Revelation 22:13 – I am Alpha and Omega

Before reading this, please see our comments on Revelation 1:8 and Revelation 21:6.

Now we come to Revelation 22:13. Many feel sure that this is Jesus speaking, since the one speaking tells of his “coming”, and in Revelation 22:20, Jesus says: “I come quickly.” And John exclaims: “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.” Many claim this scripture proves that Jesus is Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob:

 

This overlooks the fact that the scriptures speak of Jehovah [Yahweh] as coming, and also of Jesus’ coming, and that the two are closely associated. This does not mean that Jesus is Jehovah. Jehovah, the God and Father of Jesus, comes to judge the world, not only with and by means of Jesus, but also the saints. — Malachi 3:1-6; Psalm 96:13; 98:9; Daniel 7:18,22; Isaiah 40:10,11; Micah 1:3; Zechariah 14:5; Acts 17:31; 2 Peter 3:7,8; 1 Corinthians 6:2; Psalm 90:4; Jude 1:14,15; Revelation 1:1; 20:4,11-13; 22:6.

So the question is, was actually Jesus who was being quoted in Revelation 22;13, or was it Jehovah, the God of Jesus? (Micah 5:4) Below we quote Revelation 22:6-21 with our comments in brackets [].

Revelation 22:6 [John writes:] He [The angel mentioned in Revelation 21:9] said to me [John], “These words are faithful and true. The Lord [Jehovah – the one person who spoke through the prophets — Hebrews 1:1], the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angels to show to his servants the things which must happen soon.” [This agrees with Revelation 1:1-5, that the revelation is from God through Jesus, and delivered by an angel, and it agrees with 1 Corinthians 8:6, which designates the Father as the source, and Jesus as the instrument.]

Revelation 22:7 [Note the abrupt change; the angel suddenly quotes someone as coming:] “Behold, I come quickly [or suddenly]. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” [Many claim that the one coming here is Jesus; his could be in this particular verse; however, more than likely, since Jesus was just referring to Jehovah, this is quoting Jehovah who comes to judge the world (Psalm 96:13; 98:9), and who spoke through the prophets of old. — Hebrews 1:1.]

Revelation 22:8 [John is no longer quoting the angel or anyone else, but speaks of himself:] Now I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who had shown me these things.

Revelation 22:9 He [the angel] said to me [John], “See you don’t do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers, the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” [John evidently thought to give to this angel the worship that only belongs to Jehovah; the angel’s response could indicate that, because he angel had spoken the words of Jehovah, John thought that the angel was Jehovah Himself,  and the angel realized this, prompting the angel’s response.]

Revelation 22:10 He [The angel] said to me [John], “Don’t seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.

Revelation 22:11 He who acts unjustly, let him act unjustly still. He who is filthy, let him be filthy still. He who is righteous, let him do righteousness still. He who is holy, let him be holy still.” [This has to refer to the end of the millennial judgment day, after the final judgment is complete; once the judgment is completed, those allowed in the city and those outside the city cannot be changed. Those outside the city after the finalization of the judgment will be those who are pictured as being destroyed by fire of Revelation 20:9, and who are pictured as being cast into the lake of fire in Revelation 20:15.]

Revelation 22:12 [Very abruptly the angel begins to quote someone else again:] “Behold, I come quickly [or suddenly]. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work. [The scripture is very clear that one person is Jehovah who spoke through his prophet Isaiah, and of whom Isaiah wrote (Isaiah 40:10; 62:11). It is the same “God/Deity/Godhead) who is spoken of as one person in Acts 17 who judges by means of the one whom He ordained, the Lord Jesus (Acts 17:31).  Each man will get his praise from the God of Jesus, and this one person who is the God/Diety/Godhead of Jesus is identified in the following scriptures: Psalm 96:13; Psalm 98:9; Isaiah 40:10,11; 61:1; Acts 17:23,24,29-31; Romans 2:16; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Timothy 4:1.]

Revelation 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” [This identifies the speaker, not as Jesus, but as the one who sits on the throne, he who is, was and is to come — see related studies at Alpha and Omega Links.

Revelation 22:14 [Evidently the angel is then quoted as saying:] “Blessed are those [the heathen who are judged during the millennial rule of Jesus and the church] who do his [God’s] commandments [revealed in the books that are opened to them during that judgment day — Revelation 20:12], that they [the sheep of the age to come] may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.

Revelation 22:15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” [those in the judgment day who prove themselves to be the goats of that age — Matthew 25:31-46]

Revelation 22:16 [Now the angel quotes Jesus:] “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify these things to you for the assemblies. I am the root [Jesus becomes the root of David in the regeneration of David in the age to come] and the offspring of David; the Bright and Morning Star.”

Revelation 22:17 [This is probably the angel speaking, although it could still be Jesus:] “The Spirit and the bride say [in that age to come], ‘Come!’ He who hears, let him say, ‘Come!’ He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

Revelation 22:18 [This is probably Jesus who testifies (verse 20) being quoted] “I testify to every man who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to them, may God add to him the plagues which are written in this book.

Revelation 22:19 If anyone [in that age to come] takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, may God [He who is, was and is to come, he who comes to judge the world through Jesus — Acts 17:31] take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.”

Revelation 22:20 [John writes] He [Jesus] who testifies these things says, “Yes, I come quickly [or suddenly].” [John responds:] Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.

Revelation 22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen. — World English Bible translation, with quotation marks slightly adjusted from that used in the World English.

Regarding the judgment day, see the study:
Mankind’s Course to the Day of Judgment

Of course, if Jesus had stated that he is that Alpha and Omega, etc., it still would not mean that we need to imagine, assume, add to, and read into the scriptures that Jesus is Jehovah, the God of Israel. Jesus would be designating himself as unique in some quality as given to him from his God, Jehovah, similar to the way that he spoke of himself as the first and the last who was dead. — Micah 5:4.

One has sent us some objections to the above. CLICK HERE to see our response.