BIBLE DIGEST - Number 89                                      November 1998

WHO IS THE LORD GOD IN REVELATION 1:8?

By Allon Maxwell

 

 

This paper is written in response to the following question:

Point has been made that Jesus is quite clearly referred to as Almighty God in a number of places in the book of Revelations. e.g. Revelation 1:8, Revelation 4:8, Revelation 11:17, Revelation 15:3, Revelation 16:14, Revelation 21:22.

Superficially some of these references do appear to be referring to Jesus, more so if you note some of them in a “red letter” New Testament, where it shows Jesus as making the statement.*

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God , * who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8 RSV)

* Note that RSV, NIV, NASB, NEB say "Lord God". KJV and NKJV omit "God".

 

Over enthusiastic use of red ink by a misguided 20th century publisher, is no proof that Jesus is the one speaking in Revelation 1:8. There is NO RED INK in the Greek text!!! Or in older English Bibles!!!!

As to who actually is speaking in Revelation 1:8 ..... In other places in the book of Revelation, God and Jesus are very clearly SEPARATELY identified.

e.g. In Revelation 4:2-3, Revelation 4:8-11, Revelation 5:1, the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY is the one seated on the throne in heaven. (Not to be confused, by the way, with the throne of Jesus, in the Kingdom of God, in Jerusalem, on EARTH, in the future.)

THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, who is seated on the throne in heaven, has a scroll in His hand. (Revelation 5:1).

BETWEEN the throne and the elders, but NOT ON THE THRONE, stands a LAMB which appears "as though it had been slain". This Lamb is clearly Jesus. And in Revelation 5:7, the LAMB (Jesus) is seen to approach the throne and take the scroll from the hand of the one on the throne, THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. The hymn of praise by the 24 Elders (Revelation 5:9-10) says that the LAMB has redeemed men for GOD.

Thus it is clear that the LAMB (Jesus) is NOT the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, either in Chapters 4 & 5, or anywhere else in the book of Revelation! (especially including Revelation 1:8)

The LAMB who stands BETWEEN the 24 Elders and the throne, is pictured that way, because in Chapter 5, a MEDIATOR has been ADDED to the scene described in Chapter 4. That mediator is NOT GOD. The mediator stands BETWEEN God and men. He is the MAN Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

We may not take isolated verses from other places in the book, and then mishandle them in a way which contradicts those clearly established separate identities for God and Jesus. That is one of the ways in which people distort the scriptures to their own destruction! (2 Peter 3:15-16)

Instead, we must use the Bible's carefully defined SEPARATE identities for GOD and JESUS to understand who is referred to in other parts of the book.

GOD is GOD. Jesus is someone else! (John 17:3)

The message of the Old Testament is also consistent.

The LORD, the LORD GOD, the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, are all names of God the Father.

They NEVER refer to Jesus!