And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, “These things says He who is holy, He who is true,
He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens.”
Revelation 3:7
Titles are descriptive and informative, but too many are cumbersome. If a formal introduction of Elizabeth Windsor was given, she’d be presented as: “Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Queen, Defender of the Faith, Duchess of Edinburgh, Countess of Merioneth, Baroness of Greenwich etc. etc.” Actually, the Queen has several hundred titles; if all the titles were given, it would fill several pages. Normally, however, only about a half dozen titles are given at any occasion, and those are chosen as being the most appropriate for the audience.
When the Lord addressed the small, suffering church at Philadelphia, He used the titles that communicated that He had power to meet their needs. The believers there were having their outreach shut down by persecution and the opposition seemed to completely hem them in. The odds against them were so overwhelming, it was like sending a young boy to fight against a giant.
Oh, wait a minute, I just remembered David and Goliath, and that’s what Jesus wanted the church of Philadelphia to remember, too. Christ is He Who Has the Key of David, and He can open the prison cell that believers are put in. The Lord of lords has the power to open any locked door and the power to intimidate a host of bullies.
David grew up the youngest in a large, poor family, but God chose him, used him, and gave him unimaginable victory. That’s important to remember at a time of great stress or opposition. Jesus is not only the Lamb of God, Christ is He Who Has the Key of David.
March 17
