. God becomes the “Alpha” of our individual lives at our spiritual rebirth. Gangly teenagers transform into educated adults. There are many Christians today, not to mention people who reject Christianity, who do not believe in the eternality of hell. Find her also on Twitter and at her blog www.debbiemcdaniel.com. If our soul thirsts for God the way a deer pants for the flowing streams, if we have tasted enough of the beauty and love and power of Christ that we forget the things which lie behind and pursue him, if we deny our worldly thirst and take up our cross and thirst after Christ, then God will meet us on the other side of the desert as an all-satisfying fountain of life forever. The statement, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end," comes in a passage dealing with the end of history. He is the Alpha. God is the source and the conclusion of life on earth. The Uses of Anointing Oils, 20 Reasons Marriages Fail (Christian Marriages, Too). But the world, ah the world, now there's taste. So this text in 2:11 says the same thing: if we conquer, we will not be hurt by it. Biblical Name for Jesus, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. At the end of every road is God. The pottery has no beginning apart from the Potter, and in the end it will all serve the purposes of the Potter. The verse you’ll want to read are: Revelation 1:8, Revelation 21:6, Revelation 22:13, John 1:1-2, Genesis 1:1, Job 38:4, Isaiah 48:12 I am Alpha and Omega, says the Lord, the beginning and the end—the fountain of eternal life for one and a lake of fire for another. That means that if you try to satisfy your soul-thirst anywhere but in God, you will eventually run into God and have to give an account to him for the infinite insult of preferring the streams of sin to water of life. He determines all possibilities. It is often used figuratively to describe superiority or dominance. God calls them cowardly and faithless. To be the child of God is a benefit that nothing in the world can compare to. So when we see the Greek letters Alpha and Omega, we are seeing the symbol for God as the first and the last. It is free for the thirsting. When a person crosses a desert and comes gasping to the oasis on the far side, and hears the words, "To the thirsty I will give water,"—no one in that situation says to the oasis owner, "You drive a hard bargain." You thought it would never come – but it always did. Sorcerers: people who thirsted after magical powers and the "deep things of Satan" (Revelation 2:24). Where was God before the beginning of time? Satisfy your thirst for life and security and happiness in me. 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. Our finite minds were not meant to comprehend the mysterious King who was before the beginnings of earthly time. Who is Alpha and Omega in Revelation 1:8, 1:11, 21:6, 22:13. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. So the special focus in this text is on God as the omega of all things. His foreknowledge determines how our stories will end. Everything that God owns will be at your disposal. 3. There never was a time when he was not. You must be thirsty to get it, but thirst never has been considered a price or a merit by anyone. What does it mean that God is Omega, or the end? The Alpha and Omega. Israel and the New Breed have perfected these melodies to a science. Because if God is our end, then we can look forward to a Happily-Ever-After. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its lights and its lamp is the Lamb.". "He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my son." Notice in verse 7 that the water of life is the same as the reward of sonship. And everything will somehow end with him. Believers are to prepare themselves as carefully as a bride preparing for her future wedding. She’s wife to a super-creative man and the proud mother of three resilient young women. I pray that God will give us the eyes to see the staggering alternatives at the brink of eternity. But instead of an oasis of eternal life, they find a lake that burns with fire. In other words God is "the beginning and the end.". We confess that he is “the creator of heaven and earth.” And Jesus the Son, through his death and resurrection, “came that [we] may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. The Apostle John wrote of Jesus’ saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (Rev 22:13) and writing about Jesus’ eternality, John wrote that Jesus said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev 1:8). For example, in 2:10–11, Jesus says to the church at Smyrna, "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life . I can't urge you too often to meditate on the staggering truth that God is the absolute Alpha. Isaiah 44:6 says, "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no God." Other words for Omega are the last, conclusion, and perfection. All just for the thirsting. Isaiah puts it like this: "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god" (44:6). We relegate God without sometimes realizing it. Thirst is not a work. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and Omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet. He who conquers shall not be hurt by the second death." All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. It is… Life occurs in a linear fashion. At conception, a human life begins. And let him who is thirsty come, let him who desires take the water of life without price." "He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my son." Let’s trust his perfect will for every chapter of our lives. Abba Father - What it Means and Why it’s Important As a finite being on earth, I will one day stand before the Alpha and Omega of the galaxies. Jesus as the beginning and end of all things is a reference to no one but the true God. All of life begins with the creative power of God. As Omega, God is preparing an ending shrouded in divine mystery. “Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new...I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end...the one who conquers will inherit these things and I will be his God." Rev 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. For those who conquer, for the thirsty, God is not the beginning and the end the way a river begins with a spring and ends in an ocean. The people who will meet God on the other side of the desert as a lake of fire instead of a fountain of life are people who did not conquer the thirst for the world. And to think, this promise awaits His faithful believers who endure. We’re on a mission to change that. When we read these four verses in context, we see that it is Jesus speaking, that is because Jesus and God the Father are one; Jesus is God who came in the flesh. I admit to being romanced by God; I was in the popular “honeymoon phase” of my relationship with Him. This text makes plain that God is the Omega, or the end, in two different senses. These are the people who were not thirsty for God. Believe every situation is under spiritual quality-control. History has a trajectory, and no other ruler or power can change the final outcome. What Does it Mean that God is Alpha and Omega? Revelation 21:6–7 uses two words to describe the person who will meet God as a fountain of life. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him,” (. What Does it Mean that Jesus is the Lamb of God? Ask volunteers to read the other supporting verses to see times in the Bible where God is seen as the Alpha and the Omega, or passages that remind us that in the beginning God was there. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. All creation will serve you. Omega is the 24th, and last, Greek letter. Genesis 1:1 reads, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”. He is the God “who is.” Simple songs like these make … Biblical Name for Jesus. It is seen especially in Revelation 22:13, where Jesus proclaims that He is “the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” One of the meanings of Jesus being the “Alpha and Omega” is that He was at the beginning of all things and will be at the close. God loves to satisfy the thirsty who come to him for the water of life. Because of his human nature, he is the only human being who can say he is the Alpha and the Omega. And in the end God is going to satisfy that thirst with an experience of his own brilliant beauty beyond all description. But the people in 21:8 did not heed the warning of Jesus in 2:10–11. Yet what does it mean that God is Alpha and Omega? Alpha and Omega God book is really interesting book. 7 Meanings of Yahweh - God's Name in the Bible Jesus is God incarnate. 5. 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. Babies achieve important milestones. You will meet him as light and life or as fire and torment. Everybody is thirsty in that sense. But the end of every road is God. He is author of. 10 Sins Jesus Condemns Most Harshly in Scripture, 10 Beautiful Biblical Descriptions of What Heaven Will Look Like and Be Like, 10 Prayers of Intercession for Your Adult Children, 7 Prophetic Words God Has for Us about the End Times, 10 Signs of Emotional Abuse in a Relationship, 8 Reasons Why It's Hard to Separate from a Narcissist. . He is never out of reach for the thirsty. They have their beginning in God's oasis of life. God really is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. Our Earthly Stories End Well: Ups and downs. Alpha (Α or α) and omega (Ω or ω) are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and a title of Christ and God in the Book of Revelation.This pair of letters is used as a Christian symbol, and is often combined with the Cross, Chi-rho, or other Christian symbols. The Apostle John wrote of Jesus’ saying, “I am the Alpha a… But verse 8 does not shrink back from the terrible reality: "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Before him there was nothing. And the watchmaker is God, who is the Alpha and Omega the first and the last, the beginning an the end, who is Jesus. God will not give the precious water from the fountain of life to those who never developed a conquering thirst for him. The first and the last! God equips our unique beginnings: he supports our new endeavors. Remember that the one who offers the water is called Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. 5 Beautiful Holy Saturday Prayers to Prepare for Easter, An Inspirational Reading Plan to Refocus on Holy Week during COVID-19, 7 Meanings of Yahweh - God's Name in the Bible, Son of Man - Jesus’s Favorite Name for Himself, Abba Father - What it Means and Why it’s Important. God defines Himself as "Alpha and Omega" in four passages of the book of Revelation. What Does Yeshua Mean? In other words, if we conquer all the competitors for our thirst and satisfy ourselves with Christ, we will gain the inheritance of eternal life. The title of Alpha and Omega reveals Christ’s divine authority and sovereignty. God has the Final Word: Invite him into all of your earthly matters and trust that his perfect will exists. All causes of depression and anxiety and guilt, and all hindrances to joy and wonder and childlike delight will vanish. God knew when we would begin our spiritual journeys. God is absolutely the beginning and absolutely the end. Rev 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 1:8. It's simply another way of describing faith. God knew of us before our mothers held us. Back in 2:10–11 Jesus had said to the church, "Fear not what you are about to suffer . No matter! God is also the Omega. Everything originates in Him, … The struggle is between thirsting after God and thirsting after anything else. God has the first word and the last word in history. We innovate and streamline life. Let's go back to the image of the desert. This term occurs three times in the Bible. The Revelation of Christ (Revelation 1-5) >The Prologue >The Introduction >The marks of divinity . Don't be cowards, have faith! Idolaters: people who thirsted after manageable gods instead of a God who says, "I am Alpha and Omega." Revelations 1:8, (NIV) tells us, “I am the Alpha and Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”. It means that you become an heir of all that God owns. Omega will mean mercy for all in the end, not fire and brimstone. If we put the condition of thirst and the condition of conquering together, the picture we get is something like this: There is a battle going on in every one of us. In other words, the people who will meet God as a terrible lake of fire instead of a fountain of life are people who did not "conquer" these thirsts for the world. So when God says that he will give the water of the fountain of life to the thirsty, he means he will give it to those who desire it—those who have a taste for it and long for it and have turned away from the soul-beverages of the world. God’s providence not only governs all things, but it gives us hope in our suffering. God is not supplied or filled up by the thirsty saints that come to him in the end. I Corinthians 2:7 reveals the beauty of God’s wisdom, “We speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory.” (CSB). “Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. You are Alpha and OmegaWe worship you our LordYou are worthy to be praisedWe give you all the gloryWe worship you our LordYou are worthy to be praised Finally meditate of the picture of the New Jerusalem in verses 22–23. * As image-bearers, creativity resides within us. Continuing our series titled, "Alpha and Omega", God commands the animals in the sea and on the land to be formed (Day 5). When we revisit Revelations 1:8, we are reminded that God is also our Omega: “Who is to come.” These awe-inspiring words delight me, but in all honesty, these words cause me to feel reverential fear. Revelation 1:8. This article is part of our Names of God Series featuring the most used names and titles of God found in the Bible. Everything emerged out of him. "And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. He is speaking of reality. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Alpha this way: something that is first. (See also 2:26 and 12:11.). Repeating a phrase from verse 4, God describes himself as the Alpha and the Omega, “who is and who was and who is to come.” These words reflect God’s eternity, but the first of them especially declares God’s self-existence. God is absolutely the beginning and absolutely the end. And they meet God. Alpha and Omega - Jesus is God —An Overview. It is not hard. He will be their God and they will be his children enjoying his inheritance forever and ever. But when you pause to think that he never chose to be this way, nor did anyone else choose to make him this way, it staggers the mind. . Conquering means getting victory over the forces which tempt us not to be faithful to Christ. Am I really a Christian? But for those burdened by the power of indwelling sin, few can feel more difficult to answer. God spoke to John, abandoned John, lonely John, hurting John, and said … Revelation 1:8 (KJV) 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. We can prepare our hearts by spending time with our Bibles. The one who is Alpha and Omega, God the Almighty, has pledged himself to take away every pain and every threat of death and everything that makes you cry. Our hope is that you would focus on these truths and find hope as you rest in the promise of God’s presence, no matter the circumstances. Just think of it! This is a figure of speech. 9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God … We have compiled these articles to help you study all that God says He is and to help you understand His nature and character. Jehovah Jireh: “The Lord Will Provide” Name of God Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light and your days of crying shall be ended" (60:19–20). But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.'". What Does it Mean that Jesus is the Lamb of God? We are first introduced to the Alpha and Omega name of God in the last book of the Bible. God is the Alpha and Omega - Meaning & Understanding, The Meaning of Hosanna - Powerful Name of Jesus from the Bible, Jehovah Jireh: “The Lord Will Provide” Name of God, Jehovah Nissi: "The Lord is My Banner" Name of God. (Rev.1:8) One of the greatest mysteries of Divinity is the ability to precisely know the future from the present. From creation, Jesus is the Word of God who has made all things through Him. Let's read verses 5–8. 1 The Alpha And Omega Is God. The title the Alpha and the Omega is applied to Jesus based on the New Testament belief that the pre-incarnate being that was later called Jesus was the first and last thing created directly by God and that the incarnate Jesus was the first and last being resurrected directly by God. God is a fountain of life at the beginning, and he is a fountain of life at the end—forever. 1. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and omega is the last letter of the alphabet. "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.". But the Grand Creator of Time Itself is preparing something better! Photo Credit: Unsplash/Tania Alieksanenko. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." God doesn't just know the end from the beginning,He is the Beginning and the Ending. (Revelation 22:17). God is present every new morning: we have the ability to call upon the Holy Spirit first thing on every waking day. "Let him who is thirsty come, let him who desires take the water of life without price.". In other words, since everything comes from God and nothing will outlast God, therefore God has no final competitors. He is speaking of reality. So much so, that our finite minds sometimes grapple with this grand declaration. But then sooner or later there comes a division. Nobody can buy and sell with the currency of thirst. Christ began his three-year ministry, sacrificed himself on a cross because he loved us, and cut through His own “time-space” continuum on our behalf. In other words, God is "the beginning and the end." God is the Alpha and Omega - Meaning & Understanding Put another way, it means "the final part; the end." In the plan of redemption Christ is the Alpha and the Omega—the First and the Last. The first characteristic of the person who will meet God as a fountain instead of a fire is that he is thirsty. It is an infinite sin to reject the infinitely valuable God as though something else were more satisfying. Revelations 1:8, (NIV) tells us, “I am the Alpha and Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Alpha this way: something that is first. Don't surrender to the thirst for earthly life and security and self reliance. All of us start in the same place. In Revelation 21:6 God identifies himself as "Alpha and Omega." Meaning of Elohim in the Bible (Rev.1:8) One of the greatest mysteries of Divinity is the ability to precisely know the future from the present. It is a book of knowledge, which is written by Mathewos T. Abera. It is no small thing to be alive between the Alpha and the Omega of our Creator. If I am commanded to believe the gospel, is faith something I create, or is it a gift of God? Amen. My zeal for all things related to Christianity: sermons, scriptures, and Bible paraphernalia was at an all-time high. One of the most captivating titles is the Alpha and the Omega, which are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Genesis 1:1 ESV / 9 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. To the thirsty I will give water without price from the fountain of the water of life. People whose thirst has driven them away from the shallow streams of sin to the deep oasis at the far side of the desert—these are the ones to whom God will give to drink of the water of life forever. God can guide important decisions: God delights when we first call on him for major decisions. All other attempts to have the last word will fail. He is the grandest editor of our earthly storybook. When the students of prophecy shall set their hearts to know the truths of Revelation, they will realize what an importance is attached to this search. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God," (Revelations 21:3, CSB). In the beginning he said, "Let there be light." Also he said, 'Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true,' And he said to me, 'It is done! The Meaning of Hosanna - Powerful Name of Jesus from the Bible In verse 6 it says, "To the thirsty I will give water without price from the fountain of the water of life." A Blessed Culmination: Never forget! For these, too, God is the Omega, but not in the same way. In one unified present glance, He comprehends all things from everlasting, and the flutter of a seraph's wing a thousand ages hence is seen by Him now without moving His eyes. The justice and wisdom and power and goodness and truth of God are eternal reality. That’s the beauty of God as Alpha. Then they take the forbidden southern route by the shallow streams of faithlessness, far from the narrow path of God. For the thirsty (it says in verse 6) he is the end in the sense that he will be the source of their life forever. He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. Then God goes on to describe some of them as polluted, that is, people who thirsted after hidden and indecent things. But there is another group of people mentioned in verse 8. Isaiah 48:12 includes, "I am he; I am the first, and I am the last." The other word in verse 7 that describes the person who will meet God as a fountain and not as a fire is the word conquer. Jessica Galán encourages her readers to embrace malleability in the midst of life’s difficult moments. Bible verses about Alpha And Omega. Because Jesus is the incarnation of God, the Alpha and Omega are also used as a monogram for Christ. "Besides me there is no god!" What is the Meaning of the Name El Shaddai? Contrary to science's opinions, this did not happen over millions of years, but instantly at God's command! Copyright © 2021, iBelieve.com. Alpha & Omega by Israel Houghton recorded live with spontaneous worship featuring Osby Berry & Cross Worship. But his allegiance to the cause of Christ makes the bleakness of his life glow with glory. A divine plan conceived before our earthly beginnings. The book encompasses everything found in existence. How Should Christians Talk to Their Kids about LGBTQ Issues? The book encompasses everything found in existence. 1 The Alpha And Omega Is God. We invent gadgets which make life easier. He is the beginning. There is a beginning and there is an end. I turned and traced the silk-smooth pages to its first book. On Patmos, God gave Apostle John a vision for our future. There’s a question that’s always lingered as I’ve walked with God. She enjoys daily cups of steaming hot café con leche and breaks out in sporadic salsa dancing when no one’s looking. Revelation 1:1-20 ESV / 11 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. The phrase “alpha” can mean a beginning while the word “Omega” can mean the ending, but in Scripture it means much more than a beginning and an end. Who is Alpha and Omega in Revelation 1:8, 1:11, 21:6, 22:13. Everything that is originates ultimately in him. A sense of emptiness that looks to Christ for filling. In the New Testament Revelation to John, the term is used as the self-designation of God and of Christ. And even though he may seem as far away as moon-cheese for the self-satisfied, in the end he will be utterly real to every man, woman, and child—gloriously real to the thirsty and terrifyingly real to the self-satisfied. Jesus told Nicodemus “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God," (John 3:1-21). ", Two other verses in Revelation make clear that this judgment is eternal. Remember from our text in 21:8 the second death is the lake of fire. ", Lest we think that this eternal punishment is just for the devil and his servants, Revelation 14:9–11 says, "If any one worships the beast and its image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also shall drink the wine of God's wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of his anger, and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. I think that is the focus of our text in Revelation 21:6. Tozer wrote this on the concept of Alpha and Omega: "If we grope back to the farthest limits of thought where imagination touches the pre-creation void, we shall find God there. A grand finale is coming. Thirst for Christ must conquer thirst for the world and all it offers. He is there when we make the decision to pack up and move across the country. Alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Join her each morning on Fresh Day Ahead's Facebook page, for daily encouragement in living strong, free, hope-filled lives. From creation, Jesus is the Word of God who has made all things through Him. Photo Credit: Unsplash/Priscilla du Preez. The thirst for this world conquered the thirst for Christ, and so their lot will be in the lake that burns with fire. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. And in their place he will put a never-ending joy that will surpass the happiest vacation you ever had. As we live out our days (work, family, and social life) we can compartmentalize Jesus. May we continually bless the name above all names! "To the thirsty I will give water without price." Jesus himself embraced his own “Alpha and Omega” story on earth. To them Christ was no more enticing than castor oil. Now many things that were written in the Bible used the Greek alphabet and in our Bible verse for today, we read from Revelation 22:13, which says, "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." In other words God is "the beginning and the end." If there is any thirst for Christ in you at all, I urge you with all earnestness to stir it up. I’d carefully written my name inside the cover of my shiny, black Bible. If they ever had any thirst for Christ, it was swallowed up in the love of the world.