Christ and the Key of David (F.E. Marsh)

The following is adapted from the notes of F.E. Marsh, available at Blue Letter Bible.

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.”
(Revelation 3:7)

What is the Key of David?

The “Key of David” represents power, authority, and office in at least four areas.

1. A person who has the key can unlock the door, and thus reveal what is in the room.

Christ has power to show what sin has done. Sin is like Ehud slaying Eglon, king of Moab. After Ehud had slain the king, he shut the door and escaped (Judges3:23). Sin has slain us, and apart from His saving grace we are dead in trespasses and sins. Christ reveals this through His Gospel.

2. Christ is the Revealer of the Father.

He had to say to the lawyers when here on earth, “you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.” (Luke 11:52). But it was not, and is not so with Christ. He was faithful in speaking out the Father’s words, and instead of hindering, He has laid down His life for us, and opened up a new and living way into the Father’s presence.

3. A person who has the key has the power to admit into the house or to let out.

Christ says, ” I have the keys of Hades (hell) and of Death.” (Rev. 1:18). Satan seems to have had the keys before Christ died. We have a picture given to us of the state of things in Luke 11:21, 22. Satan had the keys—the authority over the unseen world—before Christ came, but Christ was manifest to destroy the works of the devil.

4. A person who has the key of the house has authority over the house, and hence a right to enter into all the rooms.

Christ has authority over His Church, for we are all His house.