Divine Nature (Alpha) and Eternal Being (Omega)

 

The development of the Hebrew Aleph.

For since the creation of the world God's invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been understood and observed by what he made, so that people are without excuse. - Romans 1:20

Dr. Alice C. Linsley

The ancient Nilotic people were deeply religious. The Nilotic Hebrew believed in a Creator who was a father. In fact, they called God Re which in Ancient Egyptian means "father." They believed that the Father has a Son of equal authority. The Father and the Son share the same divine nature and eternal being.

Two hieroglyphic signs speak of the eternal power and divine nature of Father and Son. In the Bible these are referred to using the Greek words alpha and omega.

Alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet, corresponds to aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Both derive from an Egyptian hieroglyph depicting an ox's head or a bull's head (shown above). In the ancient world, this symbol represented the High God to whom first place is given, that is preeminence. The horns of the ox or bull were often depicted as a cradle for the sun, the symbol of the High God. 

The Omega, the last letter of the Greek alphabet, corresponds to the Egyptian Shen symbol for eternity.

Jesus Christ is proclaimed as the Alpha and the Omega in Revelation 22:13. "Behold, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to give to each one according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” 

The Revelation passage concerns Christ's appearing at the close of the Age. 

In Romans 1:20, Paul develops this in relationship to the order of creation. Paul draws on a long theological tradition of understanding that the High God and his Son share a divine nature and eternal being. He warns about the wrath of God that even now is being revealed.

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. - Romans 1:18-21

Colossians 1:19-20 emphasizes Christ's preeminence by stating that "it pleased the Father that in him all things should be in him, and through him to reconcile all things to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of his cross."

That is why the Crucifixion of Christ our God is thick with meaning, stands as a warning, and requires a response. To not respond is a response.

Related reading: Good Friday: Do Not Flee; Jesus Knew He is the Son of God; Signs Given That We Might Believe