Revelation 22:13 (Jubilee Bible)
(All Scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated)
There is only one verse in the Bible where Jesus says He is Alpha and Omega and two other related titles! It is Revelation 22:13, and I am quoting from the Jubilee Bible : “I AM the Alpha and the Omega, beginning and end, the first and the last.” Why this version? I have a Bible study application on my computer called e-Sword, which has on it seventeen different versions of the Holy Bible. But the Jubilee Bible is the only version that has what I believe to be the correct translation!
Notice that the second word of this verse is capitalized – ‘I AM’! Why is that? I think it is because this vision called The Revelation of Jesus Christ was written down by the Apostle John! And it is in The Gospel According to John that Jesus applies eleven times ‘I AM’ to Himself! (Again, it is only the Jubilee Bible that capitalizes ‘I AM’ in these eleven cases).
- Seven times are metaphorical:
✞ John 6:35 – “Jesus said unto them, I AM the bread of life;
he that comes to Me shall never hunger, and he that believes
in Me shall never thirst.” (see also verses 41, 48, and 51).
✞ John 8:12 – “Then Jesus spoke again unto them, saying, I
AM the light of the world; he that follows me shall not
walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.” (see
also John 9:5).
✞ John 10:7 and 9 – “Then said Jesus unto them..., Verily,
verily, I say unto you, I AM the door of the sheep....who-
soever enters in by Me shall be saved and shall go in and
out and find pasture.”
✞ John 10:11 – “I AM the good shepherd; the good shepherd
gives his life for the sheep.” (see also verse 14).
✞ John 11:25 and 26 – “Jesus said unto [Martha]..., I AM the
resurrection and the life; he that believes in Me, though
he is dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever lives and be-
lieves in Me shall never die.”
✞ John 14:6 – “Jesus said unto [Thomas]..., I AM the way,
the truth, and the life; no one comes unto the Father,
but by Me.”
✞ John 15:1 and 5 – “I AM the true vine...ye are the bran-
ches: he that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings
forth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing.”
- Four times are declarations of God’s name:
✞ John 8:24 – Jesus said to the Jews who were opposing Him,
“...ye shall die in your sins, for if ye do not believe
that I AM, ye shall die in your sins.”
✞ John 6:28 – “When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then
ye shall know that I AM and that I do nothing of Myself,
but as My Father has taught Me, I speak these things.”
✞ John 8:58 – “Jesus said unto [the Jews]..., Verily, verily,
I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.”
✞ John 18:4 and 5 – “Jesus...went forth, and said unto them
[who came to arrest Him], Whom seek ye? They answered Him,
Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said unto them, I AM.”
How are these last four the declaration of God’s name? In Exodus 3:13, Moses questioned God concerning sending him back to Egypt to lead the Hebrews out of slavery and into the Promised Land of Canaan: “…when…they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?’” In Exodus 3:14 and 15 God answered, “I AM WHO I AM….Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me’….This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.”
So in John’s gospel, and in Revelation 22:13, Jesus is stating that He is the very God of the Old Testament, the New Testament, and forever!
This is the explanation of the capitalized “I AM….” We have not yet touched on Jesus In The Middle…! Let’s look at His three statements in Revelation 22:13:
- “I AM the Alpha and the Omega….” Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and Omega is the last. They are written thus: A and Ω.
The second two need no explanation:
- “I AM the…beginning and end….”
- “I AM…the first and the last.”
But all three imply there is a MIDDLE! As in the case of Alpha and Omega, there are twenty- three more letters in in the MIDDLE of the Greek alphabet! And it is in the MIDDLE of life that we find ourselves facing our many highs and lows of life! How often do we hear someone say…
- “I’m in the middle of cooking dinner…”
- “We were caught in the middle of a traffic jam.”
- “In the middle of a conversation, [so and so] butted in!”
- “We are in the middle of negotiations.”
All of “in the middle” usage implies a beginning and an end…and vice versa! So if we are in the MIDDLE of life, and Jesus is the beginning and the end, He is also in the MIDDLE of it all with us!
- The Bible starts with “In the beginning God…” (Genesis 1:1).
- In I Thessalonians 4:17 we who are believers are told, “And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” This implies the end! Of course, there is no end to eternity with Jesus! For in Luke 1:33 the angel told Mary, “…and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
- In the MIDDLE Jesus tells us…
✞ ...in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
✞ ...in Matthew 28:20, “...I am with you always, even to the
end of the age.”- In the Old Testament also God gives encouragement in many Scriptures. Here are six such passages:
✡ Deuteronomy 31:8 – “...the LORD, He is the One who goes
before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you
nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
✡ Psalm 139:7 through 10:
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I
flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven,
You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold,
You are there. If I take the wings of the morning,
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even
there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand
shall hold me.
✡ Isaiah 7:14 (with Matthew 1:23) – “Behold, the virgin shall
conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel...
which is translated, ‘God with us.’”
✡ Isaiah 9:6 and 7:
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son
is given; and the government will be upon His
shoulder. And His name will be called Wonder-
ful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His govern-
ment and peace there will be no end, upon the
throne of David and over His kingdom, to order
it and establish it with judgment and justice
from that time forward, even forever. The zeal
of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
✡ Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dis-
mayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I
will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right
hand.”
✡ Isaiah 43:1 through 3:
But now, thus says the LORD who created you...
and He who formed you...“Fear not, for I have
redeemed you; I have called you by your name;
you are Mine. When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you; and through the rivers,
they shall not overflow you. When you walk
through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor
shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD
your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior
....”
So if you are in the MIDDLE of life, and the MIDDLE is difficult and lonely, remember…
He is the Alpha and the Omega!
The beginning and end!
The first and the last !
So…
Jesus is with you in the MIDDLE!