Q&A–I am the First and Last

From this work

Q: In Revelation 1:11 and 17 and 2:8 Jesus Christ calls himself “the first and the last.” Yet, in Isaiah 44:6 God says He is “the first and the last.” Could you explain the phrase? A: The phrase “I am the first and the last” is an orientalism. In Biblical times, if a country were attacked, the king would send out messengers to warn the people. Because of the need for haste, the king could send only one messenger to any given town. The messenger would make that fact clear to the people by saying, “I am the first and the last,” in other words, “I am the only messenger coming. Take heed and prepare for battle.” The context of the phrase in both Isaiah and Revelation relates to messages given. In Isaiah 44:7, after saying He is the first and the last, God says, “And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it…?” Similarly, the context of all three uses of the phrase “the first and the last”