The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-10
ALPHA AND OMEGA.
The Revelation Of Jesus to
John the Apostle.
the seolxxMo AND THE END.


Tam Alpha and omsga-"-fsev. -
Christ had Frequently portrayed TEs
divine character ia tbs hearing Of His
disciples when on earth. and bad varied
the symbolism to suit the peculiar ctr
cumstaSces Of the occasion. or the peculiar
wants OF HIS audators When they came
10 Hin, hungry. He represented Himself as
the living bread. when they were victims
Of PharasaicaI leadership, He called Him.
self the true Suide. this good shepherd:
when enveiopsd In darkness. He became for
them tho light; when lost among TIE iaoy-
rfnfhs OF their ceremonialism. He proved
Himself 10 be the true and living way.
Seeking 10 nnd the entrance TO the new
kingdom. they heard Him declare. | am
the door. And puxxied to know their re-
lationship to this mighty Messiah. they
were assonisbed 10 discover the ciosensss
and unity Of II In the figure of the vine
and It's branches. Notice right here that
every one Of these symboEs has been
brought out In the gospel OF the very
apostle who lay dreaming IN Patrnos. and
10 whom the words Of our text were
spoken. II seems to have been the aim
Of Johns life 10 emphasize the dazzling
beauty and divine glory Of the Saviour's
person and character. ana 70 multiply
metaphors by which the world nriGht SEQ
His wonderful ada vtaclity 10 all psases
81 human need Ard al degrees % human
intsiiigenee.
4 Glorious Vision.
And nov. having 20 often heard Jesus
proclaim Himself to DO the needed help for
every passing hour. he II TO be again fav-
ored with q revelation OF His nearness 70
the race. You and can imagine John run
ming back over his marvellous experiences
with the Christ. from the day when he
heard the Baptist say. Behold the Lamb
nj n ha = RSf NJ
watched with the multitude the ascend
Ing form Of the triumphant Messiah. and
~ his mind chrontcief gracious word. and
kindly act. and glorious miracle. and keen
est anguish. Ne can imagine him saying
10 himself: What new manifestation shall
now b made unto me? Listen to the
voice ~ Of . trumpet prociaim.nE once
more the character OF Jesus. Johns back
vas turned to the Speaker. and yet. Ike
Mary In the garden. he quickly recognised
tbs voice. He suddenly moved about to
face the Shining One. but. dasxied af the
brightness OF His appearance. he fell ~ one
dead At the feet of his Lord There could
b no doubt about this revelation. John
had partial Glimpses before. but this was .
complete picture. Christ stood with snow
white hair and flashing eyes. and feet like
unto nne brass FURNISHED In fame and
alisteninx garment and countenance like
the sun At noon. and summed up In single
the words. I am Alpha and Omega No
wonder John was frightened. This was to
him an entirely new viaion. True. he had
seen jesus on the Mount Of TRANSPORTATION
and should have been prepared for the
greater glory: but after that he had seen
Him sufEsr. and had leaned on His bosom
and heard Him announce His betrayal.
and had bsheld Him captive and scourged
and crucined, and had heard the dying
Master commit His mother with pathetic
tenderness into his keeping. and then I'M
medlateiy after make the darkness still
more awful BY the agony OF His lonely cry.
and had seen the elimination OF Roman
Utolidneap and Jewish hate In the bowed
sead Of his dead Lord. Could this radiant
one b. really He. Was Il the same CHRISTI
Yes. there was tho voice. That nxed the
identity. ! am Alpha and Omega. Fear
not: am lie that livcth and WAS dead.
and behold am alive for evernore and
have the keys Of hell and OF death. Write
the things which thou hast seen and the
things which are and the things which shan
- hereafter.
lsAsionaiism Arrai9ncd.
lat N look into this expression OF Christ
b our text. and briefly study the ground Il
covers and gather few Of the lessons Il
contains. Those Of you who have studied
the merest rudiments OF tho language
know that alpha II tho nrxt letter OF the
Greek alphabet Uhe English word alphabet
being . contraction Of the nrst two Greek
letters. alpha and beta) and omega II the
last. 10 that Christ IL here representing
Himself a. the beginning and end of all
created things. The beginning, because
= they proceeded from Him. the end because
they look toward Him. But there Is some
thing mere about the expression itself II
was used In Oriental lands as tssnsia-
tion OF the unpronounccahie name OF Je-
hovah. and christ's use OF 1, was a direct
claim 20 the fordship OF earth and heaven.
You will see that arn preparing TO present
again my favorite theme, the divinity Of
my Lord. You must often expect 10 hear
e. II II 10 me the one OF all themes With
cut II arm willing TO give up all confidence
In both God and man. and AZ for the Bible.
II IL a cruel earicasure OF only for tho
names. II Christ be not divine. then God
has cheated the race. He promised lie
would send . deliveror. None has ever
come. lie professed 70 love tho world
without measure. He has fixed an tire
vocable sentence against the world In.
stead ana left us no hope. The ain of the
JsrseA,es VAS ifo,atry. and Gods servants
Numbered repeatedly against n. The sin
Of the nineteenth century n raticnafisrn
ana We who believe in God and Christ
must deal with II faithfully. Hence you
must expect 60 hear the frequent re-
iteration OF the fna Goaheaa Of
snecrs at tho shedding OF blood for the
remission of sins and says that view
makes cSa cruel tyrant glaatinx ever
his slain victims I thunder back with
all tho yehcmence OF my nature. God
90 loved that He gave Hts only hcEosten
con. Rsticnsiism claims that Il exafi.
the ratherhood OF God because II rep,.-
dates the necessity Of an a,cncsneut.
ciaim that rasicnailsm r0bs Cod OF His
chief glory because Il makes Hsm dissp-
point the world IN fading 70 satisfy The
longing Ter a saviour which Tie himself
implanted In the human breast hold
ap again then unimn~achahie evidence OF
the divinity OF Christ Make men surrsn-
der that doctrine sns yeu shatter tes
whole system OF Christianity, IL IL a peer.
weak. helpless thing. unreal and uaetssa
9 poem. dream. a aeiusica. q n,ockerv.
ard snare. Cus away all tho passages
and references IN that Bible 60 fe~as 4.
the divine Son o. God ans ycs leave IL a
rnQtliatcd wreck. Read IL aloud q, s,se ana
interpret these passages to mean aa,,se-
fhing else and yosir voicc viii fair uron
my ear Ike the echoes ~ Despair Here
Christ stands and says I am Jehovah,
How they who dsaS Ills diVfufiy SET
over that passage, ana san pF,Aeryr "a,
character tiarae'ess. I 30 rot know Fos
that matter do rai understand Row thew
can set over AIRY Of those trxes Witch
conflict with their i1ea ef ttir, .. a
Cslllcan enthusiast. or even Nf,h
their most reysrent thought - ffign
e. hoiy prophet q Gea. TO
tNsa seems - he trivial
matter. To MS 4, - the very r.ct-s ts..,,
which our salvation hangs Take seav
cur confidence IN the diria- Mrss'AA ana
We know not where 90 icsk far helm Nnw
herr - this c,ain, made directly nv resss
Himself In HIS conversation ~igh John.