Christ: He Was Dead, and Behold, He Is Alive VS Christ: He Has the Keys of Death and Hades (Rev. 1:18)

 

Christ: He Was Dead, and Behold, He Is Alive VS Christ: He Has the Keys of Death and Hades (Rev. 1:18)

Revelation 1:17 When I saw him, I fell down at his feet as if dead. He laid his right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last,

Revelation 1:18 and the one who lives! I was dead, but behold, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

Revelation 2:8 “Write to the angels of the church in Smyrna, saying this:”

Acts 2:24 “But God raised him from the dead, for death could not hold him.”

John 11:25 “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though he dies.’” 

Item	He Was Dead and Is Alive  (The Living One)	He Has the Keys of Death and Hades
Meaning	Christ Himself is resurrection life, eternally living and living within the believers and the churches	Christ, in resurrection, fully possesses authority over death and Hades
Reason	He entered into death, yet could not be held by it, because He is the resurrection (Acts 2:24; John 11:25)	Through the cross He abolished death, and in resurrection He overcame Hades (Heb. 2:14)
Metaphor	Death becomes the threshold into resurrection	Death is like a dustpan, Hades like a trash container, yet the keys are in Christ’s hand
Function	To dispense life, making the churches living, strong, and full of vitality	To restrain the spread of death so the churches are not deadened or detained
Explanation	Christ does not merely live once, but lives forever and lives within us	Death and Hades still exist but have lost authority and act only under Christ’s permission
Result	The churches become living, fresh, and strong golden lampstands	Death in the churches is limited, subdued, and swallowed up
Mutual Relationship	His living is the source of life supply	His authority guarantees the free operation of life
Example	The church in Smyrna lived through persecution by the resurrection life within her	When Christ has ground in the churches, death and Hades lose their power
Application	Eat Christ as the tree of life, the hidden manna, and feast with Him (Rev. 2:7, 17; 3:20)	Give Christ position, opportunity, and a free way in the church life
Burden	To deliver the churches from all deadness and make them living testimonies	To preserve the churches from death’s domination
Prophesying Guidance	Declare:  Christ is the Living One living in us to make the church living	Declare: The keys of death and Hades are in Christ’s hand, not the enemy’s
Conclusion	Christ’s resurrection life is the source of all church vitality and victory	Christ’s authority ensures the churches stand victorious over death
Related Scriptures	Rev. 1:18a; Acts 2:24; John 11:25; Rev. 2:7, 17; 3:20	Rev. 1:18b; Heb. 2:14; Acts 2:24; 1 Cor. 15:54–55

Overall Spiritual Integrative Conclusion:

Christ is both the eternally living resurrection life dwelling within us and the One holding authority over death and Hades; therefore, the churches can not only survive tribulation and persecution but also overcome and manifest the living testimony of Jesus.

One-Sentence Prophesying Summary:

Hallelujah! We have a Christ who lives forever and holds the keys of death and Hades; in Him the church must live, must overcome, and must bear the living testimony of Jesus!

 

*Please refer to the 2025 Winter Training: Experiencing, Enjoying, and Manifesting Christ (Part Four), Chapter Two: Christ Holds the Keys of Death and Hades.