THE CURRENT REIGN OF JESUS

" For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet." 
(1 Corinthians 15:25)

Devotion 18 of  25

OPENING THE HEART
       "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" (Rev 3:7). These are the words of Jesus to the faithful church in Philadelphia. It is one of the only two churches in Asia against which Jesus had no complaint. He told these brethren He was going to set before them "an open door," and no man was going to be able to "shut it" (verse 8). He would open this door with "the key of David," which was in His exclusive possession. This key was also used to open a great door, or opportunity, to Paul. He described the door as "effectual," even though they were "many adversaries" (1 Cor 16:9). That circumstance was owing to the One who opened, or unlocked, the door.

       "The key of David" speaks of Christ's sovereignty -- of His unquestionable rule from His throne. This is the promised throne of David, to which Jesus was raised following His resurrection. Peter put it this way. "Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in hell, neither His flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses" (Acts 2:30-32).

     The key of David can also be used to open men's hearts! Once, the Lord opened a woman's heart so she could respond to the glorious Gospel proclaimed to her. "And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshiped God, heard us: WHOSE HEART THE LORD OPENED, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul" (Acts 16:14). As always, Satan attempted to blind the mind of Lydia, but He could not do it! She had a genuine interest in the words she heard, and Jesus saw to it that nothing hindered her from comprehending and responding to the truth of the Gospel. 

OPENING THE DOOR OF FAITH
     For 1,500 years, the Gentile nations had been cut off from God. Appropriately, they were described as "without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world" (Eph 2:12, NKJV). How could people in such a hopeless condition come to have faith in God? These were the "heathen" God had pledged to give the Son for an "inheritance" (Psa 2:8). Nevertheless, they were dominated by the devil, enslaved to sin, and blinded in heart. How could they believe? Were latent powers within them that could be awakened by some form or self will or oratory?  If believing was difficult for the Jews, who had been cultured to do so by Moses and the prophets, what hope is there for the Gentiles?

     The "King of heaven" will open the door of faith to them. In spite of their addiction to idolatry and blindness to truth, they will be enabled to believe. When Peter, Paul, and others reported the magnificent conversion of the Gentiles to Jewish elders and Apostles, they told how God was prominent in their conversion. "And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how HE HAD OPENED THE DOOR OF FAITH unto the Gentiles" (Acts 14:27). 

       Some may insist that the opening of the door was, in fact, the preaching of the Gospel itself. That being the case, the opportunity to believe was granted when they heard the Gospel of Christ. Thus, sophists will reason, God did not enable them to believe, but merely provided an opportunity to do so. Such reasoning is flawed to the core, for the Gospel is not merely an opportunity, but "THE POWER OF GOD unto salvation" (Rom 1:16). Paul told the Corinthians they had been begotten "through the Gospel" (1 Cor 15), NOT through an opportunity to believe. The power of the Gospel, and the power to beget, reside with God, not with men. The "door of faith" could not have been opened if Jesus did not open it, for He alone has "the key of David." Without Jesus at the helm of the Kingdom, it was just as unlikely that the Gentiles would hear the Gospel, as it is that they would have faith. Both, however become realities because of a reigning Savior who has "the key of David."

       Jesus had been given power over all flesh, in order to give eternal life to all who have been given to Him by His Father (John 17:2)! The way in which He gives eternal life includes opening the door of faith, as well as opening the heart so the individual can respond to the good news of the Gospel. That is surely cause for great rejoicing.

PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for a Savior who can make good things happen!

-- Tomorrow: PREACHING PEACE  --