God bless you in the exalted name of Jesus Christ, the alpha and omega (Revelation 1:11).
Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. The respective positions of these letters in the Greek alphabet are used to illustrate that God alone is the beginning and the end. He was Almighty God in the infinite past, and he will continue to be Almighty God forever. He is the only one who is “from everlasting to everlasting” (Psalms 90:2).
Those letters are combined and used four times in the Book of Revelation in the remarkable phrase, Alpha & Omega. It is used as a title for both God and Jesus. It is also used of the function of an angel sent to deliver a message to John. However, regardless of whom it is used it always identifies a unique entity as “the one and only.”
Our God and His only begotten son are unique, remarkable and have no equal. They each have many names and titles in scripture. The title “Alpha & Omega” identifies them both, as unique, unparalleled and unequalled. David said Jehovah was God alone (Psalms 86:10). He said He had no equal (Psalms 40:5 NLT), that none could compare to Him (Psalms 40:5 ESV). God Himself said, “I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me” (Isaiah 46:9; See also Deuteronomy 4:35 & 39).
Jesus Christ is similarly unique. He is the monogenēs, the only begotten. He is the one given all power in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). He alone is able to save to the uttermost and ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25). He alone has been raised to die no more (Romans 6:9). He alone has been exalted to the right hand of God (Acts 2:33-34). He alone has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him (I Peter 3:22). In Ephesians 1 it says he is:
Ephesians 1:21-23:
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And [God] hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth [plēroō] all in all.
We just read, “the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” There is an emptiness in everyone’s life that only Jesus can fill. He can fully satisfy. Christ is the head of the body and has been placed above every ruler, and authority, and power, and everyone and everything that has ever exercised dominion or whoever will. We serve a Master who is not just a little above, not just head and shoulders above, he is far above every ruler in this age or any age, past or future.
I know we talk about two kingdoms. But don’t think for a moment that the devil opposes God and Jesus at the same level. Yes, he is called “the god of this world,” but he is god with a little “g” (II Corinthians 4:4). The devil functions and works to thwart the purposes of God and Jesus, but he is far below their might and authority. He operates with lies and deceit and must yield to truth for the scriptures cannot be broken (John 10:35).
There is nothing that ought to surpass our determination to follow Jesus’ commands and Jesus’ example, to serve how and when and where and in the way he tells us to. Fulfilling our functions as members of the Body of Christ is the end to which we have been blessed and empowered.
During the next four days we are going to look further into this important descriptive title of God and His son Jesus.