“Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive” (Ps 68:18 c.f. Eph 4:8, KJV)
I don’t know if you have been to the Perth Zoo lately, but we boast an array of many incredible animals for people to go and see. However if you have a keen eye you will notice that most of the animals there are the result of being “bred in captivity”, meaning that these wonderful creatures haven’t a clue what freedom really is. No they haven’t a clue because their entire life experience has been in captivity and to use a turn of phrase, they seem to be “as happy as a pig in mud” being locked up in a habitat. Why? Well because they are oblivious to such things as to which they were created for, such as open fields to frolic in and jungles without fences. They don’t know what they don’t know kind of thing. Now I am saying all this because the bible reveals that humanity is in the same position, in that we too have been bred and born in captivity and haven’t a clue what real freedom is.
When we look to our “origin story” in Genesis (which means “beginnings”) it is revealed that the human race was created by God for God in freedom to worship Him (Gen 1-2), yet through a decision by our first parents, the whole of the human race was plunged into captivity (Gen 3:6). The Apostle Paul looks back on these events in his letter to the Romans saying, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death came to all people…death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam…” (Rom 5:12-13, NIV). To put it simply, sin brings death and anyone who is born “in Adam” is dead in trespasses and sin and totally captive to their human nature, or the flesh as it is sometimes called (Rom 7:23, Eph 2:1). In other words, “in Adam” we are bred and born in captivity to sin.
This is what is known as the curse, but in the midst of this horrid sentence handed down from God as a result of Adam and Eve’s sin (Gen 3:13-19) a promise was also given that there would come a day when “a Son of man” would walk into humanity’s plight and crush the serpent’s head (Gen 3:15). You might think about it like this. God made a promise that even though we would be obliviously caged in the human experience, there would come a day when one would walk into our world and not only tell us about what freedom is, but do all that was necessary to take us there. And this is exactly what Jesus has done. You see, even though every human has a hint that we are made for more than frolicking in fields, we have never been able to take ourselves there (Rom 1:18-32). So in God’s incredible love, grace and mercy, He sent Jesus into our habitat to free us by taking our curse on Himself (Jn 3:16, 2 Cor 5:21, Gal 3:13). He did this by being nailed to a cross and receiving the wrath of God on behalf of His people (Rom 5:9, 1 Jn 4:10), yet because death (the wages of sin) couldn’t hold Him down, He raised three days later and we are told that whoever calls upon the name of Jesus, well we will be rescued (Rom 10:13).
Friends, the bible is a lamp unto our feet (Ps 119:105) and God reveals that this life was designed for total and utter freedom from sin, which means we were created to know and enjoy God, yet because of captivity to sin we need a redeemer and that has been given to us in the Lord Jesus who has come into our mess and taken that which was stuck in captivity captive (Eph 4:8). This is indeed wonderful news. So might I encourage you today that as you go into your contexts this week to share this wonderful good news with others, as there is One who has made hope possible. All we have to do is call out to Him.