Let’s look at these verses of Revelation in context so that we know who is speaking where and what is being described.
Revelation 1:1-2 NLT
This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John, [2] who faithfully reported everything he saw. This is his report of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Who are the characters introduced here. Jesus is introduced as the messiah who is providing the revelation. This revelation was given to Jesus by the second character God. Jesus sends an angel to present this revelation to John. So the angel and John are the third and fourth characters presented. Nothing here is stating Jesus is God.
Revelation 1:3 NLT
God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.
Once again, God is not Jesus here.
Revelation 1:4 NLT
This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne;
John introduces himself and offers a blessing from those whom he speaks for. The first is God.
Revelation 1:5-7 NLT
and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. [6] He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
[7] Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven.
And everyone will see him—
even those who pierced him.
And all the nations of the world
will mourn for him.
Yes! Amen!
He is also speaking for Jesus. Notice the differences here between the characters. God is described as eternal. Jesus is considered to be the first to rise from the dead and will rule forever. (Hence, the later phrase first and last when describing Jesus.)
Revelation 1:8 NLT
“I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”
This is not being said by Jesus, this is being said by God.
John has finished the introduction and is now starting to describe the revelation.
Revelation 1:9-10 NLT
I, John, am your brother and your partner in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus. [10] It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast.
This is the introduction to the actual revelation and is a clear break from verses 1-8.
Revelation 1:11 NLT
It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
The voice announces to whom the letters are written.
Revelation 1:12-16 NLT
When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. [13] And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. [14] His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. [15] His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. [16] He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.
The description of Jesus using standard apocalyptic language.
Revelation 1:17-18 NLT
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. [18] I am the living one. I died, but look— I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.
Jesus introduces himself. as the first and the last and then explains why he calls himself that. He is the first resurrected from the dead and he holds the keys of death and the grave. The keys indicate that this power was given to him (by God) and was not a natural innate power.
In any case, Jesus is not declaring himself to be God here.
On to Chapter 21.
Revelation 21:1-4 NLT
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. [2] And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
[3] I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. [4] He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
So, the beginning of chapter 21 introduces the one on the throne as God - not Jesus.
Revelation 21:5-7 NLT
And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” [6] And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. [7] All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
At no point in this passage does God say he is Jesus.
On to chapter 22.
Revelation 22:1 NKJV
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Jesus is sitting on the throne of God with God. The throne is also his because it was given to him by God. This does not make Jesus God. See Revelation 3:21, 1 Chronicles 29:23.
Revelation 22:2-5 NLT
It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.
[3] No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. [4] And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. [5] And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.
The passage is a continued description of the kingdom. There is also another reference to the Shema which very much denies Jesus is God.
Revelation 22:6 NLT
Then the angel said to me, “Everything you have heard and seen is trustworthy and true. The Lord God, who inspires his prophets, has sent his angel to tell his servants what will happen soon. ”
A reference to the angel in the first chapter.
Revelation 22:7 NLT
“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book. ”
Jesus is not saying he is God here.
Revelation 22:8-11 NLT
I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. [9] But he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!”
[10] Then he instructed me, “Do not seal up the prophetic words in this book, for the time is near. [11] Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy.”
John is discussing the conclusion of the vision.
Revelation 22:12-13 NLT
“Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. [13] I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
As discuss before Jesus is the “
the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” in a different way than God. Jesus is the first of the resurrection. He has the authority over death. His rule will last forever. Having some of the same titles does not make Jesus God. After all, Jesus sits on the same throne.
Jesus is God, He just said so.
No he doesn't. The best you have here is Jesus sharing titles with God. Sharing titles does not mean that they are the same. Jesus using a title with a different meaning does not mean that Jesus is saying he is God. Jesus could have easily just simply said "I am God", but he didn't. In fact, he says the opposite repeatedly. The other writings also support that Jesus is not God.
The fact that you take this further and say that those who do not believe Jesus is God are going to hell is an additional perversion of the Scripture. It also defies Christian history since Jesus was not believed to be God as you believe it until the 4th century. So, you're saying that the first 200 years of Christians after the apostles are going to hell. This is silly and it is the reason why I responded to your statement in the first place.
