Shall the lawful captive be delivered?
October 2, 2019 (Bible Devotional)
Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or shall the lawful captive delivered — Isaiah 49:24
The prey
When Adam and Eve sinned, they become prey to the enemy of souls. According to the penalty, they were to suffer the consequences of sin. The world and the atmosphere and everything in it were cursed because of their disobedience. And they become prey to death.
When God created man originally, he admitted that everything was perfect and good. It was not so after the fall. But woe and misery followed. Sorrows were appointed to mankind all the days of their life. the first pair and their offsprings now have to struggle for their very existence.
Taken from the mighty
Satan is a mighty foe. He is a skillful predator. Like a lion, he seeks whom he may devour. If it was not for the grace of God, and the blood that is shed on Calvary, we would have been captive forever. But thanks be to God, who has given us the gift of salvation, a way out of this captivity.
The lawful captive
When mankind sins, they become the legal captive of Satan. If God never intervened, they should have never had an opportunity to come out of the grave. For it is written, that the wages of sin is death.
We see the story play out in the old testament. It is written, that death reigns from Adam to Moses. All the human beings that died before Moses stayed in the grave, but when Moses died, God wanted to resurrect him. He did not desire that his servant should lie on the dust.
Satan revolted. Never before has God attempted to resurrect a human being. Satan reason that Moses was his lawful captive. He argues that Moses was a sinner that deserves to die and remain in the grave. The Lord had other plans; he rebuked Satan.
Delivered
There is a way made for the guilty and for the legal captive to be delivered. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Through the sacrifice and blood of Jesus, we can be delivered.
It is written, that the time will come when all that lie in the grave will hear the voice of the son of man. When Jesus comes the second time, he will come to deliver the captives from death. Because he has to pay the penalty, he has the power and the ability to rescue the prey from the mighty.
Jesus has all power in heaven and on Earth. There is nothing that has dominion over us. Jesus can deliver from all woes and all sins. He is mighty to save, O wonderful! Christ is more powerful than the mightiest of all foes. Hallelujah!
