He preached in Hades’ dungeon in order to release captives. “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” (Isaiah 61:1 NIV) (See also Luke 4:18-19). And release the believing ones, He did. Preaching frees captives. “You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train (Psalm 68:18a ESV). (This is quoted as referring to Christ in Ephesians 4:8). Our Warrior King, having defeated death, released death’s captives to ascend with Him to Paradise.
6“I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, 7to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.” (Isaiah 42:6–7 ESV).
“8Therefore it says, “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 regions, the earth? 10He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) (Ephesians 4:8–10 ESV).
