Captivity is led captive into the New Jerusalem by Jesus Christ

Isaiah 14:1-2

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“For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob.” Isaiah 14:1

From the post on Isaiah 13:17-22, we know the above verse is in context to the very last days on this earth, around the time of the Battle of Armageddon of the Sixth Plague [Revelations 16:12-16], the total destruction of the earth of the Seventh Plague [Revelations 16:17-21], and the return of Jesus Christ of the Seventh Trumpet, Revelations 11:15-18.

For the Lord to have mercy on Jacob, and still choose Israel, refers to the day after the Battle of Armageddon where the remnant of Israel acknowledges Jesus as the Christ and Son of God. That is described in the post on the “Day After” from Ezekiel 39. Our Lord Jesus declared that the Jewish culture would be left desolate [which happens during the Battle of Armageddon] and will never see Him until they acknowledge Him as their Messiah [which many do after the Battle of Armageddon], “See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you will see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ” Matthew 23:38-39 The remnant of Believers [Jewish and non-Jewish] will be led to their own land in the eternal New Jerusalem.

The “strangers” attached to the house of Israel are every one of us non-Jewish people who serves God through Jesus Christ, as quoted, “For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed will be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed… And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Romans 9:6-8, Galatians 3:29 We cling to the “house of Jacob” through Jesus Christ who joins us to His family, the family God. We who seek God through Jesus Christ are Jacob, as quoted, “This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face.” Psalms 24:6

“Then people will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them for servants and maids in the land of the Lord; they will take them captive whose captives they were, and rule over their oppressors.” Isaiah 14:2

That verse is referring to Israel having victory over those who made captives of them. In their victory over their captors, Israel turns them into captives and makes them servants and maids for the house of Israel. That victory comes at the return of Jesus Christ who has victory over this world, over sin and death.

We know all followers of Jesus Christ are the New Israel, we are Jacob. Every non-Jewish and Jewish person whose faith is in Jesus Christ are the people of God. The New Testament puts the phrase, “leading captivity captive” into focus for Believers, as described below,

“Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.” Ephesians 4:8

Our Lord Jesus had led captivity captive. That refers to our captivity to sin and death which has been made a captive through Jesus Christ. Our Lord won the victory over sin and death when He died on the Cross to atone for sin and to give eternal life to whoever believes in Him, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

As sinners saved by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, we are the captivity that He leads captive. We are His captives as He leads us into eternal life. The gifts He gives to us includes the forgiveness of sin, the Holy Spirit, and eternal life. An easier way to understand this is by this experience; When I walked into a humane society, I saw all the different cats and dogs held in captivity and waiting for adoption, or something worse. When an animal is adopted, it’s captivity is led captive. The animal goes from captivity of the cage to being a captive of the new owner that is driving it to a new home of freedom. The new owner is leading captivity captive as they ascend into their new home together. Many gifts are showered onto the new pet at that time. Jesus Christ has adopted us, led captivity captive, and showers us with gifts as He leads us to our new eternal home in the New Jerusalem.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1