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Index
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Index
The Keys
I will place the keys of David's palace on his shoulders;
and what he unlocks none may shut,
and what he locks none may open.
Isaiah 22:22 (Tanakh)
The owner of the keys is Jesus.
Consider:
[20] On that day I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah, [21] and will clothe him with your robe and bind your sash on him. I will commit your authority to his hand, and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. [22] I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open. [23] I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his ancestral house. [24] And they will hang on him the whole weight of his ancestral house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons. [25] On that day, says the LORD of hosts, the peg that was fastened in a secure place will give way; it will be cut down and fall, and the load that was on it will perish, for the LORD has spoken. (Isaiah 22:20-25 NRSV)
And:
[12] Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:12 NRSV)
And:
[7] "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are 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 NRSV)
Now comes the play on words!
Consider:
[69] He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (Luke 1:69 NIV)
[20] On that day I will call my servant Eliakim [God will raise] son of Hilkiah [God's portion], [21] and will clothe him with your robe and bind your sash on him. I will commit your authority to his hand, and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. [22] I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open.. [23] I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his ancestral house. [24] And they will hang on him the whole weight of his ancestral house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons. [25] On that day, says the LORD of hosts, the peg that was fastened in a secure place will give way; it will be cut down and fall, and the load that was on it will perish, for the LORD has spoken. (Isaiah 22:20-25 NRSV)
[12] Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:12 NRSV)
[7] "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are 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 NRSV)
Who owns the keys to the Kingdom? It is unquestionably Jesus, handed to Him by His Father, the ultimate owner of all things.
Since the Keys belong to Jesus, entrusted to Him by His Father, He is able to pass them out to other people who will then use them in His service. For example, Jesus hands Peter the Keys of the Kingdom in order to build His Church:
[13] When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
[14] They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
[15] "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" [16] Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
[17] Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. [18] And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. [19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:13-19 NIV)
Ownership of a bunch of keys is important, but is not sufficient in itself. Ownership goes far beyond mere possession, for it is necessary to understand each of the keys, its context, and its application.
And it is here that Jesus excels, for He fully understands each of the keys of the Kingdom.
These keys have no existential existence here on Earth, for they exist only at the Spiritual Level.
Because these keys exist only at the Spiritual Level, they find their application in the abstract Covenant. Furthermore, because the abstract Covenant is stored safely in the Ark in God's Temple, it cannot be attacked either by the lord Satan or by mankind. Truth and integrity are maintained!
The importance of the Keys cannot be overstated. For instance, an understanding of the Mosaic Contract is the key to understanding Jesus' words:
[46] “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. [47] But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?" (John 5:46-47 NRSV)
This key is not merely important, for Jesus' words indicate that a knowledge and understanding of the Covenant given at the time of Moses13C amounted to a sine qua non with regard to understanding His own words. Because this key has been disregarded, the Covenant has been misrepresented and defiled, guiding people into eventual Death on the Day of Judgement. The House of Desolation, and Paul et al, are all guilty.
So, why do Paul and the unknown writer to the Hebrews disregard a key which will keep people safely on the right track? And why do the new-covenant church follow Paul and the unknown writer to the Hebrews in their headlong rush to mass self-destruction?
This quest for mass self-destruction is not a symptom, in the medically accepted usage of the term, but a sign. It confirms their:
The reality is that the new-covenant church is every bit as bankrupt and desolate as the House of Desolation! More so, since they attribute their sin to the authority, guidance, and power of the Lord Spirit.
Fear of the Lord is the key to:
28 He said to man,
“See! Fear of the Lord is wisdom;
To shun evil is understanding.” (Job 28:28 (Tanakh))
10 The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD;
all who practice it gain sound understanding.
Praise of Him is everlasting. (Psalms 111:10 (Tanakh))
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and discipline. (Proverbs 1:7 (Tanakh))
10 The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD;
all who practice it gain sound understanding.
Praise of Him is everlasting. (Psalms 111:10 (Tanakh))
The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high;
he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.
6 He will be the sure foundation for your times,
a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. (Isaiah 33:5-6 NIV)
The LORD is exalted,
He dwells on high!
Of old He filled Zion
With justice and righteousness.
6 Faithfulness to Your charge was her wealth,
Wisdom and devotion her triumph,
Reverence for the LORD—that was her treasure. (Isaiah 33:5-6 (Tanakh))
Fear of the Lord is a key which unlocks Zion's treasure!
[14] The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him, And He will make them know His covenant. (Psalm 25:14 NASB)
[7] The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. [8] Their hair was like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. [9] They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. [10] They had tails and stings like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. [11] They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon. (Revelation 9:7-11 NIV)
[1] And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. [2] He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. [3] He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. (Revelation 20:1-3 NIV)
20 But whence does wisdom come?
Where is the source of understanding?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of all living,
concealed from the fowl of heaven.
22 Abaddon and Death say,
“We have only a report of it.”
23 God understands the way to it;
He knows its source; (Job 28:20-23 (Tanakh))
"Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering." (Luke 11:52 NIV)
If fear is the key to the beginning of knowledge, then where does one's education begin?
Our education commences with the Mosaic Covenant, at a level matched to our capacity:
Begin your studies here with the Mosaic Contract.
The Mosaic Contract will explain such things as:
The experts in the law had taken away the key to knowledge by their defilement of the Covenant, and the replacement of the Law by their own evil traditions. John the Baptist had tried to encourage the Jews to return to the knowledge and understanding of the Covenant which Moses had had: in this way he was preparing the ground for Jesus. Jesus, too, tried to get the Covenant back on track so that people might understand what He was saying.
But the House of Desolation would not listen.
And then along came Paul and the unknown writer to the Hebrews, defiling the Covenant and attributing their wrongdoing to the Lord Spirit...
[Dissertation: The Mosaic Covenant is the rock on which the Messianically Amended Covenant is built.]
The Keys of the Kingdom were given to Peter:
[13] When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” [14] They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” [15] “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” [16] Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” [17] Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. [18] And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. [19] I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:13-19 NIV)
[67] Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:
[68] "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
[69] He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David (Luke 1:67-69 NRSV)
[20] On that day I will call my servant Eliakim(God will raise) son of Hilkiah (God's portion), [21] and will clothe him with your robe and bind your sash on him. I will commit your authority to his hand, and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. [22] I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open. [23] I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his ancestral house. [24] And they will hang on him the whole weight of his ancestral house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons. [25] On that day, says the LORD of hosts, the peg that was fastened in a secure place will give way; it will be cut down and fall, and the load that was on it will perish†, for the LORD has spoken. (Isaiah 22:20-25 NRSV)
Luke 13:34-35 NIV [34] "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! [35] Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" (Luke 13:34-35 NIV)
[Assignment:The House of Desolation will perish. Discuss.]
"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” (Revelation 3:7 NIV)
Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep ... 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.” (John 10:7,9 NIV)
Jesus is a 'security gate', controlling who can be saved and therefore able to go in and out.
'Go in and out...' - but what does that mean? It seems so vague and airy-fairy!
'Will be saved' (Jn 10:9) is a direct reference to the Day of Judgement and entry into the New Jerusalem.
Nevertheless, following the destruction of David's Tent, Zion can still be accessed and enjoyed at the Spiritual Level:
[3] While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him [4] and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, 'Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of people and animals in it. [5] And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the Lord, 'and I will be its glory within.' (Zechariah 2:3-5 NIV)
The [all-consuming†] Wall of Fire is the Lord Spirit. But it is Jesus who will permit or deny entry.
[† 1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 O mortal, set your face toward Teman, and proclaim to Darom, and prophesy against the brushland of the Negeb. 3 Say to the brushland of the Negeb: Hear the word of the LORD. Thus said the Lord GOD: I am going to kindle a fire in you, which shall devour every tree of yours, both green and withered. Its leaping flame shall not go out, and every face from south to north shall be scorched by it. 4 Then all flesh shall recognize that I the LORD have kindled it; it shall not go out. 5 And I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! They say of me: He is just a riddlemonger.” (Ezekiel 21:1-5 (Tanakh))]
[1] "Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. [2] The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. [3] The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [4] When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. [5] They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers." [6] Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
[7] So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. [8] All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. [9] I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. [10] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:1-10 NRSV)
Entry to the Sheepfold is restricted! Entry is by invitation and permission only. However, although everyone is invited, only those who do the will of the Father will be granted entry.
The open-invitation is extended to Israel:
[23] Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? ... [30] "Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. [31] Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? [32] For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live! (Ezekiel 18:23,30-32 NIV)
Although God's words are addressed to Israel, they are extended to all mankind, to those who commit to the Covenant:
3 Let not the foreigner say,
Who has attached himself to the LORD,
“The LORD will keep me apart from His people”;
And let not the eunuch say,
“I am a withered tree.” (Isaiah 56:3 (Tanakh))
6 As for the foreigners
Who attach themselves to the LORD,
To minister to Him,
And to love the name of the LORD,
To be His servants—
All who keep the sabbath and do not profane it,
And who hold fast to My covenant—
7 I will bring them to My sacred mount~
And let them rejoice in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
Shall be welcome on My altar;
For My House shall be called
A house of prayer for all peoples.” (Isaiah 56:6-7 (Tanakh))
Although everyone is invited, it is strictly on the Lord's terms. As for those who reject the Lord's terms, which are to be found in the Covenant, their guilt will be on their own shoulders:
[21] "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' [23] Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'” (Matthew 7:21-23 NIV)
[Assignment:Discuss the implications regarding Paul's annulment of the Covenant and his new-covenant doctrine.]
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” (Revelation 1:17-18 NIV)
Fine sounding words, but what do they amount to!?
Perhaps the key is to be found in Jesus' words to the unbelieving Jews:
[46] If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. [47] But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?" (John 5:46-47 NIV)
'To believe Moses' implies commitment to the Mosaic Covenant. 'Believing what Jesus says' then implies commitment to the Messianic Amendment. The Messianically Amended Covenant is therefore the current reference, the plumb-line, against which conduct and behaviour will be evaluated. Non-compliance will result in one's name being entered in the Books of Record; then, if one's name is not to be found in the Book of Life, one will assuredly be well on the way to Hell.
The Lord Jesus, though holding all the keys, entrusts the Key to the Abyss to an angel (Rev. 20:1-3).
The fear of the Lord is the key which unlocks Zion's treasure, some of which is mentioned here:
The LORD is exalted,
He dwells on high!
Of old He filled Zion
With justice and righteousness.
6 Faithfulness to Your charge was her wealth,
Wisdom and devotion her triumph,
Reverence for the LORD—that was her treasure. (Isaiah 33:5-6 (Tanakh))
The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high;
he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.
6 He will be the sure foundation for your times,
a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. (Isaiah 33:5-6 NIV)
Yet it can be seen, from the passages above, how fear of the Lord links Zion with:
And an abundance, to boot!
God's love for Zion is as undimmed today as it has ever been. He gives this assurance:
Then the angel who talked with me said to me: “Proclaim! Thus said the LORD of Hosts: I am very jealous for Jerusalem—for Zion—15 and I am very angry with those nations that are at ease; for I was only angry a little, but they overdid the punishment. 16 Assuredly, thus said the LORD: I graciously return to Jerusalem. My House shall be built in her—declares the LORD of Hosts—the measuring line is being applied to Jerusalem. 17 Proclaim further: Thus said the LORD of Hosts: My towns shall yet overflow with bounty. For the LORD will again comfort Zion; He will choose Jerusalem again.” (Zechariah 1:14-17 (Tanakh))
The key to evaluating the Two Great Commandments is an understanding of their abstract nature.
[46] If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.
[47] But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?" (John 5:46-47 NRSV)
The knowledge and understanding of the Covenant given through Moses13C is the key to understanding Jesus' words and the Messianic Amendment. It is a sine qua non for understanding the Messianic Amendment.
The Covenant is dynamic. So it is important to keep up-to-date and committed to the current version. Be ready for the rebuilding of David's fallen Tent, and the changes which will follow.
Jesus freely hands out the keys to the Messianic Amendment to the Covenant. They are:
Contrary to all that Paul and the unknown writer to the Hebrews say about the Covenant, Jesus confirms the truth about all that Moses wrote. Jesus exposes the words of Paul and the unknown writer to the Hebrews for the lies they are.
[Essay: Without an explicit statement of accountability, there can be no position of authority.]
The Key to Guidance is to be found in the Covenant and the Covenant Model.
[Dissertation: Guidance: the current Covenant xor† Pauline new-covenant doctrine?]
[† Exclusive 'or'.]
The Keys are important in themselves, for they are truths we need to understand. They also play an important part in guidance. Not least because they encourage enquiry.
Consider:
[1] Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. [2] He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, [3] and threw him into the pit, and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be let out for a little while. (Revelation 20:1-3 NRSV)
Do these verses in Revelation 20:1-3 have any meaning or use? Do they direct or suggest enquiry?
What with David's fallen Tent and the direction in which the world is heading, they strike forcibly with the ring of truth. Not only are we witnesses to the evil, but we have also played our part in it.
The '[angel] threw him [the ancient Serpent] into the pit, and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would deceive the nations no more', corresponds to the period of David's Rebuilt Tent.
'After that he must be let out for a little while' corresponds to the time when evil will ramp up to such a level that the Priests in the Order of Melchizedek will be killed - to the delight of the nations! This, in turn, speaks of Revelation chapter 11, in which we find details of the deaths of the Two Witnesses, and the accompanying world festivities.
'a little while' suggests that there will be an ending of all evil. We are pointed in the direction of Jesus' warning regarding the ending of the Age:
[21] For at that time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. [22] And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. (Matthew 24:21-22 NRSV)
But there is more!
It is important to study Matthew 24 and the level of evil which is to come. The level of evil will be beyond anything we can imagine today!
A look at the exponential descent into evil will certainly provide food for thought:
Exponential descent into evil.
So, we must try to put ourselves in the position of those struggling to survive. And then we can discuss with the Lord how we can work together towards providing an unassailable base which will help our - as yet unseen - neighbours survive the onslaught.
[Dissertation: Zion's Key.]
Version: 2024-12-12