Rev.3:7,8 – Write the following to the messenger of the congregation in Philadelphia, for these are the solemn words of the Holy One, the true one, who has David’s key, who opens doors that none can shut and who closes doors that none can open: I know all that you’ve done. Now I have set before you a wide-open door that none can shut.
Over the years many have looked to the church of Philadelphia as the awakened church near the end of the church age. This may or may not be accurate but this is describing a church that has discovered what David had discovered, we can enter into the glory of God that dwells in the house of God. David would worship the Lord as the priests offered their lambs of sacrifice at the Tabernacle of David. Today we have access into God’s presence through the precious blood of Jesus. This is the new and living way in which we live our lives. Here is how Barclay describes this word to the church in Philadelphia.
“We may first note that the key of David is the symbol of authority. Here is the picture of Jesus Christ as the one who has the final authority which no one can question.
Behind this, there is an Old Testament picture. Hezekiah had a faithful steward called Eliakim, who had authority over all his house and who alone could admit to the presence of the king. Isaiah heard God say of this faithful Eliakim: ‘I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open’. It is this picture which is in John’s mind. Jesus alone has authority to admit to the new Jerusalem, the new city of David. As the Te Deum (an ancient hymn) has it: ‘Thou didst open the kingdom of Heaven to all believers.’ He is the new and living way into the presence of God.”
What exactly is the key of David? It may be associated with what the Lord said about David, “he is a man after my own heart”. What made David this man after God’s own heart? David had found the true secret of blessedness, it was found in forgiveness that birthed a heart of worship in David. David had found forgiveness when he sinned against the Lord, the one thing he desperately did not want to lose was access into God’s presence. This access which leads to a life of worship is truly the key of David.
1 thought on “PHILADELPHIA – THE CHURCH OF THE OPEN DOOR”
Good our Father says “I chose you.” After 37 years of living for Christ, I still ask “why did you choose me?” I would not have chosen me. I stand in awe of His glory and grace. We have experienced an open door, same as Open Heavens, there at Victory. As we pursued the Presence of God with all our heart in prayer, with all our strengh in the harvest, and all our minds in the Word, God our Father opened
up to us the heavens and poured for us such blessing there was not room to hold it. He is opening those windows of heaven to us today.