Jesus is God: The Alpha and the Omega

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute

Introduction

The Christian faith affirms that Jesus Christ is not merely a prophet, teacher, or moral guide, but God Himself—the eternal Alpha and Omega. The titles "Alpha and Omega" (Revelation 1:8; 22:13) highlight His divine nature, His sovereignty over history, and His eternal existence as the beginning and the end of all things. The biblical witness consistently identifies Christ as the eternal God who enters human history for the redemption of mankind.

Jesus as the Alpha and Omega

The title Alpha and Omega is rooted in the Greek alphabet, where Alpha is the first letter and Omega the last. In Revelation, Jesus appropriates this divine title to Himself, thus affirming His eternal nature:

• “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8, NKJV).

Only God is eternal, uncreated, and sovereign over time. By identifying Himself with this title, Jesus places Himself within the very identity of YHWH, affirming His deity.

Jesus in the Old Testament Witness

Even the Old Testament, though anticipating the Messiah, reveals God as the One who fights for His people and grants them victory:

• “For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight against your enemies to give you victory.” (Deuteronomy 20:4, not Jeremiah 29:13).

This verse underscores God’s covenantal presence and salvific power. The New Testament reveals Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of this promise, for He is Emmanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). In Him, God personally goes before His people, conquering not only earthly enemies but sin, death, and the powers of darkness (Colossians 2:15).

Jesus as God Incarnate

The New Testament provides unambiguous testimony to Christ’s divine nature:

• “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:1, 14).

• “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17).

• “I am the First and the Last; I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever!” (Revelation 1:17–18).

These passages affirm Jesus’ identity as the eternal God who became man, lived among His creation, died, and rose again.

Theological Implications

The confession that Jesus is God, the Alpha and Omega carries profound implications for faith and life:

1. Trust: Believers are invited to put their absolute confidence in Christ, knowing that the One who is the beginning and the end is also their sustainer.

2. Love: In Jesus, God’s eternal love is made visible. His sacrificial death demonstrates the fullness of divine love (John 15:13).

3. Victory: Just as the LORD gave victory to Israel, Christ gives ultimate victory to all believers through His death and resurrection.

Thus, to proclaim Jesus as the Alpha and Omega is to affirm both His eternal Godhood and His saving work in human history.

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References

• The Holy Bible, New King James Version (NKJV).

• Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to New Testament Christology. Paulist Press, 1994.

• Bauckham, Richard. Jesus and the God of Israel: God Crucified and Other Studies on the New Testament’s Christology of Divine Identity. Eerdmans, 2008.

• Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Zondervan, 1994.

• Wright, N. T. Jesus and the Victory of God. Fortress Press, 1996.

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✍️ Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute

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