In Mark 10 is the story of Jesus miraculously healing a blind man named Bartimaeus. Giving sight to the blind, healing the lame and deformed, and even conquering death were all prophecies spoken of long ago regarding the coming Messiah. While Jesus was in Nazareth, His hometown, He told the people that He was, indeed, the fulfillment of ancient prophecy in Luke 4:16-21. 16. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and He went to the synagogue, as His custom was, on the Sabbath day. And He stood up to read; 17. and there was given to Him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written, 18. ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19. to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.’ 20. And He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21. And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
“To proclaim release to the captives” is also described this way in Psalm 68:18-20: 18. You ascended the high mount, leading captives in Your train, and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there. 19. Blessed be the Lord, Who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah 20. Our God is a God of salvation; and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death.
We also see the fulfillment of this prophecy in the Apostle Paul’s writing when he states in Ephesians 4:8-10, 8. Therefore it is said, "When He ascended on high He led a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men." 9. (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that He had also descended into the lower parts of the Earth? 10. He Who descended is He Who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) The prophecy in Psalm 68 was referencing how the Messiah would set the captives free. In the immediate context it was referring to how God led the nation of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt to dwell with the people at Mt. Sinai, but in its Messianic context it is referencing Jesus’ wondrous victory over sin He accomplished through His work performed at Mt. Calvary. Because of His glorious atoning sacrifice He accomplished on the cross, we are no longer under the bondage of sin. We have been set at liberty whereby we are free in Christ. Not only are we no longer under the bondage of sin when we come to Him in obedient, saving faith, we also no longer need fear the clutch of death’s cold grip. Death no longer has a hold over those of us who are clothed in Jesus’ garments, washed clean and pure in His precious blood. Christ’s glorious resurrection has also set the captive free, releasing those immersed in Him from death’s stranglehold, granting us eternal life with the Lord as fellow heirs and granting us a home in Heaven with the Father through endless ages (Romans 8:17)!
“To proclaim release to the captives” is also described this way in Psalm 68:18-20: 18. You ascended the high mount, leading captives in Your train, and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there. 19. Blessed be the Lord, Who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah 20. Our God is a God of salvation; and to God, the Lord, belongs escape from death.
We also see the fulfillment of this prophecy in the Apostle Paul’s writing when he states in Ephesians 4:8-10, 8. Therefore it is said, "When He ascended on high He led a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men." 9. (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that He had also descended into the lower parts of the Earth? 10. He Who descended is He Who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) The prophecy in Psalm 68 was referencing how the Messiah would set the captives free. In the immediate context it was referring to how God led the nation of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt to dwell with the people at Mt. Sinai, but in its Messianic context it is referencing Jesus’ wondrous victory over sin He accomplished through His work performed at Mt. Calvary. Because of His glorious atoning sacrifice He accomplished on the cross, we are no longer under the bondage of sin. We have been set at liberty whereby we are free in Christ. Not only are we no longer under the bondage of sin when we come to Him in obedient, saving faith, we also no longer need fear the clutch of death’s cold grip. Death no longer has a hold over those of us who are clothed in Jesus’ garments, washed clean and pure in His precious blood. Christ’s glorious resurrection has also set the captive free, releasing those immersed in Him from death’s stranglehold, granting us eternal life with the Lord as fellow heirs and granting us a home in Heaven with the Father through endless ages (Romans 8:17)!
May the Lord bless you!
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