Alpha & Omega
The Connection between Genesis & Revelation
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
OPENING: - If I were to say the most attacked books of the Bible were Genesis and Revelation, I believe I would be pretty accurate with that proclamation. These two books receive a lot of criticism rather it is from the liberal thinking people who feel that the freedom of expression and individualism is of the utmost importance, the conservative thinkers who adhere to and strive to promote traditional morals and values, or the religious conservatives who seek to retain the orthodoxy (authorized or generally accepted theory, doctrine, and practices) and long standing traditions and beliefs of Christianity, Christian Modernism which interprets Christian teachings using modern knowledge, science, and ethics that emphasizes the importance of reasons and experiences over doctrinal authority, or the Seeker-Friendly Christian who strive to present a watered down version of scripture in order not to offend anyone.
My desire is as always not for you to accept unconditionally the words that come out of my mouth, but to cause you to study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth 2 Timothy 2:15.
PRAYER: -
SCRIPTURES: - Genesis 1-3 & Revelation 20-22.
Genesis means “Beginning” that should not really be news to anyone, but the beginning of what is the question. Yes, the beginning of all things because verse 1 says “In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth” literally the most profound scripture in the entire Bible are these 10 words because if you don’t believe the 1st verse you cannot believe any other part of the Bible.
WATCH THIS: - Genesis is the beginning of the Revelation of God. Genesis is the foundation for which the entire Bible is built upon. The first 3 chapters establish such foundational themes as creation and the creator God, humanity and man’s dominion on Earth, marriage between man and woman, the deceiver and the fall of mankind, the curse of death, grace, and the most important theme the promise of a redeemer.
Since Genesis is the foundation for all scripture it is the target of many attacks. The Bible says in Psalm 11:2-3 “For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do”.
The importance of a solid foundation aside from holding up and bearing heavy loads is it is a stabilizer against lateral or side to side movements or as scripture says tossed to and fro carried about by every wind and doctrine Ephesians 4:14.
Luke 6:47-48 says, “Whosever cometh to me and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it for it was founded upon a rock”.
So, we have established that Genesis lays the foundation for the entire Bible and the Revelation of God. Destroy the Book of Genesis, if it were possible, and you have ruined the foundation, the foundation of the creator God is ruined, the foundation of marriage between man and woman is ruined, the foundation that we need a savior is ruined.
Revelation speaks of the blessed hope, the coming of Jesus Christ and it fulfills that Hope. Hope is the desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment. Biblically Hope is the confident expectation of what God has promised and its strength is in His faithfulness. Colossians 1:27 says, “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”.
The book of Revelation ties the rest of the Bible together, providing a wonderful fulfillment of the plan of God. It gives hope to the believer in what is to come. Revelation shows that God is in control. Revelation causes us to focus on eternal matters by drawing our attention to Heaven, the coming judgment, the New Heaven and New Earth and on Jesus Christ in His glory as King of kings and Lord of lords, the Victor over all.
The devil hates Revelation because it tells of his demise and ultimate punishment. Many people Christian and Non-Christian alike do not like Revelation because they don’t know what to do with it. They believe and approach it as a book that is mysteriously hidden in code and secrets that need to be cracked and try to establish it and fulfill it with what is happening in the world today. They will say see the war in Israel is what Revelation is talking about and we are rapidly headed towards Gog and Magog, Armageddon, and the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Because people fear Revelation because they don’t understand the Revelation of Jesus, many will not even read it, some preachers will not even preach or teach from it but Revelation 1:3 says, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therin; for the time is at hand”.
Alpha & Omega: - The Connection between Genesis & Revelation.
In the Greek alphabet, which is what the New Testament was written in, Alpha is the first letter and Omega is the last letter. Revelation 1:8 says, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty”.
Remember Genesis is the Foundation and Revelation is the Hope or the Fulfillment of Hope, the completion of the building upon the foundation so we have Alpha Genesis and Omega Revelation.
Heaven & Earth: - Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”. Revelation 21:1 says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away”. Genesis started with the creation of heaven and earth and in Revelation we have a new creation the New Heaven and New Earth a New Creation.
Sun & Moon: - Genesis 1:16 “God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also”. Revelation 21:23 “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp”. The light of the sun is a picture of the glory of God. The light of the moon is the reflection of the sun. The glory of God is reflected by the people of God. In the New Heaven and New Earth there will be no sun or moon because the glory of God gives it light, and the lamb is its lamp that is the Shekinah Glory the presence of God. The word Shekinah is not found in the Bible but refers to a Hebrew word called “Shakan” to dwell or reside.
Tree of Life: - Genesis 2:9 “And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight; and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil”. Revelation 22:2 we see the tree of life again “In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for healing of the nations”. The tree of Life was in the midst of the garden of Eden, but when Adam and Eve sinned and were banned from the garden God placed a Cherubim angel with a flaming sword blocking access to the Tree of Life in Revelation access is granted once again to the Tree of Life.
River & River of Life: - Genesis 2:10 says. “And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted and became into four”. Revelation 22:1 says, “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life. Clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the lamb”. The natural river flowing from Eden in Genesis is replaced with the spiritual life-giving water flowing from the throne of God in Revelation. Jesus is that living water John 7:37-38 says, “In the last day, that, great day of the feast, Jesus, stood and cried, saying, If any man thrist, let, him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water”.
Precious Stones: - Genesis 2:12 says, “And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone”. Revelation 21:18 says, “And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass”. Although there were precious stones in the garden of Eden the pure gold of the New Jerusalem will radiate and reflect the glory of God.
The Bride & The Marriage: - Genesis 2:18, 21-23 says, “And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man made he a woman and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man”. Revelation 19:7 & 21:2 says, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And I John saw the holy city new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband”. God the great creator becomes God the counselor and says It is not good that man should be alone, then He becomes God the anesthesiologist and causes a deep sleep to come upon Adam, then God becomes the ultimate physician and takes a rib from Adam, then He becomes God the creator and makes Woman, then He becomes God the Father and gives her unto Adam (who giveth this woman unto this man), He then becomes God the preacher and preforms the first wedding and commands them to be fruitful and multiply. The first bride and marriage are only a picture of what is to come. Ephesians 5:31-32 says, “For this cause shall man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church”. Adam was put to sleep and his side is opened and a rib taken. Sleep is what death of is called of a believer 1 Thessalonians 4:14 says, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him”. 1 Corinthians 15:51 says, “Behold I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed”. When Jesus died (sleep) on Calvary’s cross, He was pierced in His side opening Him up so the church, his bride would be formed allowing us to be grafted into the true vine, the true Israel of God. John 19:33-34 says, “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water”. Blood and water is how forgiveness and cleansing is granted and we are grafted in. When you take a tree and slice it open and place another branch into that slice that wild branch is able to grow because it is now grafted into the vine which gives it life.
Just as Eve was made from Adams bone and flesh Adams very nature, we the church the bride of Christ is of His very nature 1 Corinthians 15:49 says, “And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly”. 1 John 3:2 says, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is”.
Eve was taken out of Adam and then revealed to him well the bride of Christ is hidden in Christ waiting to be revealed Colossians 3:3 says, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God”. Verse 4 says, “When Christ who is our life shall appear, then ye also shall appear, with him in glory”.
After Eve was made God presented her to Adam, she was presented to him without fault. Jude 24 says, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy”. Revelation 21:2 says, “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem coming out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” that is the church that is presented without fault without spot or winkle just like Eve was presented to Adam faultless.
Revelation 19:6-9 says, “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, say Alleluia; for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife (the church) hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, these are the true sayings of God”.
So in Genesis we have the bride Eve and the marriage to Adam in Revelation we have the bride the church and the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Evil is present in the Garden of Eden not in the New Jerusalem.
Genesis 3:1 says, “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden”. Revelation 21:27 says, “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of Life”. Satan had access to the garden of Eden but him nor his lies or anything of abomination will be able to enter the New Jerusalem.
God dwelt with His people face to face in Eden and again in the New Jerusalem.
Genesis 3:8 says, “And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden”. Revelation 21:3 says, “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God”. God’s desire from the garden of Eden has been to dwell with His creation however, sin caused that not to be the case, but in Revelation once again the dwelling of God is with men.
The Devil deceived in Genesis the Devil Punished in Revelation.
Genesis 3:13 “And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me and I did eat”. Revelation 20:10 says, “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever”. The devil deceived the woman in the garden and that deception has carried on down through the years but in Revelation there will be no more deception. 2 Corinthians 11:2-4 says, “For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus whom we have not preached or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him”.
Redeemer Promised in Genesis - Redemption Accomplished in Revelation.
Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel”. Revelation 5:5&9 “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not, behold the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And they sung a new song, saying Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain and hast redeemed us to God by the blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation”. In Genesis we have the promise of a redeemer who would come and make everything right again that redeemer is Jesus Christ who lived the sinless life, died on Calvary’s cross as our propitiation, shed His blood for the remission of sin, was buried and on the 3rd day rose again. In Revelation we see He is the Lion of the tribe of Juda that is worthy to open the book for He has triumphed over sin. Hallelujah!
Curses and Sorrow in Genesis No more Cures or Sorrows in Revelation.
Genesis 3:17 “And to Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life”. Revelation 21:4 says, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away”. Everything was cursed because of sin in Genesis but in Revelation that curse has been done away with. Romans 8:19-24 says, “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope. Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they; but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body”.
Death is introduced in Genesis Death is abolished in Revelation.
Genesis 3:19 “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return”. Revelation 21:4 “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away”. Death came in Genesis and is no more in Revelation but in between it has held literally a death-grip on humanity based in fear, but its power was defeated at the resurrection of Jesus Christ O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory. As the last enemy of Christ death will be abolished forever 1 Corinthians 15:26 & 54 says, “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory”.
Banded from the Garden in Genesis Invited to enter the New Jerusalem in Revelation.
Genesis 3:23-24 “Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So, he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life”. Revelation 22:14 “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city”. God banded Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden, banded from the blessing of the Tree of Life but in Revelation God says all those that do his commandments have a right to the tree of life, He offers unlimited access to the tree of life and a standing invitation to enter through the gates into the city the New Jerusalem. What was lost in Genesis is given in Revelation.
Closing: - So many times we look around and see the condition of the world, we see wars and hear of rumors of wars and become worried about what is going one even when Jesus said be not troubled for all these things must be. Charles Dickens said it like this in “A tale of two cities – It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period that some of its authorities insisted on its being received for good or evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only”. Regardless of how things may look right now, regardless of what may have been lost in Genesis if you can just hold on till Shiloh comes as the old saying goes, trust in Jesus and hold on to His unchanging hand everything will be fulfilled in the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
Victory belongs to them that will endure until the end. I truly believe we are standing at the end of the book of Jude the benediction is being given, our heads are bowed, eyes closed, and hands raised, and we are hearing “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever Amen” and the page is getting ready to turn and we are entering to the book of Revelation and there will soon be a door opening in heaven and we are about to hear the voice of an arch angel and the trump of God saying Come up hither behold my reward is with me to give every man according as his works shall be.
Everything is about to be fulfilled - Are you ready!
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
