I’m back with a new Christogram, a combination of letters that symbolize the name of our savior, Jesus Christ. Earlier, I discussed the Chi-Ro Christogram: ⳩ (looks like an X super-imposed over a P). Then I talked about the Iota-Eta-Sigma Christogram which, in English, is the IHS abbreviation. This article will report on a more known version of a symbol of our God, the Alpha and Omega: Α and Ω (upper case) or α and ω (lower case).
Check out the north stained glass window for our version of this Christogram.
In my recollection, I seem to think that I see this Christogram more often with the lower case alpha and upper case omega, but I could be totally wrong (it’s been known to happen): αΩ. Of course, now that I look for these examples, I can’t find them. But there are examples with a mixture of upper/lower case letters.
Wikipedia has this picture from some catacombs in Rome which has the Chi-Ro Christogram surrounded by the capital alpha (Α) and lower case omega(ω):
Or on a coat of arms for a town in Germany surrounding the Chi-Ro using upper case letters for both (Α and Ω):
But how do these two Greek letters equate to our God? Where did this come from?
Most of you already know that God is referenced in the Bible as the Alpha and Omega; if not from the Bible then at least from songs we sometimes sing. Without looking it up, however, I couldn’t remember where it came from.
It turns out that it is found in the Book of Revelation three times:
As John introduces himself at the beginning of Revelation, he references what Jesus tells him in his vision.
1:8 I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.
Then John repeats what God tells him just after the new Earth and heaven appear to him.
21:6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
Lastly, during his warning and invitation to join Him, our savior, Jesus Christ tells us
22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
So why those two letters? It turns out that Revelation was originally written in Greek which has 24 letters. The first is alpha (Αα), the last is omega (Ωω).
Much like in our alphabet when we say we’ve got everything covered from A to Z. When God tells us He is the Alpha and Omega He is telling us that He is everything: the beginning, the end, and everything in between!
Amen.
Now, just because of who I am, I’m wondering why the Bible translators who’ve translated most everything to English for us didn’t change Alpha to “A” and Omega to “Z”?