The Key Of David Series

The Key

The Seven Churches of Revelation Series

CCCAG, September 29th, 2024

Scripture: Revelation 3:7-13

Introduction

Today we are going to be studying the Church at Philadelphia.

We know the name Philadelphia as we have a major city in Pennsylvania with the same name.

What nickname is the city of Philadelphia known for?

The city of brotherly love.

That is the exact Greek meaning of that word. We’ve been blessed to belong to such a church, and that is what this church in Revelation chapter 3 was known as- the loving church.

The church in Philadelphia was unique among these 7 churches as it’s the only one of these 7 churches that doesn’t have a rebuke against it.

Jesus has only praise for this church, and uses this letter to help further their spiritual understanding of HIM and what HE has to offer them as they continue to perform the mission they have been given for that place and for that time.

There is also something for us to learn here, particularly for the time that we are living in today, and what we could be facing in the future.

Let’s read the scripture for this morning

Scripture

Rev 3:7-13 “Write to the angel of the church in Philadelphia: Thus says the Holy One, the true one, the one who has the key of David, who opens and no one will close, and who closes and no one opens: (8) I know your works. Look, I have placed before you an open door that no one can close because you have but little power; yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. (9) Note this: I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying?—?I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you.

(10) Because you have kept my command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth. (11) I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one takes your crown. (12) “The one who conquers I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never go out again. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God?—?the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God?—?and my new name. (13) “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

Prayer

We see several things in this description of the church of Philadelphia that can apply to our church, and to us who are living in this chaotic time.

We are going to begin by focusing this morning on a phrase that Jesus uses to describe HIMSELF.

That Phrase is-

I. The Key of David

This reference to the Key of David goes back almost 500 years from the time this scripture was written into the time of the divided Kingdom.

Remember after King Solomon died the united Kingdom of Israel that was founded under Saul and grew into an empire under David and Solomon, had a breakup.

Most of the 12 tribes aligned with Israel to the north and kept that name, while the Southern tribes stayed loyal to the House of David and formed the nation of Judah.

This reference Jesus used referring to the Key of David comes from a time in the Old Testament during King Hezekiah of Judah’s reign when the Assyrian army was surrounding Jerusalem after taking out the northern Kingdom.

The king sent out several officials to negotiate with the leader of the army, and one of them was named Eliakim who was the palace administrator.

Eliakim was faithful in his service to the King, and God tells the prophet Isaiah to tell Hezekiah this about him-

Isa 22:20-23 “On that day I will call for my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah. (21) I will clothe him with your robe and tie your sash around him. I will hand your authority over to him, and he will be like a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. (22) I will place the Key of the House of David on his shoulder; what he opens, no one can close; what he closes, no one can open. (23) I will drive him, like a peg, into a firm place. He will be a throne of honor for his father’s family.

We see several things in that scripture that open up the meaning behind this concept of “The Key of David”-

“The Key of David” wasn’t just a physical key.