The First and Last Verses of the Bible

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Revelation 22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

It’s hard for me to imagine a more fitting way to begin and end the Bible than what you see above. Let’s break down these statements, one by one, phrase by phrase.

The Beginning

“In the beginning” is just when we hoped the story would start. One of the reasons we find ourselves disoriented in life, is that we’ve come in the middle of the story. Therefore, when we sit down to read the Bible, it settles our souls to know that we’re going to be told about things from the beginning.

“God” is right up front…just where we’d want Him to be. There’s no other logical explanation for how the beginning could have begun. God. Not us. Again, it settles our souls.

That God “created the heavens and the earth” is likewise logical. This statement confirms that we are creatures – not autonomous beings. We already knew intuitively that we were not autonomous beings, for if we were, we would not need to be told so. But it’s nice to have it confirmed for us. It’s also nice to know that it’s not just human beings who are created, but everything around us as well.

The Middle

What comes between Gen 1:1 and Rev 22:21 is, roughly speaking, a thousand pages covering four thousand years of human history…including God’s involvement in that history. It’s a select history, to be sure. But it’s history that is relevant to all human beings.

The End

That “grace” is the first noun in the sentence from Revelation that closes the Bible speaks volumes. Grace is pure generosity – not reward. There are rewards in this life, but grace does not fall into that category. Jesus treats us better than our history deserves.

The generosity of God flows abundantly through “the Lord” – which, of course, speaks of the ultimate authority figure. “Jesus” is just that: an authority figure. A master, not a mascot. Like a lifeguard, He comes to us in our peril…to save us. Of course, a lifeguard is to be obeyed.

The grace of the Lord Jesus truly flows to “all” – not some. And as the phrase “be with” implies, it is ever present. We just have to know how to access that grace. That’s what reading the middle of the book is all about, because it tells of how different people in different circumstances have accessed the grace of the Lord…and turned out the better for it. Jesus puts a face on God. And it’s the face of a lifeguard.

Is there any other single word better to end the Bible with than “Amen”? The word literally means “Truly.” Thus Jesus would frequently precede His statements with “Amen, I say to you…” The Bible tells His story…truly.

The Encapsulation

The Bible begins with where we came from and ends with where we’re going. We use the history in the middle to make history our own – maximizing His involvement.

Now open your Bible. Read the first verse. Now read the last. Do you see how fitting those verses are for the Bible’s beginning and end?

10/13/25