He Got here to a World Barred from Heaven: O Key of David

O come, thou Key of David, come
And open extensive our heav’nly dwelling;
Make secure the way in which that leads on excessive,
And shut the trail to distress.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Very early within the story of mankind, our door to Paradise was double-locked and bolted. Cool was the day when God walked amongst us; transient our keep in backyard blessedness. Alas, on the opposite facet of our truest happiness, our truest life, our truest dwelling, we now stay.

Our exile in Adam appeared all however closing:

He drove out the person, and on the east of the backyard of Eden he positioned the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned each approach to guard the way in which to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:24)

Even when we may cross oceans, climb mountains, reduce via forests, and at last arrive on the spot the place life (so lengthy denied us) grew guarded, what then? As we neared the doorway to man’s notorious exit, the angel’s unsmiling look would go away no man in peril of braveness.

“Worry not” is the angels’ constant salutation to males within the Scriptures. Even when angels introduced glad tidings with songs of Christ’s start, the shepherds had been “stuffed with nice worry.” Who dares to strategy the tree of life when cherubim deal with a blade dipped in flame?

Imaginative and prescient Earlier than the Door

Attempt to think about that interplay.

“Our mates,” we’d have stuttered, “we have now come from the far east to reclaim the inheritance of our father, Adam.”

“We aren’t any good friend of sinners,” solutions a mighty angel.

“However certainly, you should have compassion on these grieving their father’s failure.”

“Your arms too are stained,” he counters, unmoved. “You’ve lifted your soul to what’s false; how shall you stand earlier than God in his holy place?”

“However we have now acknowledged our guilt and resign it! Allow us to be however doorkeepers in his home, and we will be content material.”

“Even his angels he prices with folly; the heavens should not pure in his sight. Are you able to, a person, be clear earlier than your Maker?”

“However we’ve come all this fashion,” one sputters.

“You shall not yield to him or take heed to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him, nor shall you conceal him.”

Our door to everlasting life, everlasting happiness, everlasting communion with God was locked; none in heaven or on earth may open it.

Key of David

However then the Key we hardly dared to hope for got here from heaven finally. At Creation, the Lord Jesus Christ involves reply a query solely sensible souls ask: How can we partake of everlasting life?

“He traded fortunes for flesh, splendors for pores and skin, his life for ours.”

The fourth verse of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” solutions that Jesus got here to “open extensive our heavenly dwelling,” taking possession of “the keys of Demise and Hades” via his demise and resurrection (Revelation 1:18). He got here to a world barred from heaven and opened the door in any other case without end shut. He unlocks goodwill to males; his undoing on the cross unbolts heaven for all who consider upon him.

Jesus got here to show the knob of salvation and fling extensive the door that each one who would might enter and by no means be forged out.

Earlier than the Cherubim

Return to our scene earlier than the cherubim. As we flip away in despair and doom, different angels come singing,

Worry not, for behold, I deliver you excellent news of nice pleasure that will probably be for all of the folks. For unto you is born this present day within the metropolis of David a Savior, who’s Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10–11)

Then one like a son of man comes and stands earlier than us, enthroned between the wings of the cherubim. “My little kids, the place are you going? Depart these rags the place you stand; relinquish doubt and sorrow. Come to me, all who thirst and starvation.”

“However sir,” one amongst us responds. “I’m a sinner. I’ve come all this fashion in useless. I’ve anticipated happiness and have received solely hell. That is the one door, and this door will not be made for sinners.”

“I’m the door,” reassures the voice. “If anybody enters by me, he will probably be saved and can go out and in and discover pasture” (John 10:9).

“Sir, we understand you’re a prophet and see the criminal in your employees; you’re a Shepherd. However what’s your employees to this flaming sword and military of angels? How will you lead us previous? God should be simply, and this spells our distress. How . . .”

Earlier than let’s imagine extra, the person resounds,

Enter by me, whoever will.
Come, feast, take your fill.
Take my gown, my ring, my identify;
Enter via the bloody body.

Throughout Creation, we keep in mind the one who got here to retrieve the important thing of David, the one who opens and nobody will shut, who shuts and nobody opens (Revelation 13:7). He was born at Bethlehem that he may go down into the grave for keys to open a approach for sinners. “I died, and behold I’m alive forevermore,” he declares, “and I’ve the keys of Demise and Hades” (Revelation 1:18). He traveled over land and sea, from heaven to earth, from best riches to humiliation and poverty — that we’d grow to be wealthy. He traded fortunes for flesh, splendors for pores and skin, his life for ours.

He has ready a spot for us via the brand new and residing approach that he opened via his personal flesh (Hebrews 10:20). He himself is the Manner, the Door, the Key. As you go into Paradise via him by religion, go in boldly. Comply with him. Belief him. Persevere in him. His first Creation assured his promise, “To the one who conquers I’ll grant to eat of the tree of life, which is within the paradise of God” (Revelation 2:7). His second Creation will fulfill it.