The Alpha and Omega

Temple Baptist Church - 9-8-2019

Revelation 1:8-11

Introduction:

A.  Twice in these verses, the Holy Spirit refers to our Lord Jesus Christ as “the Alpha and Omega.”  The eternality of Christ is described In Hebrews, chapter 13: 

Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.  (He is in our past, our present, and our future.)

B.  Again, the Revelation, chapter 21, He is described as:

Revelation 22:13  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

1.  Alpha and Omega.  The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.  As alpha is the first, so omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet. Now the first and last letters of the alphabet may be used to represent in brief the sum and substance of any subject.  When Christ declares Himself the Alpha and Omega, He declares Himself the sum and substance of expressed thought. Christ is the sum and substance of God’s revealed thought.

2.  Beginning and End.  He is the beginning of all things and the end of all things—an eternity of the past, an eternity of the future. His power for man resides in these two eternities. 

3.  First and Last.  He is before all things and He will be after all things.

C.  Throughout the Bible, the eternality of Christ is shown.  These verses are of the utmost importance to both John the Beloved and we that are saved today.

1.  John the Beloved was persecuted for the Word of God and the Testimony of Christ.  He was exiled on the Ilse of Patmos where it was easy for his circumstances to shroud his faith in Christ.  As Christ has always been there, will always be there, He is with John on Patmos.  John had to “turn around” to behold Him!

2.  As believers, our circumstances often shroud our faith to some extent.  We need to “turn around” and behold the One who was, is, and is to come!

D.  Man, lives in temporal time or time that has limits both past and future.  Everything in temporal time is measured from a point of reference: "past, present, future, before, after, simultaneous, always, later, next year, forever, at 6:00 p.m., etc."  Time requires limits but God has no limits.

E.  God exists outside of time. 

1.  God's eternality entails that he has always existed and always will exist; that he has no beginning and no end.  Therefore, temporal terms have no significant application to God.  If God existed in time when He created all, there would be one thing that He did not create: time! 

2.  God understands time because He created it.  One of the cardinal errors that man makes when think of time and eternity together is that the eternal God is placed in temporal time.  God does not exist in temporal time nor is He limited by it.

3.  I have often said that “In the beginning God” is the most profound and powerful statement in the Bible!  This is not an argument for God but a statement about God.  God is!  Psalm 14 declares the foolishness of rejecting the knowable.  “When they knew God” in Romans 1 is a statement of fact.  All people know God before they reject God.

F.  Psalms 90:1-4  Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.  (2)  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.  (3)  Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.  (4)  For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

1.  He Has Been Our Dwelling Place Through All Generations – vs. 1  “all generations”

2.  He Was Before The Foundations Of The World Were Laid – vs. 2  “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world”

3.  But He Is Also Self-Existing – vs. 2 “before”  (His existence does not depend upon the things that are.  Before there was anything, He was!)

4.  He Has Always Existed – vs. 2  “from everlasting”

5.  He Will Always Exist – vs. 2  “to everlasting”

Malachi 3:6  For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

6.  He Is Free From The Boundaries Of Time – vs. 4 “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.”

THE TRINITY IS ETERNAL

Genesis 1:1, 26  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth…  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

God The Father Is Eternal

Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

God The Son Is Eternal

John 1:1-2  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.

1 Timothy 6:14-16  That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:  Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

God The Holy Ghost Is Eternal

Hebrews 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

1.  Who He Was.  Jesus Christ, as Jehovah God, has always existed!  John 1:1 corresponds with Genesis 1:1. 

a.  Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God!”  This is the most profound statement in theology. 

1)  Nowhere in the Bible is there an effort to prove the existence of God; Genesis 1:1 is a statement of fact.  God is infinite in His person! 

2)  Eternity or infinity is a concept impossible to grasp because, in our finite minds, everything that we see or how we perceive the things that see seemingly has both a beginning and an end. 

3)  God has always existed and will always exist: He is eternal.  In Isaiah 57:15, the Bible declares that God “inhabiteth eternity.”  (The word “inhabiteth” is in a continuing sense and means to perpetually reside or to abide.  God does not live in time.  In the midst of eternity, God created 7,000 years of time with eternity stretching both before and after.)

b.  John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word.” 

1)  Once again, this is a declaration of fact, not one for argument or discussion.  In this chapter, we find the Word was with God, the Word was God, the Word was Creator, and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.  (Verses 1-3)

2)  The Word was and is Jesus Christ.  Thus eliminating the flawed theology of Christ deniers listed previously.  (Verse 14)

c.  John 8:57-58  Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?  (58)  Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.  (Jesus used the words “I am” in many instances to reveal to Israel who He was.  He not only declared Himself to be the Son of God but also Jehovah God, the Eternal One.  The Jews fully understood the ramifications of this statement and took up stones to stone Him.)

2.  Who He Is.  Jehovah God became Jesus Christ.  Matthew 1:21  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

a.  The Sinner’s Sacrifice - John 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

b.  The Saint’s Saviour - Philippians 2:9-11  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  (10)  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  (11)  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

c.  The Church’s Hope - John 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

That's My King

S. M. Lockridge

The Bible says He's the King of the Jews.  He's the King of Israel.  He's the King of Righteousness.  He's the King of the ages.  He's the King of Heaven.  He's the King of Glory.   He's the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords.  Now that's my King!

    

David says, "The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork."  No means of measure can define His limitless love.   No far-seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply.  No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.  

Well, He's enduringly strong.  He's entirely sincere.  He's eternally steadfast.   He's immortally graceful.  He's imperially powerful.  He's impartially merciful.   That's my King!

     He's God's Son.  He's the sinner's Saviour.  He's the centrepiece of civilization.   He stands alone in Himself.  He's august.  He's unique.  He's unparalleled.   He's unprecedented.  He's supreme.  He's pre-eminent.  He's the loftiest idea in literature.   He's the highest personality in philosophy.  He's the supreme problem in higher criticism.  He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology.   He's the cardinal necessity of spiritual religion.  That's my King!

     He's the miracle of the age.  He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him.   He's the only one able to supply all of our needs simultaneously.  He supplies strength for the weak.  He's available for the tempted and the tried.  He sympathizes and He saves.  He guards and He guides.  He heals the sick.   He cleansed the lepers.  He forgives sinners.  He discharges debtors.  He delivers the captives.  He defends the feeble.  He blesses the young.  He serves the unfortunate.   He regards the aged.  He rewards the diligent, and He beautifies the meek. 

     Do you know Him?  Well, my King is the key of knowledge.  He's the wellspring of wisdom.   He's the doorway of deliverance.  He's the pathway of peace.  He's the roadway of righteousness.   He's the highway of holiness.  He's the gateway of glory.  He's the master of the mighty.  He's the captain of the conquerors.   He's the head of the heroes.  He's the leader of the legislators.  He's the overseer of the overcomers.   He's the governor of the governors.  He's the prince of princes.  He's the King of kings, and He's the Lord of lords.   That's my King!  That's my King!

     His office is manifold.  His promise is sure.  His life is matchless.   His goodness is limitless.  His mercy is everlasting.  His love never changes.   His Word is enough.  His grace is sufficient.  His reign is righteous.  His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.

     Well, I wish I could describe Him to you.  He's indescribable.  He's incomprehensible.  He's invincible.  He's irresistible.  I'm trying to tell you, the Heaven of heavens cannot contain Him, let alone a man explain Him.   You can't get Him out of your mind.  You can't get Him off of your hands.  You can't outlive Him, and you can't live without Him.

     Well, the Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him.  Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him.   The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree.  Herod couldn't kill Him.  Death couldn't handle Him, and the grave couldn't hold Him.   That's my King! 

He always has been, and He always will be.  I'm talking about, He had no predecessor, and He'll have no successor.   There was nobody before Him, and there'll be nobody after Him.  You can't impeach Him, and He's not going to resign.   That's my King!  Praise the Lord!  That's my King!

     Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory.  The glory is all His.   Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, and ever, and ever, and when you get through with all of the forevers, then amen.