Alpha, Omega, First and Last Revelation 1:11

John the apostle shared in his introduction of the book of “Revelation”, “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ”, and he added, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet”. In chapter one and verse eleven of Revelation, John shared how the voice declared, “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last” where we read:

Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What you see, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

The verse begins, “Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What you see, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia;” John began with the word, “saying” which means “speaking, affirming, maintaining, exhorting, advising, commanding and directing”, “I am Alpha” or “Jesus is the first which is derived from the first letter in the Greek alphabet” “and Omega” which means “the finality or end which is derived from the last letter in the Greek alphabet”, “the first” or “the chief and principal one in time or place” “and the last” or “and the extreme, uttermost part and the end”: “and, What you see” or “that which John saw with his eyes”, “write” which means “delineate or form with letters on a tablet, parchment, paper or other material” “in a book” or “in a scroll or written document”, “and send it unto the seven churches” which refers to “bid it to be carried, thrusted or inserted to the seven assemblies of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting” “which are in” or “that are located in” “Asia” which refers to “proper or proconsular Asia embracing Mysia, Lydia, Phrygia, and Caria and corresponding closely to Turkey today”.

The verse continues, “unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. ” John added the words, “unto Ephesus” which means “permitted” and refers “the maritime city of Asia Minor which was the capital of Lonia and under the Romans situated on the Icarian Sea between Smyrna and Miletus”, “and unto Smyrna” which means “myrrh” and was “an Iconian city of Asia Minor on the aegean Sea which was forty miles north of Ephesus, “and unto Pergamos” which means “”height of elevation” and was “a city of Mysia Minor in Asia Minor and the seat of the dynasties of Attalus and Eumenes which was famous for its temple of Aesculapius and the invention and manufacture of parchment. The river Selinus flowed through it and the Cetius ran past it” “and unto Thyatira” which means “odor of affliction” and refers to “a colony of Macedonia Greeks, situated between Sardis and Pergamos on the river Lycus; its inhabitants gained their living by traffic and the art of dyeing in purple”, “and unto Sardis” which means “red ones” and refers to “a luxurious city in Asia Minor and the capital of Lydia”, “and unto Philadelphia” which means “brotherly love” and refers to “a city of Lydia in Asia Minor which is situated near the eastern base of Mount Tmolus and founded and named by the Pergamene king, Attalus II Philadelphus”, “and unto Laodicea” which means “justice of the people” and refers to “a city of Phrygia which was situated on the river Lycus not far from Colosse. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 66 A.D. and rebuilt by Marcus Aurelius. It was the seat of the Christian church.” John was commissioned to write what he saw “in a book” and deliver it to these “seven churches” located in Asia.

When we consider John's words in this verse, we see to whom these words were directed. These “seven churches in Asia” were to be written to by John concerning the things which he saw, and one by one each of them would be addressed. God's message is to all people, and His “salvation” plan has everyone in mind. Jesus Christ came to save people from their “sins”, and as he saw it was important to have John write to the churches, so He desires to reach out to everyone today.

Next time John shares what he saw when he, “turned to see the voice that spoke with me”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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