Thus says the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts;
I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.
Read Chapter 44
Ambrose of Milan
AD 397
I have not read of, or heard of or found any varying degree in God. Never have I read of a second, never of a third God. I have read of a first God; I have heard of a first and only God. - "On the Christian Faith 5.9.116"
For God is one and only and first. But this is not said to the denial of the Son; perish the thought. For he is in that One and First and Only, as being of that One and Only and First the only Word and Wisdom and Radiance. And he too is the First, as the fullness of the godhead of the First and Only, being whole and full God. - "Discourse Against the Arians 3.23"
If we count, we do not add, increasing from one to many. We do not say, “one, two, three,” or “first, second, and third.” God says, “I am the first, and I am the last.” We have never to this present day heard of two gods.… How does one and one not equal two gods? Because we speak of the emperor and the emperor’s image—but not two emperors.… The image of the emperor is an image by imitation, but the Son is a natural image. - "On the Holy Spirit 18.45"
“I am the first, and hereafter am I, and no God was before me, and no God shall be after me.” For knowing more perfectly than all others the mystery of the religion of the gospel, this great prophet foretold even that marvelous sign concerning the virgin, and gave us the good tidings of the birth of the Child and clearly pointed out to us that name of the Son. He, in a word, by the Spirit includes in himself all the truth, in order that the characteristic of the divine nature, whereby we discern that which really is from that which came into being, might be made as plain as possible to all. [Isaiah] utters this saying in the person of God: “I am the first, and hereafter am I, and before me no God has been, and after me is none.” - "Against Eunomius 5.1"
