“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and is to come,” the Almighty… Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” Revelation 1: 8, 17b, 18, NKJV.
Heavenly Father, may the blessed Holy Spirit direct our study today; in the precious name of Jesus we pray! Amen.
We just came to the end of a study of the Book of Job. One of the main issues in this study, was the image each character had of God. To Job’s three friends, Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad; and even Elihu, the youth; God was a judge; one who punished those who did evil; and rewarded those who did what was right. None of these two images of God are incorrect, per se. They are just terribly limited! Do not earthly judges perform the same functions? But God is so much more! He is:
“…The Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.” The Alpha, and the Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet are used to designate Jesus. Without Him, nothing has a beginning; and nothing can come to an end! He opens doors (the beginning of an era); and He closes doors (the end of an era)! He puts up rulers (the beginning of their reign); and He takes down rulers (the end of their reign). He has the first word, “Then God said…” (Genesis 1: 3); and the last word, “Surely I am coming quickly” (Revelation 22: 20).
“Who is and who was and is to come, the Almighty.” He is the only Son of Man who is from everlasting to everlasting! Even though He is the Beginning and the End; He has no beginning and He has no end! Christianity is the only religion that has an empty tomb to prove that our God is alive! He is the only one who could say, “Before Abraham was I am” (John 8: 58)! He has left us the assurance, “I will come again and receive you unto Myself…” (John 14: 3)! He is the Almighty; for all power has been given unto Him in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28: 18)!
“I am the First and the Last.” He has become the “first fruit of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15: 20). He was the “last Adam [who] became a life-giving spirit” (45, NRSV)!
“He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.” The angels said to the women, why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here. He is risen (Luke 24: 5)! He was dead (23: 46). He is alive forever, and ever, and evermore! Amen (1 Corinthians 15: 20, 57)!
“I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” On that Friday evening when Joseph of Arimathea asked for the body of Jesus, to bury Him in his (Joseph’s) personal tomb; the Adversary and his demons thought that they had won the battle for the souls of human beings. But early that Sunday morning when the Father sent Gabriel to awaken His Son, Jesus arose, and grabbed the keys of Hades and of Death, from the hands of the Adversary! Every Christian who faces death can now say in triumph, “O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory” (1 Corinthians 15: 55)? Because Jesus lives, I can face tomorrow! Can you?