“And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Revelation 1:13-18 KJV)
Janice stopped and carefully surveyed the parking lot. “Ah, there it is,” she thought as she hurried to her candy apple red Mustang. Reaching inside her purse, she remembered leaving her keys on her desk. Returning to the employee entrance of the corporate offices, she found that access was denied. She raced around to the front doors, but the guards were all making rounds. “This is what I get for attaching my access card to my keys,” she shrieked in disgust. “I guess it could be worse,” she laughed. Then it was . . . she had left her cell phone next to her keys on her desk. “So, this is what life is like without accessories.” Janice grinned as she sank down on the concrete to wait for the guard to finish his rounds.
In today’s text, the man clothed with the golden girdle never said he was the key, but that he possessed and controlled the keys of hell and death. Perhaps those keys are a set of nondescript keys. We might not know the difference if we could see them together. Yet, the One standing between the golden candlesticks knows the difference.
Unlike Janice, Jesus doesn’t misplace these keys or carelessly leave them behind. He is the One who is first and last, eternally alive. He controls the keys of death and hell, so they are submitted to the One who conquered them. Those who trust in the Conqueror cannot be conquered by death and hell.
Of course, we must remember, the keys have no power. The power comes from the One who holds the keys.
Dear Father, thank you for He who was dead but is alive forevermore. Empower us with faith in the Crucified and Resurrected Christ. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be courageous today without fear,