The First & The Last

"When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand upon me, saying, 'Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one; I DIED and behold I am ALIVE for evermore, and I have the keys of death and hades'" (Revelation 1:17,18 RSV).

Some have proposed these verses are speaking of one and the same person. Not so. The first [Revelation 1:8] of the one and only Yahweh, the one true El (Yahchanan [John] 17:3). The second [Revelation 1:17,18] speaks of Yahshua the Messiah; he who DIED, but is now ALIVE for evermore. The question has been asked, however, "How can BOTH the Father (Yahweh) AND the Son (Yahshua) be the first and the last, the beginning and the ending?" This is a good question. The answer is just as good - and easy.

Yahweh, the Father, the Creator of all things, is indeed the first and last, the beginning and the ending, the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:8; 21:6;22:13; Isayah 41:4; 44:6; 48:12). He is UNIQUE, which means he is one of a kind, having no equal. He is the Creator, so naturally, he is the Alpha, the first, the beginning. His purpose and plan will be done in the earth. He will have the last word, the last say so this makes him the last, the ending, the Omega.

Yahweh "was, is, and is to come." He lives forever (Deuteronomy 32:40,41). He is El from everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 90:1,2; 41:13). Yahweh will one day come to earth (Revelation 1:8). Other Scriptures agree (Isayah 40:10; 59:19;66:15,16; Zecharyah 14:5-8; Revelation 21:3).

Yahshua, the Son of Yahweh

Yahshua is also "the first and the last" [Revelation 1:18]. He too, is UNIQUE (one of a kind, without equal), although not in the same way as the Father, Yahweh. Yahshua Messiah is the FIRST and the LAST in the following ways:

(1) Yahshua was the FIRST to be BORN from the dead (Revelation 1:5; Acts 26:23; 1 Corinthians 15:20).

(2) Yahshua was the FIRST of mankind to gain everlasting life {immorality} (Revelation 1:18; Yahchanan [John] 6:35,40).

(3) Yahshua was the FIRST to be declared the "Son of Yahweh ... by his resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:3,4).

(4) Yahshua was the BEGINNING of Yahweh's creation {the NEW creation of spiritual beings; that is, being born from the dead to a new life, to immortality} (Colossians 1:18; Revelation 3:14).

(5) Yahshua was the FIRST (and perhaps the only one) to be given the "key of Dearth and Hades [Revelation 1:18].

[6] Yahshua became the FIRST Citizen (the # one Citizen), in the Commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12,19,20; Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:26-29; Hebrews 2:10,11; 12:2).

(7) Yahshua was the FIRSTBORN among many brethern (Roman 8:29), therefore he will receive the inheritance (Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:26-29; Mattithyah [Matthew] 21:33-41). (8) Yahshua was the FIRST of mankind to ascend far above all the heavens (Ephesians 4:10).

(9) Yahshua was (will be) the FIRST to conquer death and the grave (Romans 5:15; 1 Corinthians 15:24-26; Revelation 20:13-15).

(10) Yahshua was the FIRST and the LAST (the only) sacrifice which truly removes the sins of mankind (Hebrews 9:26; 10:12,29; Romans 5:17-19; Hebrews 9:26-28).

(11) Yahshua was Yahweh's FIRST and LAST Messiah; the only total and true one (Yahchanan [John] 1:41; Acts 2:36; 3:18; 4:12).

(12) Yahshua was the FIRST in importants, but was the LAST of the great prophets in ancient Israel (Hebrews 1:1; 1 Kepha [Peter] 1:18-20; Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 2:22,23).

(13) The man Jesus is first to be sent forth by his God and Father as a Chief Apostle. (Webmaster's addition)

Conclusion

Yahweh and Yahshua are both unique, each in his own way, but they are not one and the same person. The Father (Yahweh) lives forever - from eternity past to eternity future. Never for a moment did he die. He lives perpetually (Deuteronomy 32:40). Not so, the Son, Yahshua. He DIED as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind, and remained dead for three days and three nights (72 hours). The Father, Yahweh, raised him from the grave - from the dead - and imparted to him everlasting life [Revelation 1:18].

Other Links To Consider

[ARCHIVED] Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last

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Just Who Is -- "The Alpha and the Omega"?

The old pagan doctrine of a "pre-existent savior," kept alive and well by religious impostors through the mediums of radio, television and publishing, is much more dangerous than most people realize -- because it was actually invented for the purpose of taking away the HEADSHIP and position of YEHOVAH God our Creator, and exalting the Messiah to a position that is not rightfully his! This article uncovers one such attempt to pervert the Scriptures and foist upon the unsuspecting reader the false doctrine of the pre-existence of Yeshua the Messiah.

John D. Keyser

Is Not Christ The Firstborn?

At this point the reader might become a little impatient, and desire to press upon our attention Bible references that seem to give some support to the pre-existence theory.

We are not ignorant of those passages, but claim that none of them give support to the theory if they are properly interpreted. It is unfortunately true, however, as the Bible itself states, that some take passages of Scripture that are “hard to be understood” and proceed to “wrest them unto their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16).

Such a reference is Colossians 1:15. It describes Jesus Christ as “the firstborn of every creature,” and some have advanced this in support of the pre-existence theory. If Jesus is firstborn, he must have existed before all others, they claim.

But does not that set Scripture against Scripture? If he is literally “firstborn” in the sense implied by the theory, how can the Bible claim that he is the “son of Abraham and David” (Matthew 1:1)?

And consider the statement itself: “firstBORN of every creature.” Does not that demand a mother? Who was the mother who gave birth to him before all others?

These difficulties are solved, and the passage simply and beautifully explained, when the Bible doctrine of the “firstborn” is understood. In the Bible, “firstborn” is a legal term, describing pre-eminence of position or status, though not necessarily of birth. There were special privileges granted the legal firstborn in a family. He represented his father, he acted as a priest, he received a double portion of the family inheritance (see Deuteronomy 21:17).

But the law of God provided that the eldest son of a family could forfeit his position as legal firstborn, if guilty of misconduct or inability to perform the necessary duties, and be supplanted by a younger son. In other words, it was not necessary for Jesus to be the first of God's creation to be eligible for the position of legal firstborn.

For example, consider 1 Chronicles 5:1:

“Reuben the firstborn of Israel . . . but forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph, and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright!”

Reuben's lewd conduct earned the rebuke of his father, who deposed him from his legal status of firstborn, and gave the position to a much younger son: Joseph.

Other examples could be multiplied. Ephraim was blessed as firstborn by Jacob, even though he was younger than Manasseh his brother (Genesis 48:14-19), and God endorsed the appointment by describing Ephraim as “His firstborn” (Jeremiah 31:9). Jacob was given the birthright over his older brother Esau (Genesis 25:32-34). Simri was appointed to the position even though he was younger in years than his brethren (1 Chronicles 26:10).

These examples (and they could be multiplied) clearly show that it was often the practice for a younger son to be elevated to the position of legal firstborn in a family. In fact, this was so common that the Mosaic Law prohibited the elevation of a younger son to this position on the mere whim of his father, because of favoritism. It commanded:

“It shall be, when he makes his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated . . . ” (Deut. 21:17).

This prohibition shows that a legal firstborn could be a younger son, and therefore has a great bearing on the interpretation of Colossians 1:15.

The Bible refers to two notable “sons of God”: Adam and Christ (see Luke 3:38). The “first Adam” forfeited the right of inheritance, the position of firstborn of the human race, because of sin; but God raised up a younger Son (called in 1 Cor. 15:45 “the last Adam”) whose complete obedience to the will of his Father proved him worthy of the preeminence. He was thus elevated to the position of firstborn of the human race, which means that he receives “a double portion of the inheritance,” and that he acts as priest in the family of God. The Lord Jesus Christ is firstborn, not by fact of longevity (which confers no merit) but by virtue of his moral excellence.

His elevation was predicted in the Old Testament. God declared concerning him:

“I WILL MAKE HIM My firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth” (Psalm 89:27).

The use of the future tense in this prophecy shows that the Lord Jesus is not firstborn by birth but by appointment; otherwise God should have said, “He IS My firstborn.”

The resurrection of Jesus was the seal of the Father's approval on the Son (Rom. 1: 1-4). This constituted him the Firstborn. Paul wrote: “He is . . . the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence” (Col 1:18), the “firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29). [The followers of the Lord are also described as a “kind of firstfruits” to God (James 1:18; Rev. 14:4), and as “the congregation of firstborns” (Heb. 12:23 – Greek. See Diaglott). Therefore, if the title “firstborn” teaches the pre-existence of Christ, it must do so also in relation to his followers. All the privileges of the firstborn that rest on the Lord, apply to a lesser extent to his followers. They will receive a double portion of inheritance in the Age to come, even immortality (1 Cor. 15:52-54), and they will act as a royal-priesthood (Rev. 5:9-10) in relation to the mortal population that will remain (see Zech. 14:16) during the period of Christ's millennial reign (Rev. 20:6).

These expressions show conclusively that the apostle did not mean, by his use of the term, that Jesus pre-existed. ~ Author Unknown

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