Alpha & Omega

Alpha is the first letter in the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last. Together these two letters form a monogram or symbol for one of the names of Jesus Christ, meaning "the Beginning and the End." The term is found in Revelation 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." (NIV) Two more times in the Book of Revelation we see this name for Jesus:

Revelation 21:6
He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. (NIV)

Revelation 22:13
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (NIV)

This statement by Jesus is very important to Christianity because it clearly means that Jesus existed before creation and will continue to exist for all eternity. He was with God before anything was created, and therefore, took part in creation. Jesus, like God, was not created. He is eternal. Thus, Alpha and Omega as a Christian symbol signifies the eternal nature of Jesus Christ and God.