What Does This Mean?

Question

In Revelation 3:7 we read; 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;

What is The Key Of David?

Answer 1

From Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament:
"He that hath the key of David (ho echôn tên klein Daueid). This epithet comes from Isa 22:22, where Eliakim as the chief steward of the royal household holds the keys of power. Christ as the Messiah (Re 5:5; 22:16) has exclusive power in heaven, on earth, and in Hades (Mt 16:19; 28:18; Ro 14:9; Php 2:9f.; Re 1:18). Christ has power to admit and exclude of his own will (Mt 25:10f.; Eph 1:22; Re 3:21; 19:11-16; 20:4; 22:16)."

Good question. I had never encountered it before.

Answer 2

In the passage to which Revelation 3:7 alludes, Isaiah 22:20-23, Eliakim is made master of the palace, a post roughly equivalent to prime minister. As the king's right-hand man, the master of the palace is given the "key of the House of David."
Keys symbolize authority, so bestowing the key to the House of David upon Eliakim is equivalent to giving him, as the king's duly appointed representative, authority over the kingdom.
Which alludes to the Messiah passages.
When Peter identifies Jesus as the Messiah,acknowledging his kingship. Christ then shows his kingly authority by bestowing on Peter something only the king could give--the keys of the kingdom of heaven--thus making Peter the messianic equivalent of Eliakim.

Answer 3

Keys represent authority. The key of David therefore means, the authority or rule of King David. It was prophesied that The Lord Jesus would establish his rule upon the throne of David,and so He shall. He truly was and is the King of the Jews, and His rule will be from the Holy city of New Jerusalem.

Answer 4

Jesus commended the Philadelphia congregation. (Read Revelation 3:7-13.) Philadelphia (now Alasehir) was the prosperous center of a wine-producing region in western Asia Minor. In fact, its chief deity was Dionysus, the god of wine. Evidently, Jews in Philadelphia unsuccessfully tried to persuade Jewish Christians there to retain certain practices of the Mosaic Law or to return to them.

13 Christ “has the key of David,” and he has thus been entrusted with all Kingdom interests and the administration of the household of faith. (Isaiah 22:22; Luke 1:32) Jesus used that key to open up Kingdom opportunities and privileges to Christians in ancient Philadelphia and elsewhere. Since 1919 he has set before “the faithful steward” “a large door” that leads to Kingdom preaching that no opposer can shut. (1 Corinthians 16:9; Colossians 4:2-4) Of course, the door to Kingdom privileges has been shut to those of “the synagogue of Satan,” for they are not spiritual Israelites.

14 Jesus gave Christians in ancient Philadelphia this promise: “Because you kept the word about my endurance, I will also keep you from the hour of test, which is to come upon the whole inhabited earth.” Preaching calls for the kind of endurance that Jesus displayed. He never gave in to the enemy but kept on doing his Father’s will. Therefore, Christ was resurrected to immortal heavenly life. If we hold fast to our decision to worship Jehovah and we support the Kingdom by preaching the good news, we will be kept from falling during the present period of testing, “the hour of test.” We will ‘keep on holding fast what we have’ from Christ by striving to increase those Kingdom interests. Doing this will result in a priceless heavenly crown for anointed ones and everlasting earthly life for their loyal companions.

15 Christ adds: “The one that conquers—I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, . . . and I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which descends out of heaven from my God, and that new name of mine.” Anointed overseers must uphold true worship. They must stay in line for membership in “the new Jerusalem” by preaching about God’s Kingdom and keeping spiritually clean. This is necessary if they want to be pillars in the glorified heavenly temple and if they are to bear the name of God’s city as its heavenly citizens and share the name of Christ as his bride. And, of course, they must have ears that “hear what the spirit says to the congregations.”

Answer 5

It fits into the Lock of Bathsheba