Difference between revisions of "Alpha"

<p> (ΑLΡΗΑ ( Α - α ), Greek): (ΑLΕΡΗ ( א ), "chief," "guide," Hebrew.) The first letter, as ΟΜΕGΑ ( Ω - ω ) is the last, of the Greek alphabet. So Christ is the First and the Last, including all that comes between, the Author and [[Finisher]] of the visible and invisible, and of the spiritual creations (&nbsp;Revelation 1:8; &nbsp;Revelation 21:6; &nbsp;Revelation 22:13; &nbsp;Hebrews 12:2; &nbsp;Isaiah 41:4; &nbsp;Isaiah 44:6). As He made originally, so will He complete the whole. [[Alphabet]] comes from the first two Greek letters, Αlpha ( Α - α ), Βeta ( Β - β ) equating in [[Hebrew]] to 'Αleph ( א ), Βet[h] ( ב ). </p> <p> The [[Moabite]] stone of Dibon, probably of the reign of Ahaziah, Ahab's son, who died 896 B.C., exhibits an alphabet so complete that at that early date it can have been no recent invention. It has been discovered as mason's marks on the foundation stones of Solomon's temple. Yet even it was not the earliest form of the Palestinian alphabet. The fine discrimination of sounds, implied in inventing an alphabet, could hardly be brought to perfection at once Rawlinson fixes the invention 15 centuries B.C. </p> <p> The language of the [[Dibon]] stone, and the Hebrew of the Bible, most closely agree. Mesha's victories are recorded there in the same character, and even the same idiom, as in 2 Kings 3. In symbols of the early [[Christian]] church A and were often combined with the cross, or with Christ's monogram, e.g., on a tablet in the catacombs at Melos, of the early part of the second century. The rabbis (Jalkut Rubeni, fol. 17, 4, Sohoettgen, Hor. Heb., 1:1086) say, "Adam transgressed the whole law from Αleph ( א ) to Τau ( ת )" (the last Hebrew letter); so Christ fulfilled it from Αlpha ( Α - α ) to Οmega ( Ω - ω ) (&nbsp;Matthew 3:15). </p>

<p> &nbsp;Revelation 1:8 (a) In this passage our Lord [[Jesus]] Himself applies this name to Himself as He does also in verse &nbsp;Revelation 1:11. In &nbsp;Revelation 21:6, He again applies that name to Himself and also in chapter &nbsp;Revelation 22:13. He wants us to remember and never forget that He is the beginning of all literature. There would be no such thing as education, or understanding, or learning, were it not that He gave man the ability to learn, and then unveiled to man's mind the multitude of matters which we call education. All information about creation has come from Him. Those who shut Him out of their lives and thinking are in darkness, or return to darkness. He is the author of the solar system and of all chemicals. He is the designer of the earth and the heavens. He originated the plan of salvation. </p> <p> He is the author of every kind of life in the vegetable kingdom, the animal kingdom and the human kingdom. [[Christ]] JESUS is first, He is before all in every department of the universe. As [[Alpha]] is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, so CHRIST is the first cause of everything that exists. </p>

<p> [[Alpha]] (''Ăl'Phah'' ). The first letter of the Greek alphabet, corresponding to Aleph, the first Hebrew letter. These letters were used as numerals. Alpha therefore denotes one, the first. And, as Omega is the last Greek letter, our Lord calls himself Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, implying his divine eternity. &nbsp;Revelation 1:8; &nbsp;Revelation 1:11; &nbsp;Revelation 21:6; &nbsp;Revelation 22:13; comp. &nbsp;Isaiah 44:6. </p>

<p> The first letter of the Greek Alphabet, and which also signifies the numeral 1. A title or character of God and of Christ, which points to His eternity as 'the beginning,' 'the first,' the I AM. &nbsp;Revelation 1:8; &nbsp;Revelation 21:6; &nbsp;Revelation 22:13 . "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end," or "the first and the last;" which is similar to a passage in &nbsp;Isaiah 41:4 : "I Jehovah, the first, and with the last; I am he." </p>