Born a Child and Yet a KingSample

Day 5: Open and Shut

Old Testament prophecy, though it was spoken in its current time and place and applied to people and events within that time and place, also often foreshadowed a future time and place. So when the prophet Isaiah spoke of an emerging leader to whom God was giving “the key of the house of David,” there was more to this announcement than a name change on the letterhead. Isaiah was giving a real-life preview of another Leader who was yet to come and would also be given a particular set of keys.

A Leader who, in fact, would be the Key to God’s promised kingdom:

O come, Thou Key of David, come.

Keys lock and unlock; they let us into things. They are symbols of authority, representing one person’s right to enter a place that others cannot open. They are likewise symbols of access, enabling the bearer to maneuver among and handle whatever possessions lie inside.

What, then, does this mean for you that Christ is the Key to the kingdom?

It means that if you’ve repented of your sins and believed on the name of Jesus, He has answered the caroler’s prayer to

open wide [your] heavenly home.

In other words, Heaven is yours, and no one can shut what He opens. You can’t be blocked out, canceled out, thrown out, or forgotten about. Though you’ve done nothing to deserve entrance there, He who alone is the Key to heaven has thrown its doors wide open for you.

This access is not just for the future. Even as you journey through this world, the Key who can access every spiritual blessing, all wisdom, all knowledge, and all victory will

make safe the way that leads on high.

For example, anytime you’re not grasping what the Scripture means, He is your Key to understanding. When you don’t

know if you can hold out much longer in a difficult circumstance, He grants you access to the Father’s throne room, where you can “receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16) and tap into royal stores that provide “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).

But even this is not the sum total of His benefits to you. For not only does Christ “set before you an open door” into heaven (Rev. 3:8) and open the door to help on earth; He Himself also owns the “keys of Death and Hades” (Rev. 1:18), meaning He is fully authorized to bring down the curtain on Satan’s failed mission of deception and destruction

and close the path to misery.

For you. Forever.

And what He shuts, no one can open.

Everything you enjoy in life and sustains you comes from the Key, which unlocks the vast treasuries of heaven into your life.

Prayer

Lord, You know how often I feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of navigating my way through the challenges I face in life. Thank You for reminding me today that all authority is in Your hand, all bases are covered, and all provision is made from here all the way to eternity. Because You hold the key—because You are the Key—I can never be shut out of Your kingdom.

Keep Reading

Psalm 132:11–18

“I will make a horn to sprout for David.” (v. 17)

Isaiah 43:16–21

“I will make a way in the wilderness.” (v. 19)

Revelation 3:7–13

“I have set before you an open door.” (v. 8)

Consider

How does knowing that your Lord holds the key to everything you need change how you look at your everyday life? How does it affect how you approach your observance of Advent and Christmas?