Introducing the Lord Jesus Part 5

REVELATION Number 37
Introducing the Lord Jesus
Part 5

The Lord Jesus introduces Himself to the church at Philadelphia in Revelation 3:7 this way, “He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens” (NASB 2020).

He who is holy is the holy one spoken of in Isaiah 54:5 “For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the LORD of armies; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth.” (NASB 2020) The Prophet Hosea refers to Him in this way as well. In Hosea 11:12 we find a picture of rebellious tribes. We’re told that their rebellion is, “against the Holy One who is faithful” (NASB 2020). We will see more about His faithfulness in the letter to the Laodicean church.

Isaiah also contains a prophecy about the destruction of Babylon. Like many prophecies, there is a near-term fulfillment and a long-term fulfillment. As we continue studying The Revelation, we will hear a great deal about Babylon, including it’s final downfall. In Isaiah 43:15 the Lord says of Himself, “I am the LORD, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King.” (NASB 2020)

Next, He reminds the Church that He is True. He proclaimed this while on earth. In John 14:6 He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” (NASB 2020) We might also be reminded of John 1:1 where we’re told that the Word was in the beginning, the Word was with God and the Word was God. Elsewhere we read in John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” (NASB 2020) This echoes Psalm 119:160 “The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments is everlasting.” (NASB 2020)

In the Lord Jesus the fullness of the deity lives bodily (Colossians 2:9). The Lord Jesus is the Word of God, He is the Good News, the Gospel, as Paul points out in Colossians 1:5 where he calls the Gospel the word of Truth. The Lord Jesus is the Message and the Messenger of God. And He is the Truth, the Holy One. It is He who speaks to the Church and to Him we gladly listen because His words are Life.

The Lord reminds us here that He has the keys of David, that what He opens no one will shut, and what He shuts no one opens. Jesus was born in the line of David as the very first verse of Matthew points out saying, “The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham” Matthew 1:1 (NASB 2020).

Isaiah 22:22 is the source of this language about the key of David. It reads, “Then I will put the key of the house of David on his shoulder; When he opens, no one will shut, When he shuts, no one will open.” (NASB 2020) In his excellent commentary, G. K. Beale writes, “The point of the quotation is that Jesus holds the power over salvation and judgment. In [Revelation]1:18 [“…I have the keys of death and of Hades”] the stress is on his sovereignty over death and judgment, while [here] in [Revelation]3:7 the emphasis is on his authority over those entering the kingdom.” [Bracketed text inserted for clarity.]

As for the keys of death and Hades, in Isaiah 25:8–9 the Lord said, “He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken. And it will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let’s rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” (NASB 2020)

The Lord Jesus holds the keys of death, Hades, and the throne of David. He is the One who conquered death. He is the One who triumphs over evil. He is the great King of whom it is said in Daniel 7:27 “Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the empires will serve and obey Him.” (NASB 2020)

We serve a great and glorious Lord.
The righteous judge.
The King of kings.
The Lord of lords.

He came to earth as a helpless infant clothed in flesh.
He was given over to death as the spotless Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world.
He rose as the mighty Holy One clothed in white, conquering death, triumphing over evil, and giving Life to all who will trust Him.