Question for Jehovah Witnesses....?

Question

I do not want to argue my faith against yours I'm just curious to see what your take on these particular verses are:
Revelation 1:8
“I am the Al´pha and the O·me´ga,” says Jehovah God, “the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty.”

then again in Revelation 22:13-16:
13 I am the Al´pha and the O·me´ga, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. 14 Happy are those who wash their robes, that the authority [to go] to the trees of life may be theirs and that they may gain entrance into the city by its gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and those who practice spiritism and the fornicators and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone liking and carrying on a lie.’ 16 “‘I, Jesus, sent my angel to bear witness to YOU people of these things for the congregations. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright morning star.’”

Isn't Jesus stating his diety here by saying He is the Alpha and Omega as Jehovah God said in Chapter 1:8?

Those are good points, thank you I need to research. How about Rev 22:6 where it states that Jehovah God has sent his angel and then in Rev 22:16 it says that Jesus sent his angel, are these two separate events, two different angels?

As a trinitarian I have never argued that Jesus and God the father are 2 seperate persons but I do still believe them to be 3 persons, 1 God and certainly equal to eachother. I have read the bible completely and do see the trinity in scripture, you may not see the word but you definitely see One God with 3 different persons to it....
Revelation 1:12-18...Jesus did not stop John from worshiping him and we know we are only to worship God.
John 5:18...Jews were persecuting Jesus for making himself EQUAL to God.
Phillipians 2:6- Equal to God
Hebrews 1:6- Worship the son (I think your bible says o·bei·sance but I don't understand why since the same greek word is used in Rev 4:10 but instead they used the word worship...I didn't know you could pick and choose which word you want to translate the greek word proskuneo into)

Answer 1

Some trinitarians attempt to prove their "Jehovah is Jesus" idea by pointing to Rev. 1:8 where GOD is clearly called "Alpha and Omega" and then saying that JESUS claims the same title at Rev. 22:13. They point to Rev. 22:16 in the KJV as proof that it is Jesus who is claiming to be the Alpha and Omega of verse 13. Since Jehovah is clearly Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8), they say, and Jesus is Alpha and Omega (Rev. 22:13), then Jesus IS Jehovah!

But as you probably know, the original Bible writers didn't use any punctuation or capitalization and frequently ran the words of one speaker right into those of another speaker without any warning or indication. Eerdmans 1978 edition of Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible, for example, warns Bible readers:
"The language of the MESSENGER frequently glides into that of the SENDER ..." and, "what a SERVANT says or does is ascribed to the MASTER." - "Hints and Helps to Bible Interpretation" - Preface."

For more, see:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JWquestions_and_answers_archives/message/114

Answer 2

The bible does not use the terms "the first" and "the last" synonymously with "Alpha and Omega". The terms "the first" and "the last" have literally dozens of bible applications.

By contrast, the expression "the Alpha and the Omega" is used exclusively with reference to Almighty Jehovah the Father (and no authentic Scripture calls Jesus by this title).

(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.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/ti/
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/na/


Edit:
Jehovah is "speaking" at Revelation 22:13.
...(Revelation 22:13) I am the Alpha and the Omega

Jesus is "speaking" at Revelation 22:16; note that is THREE VERSES LATER (and a new paragraph in nearly every English bible).
...(Revelation 22:16) I, Jesus... I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright morning star.’”

Answer 3

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8) This is the first of three times in Revelation that Jehovah himself speaks from heaven. ( also Revelation 21:5-8; 22:12-15.) First-century Christians would quickly have recognized alpha and omega as the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Jehovah’s calling himself by those two letters stresses that before him, there was no almighty God, and there will be none after him. He will bring to a successful conclusion, for all eternity, the issue of Godship. He will be forever vindicated as the one and only almighty God, Supreme Sovereign over all of his creation.

While many commentators apply this title both to God and to Christ, a more careful examination of its use restricts its application to Jehovah God. The first verse of Revelation shows that the revelation was given originally by God and through Jesus Christ, hence the one speaking (through an angelic representative) at times is God himself, and at other times it is Christ Jesus. (Re 22:8) Thus Revelation 1:8 (RS) says: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God [“Jehovah God,” NW], who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Although the preceding verse speaks of Christ Jesus, it is clear that in verse 8 the application of the title is to “the Almighty” God.

The title occurs again at Revelation 21:6, and the following verse identifies the speaker by saying: “Anyone conquering will inherit these things, and I shall be his God and he will be my son.” Inasmuch as Jesus referred to those who are joint heirs with him in his Kingdom as “brothers,” not “sons,” the speaker must be Jesus’ heavenly Father, Jehovah God.

The title “the Alpha and the Omega” carries the same thought as “the first and the last” and “the beginning and the end” when these terms are used with reference to Jehovah. Before him there was no Almighty God, and there will be none after him. He will bring to a successful conclusion the issue over Godship, forever vindicated as the one and only Almighty God. Compare Isa 44:6.

Answer 4

Achtung states”By contrast, the expression "the Alpha and the Omega" is used exclusively with reference to Almighty Jehovah the Father (and no authentic Scripture calls Jesus by this title).”

It is Jesus speaking in Revelation 22:13-16. Perhaps he considers this a non-authentic scripture.

Answer 5

Please note: the Apostle John's testimony of who Jesus is.

Rev (NASB)
1:1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him
1:5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead,
1:6and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father

In the First 6 verses in Revelation John teaches that God and Christ are separate, and that Jesus has a God.

Who is his God?

1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

Remember vs 1, God gave the vision to Jesus.

What does Jesus say concerning God?

Rev

3:2'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.

3:12'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.


In chapter 3 Jesus tells us about his God.

3:14"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:

Jesus is the beginning of the creation of God.

chapter 4 Who do they worship in Heaven, God or Jesus?

4:8And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME."


The LORD GOD is also coming, literally? No by sending his Son, the only begotten (the Beginning of the creation of God)

4:9 to Him who lives forever and ever,

Please notice the LORD GOD lives forever and ever and has never died.

5:9And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

10"You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."

Notice the Lamb is excluded from being God.

and I could go on.
---

So the book of Revelation teaches
Jesus and his Father are separate
That the LORD GOD is the God and Father of Jesus.

To take one verse and say "this disproves all the other verses in the book of Revelation wrong" is not letting the bible speak for itself.

Making Jesus equal to God doesn't agree with the internal context of the book of Revelation, nor the rest of the bible.


Edit:

I went and looked at Rev 1:11-18, where John bowed before Jesus.

Of course your interpetation doesn't agree with Rev 1:1-6.

Could you please explain Rev 3:9?

KJV:
9Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

If all worship is to directed only to God, why are the unfaithful Jews commanded to worship Chirstians?

Heb 1:6 also has to agree with Heb 1:9, where it says:

Jesus' God anointed him above his partners.

In this verse God is excluded from the term partners,

Who are Jesus' partners? Job 1:6.

Why do people quote Jn 5:18, and ignore Jesus' answer in verse 19?

18For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
19Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.

(Jesus is saying 'he can not be equal to God, because he can not do anything unto himself."

Jeus is saying 'he can not be equal to God beause he can only imitate his Father."

In verse 30 after saying everthing he has comes from the Father, Jesus removes all doubt about his equality with God)

30"I can do nothing on My own initiative As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

(Not only he imitates the Father, but he refuses to do his own will placing the will of his Father ahead of his own.

If we met a man with multi personalities, how would we discribe him in a court of law?


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Answer 6

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Thanks for the BIG Complement !