He Holds The Keys

Isaiah 22:20-22  And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:  And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.  And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

BACKGROUND:  Assyria had invaded Judah as Isaiah had warned, but the Jewish leaders were trusting in Egypt to deliver the nation. One of the treacherous leaders was a man named Shebna, who had used his office for his own private gain. God said that he would be removed and a faithful man named Eliakim put in his place, who would be given the keys of authority to administer the kingdom on behalf of King Hezekiah.

·    The Hebrew word translated “key” comes from a root which means “to open, loose or free”

·    The Greek word translated “key” comes from a root which means “to shut up, to obstruct, to cause to withhold”

·    Since the keeper of the keys has the power to open and shut, keys denote power and authority in the Bible

Revelation 3:7-8  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;  I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

GOD GIVES HIS CHURCH SOME KEYS

1.     KEY OF KNOWLEDGE  –  authority of the Word

·    Luke 11:52  Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

·    The “key of knowledge” is the Scriptures, which the scribes reserved exclusively for themselves. Jesus compared spiritual knowledge to a “temple’ into which they should have led the people, but whose gate they closed and locked.

·    Mark 1:22  And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

·    Jesus used the key of knowledge to reveal Himself; this is the sole purpose of spiritual authority or knowledge today!

2.     KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN  –  authority of Salvation

·    Matthew 16:19  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

·    Jesus speaks here to Peter alone.  Later, He gives the power to “bind and loose” to all His disciples (Matthew 18:18-20).  This refers to the power to receive answers in prayer.

·    Matthew 18:18-20  Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

·    These “keys” were given to Peter alone.  When did Peter ever open something with these keys?  (“keys” is plural!)

·    Peter opened the way of salvation to the Jews in the first sermon of the NT church – Acts 2:38.  He was instrumental in helping the Samaritans receive the Holy Ghost – Acts 8:14-17.  Finally, he was the first to preach the gospel to the Gentiles – Acts 10:44-48.  He used the same “three keys” to open the door of salvation in all three cases! Now that the door is open, the church can use the keys!

·    Peter, we found your keys … and you left the door open!

BUT GOD RESERVES SOME KEYS FOR HIMSELF

1.     KEY OF THE BOTTOMLESS PIT  –  authority over the Devil

·    Revelation 9:1  And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

·    This key mentioned twice; the first time given to Satan, the second time to an unknown angel. Satan has to be given the key to loose his own army from this place of punishment for his demons (in Luke 8:31, they begged not to be sent there) – in other words, this plague can’t happen until God allows it!

·    Revelation 20:1  And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

·    An unknown angel (of lesser rank!) is given the key to bind Satan for 1000 years.  Satan is not bound today (1 Peter 5:8), but he can only do what he is allowed by God (Job 1:12). He’s like a dog on a leash!

2.     KEYS OF HELL AND OF DEATH  –  authority over Death

·    Revelation 1:18  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

·    Jesus has absolute power over physical death and spiritual death.  When He said to the thief on the cross, “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43), He was speaking of the abode of the dead.  It had been under the control of Satan since the Garden of Eden (Job 3:17-19). Jesus went through death into the grave, but He came out with keys to both!

·    Psalm 68:18 – JEHOVAH:  Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.  Ephesians 4:8 – JESUS:  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

·    Ezekiel 37:13  And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,

·    Ask Lazarus who Jehovah is!  Ask the son of the widow of Nain!  Ask the daughter of Jairus!  JESUS IS JEHOVAH!

3.     KEY OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID  –  authority over Circumstances

·    Isaiah 22:20-22  And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:  And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.  And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

·    Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

·    Eliakim is a type of Jesus, who said Himself He holds the key of David!

·    Revelation 3:7  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

·    People sought after Jesus because they knew He held the key to their circumstances!

Matthew 9:27 … two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.

Matthew 15:22 … a woman of Canaan … cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

Mark 10:47 … when [Bartimaeus] heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

Matthew 21:9 … the multitudes … cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

·    HOSANNA – “SAVE NOW!”   (Palm Sunday)

·    Jesus had opened a door for the church in Philadelphia that could not be shut because: (1) they had a little strength,  (2) they had kept His word,  (3) they had not denied His name

·    Revelation 3:8  I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

·    He will “unlock” our circumstances if we do the same as those in Philadelphia: (1) use what strength we have, (2) keep the commandments of God’s Word, (3) pray in the name of Jesus!

JESUS HAS THE KEY TO EVERY SITUATION; HE CAN UNLOCK ANY DOOR!