The name “Omega” appears only in the book of Revelation and is always linked to “Alpha”: “I am Alpha [even I] and Omega the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8 [Sinaiticus Codex, 4th Century AD]
“Omega” appears also in Revelation 1:11; 21:6; and 22:13.
“Alpha” and “Omega” are celebrated in church art, on church banners, and carved into pulpits. It would seem as though this celebrated set of linked names is well understood and loved. Clearly, the reference is to our Lord Jesus Christ. In Revelation 3:14 Jesus says of himself, “These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;” We learn further in John 1:3, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” If he is the “beginning of the creation of God” and “all things were made by him” he would be both the beginning “Alpha” – the beginning letter of the Greek alphabet, and the ending, “Omega” – the last letter of the Greek alphabet. This is a satisfying explanation in full harmony with scripture.
To further elaborate: a number of Hebrew words are found in the Greek New Testament such as Amen, Sabbath, Psalm, Hosanna and Hallelujah. These words are easily understood and have become part of our language. Revelation 1:7 speaks of the “piercing” of Jesus. This quoted scripture, Zechariah 12:10, prophesies a blessed future when Israel will no longer be blinded; “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me, aleph-tau, whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”
What does “aleph-tau” mean? The two Hebrew letters, “aleph-tau” form the word “eth” and are employed for emphasis. If translated, it would have the sense of “even I,” or the “very one.”
But, if you only speak Greek and are copying Revelation, the concept of “even I” is lost. So what was done? Seeing that “Aleph” is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet and “Tau” is the last letter, a substitution was made using “Alpha” the first letter of the Greek alphabet and “Omega” the last letter. (This fix has clouded the actual meaning.) Only one of the most ancient texts, the Sinaitic Codex, preserves the sense by adding “even I.” The gravest of warnings appears in Revelation 22:18-19 for altering the text. Despite these warnings, additions and changes in Revelation occurred throughout the centuries, especially for these verses on Alpha and Omega.
