“And to the angel of the congregation in Philadelphia write: These are the things he says who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens so that no one will shut, and shuts so that no one opens.”​—Revelation 3:7.

“The Key of David”

4, 5. With what covenant was “the key of David” associated?

⁴ Jesus has “the key of David.” Using it, he “opens so that no one will shut, and shuts so that no one opens.” What is this “key of David”?

⁵ It was with King David of Israel that Jehovah made a covenant for an everlasting kingdom. (Psalm 89:1-4, 34-37) David’s house ruled from Jehovah’s throne in Jerusalem from 1070 to 607 B.C.E., but then God’s judgment was executed upon that kingdom because it turned to wickedness. Thus Jehovah began to fulfill his prophecy at Ezekiel 21:27: “A ruin, a ruin, a ruin I shall make it [earthly Jerusalem]. As for this also, it [the scepter of kingship in David’s line] will certainly become no one’s until he comes who has the legal right, and I must give it to him.”

6, 7. When and how was the one with “the legal right” to appear?

⁶ When and how would this one with “the legal right” appear? How would the scepter of David’s kingdom be given to him?

⁷ About 600 years later, a descendant of King David, the Jewish maiden Mary, became pregnant by holy spirit. God sent the angel Gabriel to inform Mary that she would have a son, to be named Jesus. Gabriel added: “This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High; and Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule as king over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of his kingdom.”​—Luke 1:31-33.

8. How did Jesus prove himself qualified to inherit the Davidic kingship?

⁸ When, in 29 C.E., Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River and anointed with holy spirit, he became King-Designate in the line of David. He showed exemplary zeal in preaching the good news of the Kingdom and commissioned his disciples likewise to preach. (Matthew 4:23; 10:7, 11) Jesus humbled himself, even to death on a torture stake, thus proving himself fully qualified to inherit the Davidic kingship. Jehovah resurrected Jesus as an immortal spirit and exalted him to His own right hand in the heavens. There he inherited all the rights of the Davidic kingdom. In due time Jesus would exercise his right to “go subduing in the midst of [his] enemies.”​—Psalm 110:1, 2; Philippians 2:8, 9; Hebrews 10:13, 14.

9. How is it that Jesus uses the key of David to open and to shut?

⁹ In the meantime Jesus would have use of the key of David, opening up opportunities and privileges related to the Kingdom of God. Through Jesus, Jehovah would now deliver anointed Christians on earth “from the authority of the darkness,” transferring them “into the kingdom of the Son of his love.” (Colossians 1:13, 14) The key would also be used to bar such privileges to any who proved unfaithful. (2 Timothy 2:12, 13) Since this permanent heir of David’s kingdom has Jehovah’s backing, no creature can prevent him from fulfilling such duties.​—Compare Matthew 28:18-20.