If Jesus is not God, why does He share the UNIQUE title of "the First and the Last" with Yahweh / Jehovah

Question

Yahweh - Isaiah 44:6.

Jesus - Revelation 1:17.

Thanks in advance for all sincere, polite answers which actually address the scriptures concerned.

The context of Revelation 1:17 & 18 is the PERSON of Christ.

Careful students of the Bible understand that Jesus in resurrection is both God AND glorified man.

Rev. 1:17 pertains to His deity.

Rev. 1:18 to His humanity in resurrection.

Verse 18 also disproves the erroneous teaching that Jesus once again became the archangel Michael following His resurrection and ascension. Here He says that, "I am He who lives, AND WAS DEAD, and behold, I am alive forevermore." In other words, the SAME Jesus, albeit in a glorified state.

If, as the Watchtower teach, Jesus was ONLY a perfect MAN on earth, and became an archangel again after His resurrection, how could verse 18 be true? Also, where is the continuity in such a Christology? JW's teach that Jesus on earth was 100% human. So how can He be the same person - an angel - who they teach existed in heaven?

The BIBLE teaches that the Word was INCARNATED...



Of course, it IS true. It is the Watchtower who are in error.

Revelation 22:13 CLEARLY pertains to the Lord Jesus.

Consider the preceding verse 12 -

"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give everyone according to his work."

Then right through until verse 16 -

"I, JESUS, have sent My angel to testify to you of these things in the churches..."

Verse 13 is obviously JESUS speaking.

In addition, the Watchtower teaching that Jesus was only a man during His time on earth is disproved by Matthew 22:42 - 45.

Jesus does not deny His humanity here, but rather, through quoting the messianic psalm of David, makes clear that THE CHRIST was not merely human.

"If David calls (the Christ) 'Lord', how is He his Son?" (insert mine).

More scriptural proof of the fact that God was incarnated (John 1:14).

iron serpent 91 -

You are correct when you state that "Jehovah's Witnesses are not the only ones who do not believe that Jesus was God."

The antichrist religion (1 John 2:22 & 23) of Islam rejects that Jesus was the Son of God in ANY sense.

There are also numerous secularists (including so-called Liberal Christians of apostate Christendom) who reject the teaching of Christ's deity, along with the other biblical doctrines of the virgin birth, His sin-atoning death, His resurrection, etc. There are some who may concede that He was a "great moral teacher", but nothing more.

The denial of Christ's deity is taught by quite a number of other false religions & Christian cults who deny and/or twist the truth of the rest of scripture.

So, take a long, hard look at the company with which you share the teaching of the denial of Christ's deity.

What does that say about the Watchtower?

In regard to the use of the term "archangel" only in the singular - It is only ever used in a SINGULAR context. Your argument proves nothing.

In fact, SCRIPTURE proves that there is indeed more than one archangel.

Daniel 10:13 refers to Michael as "..ONE of the foremost PRINCES" (NWT, emphasis mine). Please note - Not THE foremost prince.

For what it's worth, Jewish tradition teaches that there are SEVEN archangels. If this is so, then they likely correspond to the seven angels before God's throne in Revelation 8:2. These seven sound trumpets during various stages of the outworking of God's economy. Michael is arguably the seventh.

He is the archangel who sounds the trumpet of God in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, and also announces the coming of the Lord Jesus ("with the voice of an archangel"). Not convinced ?

Compare this scripture with Matthew 25:6, where the coming of the bridegroom (Jesus) is announced BY SOMEONE ELSE, i.e. an archangel.

iron serpent 91 -

You say that Jesus resumed His "heavenly name" of Michael.

Scripture, please?

And, in regard to your statement, why does Revelation use the NAME of JESUS in reference to the Lord, if He has - as you claim - resumed the name of Michael?

Chapter and verse, please?

Indeed, the book itself is titled "The Revelation of JESUS CHRIST".

Only ONE mention of Michael by name in Revelation, and nothing in that passage to suggest any connection between him and Christ. Indeed, the very fact that the Lord is mentioned by the name Jesus - post resurrection and ascension - elsewhere in Revelation & THROUGHOUT the NT really exposes the futility of your claim...

Keiichi -

How "firstborn" (prototokos) is to be understood is covered on this site -

www.forananswer.org

Click on the link "Apologists Bible Commentary", then click on the Col. 1:15 link in the window.

The article in question is "The Latest JW argument from Col. 1:15" by Ray Goldsmith.

Also, interseting to note that you concede that the "Alpha and the Omega" in Revelation 22:13 DOES apply to the Lord Jesus (yet another UNIQUE title). However, the Watchtower does not share your perspective on this, according to "Revelation - It's Grand Climax At Hand!".

May God be gracious to you.

The scriptures where Christ refers to the Father as His God present no problem when you realise that he was speaking from the perspective of His HUMANITY. I've already submitted enough scriptural evidence to prove that there is a glorified MAN in the heavens, at the right hand of God.

Revelation 1:17 - He is deity.

Revelation 1:18 - He is also the same one "..who was dead" - His humanity.

He is NOT an archangel. Hence, He is by name referred to IN HIS HUMANITY as Jesus Christ, post-resurrection & ascension.

In His deity, He is also "The First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega AND King of Kings and Lord of Lords (ANOTHER UNIQUE title which He shares with the Father - 2 Timothy 6:15 - 16)."

Answer 1

BOTH are given the same title in the Revelation.
Because Jesus IS God

Answer 2

beiruth_bedro - Actually that scripture is talking about God Almighty being the True God, not Jesus.

Jesus was called God a few times, but never claimed to be equal to his father.

The Jews thought he was claimg to be God:

Jhn 5:18
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

Jhn 5:19
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Its obvious that Jesus did not claim to be God, and gave all the respect to his father being the true God.

Revelation:

Jesus did say he was the first and the last, but he was referring to him being raised by God and him becoming immortal spirit creature. Every time he used the term "First and the Last" He always said he was Dead and Alive again - which proves hes not talking about him being eternal.

-The Bible-

1Corinthians 15:24-28 - Jesus will hand over his kingdom to God in Heaven.

Colossians 1:15 - First Born of all creation.

John 14:28 - Father greater than him in Heaven and on earth.

John 20:17 - Jesus calls God "My God"

1Corinthians 8:5-6 - Only one God, the Father.

John 17:3 - knowing the True God and Jesus Christ.

Revelation 3:12 - Calls his Father "My God" in Heaven.

1stCorinthians 11:1 - God ahead of Jesus.

Acts 2:36 - Given lordship by God.

John 4:22 - Jesus worships God.

Acts 10:42 - Given judgment by God.

---Other Scriptures----

John 1:1 - My bibles state show John 1:1 being translated to God, a God, or divine.

The Coptic Translation, which was translated some 200 years after the bible was completed translates John 1:1 to "a god"

Coptic English Translation John 1:1-9

1 In the beginning there existed the Word. And the Word existed in the presence of God, and the Word was a god.

2 This one existed in the beginning with God.

3 All things came into being through him, and apart from him nothing that exists came into being.

4 That which came into being through him was life, and that life was the light of mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.

6 There came a man sent from God, named John.

7 He came to bear witness, to bear witness about the light so that people might believe by means of him.

8 [John] was not the light, but he [came] to bear witness about the light.

9 The genuine light that gives light to everyone was [just] coming into the world.

-Update-
Revelation 22:13 refers to God, not Jesus.

God Almighty said that the Spiritual Conquers are Sons of the Alpha and the Omega - Yet Jesus referred to the Spiritual Conquers as his brothers ect. If he was Alpha and the Omega, he would have not state that.

Answer 3

Hmm, well actually the terms "the first" and "the last" are used dozens of times in the bible. You probably mean to ask about "the Alpha and the Omega", but that term is used only for Jehovah the Father (no actual passage uses this title for Jesus).

(Revelation 21:5-7) And the One seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new.” ...And he said to me: “They have come to pass! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To anyone thirsting I will give from the fountain of the water of life free. Anyone conquering will inherit these things, and I shall be his God and he will be my son.

(Revelation 22:13) I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

There is more information at these links about God's unique name, and to refute the idea that Jesus is God...
http://watchtower.org/e/ti/
http://watchtower.org/e/na/

Answer 4

Isaiah 44:6 and Revelation 1:17 are from two different tongues. Just like the word LORD in the Old Testament is the YHWH in Hebrew, the words first and last and alpha and omega may translate the same, but they have different meanings in each language. The word Lord in the New Testament is not YHWH, and does not refer to the Father, but to the son.

God has no beginning and no ending. (I Corinthians 15: 23-28) fully explains especially verse 24 that Jesus is not God. Verse 28 further explains that only God will exist in the end.

Answer 5

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1

If you read that verse in Hebrew, there is a word in there (right after God) that does not get translated into English and it consists of two Hebrew letters. Aleph and Tav. Those are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. If one was to translate the verse literally and change Aleph and Tav to the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet it would be Alpha and Omega, therefor reading:

"In the beginning God, Alpha Omega, created the heavens and the earth."

"It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life." - Revelation 1:8

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." -John 1:1-3

The Word is the unreadable word in the first sentence in the bible. The word is Alpha Omega a.k.a. Yeshua

YHWH and Yeshua are one in the same. YHWH is a God of plural forms. His name Adonai and Elohim are both in plural forms. Because of this, Christians created something called the Holy Trinity. God in 3 forms.

And on a side note, I hate to tell ya that God is not limited to only 3 forms. But lets not even get into that...

"I am the Aleph and the Tav, the beginning and the end, the first and the last (Rev. 22:13)."

Answer 6

Jehovah and Jesus share titles, although there are subtle differences. Alpha and Omega, the Greek equivalent to saying A-to-Z in English, is a descriptive title that Jehovah and Jesus may share, but for different reasons.

Jehovah is the ultimate First and Last, in that he is the only person in existence that had no beginning. And, he alone innately possesses immortality and life in himself. No one gave Jehovah life, but he gives life to all others, including his firstborn and only-begotten Son.

As the firstborn Son of all Creation, Jesus is unique among all of God's sons, in that he was the first and only creature directly created by Jehovah. All [others] were created through the Son.

That is why, in fact, that Jesus is called the only-begotten Son of God. Jesus is also the first creature raised from the dead to immortality. That's why the Bible calls him the "firstborn from the dead." At Colossians 1:18, Paul said of Christ: "He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that he might become the one who is first in all things." The next verse goes on to show that it pleased God to make his son first in all things.

Jesus is "last" in the sense that he will never be surpassed in glory by any fellow creature. He will always be the closest to Jehovah.

Answer 7

John 1:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Jesus is God or the word of God is not true.

Answer 8

That is because was the first of his creations and the last because after Jesus God gave him his command, and again he is creating the new spiritual men and women, So he was the first of his creation "his word, the word of God, by him and for him was everything created, and he was God because in essence he was the word of God, he was with God and in God"

The same a like God, in similarity (image and resemblance) the king or queen today has a minister as his word.

So Jesus was the first in Genesis, and the last (born as man) in the end. So Jesus is also the word of God, first and last word. and eternal.

The same men are all and the same, "dirt".
The same you give your son authority to close covenants, he is you. That is the test for those who try to define God farther than following his path.

It is said: if I understand every mystery but I do not have love, I am nothing.

EDIT : So we could see Jesus also as a personification of God, as we see our kids as a personification of us, as he was his word and God can be omnipresent, but he (God) is not a trinity but the one and only omnipresent Spiritual being.

Answer 9

We must ask from whom that title came.

Evidently, considering your quotes, it came from the Bible.

Now, let's ask whether the author of the later appearance of the title was likely to be aware of the former appearance.

I'd give that a high order of probability.

Do you think that John's awareness of the former title might have influenced his use of the title and it's application to Jesus?

I suspect that is very likely the case.

Is Jesus accorded this title in any extra-Biblical writings? Does the title appear in the writings of other religions and if so, is it applied to Jesus?

Answer 10

Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is our Saviour and our Lord. God is the father. The Holy Spirit is interior the Trinity; regardless of if that's a secret. This section can not be defined. the different form of lords you're speaking approximately, recommend something else very distinctive i.e.: which comprise propriatary, proprietor...as possessing something... Jesus or God do no longer very own human beings, it is for us to the two stick to Him or no longer. desire i ought to make sparkling this one. thank you.

Answer 11

God the Father
God the Son
God the Holy Spirit
It is a trinity
there all the same but one
God the father in heaven
God the son sitting at the right hand of the father
God the holy spirit here on earth helping us