and the Omega, God and ONLY God is called this.

It is very important to mention and then KEEP in mind throughout the book of revelation that the book of the revelation of Jesus was given to Jesus by God, not called the father here. Jesus isn’t being distinguished between him and the father but God who Jesus is meant to be. 
1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 2Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

This must remain in sight at all times when interpreting this book. The trinity interpretation can only interpret this as this would be God as it does not state the father, which must then be the triune God which is the father, SON and holy spirit, giving the revelation to God the son. Which makes no sense at all. As the son would be part of the giving which means he would give the revelation to himself which would mean he already knew it and therefore would be in fact no revelation at all by anyone to anyone.

Another important thing to highlight and this probably is the most important point of this whole writing as it actually completely disproves the trinity, is that there are actually only 2 parties present in the whole book of Revelation. The angel and John. God gave the revelation to Jesus for Jesus to shew his servants (believers) and Jesus signified it BY his angel UNTO JOHN. Throughout the whole book only the angel or John is actually speaking. NOBODY else actually speaks because nobody else is there. When Jesus or God is “speaking” it is actually the angel speaking for them as them.
In verses 17 and 18 we see that the one speaking to John is clearly ascribed as being Jesus 
Revelation 1-17 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: 18I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Which Jesus himself states in revelation 22-16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. (this verse becomes important later on)

Jesus is the one that was dead and now alive for evermore. So Jesus is clearly the one speaking in these verses. But we have to remember that Jesus sent his angel unto John. How then is Jesus speaking to John? If we go back to verse 10

Revelation 1-10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
It is the angels that sound as trumpets.

Matthew 24-31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Revelation 8-13And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

In verse 13 we will see confirmation that this was the angel that Jesus had sent speaking to John AS Jesus.

Revelation 1-13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle
Like ὅμοιον homoion like, similar to, resembling, of equal rank.

Again shown in revelation 22-8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

John was shown the prophecy by the angel.

John did not see the son of man but one like the son of man. The one who represented him, the angel that Jesus had sent. The angel who represented Jesus spoke AS and FOR Jesus as if he was Jesus and was accounted as being Jesus but wasn’t actually Jesus. Just as Jesus spoke as and for God as if he was God and was accounted as being God but wasn’t actually God.

This is also shown many times in the OT where an angel spoke as God. (Explained in my writing ..Did Moses speak face to face with God?)

I shall just give the example of Moses and the burning bush where Moses talks with God but we are clearly told that it is the angel that is speaking as God.

Exodus 3-2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

But that angel who spoke spoke as if he was indeed God. 
Exodus 3- 3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

We see that it was the angel speaking but we are told God called to Moses.

The angel then said I am the God of thy father

Exodus 3- 5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

Again shown in Acts 7 -35th Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush

I shall demonstrate in part 2 how the verses in Revelation are NOT referring to Jesus but God Almighty.