HE LED CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE
Ps 68:18; Eph 4:8

By Oscar baker

Thou bast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive: Thou hast received gifts for men; yea for the rebellious also, that THE LORD God might dwell among them (Ps 68:18).

Many of the Psalms are prophetic, and this is one of them. There is nothing here to indicate that Eph 4:8 is in mind. That is a later application.

But the ascension of the Lord was one event. So both refer to that. And both refer to the fact that there may be warfare connected with that ascension. The key may be found in Dan. 10:13 where the angel explains to Daniel that he had been delayed in his mission 21 days by the prince of Persia. So here is an angelic prince that is against the prophecies of Daniel. Satan is the prince of the powers of the air, therefore this is one of Satan's agents. Some day Satan and his hosts will be thrown out of the air or heavens (firmament of Gen. 1:6) and will not get to go back ever again.

Now with this in mind, we can see that there must have been a terrible conflict when the Lord ascended into heavenly places, far above all. He left the earth with a great cloud of angels. Maybe Michael was the commander, as in Re 12:7. So there could have been a great battle in the air somewhere and the Lord and His armies won, taking many captives and parading them in the heavens or air where the temple and throne are that are mentioned in Job 1 and 2. And remember that in the heavens are also great companies of angels that are on God's side, unfallen angels.

So Christ ascended into the holiest of all to be a High Priest for Israel. In this ascension, He passed thru the heavens (Heb 4:14). He is seated with the Father in His throne awaiting the days when He will have a throne of His own, the throne of David and rule over Israel and the nations of the earth.

He received gifts for men. When He comes back, His reward will be with Him (Re 22:12). This is all pertaining to Israel, even the rebellious ones.

But in Eph 4:8 we read, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. These gifts must have been received from the Father, and given to men. And in the next few verses the gifts are enumerated, which were not for Israel, but for the church of the dispensation of the mystery.

So His ascension meant much more than we find in the Psalms, or even in the account in Ac 1. So it is with many things that were in the redemptive purpose of Christ. They are not revealed until the proper time.

From the word dwell in Ps 68:18 we get the word Shekinah, the glory of God, as was shown by the light in the holiest in the tabernacle. He has a temple for today (Eph 2:21,22). See light in Eph 5:8 and Col 1:12.