Key

"When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said, "Do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades." Rev. 1:17-18

In my entertainment-dominated youth pastor mind there are a couple of things that popped into my head when reading of the One who holds the keys of death and Hades.

The first is the KeyMaster from the Matrix movies. The fascinating yet obscure character who held the keys to different doors within the Matrix that would awaken one to different levels of consciousness and possibilities - at one point in the series he was necessary for the plans of Neo.

The second thing I thought of was when the Miami Heat acquired Shaq-Diesel three years ago from the Los Angeles Lakers. In glorious Shaq-fashion, he arrived in downtown Miami for a celebration in his honor at the AA Arena - only he arrived in an all-black 18 wheeler that had Shaq-Diesel painted on the trailer. Walking through the throngs of raucous cinnamon-tanned fans he went to the podium whereby he was given the honorary keys to the city of Miami from the Mayor himself. It was in this moment when Shaq made his famous gaurantee to bring the party turned city known as Miami their first world championship.

Now I concede the fact that John didn't have either of these in mind when writing his Apocalypse but I do love that image of Christ clutching the keys of Death and Hades. I love that image of the ferocious Lamb. The one who was sacrificed upon the altar only to take up his life again in victory over death.

Many action movies feature a scene or two where the protagonist and antagonist engage in some sort of hand to hand combat - usually over a weapon or classified file or some object that one possesses and the other greatly desires - perhaps a key to something. And inevitably one will gain the upper hand, overcome the other person and upon securing the object - while the other is perhaps lying on the ground defeated - wave it front of the other person demonstrating their victory.

It is not a perfect picture - nor does our Lord swagger in arrogance. But that picture of Christ holding the keys to Death and Hades speaks volumes.

Death is mastered.
Hades is dominated.
The case has been closed.
The bell has been rung.
The door has been slammed shut.

Christ is victorious and dangles the keys of Death and Hades in front of the Evil One showing him - and us - that in the words of Cash, "the Man has come around."

"there's a Man goin' round takin names
and He decides who to free and who to blame...

hear the trumpets hear the pipers
one hundred million angels singin'
multitudes are marchin to that big kettle drum
voices callin', voices cryin'
some are born and some are dyin'
it's Alpha and Omega's Kingdom Come"

-Johnny Cash