He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation.
He is before all things,
and by Him all things hold together.
Colossians 1:15, 17 (HCSB)
Series: His Name is Jesus
Have you ever turned to the last chapter of a book to see how the story ends before you even jump into the second chapter? Confession: I have. Perhaps this action is fueled by raw curiosity, an attempt to reduce anxiety in an emotionally intense story, the need to know the outcome instead of being blindly led through the details, the desire to save time and determine if the book is really worth reading, or just plain impatience.
Whatever the reason, many people crave to know the end result. There may be safety, security, assurance, and even elements of surprise in the final chapter. Inquiring minds want to know! When we turn to the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation, we read the final words God has recorded for the people of this world.
Revelation teaches us about the preeminence and ultimate victory of Jesus, and encourages Christians to remain faithful during persecution. The truths realized through the visions John shares assure believers that God will defeat evil, judge the world, and establish a new heaven and earth. We also learn a few new names of Jesus in this book.
Revelation 1:8 (HCSB) says:
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the One who is, who was, and who is coming, the Almighty.”
And in Revelation 22:13 (HCSB), Jesus says:
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet, and Omega is the last letter. These names depict that Jesus was present in the very beginning, in the creation of all things. His presence is seen throughout the Old and New Testaments, and at the end of time as we know it, He will make all things new and reign for eternity. Jesus is sovereign over all of history. His name is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
Hebrews 13:8 tells us this:
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Jesus remains constant from the beginning to the end, and in all the moments in between. His presence fills the pages of time from start to finish. He holds all things together from creation and into eternity. And that means that He is also present in every moment of your personal story.
The psalmist wrote in Psalm 139:13-16 (HCSB):
For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well. My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began.
Your story began long before you were born, and Jesus knew every single detail of your life. He is not only the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End for all of creation. He is all of that for you.
We can’t turn ahead in the pages of our own personal stories to see what comes next. We may be riddled with curiosity and anxiety as we contemplate the unknown details of our future. We may spend sleepless nights as our imaginations run wild with what our tomorrows may bring. Therein lies the opportunity to cry out to Jesus as our Alpha and Omega, and to trust Him with every moment and situation in our individual lives.
He knows all the details of our personal and intimate stories. He sustains our lives by the word of His power. Even though we can only turn one page at a time as our stories unfold, we can turn to the last book of the Bible—the Book of Revelation—and learn how THE story ends. Jesus is the Creator and the Completer.
May you know Jesus as your personal Alpha and Omega, your First and Last, and your Beginning and End. May you receive Him as such and trust Him in all of your tomorrows, knowing He has been with you from the very start, He is with you right now, and He will still be with you when you reach the finish line.
Holding Fast to Hope,
Maryann
Scripture References: Colossians 1:15-17; Revelation 1:8, 1:17-18, 21:6, 22:13; Hebrews 13:8; Psalm 139:13-16
