Dr Paul Allen

“And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house.” ( Isaiah 22:22-23 ) This prophecy was originally applied to Eliakim, the keeper of the treasuries in the reign of King Hezekiah. The wearing of the key to the treasuries on his shoulder was symbolic of authority. Isaiah, in fact, had used this same symbol in his great prophecy of the coming Messiah, saying that “unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder” ( Isaiah 9:6 ). Eliakim thus became a type of Christ in his capacity to open and shut doors with his special key. The Lord Jesus quoted from this passage in His promise to the church at Philadelphia: “These things saith . . . he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I ...

King Hezekiah on a 17th century painting by unknown artist in the choir of Sankta Maria kyrka in Åhus, Sweden. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) From the revival in Judah under the reign of King Hezekiah (2 Chron . 29) to the Protestant Reformation that returned the church to the biblical gospel after its eclipse in the medieval era , we see that God is often pleased to shine His light when the darkness seems overwhelming.  In every case, the faithful who lived in dark times called out for the Lord to revive them, and God answered their prayers by shining the light of His truth in this dark world. We live in a day of darkness, when the gospel and the church are under attack on every front. Yet we do not live in a day without hope, for God's kingdom cannot ultimately be conquered.  As such, we have confidence that as we cry out to the Lord, He will revive us that we might rejoice in Him and His truth again (Ps. 85:6). Related articles Without Excuse (pilgrimpa...

Image via Wikipedia "It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh , whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left." ( 2 Kings 19:4 )   These words were part of King Hezekiah 's plea to Isaiah for help in prayer against Rabshakeh and the Assyrian army besieging Jerusalem. It marks the second time in which this particular word is used for "the remnant," the first being in  Genesis 45:7 , when Joseph assured his brothers that God had sent him into Egypt to preserve for Israel "a posterity" in the earth. However, this word (Hebrew  sherith ) is prominent later in the writings of the prophets, who frequently refer to the faithful Israelite "remnant" during times of apostasy.   The same doctrine appears in the New Testament . Speaking of the children of Israel during the time of ...