“… I am the First and the Last.  I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.” Jesus said in Revelation 1:17-18

“Thus says the Lord, …
‘I am the First and I am the Last;
Besides Me there is no God.” Isaiah 44:6

Only God uses this term “I am the First and the Last”.  Jesus is the First and the Last. He is beyond death, for He holds the keys of death and Hades. He is ‘FROM everlasting,’ ‘TO everlasting;’ the same ‘today, and forever’, as He was ‘yesterday’. (“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” Hebrews 13:8). He is the Eternal One.

Jesus is beyond time – for He created time and is outside the dimension of time. Time comes into existence when the heavenly bodies were created –  by the way earthlings have a free trip around the sun in 31,536,000 seconds in every year (or 31,622,400 seconds in a leap year of 366 days). 

The Messiah is the great “I Am” – the giver of all life. His association with death is only transient and that for the purpose of overcoming death, and bringing life out of death. The risen Christ said “I am ALIVE for evermore, though I died once, yet I die no more, death has no more dominion over me, I LIVE forever!’  He showed Himself all that a sinner needs to give him boldness in his dealings with Him;  the Ever-Living One. He is with whom we have to deal, in these immense transactions of life and death.

The KEYS of Hades and Death – Jesus has power over soul and body – over those regions into which we pass when separated here on earth; and those who believe in Him shall come forth to resurrection-glory, to put on incorruption and strength and glory.!!! And He will yet bring forth His own in triumph.