Revelation 3:7-13  This letter is addressed to the church in Philadelphia.  The message comes from "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.. "  

Jesus, the son of David,  legally inherited this "key".  2 Samuel 7:8-16 is the record of God's promise to David... "And your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever."  Jesus is the fulfillment of this promise.  He has all authority over His kingdom. The "key" belongs to Him alone. 

 There are several mentions of this "key" throughout Scripture.:

Isaiah 22:22 says, "Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder, when He opens no one will shut, when He shuts no one will open."

 Matthew 16:19 Jesus says, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."  

In Revelation 1:18 Jesus said, " I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades." 

Revelation 9:1 "And the fifth angel sounded and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him."  Out of this pit came the deadly locusts, led by the "angel of the abyss.. Abaddon".  

Revelation 20:1 "And I saw and angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. and he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years... " 

Jesus determines who enters His kingdom and who does not.  Here, He tells the church that He is unlocking the door and no one can shut it.  They will have victory because He knows their deeds.. "You have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name."  Oh the great promises that Jesus gives to the church who keeps His word and does not deny His Name.. 

He will humble their enemies. v9

He will "keep [them] from the hour of testing. v10

When He comes He will give them a crown. v11

He will make them a "pillar in the temple of My God.. I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God and My new name." v12

Father in heaven, thank You for the promises of the Kingdom that will never end.. that we who overcome by the power of Your grace that works in us.. will be a part of that Kingdom forevermore.  Keep us, Lord, abiding in Your Word, trusting You and obeying all that You have revealed to us.. that we might persevere through every trial and be victorious through Jesus Christ our Mighty King.  Lord, open doors that we might be messengers of this good news wherever we go. Thank You that all authority belongs to Jesus Christ alone! Praise to God our Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, three in One.. Amen.