What does "the First and the Last" reveal about Jesus' divine authority? Verse in Focus “ I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” – Revelation 22:13 Why the Title Matters - “First and Last” frames all of existence: nothing precedes Him, nothing survives Him. - By placing Himself at both bookends of time, Jesus claims the same eternal sovereignty as God the Father. - The wording parallels “Alpha and Omega” (first and last letters of the Greek alphabet) and “Beginning and End,” reinforcing total mastery over history. Echoes from the Old Testament Isaiah repeatedly records the LORD using the very phrase: - “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel… ‘I am the first and I am the last; apart from Me there is no God.’ ” – Isaiah 44:6 - “Listen to Me, O Jacob… I am He; I am the first and I am the last.” – Isaiah 48:12 Jesus appropriates this exclusive divine self-description, leaving no gap between Himself and Yahweh. What the Title Reveals about Jesus’ Authority Creative Authority • John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16 remind that all things came into being through Him, confirming that “First” means originator. Sustaining Authority • Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3 show He holds creation together; being both “First” and “Last” secures everything in between. Judicial Authority • Revelation 1:17-18 “I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.” The eternal One has final jurisdiction over life, death, reward, and punishment. Covenant-Keeping Authority • Revelation 21:6 “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.” Promises are as enduring as His own endless existence. Redemptive Authority • As “First,” He initiates salvation; as “Last,” He guarantees its completion (Philippians 1:6). The cross and the coming kingdom stand secure because the eternal Christ spans both. Living in the Light of His Authority - Confidence grows when the One who started your story also finishes it. - Worship deepens knowing the Jesus of Bethlehem is the same eternal Lord of Revelation. - Obedience gains urgency because the Alpha who spoke the world into being is the Omega before whom every knee will bow. |
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