He Led Captivity Captive
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 5/9/2013 PM (Ascension Day) |
Text: | Psalm 68:18 |
Psalters: | 170, 303, 129, 183 |
- The figure.
- A king ascends a hill to take his throne.
- He does so after conquering an enemy which had previously held him a captive.
- This picture has prisoners following him as he ascends to his throne.
- Many gifts are given to the king as he ascends approaching his throne – tokens of reward, submission, and honor.
- Two possible occasions for this scene.
- The elevation of David to the combined throne of Judah and Israel.
- The bringing of the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem.
- Both occasions displayed God’s ascending to a position of triumphant rule.
- A king ascends a hill to take his throne.
- Jesus was victorious after first descending (Eph. 4:8,9).
- He descended from glory.
- He came down from heaven to assume our flesh and blood.
- This was necessary in order to do battle with that which held His people captive.
- Sin’s captivity is broken only by sin’s punishment being endured and satisfied.
- Jesus entered into the prison house of death and divine wrath when He came in our flesh and blood (Heb. 2:14).
- And He establishes, by His Spirit, a rule in us so we realize that we do not have to sin, that we can put it off.
- In raising Jesus from the dead, God declares that Jesus (in our flesh and blood) may ascended to God’s right hand.
- He leads a great band of captives, as trophies of His almighty grace – justified.
- He makes the former captives free to serve Him willingly in His kingdom – sanctified.
- He descended from glory.
- The result is covenant communion: “Jehovah God might dwell among them.”
- The rebellious (all of us, by nature) are now ruled by Jesus.
- When He dwells with us, He distributes to us the gifts He receives.
- Paul is inspired to interpret our text this way: Jesus first received gifts and then distributes those gifts to His people.
- The gifts consist primarily of the means to communicate the gospel as the means of grace (Eph. 4:11).
- Notice that all of Jesus’ enemies are forced into submission, as an effect of the gospel.
- Acknowledge Jesus’ ascension by putting ourselves under the preaching of the gospel.