Revelation 1:18b
Jesus holds the keys, not as a prize won in battle, but as the eternal Sovereign who has always wielded authority over all realms! In fact, only the Almighty triune God commands such elementary aspects of reality. God alludes to this when he confronts Job in Job 38:17, among other places. Even demons recognized Jesus, trembling before him, aware of their coming doom (Matthew 8:29). His authority over Hades isn’t new; it’s as timeless as he is, the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8).
Yet, Jesus accomplished something extraordinary: he walked through death to prepare a way for us through death. We can now relate to him; he is a fellow character in this grand story he wrote, afraid of death, like the rest of us. With his sacrificial death, he descended into the grave and stormed Hades’ gates, blazing a trail for his elect (Ephesians 4:9-10). Hades is no longer a part of our vocabulary! His resurrection shattered the fear of death; it’s a mere door between us and life with Christ Himself!
With the keys, he unlocks eternal life, leading us from death’s shadow to his glorious presence. Because he passed through death and rose, we follow without fear, trusting the Keyholder who has gone before us. He sovereignly transformed our end into a beginning, ushering the elect to the joy of his eternal kingdom.
I just LOVE Revelation! Fiction truly has nothing on reality. Praise the Eternal Keyholder!
Jonathan Duncan
EFCC Member