Disarmed The Rulers And Authorities

Colossians 2: 15

When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. 

When Jesus "cancelled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us ... having nailed it to the cross" (2: 14), that disarmed all the "rulers and authorities." There was nothing left to for them to accuse us of, as we'd been washed clean by His blood. 

Now that these spiritual rulers and authorities had nothing left to attack us with, Jesus publicly displayed them as defeated, as He "led captivity captive." 

Ephesians 4: 8-9

Therefore it says, 

When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men (Psalm 68: 8). 

(Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the Earth?)

This says that He first descended into the lower parts of the Earth, which was commonly understood as being the realm of Sheol, the land of the dead. And that He led a host of captives with Him as He ascended on high, to Heaven. 

Luke 23: 43

And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." 

While Jesus was hanging on the Cross, He said this to the thief who was also being crucified beside him, when the thief asked Him to "remember me when You come into Your Kingdom," calling Him, "Lord." This shows that Jesus knew that He would be going down into Sheol, to the Paradise side, that very day, as He was dying. And that this thief, putting his faith in Jesus, would be one of the "captives" that He would lead to Heaven. 

I have dealt with what Jesus was doing while His body was in the tomb in my blog entry, "What Was Jesus Doing?" and I described the geography of Sheol, the land of the dead, in my entry, "Paradise & Hades and Heaven & Hell." 

So I am mentioning this material again, as Paul tells the Colossians how Jesus gained the victory for us by His fulfilling that personal sacrifice (in Leviticus 1) on behalf of each of us. 

This is a monumental event, in history and in each of our lives, the day that we realize what He accomplished for us. 

This is why Paul wrote this letter, so that they, and we, would realize how much God loves us, and to not be sucked into any other system of belief.

O my Father, Your plan for Your creation is so intricate and beautiful and perfect. Everything You do is perfect, it's all just right. Everything fits into place so cleverly, according to Your overarching wisdom. 

Please strengthen us, Father, against being fooled by any other, contrary or extraenous belief systems that try to deceive us. Your Son is sufficient, He has already done it all, everything is finished, and nothing else is needed. Our destination is secure. 

We only need to regularly wash off the dirt of the world as we walk in it with the water of the Word, while we promote His Kingdom until He returns to claim it. 

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!