Simply Jesus Pt. 22: “I Am the Alpha and the Omega…”

My family is blessed to have a home that is only about a mile from a Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall. I really do mean that we are blessed by that fact, not because we are Jehovah’s Witnesses, but because they so frequently come by our door to chat. 

I’ve developed some good relationships with a few of them, and we’ve had numerous long conversations about the divinity of Jesus. That really is one of the most important issues, isn’t it? After all, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus was the first creation of God (Jehovah), that Jesus is not therefore God, and that He used to be the archangel Michael before coming to earth as Jesus.

In speaking with them, one of the most effective witnessing tools has been demonstrating how the book of Revelation unveils Jesus as being one with God the Father and worthy of the same worship He receives.   

What follows did not originate with me. This technique is short, simple and straight forward, and can be used with anyone to prove the divinity of Jesus through the Scriptures. However, to be most effective with a Jehovah’s Witness, you should let them read all of these Scriptures aloud from their own Bibles.

Even though their translations are heavily slanted to their own teachings, they can often still be used to point out the fallacies in their own doctrines. I will put the Jehovah’s Witnesses translation first, and then the New American Standard version as a reference.

Make sure to preface the conversation by asking if they will please allow you to ask them four questions. Politely tell them you are comfortable with them using their Bibles to read from. If at some point during the four questions they try to steer the conversation off topic, gently remind them of their previous agreement, that it won’t take very long, and that you earnestly want to know their answers.

1a) Say, "Will you please read Revelation 1:8 out loud?"

“I am the Alʹpha and the Omeʹga,” says Jehovah God, “the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty.” (New World Translation)

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (NASB)

1b) Now ask, "Who does this passage say is the Alpha and the Omega? Answer = Jehovah God (The Lord God Almighty)

2a) Say, "Will you please read Revelation 21:6-7 out loud?

And he said to me: “They have come to pass! I am the Alʹpha and the Omeʹga, the beginning and the end. To anyone thirsting I will give from the spring* of the water of life free. Anyone conquering will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” (New World Translation)

Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.” (NASB)

2b) Now ask, "Who is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end?

Answer = Jehovah God (The Lord God Almighty)

3a) Say, "Will you please read Revelation 22:12-13 out loud?

“Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to repay each one according to his work. I am the Alʹpha and the Omeʹga, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (New World Translation)

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (NASB)

3b) Now ask, "Who is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end?

Answer = Jehovah God (The Lord God Almighty)

4a) Say, "Will you please read Revelation 1:17-18 out loud?

When I saw him, I fell as dead at his feet. And he laid his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the living one, and I became dead, but look! I am living forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of the Grave.” (New World Translation)

When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.” (NASB)

4b) Now ask, "When did the Jehovah God die and come back to life?

Answer = Jesus and Jehovah God (The Lord God Almighty) are one.

This is the point where either the light bulbs will go off, or they will get upset and possibly try to leave.

Try to be gentle. Try to not smirk. If your worldview has ever been threatened, you know it is a terribly upsetting feeling. Instead of bathing in the glory of an argument won, offer to pray with them. Offer them a bottle of water from your refrigerator. Invite them to come back the following week to chat.

Don’t be afraid. Jesus will give you the words. The Holy Spirit will help you elegantly weave together various passages of Scripture that demonstrate Jesus’ divinity. He did it for the earliest disciples, and He will also help you be an effective true witness for Him today.

In the Gospel according to John: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word.” Also in the same: “The Lord said to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands: and be not faithless, but believing. Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God.” … Also in the Apocalypse: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end: I will give to him that is athirst, of the fountain of living water freely.”  – Cyprian 250CE, Volume 5, p. 909-910 [CD-ROM]