“And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” Isaiah 22:22
In the Bible we discover mentioned “gates” and “doors.” These are common words, which represent physical things, but which, in a spiritual context, carry with them great meaning, especially in regard to one’s worship and service to God. To begin to understand the spiritual application of gates and doors, let us look at what a gate or door is. First of all, we see that they are almost always located at a point of entrance, or passage, from one place to another. We know that, for the most part, those gates or doors can be opened or shut. They can also be destroyed or built. What is their purpose? When they are open, they allow the free and unhindered passage of those who enter or exit by them. We see that they are made of different materials for different purposes. If the gate or door only serves to mark out a limit whereby one may come and go, but not forcibly penetrate, that material does not need to be robust and strong, only substantial enough to allow the lawful entry by a law-abiding person. However, if that gate or door is located in a very thick and highly defensive wall, in order to keep an enemy from entering, or a prisoner from escaping, the material making up the gate must be very strong, and resilient to destruction or damage. So, we see, that a door or gate can serve both as a welcome passage way, or a means of protection, and defense against an enemy. How does this apply spiritually speaking?
In the book of Isaiah, the Lord speaks of a “key of the house of David.” (22:22) This key is very important, as it represents authority, but an authority that is given by God for the purpose of opening closed gates or doors. In this particular passage, this key is laid upon the shoulder of a priest named Eliakim, chosen by God to be His servant. When that “key” of God-given authority was committed to Eliakim, there was a promise associated with it: “….he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” The Lord would give to Eliakim His authority to open doors, or gates, ways of passage to accomplish the will of God, in spite of opposition, or human limitations.
In the book of Revelation, we find the Lord addressing the church in Philadelphia by saying: “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.” (3:7) He goes on to say, “I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” (v.8) We come from seeing a key, the key of David, representing the authority of God, designated specifically for the opening of doors, to the doors themselves. What is this door, or doors? Paul would write the Colossian believers, asking them for prayer: “…withal praying for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ.” (4:3) He wrote to the Corinthian believers the following: “…for a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” (1 Cor. 16:9) Physical doors have now become spiritual doors, doors of opportunity, however, the context is that of work and warfare in the proclamation of the Gospel.
When we come in the Old Testament to the personage of Cyrus the Great, we find that God gave him wonderful promises concerning His authority in opening gates, those points of physical and spiritual resistance to the advancement of God’s will being done on this earth. Isaiah speaks of God taking Cyrus by the hand, subduing the nations before him, loosing the loins of kings, the weakening of the enemy’s grip upon people and nations. God’s promise is to shatter defiant gates of brass.
Dear Father, Open Thy doors today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.