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.
'The Biblical View of God
As one opens his Bible, the first statement that he reads is a revelation of God. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). However, the Hebrew word - Elohim - for "God" is plural. The use of the plural form is considered by Judaism as the pluralis majestatis - the majestic plural. It is used in this first chapter of Genesis with singular verbs and in other Old Testament texts with singular adjectives thus strengthening the concept of the majestic plural usage.
The last Gospel, and possibly the last book written of the New Testament canon, gives the answer to the question. "Elohim" is a plural - there are Two. "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" (John 1:1-2). However, before John concludes his Gospel narrative, he introduces "another Comforter, ... the Spirit of truth" (14:16-17). Further, the Word came to be flesh (σαρχ εγενετο) and dwelt among men, a full revelation of grace and truth (1:14). Twice in this prologue, the Word in the flesh is described as "the only begotten" (μονογενηζ - one of a kind) (1:14, 18). From this point on in the gospel of John, the Word is designated as either "the Son of God" (1:34), or by His self designation, "the Son of man" (3:14).
It is evident beyond question, that the great divide in both time and eternity is the incarnation of the Word. This not only had consequences for the Word Himself, but also for the Godhead. No question about God can be accurately or truthfully answered without consideration of the factor of the Incarnation. Today, in the Adventist Community, the theological agitation over God has again been raised. The regular Church by its own action in General Conference session (Dallas, 1980) adopted the Nicene Creed formula - "There is one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit." The reaction among some of the peripheral groups in the Community has been to take an anti-Trinitarian stance.
First, we must note a question raised by the anti-Trinitarian position; and this in the light of the Gospel of John. John begins his Gospel stating that the Word was "in the beginning with God" (1:2). Now the question: Was He truly "in the beginning with God" or was He derived from God at some point in the eternity past? As far as I am able to understand from what has been written in current anti-Trinitarian literature, it is on this point that the present agitation finds common ground with the Nicene Creed. Both have Jesus Christ, prior to His incarnation, a "derived Being."
The Nicene Creed reads - "I believe ... in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Farther before all worlds, ... begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father." (The Creeds of Christendom, Vol. II, p. 58) On the other hand, I have read and heard those taking an anti-Trinitarian stance state that the Word was "birthed" at some point in eternity past even as "Abraham begat Isaac." This position is difficult for many other anti-Trinitarians to "swallow," and they chose to express it as E. J. Waggoner did: - "There was a time when Christ proceeded forth and came from God, from the bosom of the Father, but that time was so far back in the days of eternity that to finite comprehension it is practically without beginning." (Christ and His Righteousness, pp. 21-22) Whether expressed as in the Nicene Creed, or as stated by E. J. Waggoner, the conclusion is obvious, the Word is a derived Being, and therefore, is not co-eternal, or ever-existent. Thus the name - I Am - affirmed to Moses at the burning bush (Ex. 3: 14), and claimed by the incarnate Word in the Temple (John 8:58), would be a false assumption.
The name - I AM (εγω ειμι) - a verbal form, conveys self-existence and ever-existence. This concept is attested in other New Testament references: 1) Heb 1:3 - "Who being (ων - present active participle of ειμι - "to be") the brightness of His glory." He did not come to be that brightness (εγενετο - as in John 1:14 - "came to be flesh"), but was (ην), as in John 1:1, the "brightness of His glory." 2) Rev. 1:17-18 - Literally - "I am the first and the last, even the Living One (και 'ο ζων) and became dead, and behold living I am (ζων ειμι) into the ages of the ages." This Living One proclaimed himself in the same language as the Almighty. Compare the self declaration (Revelation 1:8) - "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and
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the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty" - with a great voice "as a trumpet," which John heard proclaiming - "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last" (verse 11). Turning to see whose voice he heard, John testifies, I saw "one like unto the Son of man" (ver. 13). In the final chapter of the book the same self proclamation is given - "I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last" (22:13).
The Biblical conclusion cannot be muted. The pre-existent Word was underived. He was in the beginning with God, and God in His own right. There never was a time in the eternity of the past that He was not. But not only was the Eternal Word underived but in Him was life original and unborrowed.
John's major epistle begins with the same emphatic pronouncement as his gospel, but more so. He wrote - "The One who was from the beginning ('ο ην απ ' αρχηζ)" we heard, we've seen with our eyes, we have touched with our hands - even "The Logos of the Life" (περι του λογου τηζ ξωηζ) (1:1). Note it is a specific "life" - "the Life" (η ζων). John comments, it was manifest, we saw it, and bear witness to you that this eternal life (την ζωην την αιωνιον) was with the Father (ην προ τον πατερα) not εν (in), nor εκ (out of) but προζ - "a plane of equality and intimacy, face to face with each other" - Robertson) even as he twice wrote in the Gospel - "the Word was with God (προζ τον θεον) the same was in the beginning with God" (1:1-12). The "eternal life" manifest in "the Logos of Life" was original, unborrowed, even as the Logos was Himself underived.' WWN 03/2000
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We have to comprehend that Jesus always existed as God with God, always. We also have to comprehend that Jesus always will exist as God with God. Yes, Jesus took on flesh, Jesus emptied Himself to take on flesh, but never ceased being God, not for a moment. He became Immanuel, God with us. He emptied Himself of His previous God form to take on flesh, and the miraculous being He became was one that could in all points be tempted like we are, He could feel as we feel, He learned as we learned, He interacted with other as we do. Did He perform miracles? Yes, after He began His ministry and faced the worst temptation a person could ever face in the wilderness for forty days and night and then He began to bring the gospel- the good news of salvation, of the kingdom of heaven to mankind. Jesus took on flesh and in the flesh He was put to death. Jesus was resurrected in the flesh and Jesus returned to heaven in the flesh. Jesus is from everlasting to everlasting. This is so incredibly amazing to contemplate.
May God bless us as we continue to read, to know, to keep all He would have us read, know, and keep.
Rev 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Rev 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Rev 2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Isa 41:4 Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.
Isa 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
Isa 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
Isa 48:12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
Rev 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne
Rev 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Rev 11:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
Rev 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Gen 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
Gen 28:3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
Gen 35:11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins
Gen 43:14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
Gen 48:3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
Gen 49:25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb
Exo 6:3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
Num 24:4 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open
Isa 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.
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
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