Revelation 3:7 records Jesus’ words to the church at Philadelphia, “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens.”’”  Jesus promised this key to the church in Matthew 16:19 when He said, “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed I heaven.”  The Key of David is a two-edged sword as revealed in 2 Samuel 7 verses 15 and 9.  The most familiar edge is outlined in verse 15, “But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.”  Mercy redeems our failures and represents the priestly savior.  Verse nine promises God’s intervention in our behalf to remove our enemies, “And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth.”

They Key of David is a two-edged sword.  Since the covenant of David contains the keys, David is our example of using the covenant in prayer to get the results David got.  Asking redemption for failure and justice when attacked by the wicked involves God in trials!  Isaiah 22 records this key in action in verses 20-22, “Then it shall be in that day, That I will call My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah; I will clothe him with your robe And strengthen him with your belt; I will commit your responsibility into his hand. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem And to the house of Judah. The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; So he shall open, and no one shall shut; And he shall shut, and no one shall open.”

Verses 17-19 give an example of using the key to close a door on the wicked.  The Amplified Bible makes the meaning clear as it states, “Behold, the LORD will hurl you away  violently, O you strong man: yes, He will take tight hold of you and He will surely cover you [with shame].  He will surely roll you up in a bundle and toss you like a ball into a large country; there you will die and there will be your splendid chariots, you disgrace to your master’s house!  And I will thrust you from your office, and from your station will you be pulled down.”

Praying covenant promises for salvation and provision is an application of the Key while another is praying promises of judgment for the wicked and deliverance from their evil actions.  Can we use the Key of David to pray justice on those in government whose policies bring destruction to the nation?  I believe we both can and should!

Jesus paid a great price to release the Key of David to the church.  Our willingness to use that Key by the Spirit’s application as we pray does two things.  It both honors His sacrifice and fulfills the promise of Luke 18:5-8, “…yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ Then the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?‘”

Jesus challenged us to this level of faith.  He wanted the church to demand justice from the ultimate Judge.  If God moves dramatically and performs Isaiah 22 in behalf of the church, then the fear of the Lord will increase and demonic power over the nation can be broken.  The Key of David brings justice even to the changing of corrupt leaders and replacing them with godly ones.  May God arise and His enemies be scattered!