The One Who Is

God is the One who is, who was, and who is coming, the Almighty who sits on the Throne at the center of Creation.

In the Book of Revelation, God is “the Almighty,” “He who sits on the Throne,” “the Alpha and Omega,” “the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End,” and the “One Who is and Who was, and Who is coming.” The last description from Revelation 1:4 is more than a declaration about the divine nature. It is modified at pivotal points in the Book, marking progress until the end of the present evil age is reached.

The description of God as the One “who is and who was and who is coming” is based on the self-designation of Yahweh declared to Moses from the burning bush. It is commonly translated by English versions of the Bible as “I am who I am.”

[Creator - Photo by Dns Dgn (France) on Unsplash]

The Hebrew name ‘Yahweh’ {יהוה} means “the becoming one, he who is.” The force of the name is expressed most fully in the relative clause of God’s declaration to Moses as recorded in the Book of Exodus (’ehyeh ’asher ’ehyeh – “I will become whatsoever I will become”). Revelation 1:4 also represents this fuller sense when sending greetings to the Seven Churches of Asia:

• “And God said to Moses, ‘I will become whatsoever I will become’ [’ehyeh ’asher ’ehyeh]. And he said, Thus, you will say to the sons of Israel, ‘I who will become’ [’ehyeh] has sent me to you” – (Exodus 3:14).

• “John, to the seven churches in Asia: Grace to you, and peace, from He who is and who was and who is coming <…> I am the Alpha and the Omega, declares the Lord God, who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty” – (Revelation 1:4, 8).

The Hebrew spelling represented by the letters ‘ehyeh is the first-person form of the verb ‘hayah’, meaning “to be, exist; to become,” or “I am, I become.” ‘Yahweh’ is the third person spelling of the same verb (i.e., “He is, he becomes”).

Like Moses in the wilderness, John received his commission while in exile. Just as Yahweh freed the Israelites from Egyptian bondage under Pharaoh, summoned them to become a kingdom of priests, and led them to Palestine, so also, Jesus liberates his saints from enslavement to sin and Satan, makes them a kingdom of priests, and leads his brothers and sisters to the true promised land, New Jerusalem.

• “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on the wings of eagles and brought you to myself. Now, therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you will be my own possession from among all peoples, for all the earth is mine. And you will be for me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation” – (Exodus 19:4-6).

• “And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him who loves us, and freed us from our sins by his blood; and he made us a kingdom, priests for his God and Father” – (Revelation 1:5-6).

John does something unexpected in the grammatical structure of the sentence of Revelation 1:4. According to the grammatical rules of Greek, the three instances of the relative pronoun or “who” should be in the genitive noun case since they follow the Greek preposition ‘apo’ or “from.” However, rather than “from him whom is…whom was…whom is coming,” the pronouns are in the nominative noun case, not the required genitive, and the Greek text reads “from he who is…who was…who is coming.”

John uses the nominative form of the pronoun or “he, who,” where the text expects a genitive (“him, whom”). Similarly, in English, after the preposition “from,” the appropriate masculine pronoun is “him” or “whom,” not “he” or “who.” This “error” is deliberate. It makes the clause in Chapter 1 conform grammatically to the other occurrences of this phrase elsewhere in the Book.

For example, the appellation is repeated at the end of the opening salutation. The one speaking is “He Who is and Who was and Who is coming” (Revelation 1:8). In this instance, the clause is in the nominative case and spelled correctly, but also precisely the same as in verse 4. The fact that John has written the phrase correctly the second time demonstrates that his previous “grammatical error” was no blunder.

In the vision of the throne of Chapter 4, the four living creatures stand around the throne crying out, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and who is and who is coming,” once again with the pronouns (correctly) in the nominative case (i.e, “who” not “whom”). However, this time, the first two verbs have switched positions (previously, “who is and who was”), perhaps for stylistic reasons - (Revelation 4:1-11).

When the Seventh Trumpet sounded at the close of the series of seven trumpets, the Day of the Lord arrived, the time of final judgment. John heard the twenty-four elders declare:

• “We give you thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and reigned” – (Revelation 11:17).

In the preceding passage, the final clause or “who is coming” has been omitted since God is no longer in the process of coming. The end of the age has arrived with the blowing of the Seventh Trumpet, and God has “taken power” over the Earth. It is the Day of Judgment.

After the Third Bowl of Wrath is emptied, the angel of the waters declares God to be righteous, and he identifies Him as the one “who is and who was, the Holy One, because you have judged.” Once more, the third and final clause is omitted - (Revelation 16:5-6, 17-21).

Collectively, the seven bowls of wrath “complete the wrath of God.” They represent the final outpouring of divine wrath on the wicked and Babylon the Great. Once more, we are presented with a scene of final judgment – (Revelation 16:5-6, 17-21).

COMPLETION

The description of God as the one “Who is and Who was, and Who is coming” does more than identify Him as Yahweh, the God of Israel who spoke from the burning bush, though the clause certainly does that.

The literary links inform us that a much larger story is being told. John is not simply praising God. The Book of Revelation presents the cosmic war that has been raging since the fall of Adam, one that will continue until its consummation at the end of the age. The outlook of the Book is much larger than the Seven Churches of Asia or the final few years of History before Christ returns.

The pivotal battle has been waged and won already in the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, the Faithful Witness who “freed” us from the dominion of sin and constituted us a “kingdom of priests.

In Christ, the God “Who is and Who was” is “coming” with condemnation for His enemies but vindication for His saints (“Behold, he is coming with the clouds” – Revelation 1:7). When the final day arrives, he will no longer be coming. Instead, he will declare, “It is finished!” – (Revelation 16:17).

• “And he said to me, It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end” – (Revelation 21:6).

• “Behold, I am coming quickly! And my reward is with me, to render to each man according to his works. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” – (Revelation 22:12-13).

Thus, the Book of Revelation presents us with a process of redemption and judgment, one that will reach its intended conclusion at the end of the Age.

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SEE ALSO:

• The Incommunicable Name - (The Incommunicable Name of God, its meaning and significance, according to Joseph Bryant Rotherham)

• His Name is Jesus! - (The name ‘Jesus’ means “Yahweh saves.” In this man, the Salvation promised by the God of Abraham has arrived)

• The Son of Man - (The figure of the Son of Man from the Book of Daniel is the source of Christ’s self-designation, ‘the Son of Man’)

• Salvation for all Men - (The Good News announced by Jesus of Nazareth offers salvation and life to the men and women of every nation)