“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” (Rev. 22:13) To understand these words, we go to John 1:1-3, “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. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”
In these verses “the Word” is a translation of the Greek word Logos [Strong’s #G3004], and signifies mouthpiece or special messenger. This was Jesus’ name while he was a spirit being in heaven prior to being made flesh. Additionally, the phrase “was with God” in John 1:1 should read “was with the God,” and the phrase “was God” should read “a god was the Logos.”—vs. 1 Emphatic Diaglott
While Jesus was a human being on earth, he was holy and perfect, sinless, separate and peculiar from all others. (Heb. 7:26) As a result, “he taught as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Matt. 7:29) “The officers to the chief priests … said … never man spake like this man.”—Matt. 7:45-46
Whatever others thought or said of him, he claimed to be sent of God. “I came down from heaven.” (John 6:38) “I am the living bread which came down from heaven.” (John 6:51) Before the Pharisees, he declared, “I know whence I came and whither I go. … I am from above … I am not of this world … for I proceeded forth and came from God … he sent me.” (John 8:14,23,42) In John 8:58 he adds, “Before Abraham was, I am!”
These scriptures confirm for us the pre-human existence and glory of our Lord, as he expressed it in John 17:5, “O Father glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” Additionally, the Apostle John writes regarding Jesus, “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.”—John 1:10
The only way we can understand Jesus to be the Alpha and Omega, the beginning, and the end, is to recognize that he was the first, only and last direct creation of God. (Rev. 1:8; 3:14; 21:6; 22:13) “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: [created before the rest of creation]; For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible … And he is before all things and by him all things consist.”—Col. 1:15-17
Jesus had left his spiritual wealth behind by humbling himself to be made flesh and taking the form of a servant. As a man Jesus had none of the world’s possessions. “The Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” (Matt. 8:20) Jesus further humbled himself becoming obedient unto the death of the cross. Because of his faithfulness unto death, “God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow … and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”—Phil. 2:7-11
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