It was a late summer day and I went to the back door of my house in order to go outside. What I saw on the screen door made me stop, stare and wonder if I was seeing things, but yet, there it was- a bright pink grasshopper. I captured it in a glass jar, poking holes in the lid, and showed it to my Mom. We marveled at it for a while and I carried it around with me for a bit that day, but eventually the fact it was captive and not free made me sad. I went out into the yard and let it go. Later when I tried to tell anyone about it, they didn't believe me. Many of them asked if I saw pink elephants too.
I can't imagine what it would feel like to be a captive of someone's, stuck under their constant scrutiny. There must be a strong pull towards freedom. Is captivity ever a good thing? Well, according to many Harlequin romances I read when younger, there is a great chance in 'falling in love' with your gorgeous captor because they are all gorgeous, right? But the best captivity is that which is ascribed to Jesus after His death.
Therefore He says, "When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts
to men." Ep. 4:8 (also Ps. 68:18)
Praise the Lord Jesus! So it says that Jesus lead captivity captive; but just what does that mean? I would guess it means those terrible things that hold humanity captive- like my pink grasshopper- such as sin, death, the Devil, the world. Just my opinion, but I think those things deserve to be captured and never released again! Of course, we all know they aren't completely gone, but the work of redemption on the cross means that Jesus Christ has the victory, and because we are His, His victory becomes ours.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer;
I have overcome the world. Jh. 16:33
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of
them openly, triumphing over them in it. Cl. 2:15
1Cr. 15:54-57 Christ gave victory over death, the grave, and sin.
...our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death... 2Tm. 1:10
through death He might destroy him who had the power of death (that is, the Devil) Hb. 2:14
One day the world, the principalities and powers of darkness, death, the grave and sin and he who destroys (the Devil) will all be completely gone from our lives forever. For now we know that the promises of our Lord are true and He has the victory. The grave could not keep Him, Satan could not have victory over Him, sin could not put Him in bondage. That is why we have a great victory in our own future, and I, for one, look forward to not being in captivity to anything anymore. Death cannot keep 'this body' in the grave for I will rise again! Halleluiah!
"The Spirit of the Lord is on Me; because of this He has anointed Me to proclaim the Gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim deliverance to the captives,...
Lk. 4:18