The "First and the Last" dilemma explores the ontological conflict between Islamic tawhid and the specific titles attributed to Allah in the Quran when compared to the established identity of Yahweh and Jesus Christ in the Bible.
Premise 1:
The Bible identifies "The First and the Last" as a unique, non-transferable title belonging exclusively to the eternal God (Yahweh) and, subsequently, to Jesus Christ in His glorified state.
Isaiah 44:6:
"Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: 'I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.'"Isaiah 48:12:
"Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last."Revelation 1:17-18:
"When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, 'Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore...'"Revelation 22:13:
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."
Premise 2:
The Quran claims "The First and the Last" is a title of Allah, yet the Quranic narrative denies the deity of the One who holds that title in the New Testament (Jesus).
Surah 57:3:
"He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate, and He is, of all things, Knowing."
If Allah is "The First and the Last" (as the Quran claims), then the Quran is effectively plagiarizing the unique descriptors of the very Being it seeks to demote to a human prophet.
Conclusion:
Therefore, Islam faces a "First and Last" dilemma: it must either admit the Quran uses a title it cannot substantiate within its own theology, or it must concede that the Bible’s identification of Jesus as "The First and the Last" proves His deity, which the Quran explicitly rejects.
If the Quran is right, the Bible is blasphemous for giving the title to Jesus. Yet the Quran confirms the Bible as seen in the Islamic Dilemma.
If the Bible is right, the Quran is a late-stage imitation that fails to understand the identity of the One who holds the title.