The Key of David - A Prophetic Word
Pastor Leslie Chua
“I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”
“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. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. ”
I had a very exciting prophetic experience recently. It was one of those rare moments when God spoke so clearly leaving no room for any doubt that He was speaking. To add to the excitement, it is a good word.
This fascinating prophetic experience happened over 2 days.
On 22 April 2024
In the early afternoon of 22 April, it suddenly dawned on me that the following day was my 36th wedding anniversary. So, I decided to text my wife to arrange for a dinner date.
When I took out my mobile phone, I noticed that the time was 2:22 pm. Then, my eyes caught hold of the date at the bottom of the phone – 22 April.
I quickly took a screenshot showing the time 2:22 and the date 22 April. The photo on my screenshot shows my granddaughter, Zoe, when she was much younger.
I am always excited to see the numbers 222 and 333 because I keep coming across these numbers in the last 3 years. On those days when it happened, I usually chanced upon these numbers several times a day and for a few days. Sometimes, it continued for as long as a week. It is certainly uncanny.
I usually see these numbers on car license plates when I am driving and on my mobile phone. How often do you see 222 and 333 car plates on the road one after another within the same day, and then when you pick up the phone, it is either 2:22 pm or 3:33 pm? Besides, I do not come across the same series of other digits such as 777, 888, or 999.
Once at People’s Park Hawker Centre, I was telling my wife about all these uncanny coincidences, and my eyes caught hold of an old dirty tin box under a table. It had the number 222 printed boldly on it.
Are all these occurrences coincidental? I do not think so. It happened too frequently to be just coincidences.
Often, it happened when I was asking God some very challenging questions, or when I needed some reassurance from Him regarding controversial matters. It also happened frequently when God was telling me something important.
I have been seeking the Lord regarding the meaning of these numbers, 222 and 333, but I do not have any concrete answer so far.
The closest possible meaning of 333 is God’s promise to the prophet, Jeremiah, in Jeremiah 33:3 - 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ I say that because I have been asking God repeatedly for knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and discernment in recent years at the back of so many controversial and potentially dystopian things happening around the world.
Yet, I believe that Jeremiah 33:3 is only a small part of the answer. There is something more. Besides, the question of 222 remains unanswered.
On 23 April 2024
The following morning on 23 April, I woke up at about 6.30 am. I put on an earphone and turned on the YouVersion Bible app and went back to sleep.
At about 8.20 am, my 2-year-old granddaughter, Zoe, climbed up my bed. She tugged at my arm saying, “Grandpa, Grandpa, wake up.”
I woke up and I heard these words through my earphone – “I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”
I was both surprised and amazed by what I just heard. I knew that this statement was the verse in Isaiah 22:22. I made the connection straight away, and I immediately remembered my screenshot the day before – 2:22 pm and 22 April with my granddaughter’s photo on it.
It is so fascinating that God would use my granddaughter to wake me up at precisely the moment when the Bible App narration was at Isaiah 22:22.
Is all this just a coincidence?
Absolutely not! Consider the uncanny coincidences of both the timing and the numbers. I strongly believe that God is speaking to me.
There are two more coincidences that will blow your mind.
First, my wife and I just came back from our vacation to Turkey on 18 April. During the trip, we visited the places where the famous 7 churches of the Book of Revelation were located.
Of course, we went to Philadelphia. The church in Philadelphia was one of the only two out of seven churches that did not receive any warning from Jesus in His letters to them.
Jesus promised the church in Philadelphia - "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. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name” (Revelation 3:3-8).
Second, during this time when I was in Turkey, Pastor Timothy O’Connell preached at our church service on 14 April. In his concluding segment, he spoke about Jesus’ letter to the church in Philadelphia and wondered if I visited the 7 churches in Turkey. He also alluded to a sermon that he had preached in our church several years ago where he mentioned that Rock of Ages Church was like the church in Philadelphia. The reason he said that was we kept God’s Word and stood for His truth uncompromisingly.
The Prophecy
Putting all the various pieces together, it is clear that God is essentially speaking to me prophetically about the key of David and the church in Philadelphia.
What is God saying to us prophetically? What are the implications?
The First Prophetic Implication
The first prophetic implication is God will confer upon us the key of David just as He placed the key to the house of David upon Eliakim’s shoulder.
Isaiah 22:20-22 (NIV) - In that day I will summon my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah. I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.
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The first prophetic implication is God will confer upon us the key of David just as He placed the key to the house of David upon Eliakim’s shoulder.
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In Isaiah’s prophecy, Eliakim was appointed as the person in charge of the house of David. In other words, he would assume the position of the second-in-command in the kingdom of Judah just as Joseph was to Pharoah.
The phrases “key to the house of David” and “opens and no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open” speak of Eliakim’s power and authority. He would be an influential figure in the kingdom.
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The prophetic significance for us is clear. God is giving us the key of David. He is vesting upon us in Rock of Ages Church His Kingdom power, authority, and influence. This is a tremendous promise. We can certainly expect a greater anointing to come upon our church in the days ahead.
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The only other place in the Bible where the key of David is mentioned is in Jesus’ letter to the church in Philadelphia. We read in the letter that Jesus now “holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open” (Revelation 3:7). Jesus also placed before the church in Philadelphia “an open door that no one can shut” (Revelation 3:8a).
The prophetic significance for us is clear. God is giving us the key of David. He is vesting upon us in Rock of Ages Church His Kingdom power, authority, and influence. This is a tremendous promise. We can certainly expect a greater anointing to come upon our church in the days ahead.
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By faith, I am expecting us to preach the gospel, present truths, and minister with greater power and authority. We will also be given greater influence and opportunities in our calling as the watchmen on the wall and the preparers of the way for Christ’s return.
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At the same time, we must be aware that a greater anointing is accompanied by greater responsibility.
By faith, I am expecting us to preach the gospel, present truths, and minister with greater power and authority. We will also be given greater influence and opportunities in our calling as the watchmen on the wall and the preparers of the way for Christ’s return.
I often say that the days ahead are going to be dark and dystopian. Those who are awakened to the current eschatological realities are often anxious, and sometimes fearful, of the coming upheavals. So, I am thankful to God for His promise of the key of David and the anointing of power, authority, and influence. We can look to the days ahead with greater confidence. Praise the Lord!
The Second Prophetic Implication
The second prophetic implication is God will keep us from the hour of trial that is coming upon the whole world.
Revelation 3:10 (NIV) - Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
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The second prophetic implication is God will keep us from the hour of trial that is coming upon the whole world.
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The “hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world” refers to the 7-year Tribulation in the context of the Book of Revelation. Besides, the only other time when a catastrophe of this magnitude happened was during Noah’s days when God sent a global flood. No other events in human history have affected the whole world. Not even World War One and World War Two. The next event that will affect the whole world is the Tribulation.
I have often said that one of my primary missions is to prepare our church to get everyone across the finish line and be raptured. This is the privilege promised to the church in Philadelphia. Clearly, this is a prophetic promise to believers in the terminal generation.
I am so glad that we have been counted as the church of Philadelphia by God.
Conditions
Bear in mind that there are conditions. The first condition is keeping the Word of God (Revelation 3:8). That is, obey God and His Word. The second condition is to “endure patiently” (Revelation 3:10).
Our church has been preaching the truth of God’s Word uncompromisingly. We stand on truth in a world of lies, half-truths, and deceptions. Let us continue to press on with the same unwavering conviction.
Thank God for this fascinating prophecy and powerful promise!