The First and the Last: From Kings to the King of Kings

The First and the Last: From Kings to the King of Kings


In the pages of the Bible, certain phrases carry layers of meaning that often go unnoticed. One of the most striking examples is the title “the First and the Last.” At first glance, this seems like a lofty, divine declaration of eternal sovereignty, applied to God in Isaiah and to Jesus in Revelation. But if we look closely at the biblical literary tradition, we see that this phrase may actually draw on the language used for human kings.


In the historical books of the Old Testament, particularly 1 & 2 Chronicles, a repeated formula describes Israelite kings:


David: “Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer…” (1 Chronicles 29:29, KJV)


Rehoboam: “Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet…?” (2 Chronicles 12:15)


Asa: “Now the acts of Asa, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.” (2 Chronicles 16:11)


Jehoshaphat: “Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani…” (2 Chronicles 20:34)


Amaziah: “Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?” (2 Chronicles 25:26)


Uzziah (Azariah): “Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, behold, they are written by Isaiah the prophet…” (2 Chronicles 26:22)



In these contexts, “first and last” is a literary shorthand for completeness. It signals that everything the king did—from the start of his reign to its conclusion—is recorded, giving readers a sense of the full scope of his leadership and authority. The phrase is practical and historical, not divine; it emphasizes the king’s role and the historical record of his deeds.


Now consider Isaiah 44:6, where God declares: “I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” And Revelation 1:17–18, where Jesus says: “I am the first and the last…behold, I am alive for evermore.” Here, the phrase is no longer about chronological completeness alone—it is cosmic and divine. But the literary echo of kingship is still audible.


This connection is significant. By using a phrase familiar from the chronicles of David, Solomon, and their successors, the biblical authors present God and Jesus in a framework that first-century readers could recognize: the ultimate king, whose reign is complete and unbroken. The human “first and last” signals authority over a temporal kingdom; the divine “first and last” signals authority over Israel across all time.



Conclusion 


In this way, the Bible takes a kingly literary motif and elevates it, bridging the gap between human experience and divine reality. It reminds us that Jesus is not only a spiritual figure but also the fulfillment of Israel’s royal expectations—the king whose reign begins before history and endures beyond it.


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