by Jill Ice
“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
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.
Among the Jewish rabbis 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 (א) to Taw
(תּ)." "Abraham kept the whole law, from 'Aleph (א) to Taw
(תּ)."
The language here is what would properly denote
"eternity" in the being to whom it is applied, and could be used in
reference to no one but the true God. It means that he is the beginning and the
end of all things; that he was at the commencement, and will be at the close;
and it is thus equivalent to saying that he has always existed, and that he
will always exist.
Compare Isaiah 41:4, "I the Lord, the first, and with
the last"; Isaiah 44:6, "I am the first, and I am the last; and
beside me there is no God"; Isaiah 48:12, "I am he; I am the first, I
also am the last." There can be no doubt that the language here would be
naturally understood as implying divinity, and it could be properly applied to
no one but the true God.
As we come to the end of the calendar year and begin
another, let us remember the One Who is the beginning and end of all things.
Let us begin and end each new day in Him.
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