Sinners Prisoners Of Hope.

Adapted From A Sermon By

Philip Doddridge

Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope.

(Zechariah 9:12 ESV)

Our verse this morning in a Sermon adapted from Philip Doddridge is Zechariah 9:12: Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope.

The prophecy in this passage was partially fulfilled in the Jewish exiles’ return from Babylon, reflecting God’s covenant mercy. But its ultimate fulfillment is in Christ, whose blood frees sinners and whose return will establish His eternal kingdom.

The prophecy in the ninth verse is clearly stated to have been fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ, when he entered Jerusalem in humble triumph, riding on a donkey: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."{Zechariah 9:9} God determined that this salvation would not be accomplished through any human might or power; they would realize their disappointment in depending on worldly strength. "I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem."{Zechariah 9:10}

Accordingly, it is further declared that the kingdom of this great prince would not be established by military force, yet it would be extensive. "I will cut off the chariots from Ephraim, and the horses from Jerusalem;" and yet, despite this, "he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth."{Zechariah 9:10}

The eleventh verse reveals the manner in which this salvation was to be accomplished. It was to be through the blood of his covenant, by the blood that established and sealed the new covenant. "As for you also," O appointed prince, "because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit," that is, for your sake I have delivered and released these wretched beings, who had brought themselves into a deplorable state, appearing as prisoners in distress, in some deep pit from which they cannot escape.

So this text presents a promise to the Messiah for the deliverance of his people from their state of condemnation, danger, and misery.

In this context, God addresses them, urging them to seize the hope set before them and to seek refuge in it. "Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double," that is, I will make you triumphant over your enemies, and your glory and happiness will surpass the disgrace and misery you have endured. From these words we will consider the four following observations:

I. That while sinners are in their natural condition they are prisoners.

II. That when the gospel comes to them they are prisoners of hope.

III. That a stronghold is prepared, in which they may be happy and secure.

IV. That it is their duty, if they desire deliverance, to turn to this stronghold.

We will examine each of these significant observations and offer one or two reflections on each as we proceed.

I. Consider that sinners can be regarded as prisoners. This can be seen in how they resemble wrongdoers facing the judgment of a righteous God, how they are captives under the dominion and oppression of Satan, and how they are restrained by such chains of corruption and sin that they are entirely incapable of liberating themselves.

1. In our natural state, we are prisoners, as condemned wrongdoers facing the judgment of a righteous God.{Galatians 3:23}

That we are wrongdoers is abundantly evident, even for the most virtuous among us. Who among us can declare, I have purified my heart, I am free from my sin? Is there anyone so boldly self-confident that he would stand and proclaim his innocence before God and his people? Certainly, those who know us well and engage with us could identify much guilt, but our own conscience would accuse us of far greater offenses.

What, then, would you do if the records of God’s omniscience were unveiled, and all those transgressions he has observed and recorded were laid bare before you in their full number and varied severity? Surely, these would overwhelm you with shame and dismay; and you must acknowledge that, if God were strict in counting all your misdeeds, you could not answer him for one in ten thousand. This is a profoundly sobering truth.

God is our rightful sovereign; he holds the most legitimate claim to our obedience, and violating his law, even in the slightest instances, incurs significant guilt and subjects the transgressor to a most dreadful curse. So declares the apostle in Galatians 3:10, "All who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them." This curse is far-reaching; it impacts both body and soul, affecting the concerns of time and eternity.

The sentence has been pronounced; and, as peaceful as our circumstances may seem, we remain under it while in our natural state. So affirms the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who was the messenger of pardon and peace. "Whoever does not believe is condemned already;"{John 3:18} and, in verse 36, "the wrath of God remains on him."

While the sinner remains under this sentence of condemnation and the object of divine displeasure, he is undeniably a prisoner of God, though a prisoner at large. For wherever he may be, he is under the scrutiny of God’s eye and within the reach of his hand. Be his position ever so concealed or secure, this remains true.{Amos 9:1-3}

A rebel is not nearly as much a prisoner of the state, even when confined in a prison or penitentiary, as the sinner is a prisoner of God, despite all his apparent freedom. Let that wronged Sovereign speak a single word, and in one hour, in one moment, the wretched creature will be seized by the agents of retribution, cast into the grave, and plunged into hell. In this sense, it is rightly said that he is a prisoner.

2. Sinners are prisoners, as they are captives of Satan.

In this manner, they are portrayed in the word of God. When he describes them as ensnared by the devil and taken captive by him, as the term precisely indicates. That "they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will."{2 Timothy 2:26} Thus, it is implied that even the saints were under Satan’s authority until they were brought into the kingdom of the Redeemer: he "has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son."{Colossians 1:13}

For this reason, Satan is described in Ephesians 2:2 as "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience." He is the primary leader of rebellious angels and rebellious men. He lured our first parents into an alliance with himself against the great God of heaven and earth; and we, being naturally under the dominion of sin, are his slaves.

Although we do not see him, we are influenced by him, and far more perilously under his control than those whose bodies are merely possessed by him. The sinner can too clearly recognize that he is naturally under Satan’s power by the intense efforts that spirit exerts to reclaim him when he perceives the sinner is striving for freedom and earnestly contemplating returning to his allegiance to God through a Mediator.

3. We are naturally prisoners, as we are restrained by the chains of corruption and sin, incapable of liberating ourselves.

And so, those to whom the Messiah brings deliverance are portrayed not only as imprisoned but as bound. As stated in Isaiah 61:1, the Lord "has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound". We are not merely overcome by a superior force but are, as it were, bound hand and foot.

Our intellectual faculties are obscured and diminished. In us, that is, in our flesh, no good thing resides.{Romans 7:18} Our condition is as described in Ephesians 4:18, We have our understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in us, because of the hardness of our hearts.

And so, even when we recognize the law as holy, just, and good, we discover another law in our members warring against the law of our minds, bringing us into captivity to the law of sin within our members.{Romans 7:23} As a result, in the unconverted, sin reigns in death.{Romans 5:21} Such prisoners become slaves; whoever practices sin are servants of sin.{John 8:34} Reflecting on this sobering truth consider:

i. We have great reason to lament that we all exist in a state of bondage and captivity. A sorrowful perspective arises from observing a single prisoner in chains or a lone condemned criminal facing a death sentence. Far more awful is the realization that this represents the natural condition of all humanity. Among the entire race of mankind, not one escapes this calamity or condemnation.

It is deeply distressing to contemplate a congregation, a town, or, in thought, an entire country, or even the whole of mankind—those currently living, those who have lived, or those who shall live in our world—and to consider countless hundreds, thousands, millions, not a single man, descended from Adam by ordinary generation, who avoids entanglement in this guilt and ruin.

Despite their assertions of liberty, their arrogance in prosperity, or their fervent pursuit of pleasure and happiness, all remain prisoners, all stand condemned by God’s sentence, all are subdued by Satan’s power, all are bound by the chains of corruption, until a Divine power restores their liberty and elevates them to heaven. Blessed are we if that Divine power acts upon us, and our souls are liberated by it.

ii. How foolish are most sinners, who remain entirely unaware of their bondage and misery. If we were to closely examine all those who, from this perspective, are prisoners of God, prisoners of Satan, prisoners of their own corruptions, how few we would find who have even slight awareness of their situation or harbor any deep, enduring concern about it.

The Jews clung to the notion of their own freedom and felt profoundly insulted when our Lord portrayed their true state as one of bondage. "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone."{John 8:32-33} Such is the reality for most sinners. Their chains rest lightly upon them; indeed, sometimes they are so enamored as to regard them as ornamental, taking pride rather than feeling shame in them.

They stand under the judgment of a violated law, yet they give no thought to the dreadful hour of destruction approaching; instead, many of them are perhaps immersed in debauchery, eagerly and recklessly indulging their desires. Like criminals condemned by human laws, they squander the brief remainder of their lives in revelry and drunkenness, and in this way putting their fear of impending death out of their minds.

At best, they slumber in their chains, diverting themselves with fleeting dreams of worldly pleasure and amusement; their plight resembles that of Peter when an angel "struck him on the side and woke him",{Acts 12:7} for they will never be freed until a messenger of God strikes them to awaken them, and a Divine power causes their chains to fall away, revealing an open door.

This is truly a sorrowful situation; it is this that makes their condition so dangerous; it is this that renders the joyful news of liberty and salvation through a Redeemer so unappealing and bland to them; thus, it was necessary to describe their condition in detail.

May God imprint this truth on the heart of every unrepentant sinner, that the voice of God may proclaim to each: You are the man; you are condemned by the judgment of the Divine law; you are enslaved by the power of Satan; you are bound in the chains of sin.

But we now come to the Second Observation,

II) Where we will see how believers are prisoners of hope as implied from the perfections of God, and the gospel itself.

a) The perfections of the Divine nature provide a compelling assurance of hope. Reason, experience, and scripture all affirm that God is benevolent to all, and his compassionate mercies extend over all his creation. Despite our awareness of numerous transgressions, we do not immediately suffer the consequences of Divine retribution. On the contrary, we continually experience Divine care directed toward us.

Although we often act as adversaries to him, in many instances he demonstrates himself as a friend and a father to us. When we are hungry, he provides sustenance; when we are thirsty, he offers drink. It is reasonable to interpret this as a sign of favor. Some indication of hope appears natural; and we observe that in the case of the Ninevites, they succeeded to such an extent, despite being burdened by a great threat, that they declared, "Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?"{Jonah 3:9} However, perhaps this reasoning is not enough: if some somber forebodings persist consider that,

b) The gospel provides us with a reliable and firm foundation for hope. It is appropriately termed the gospel; that is, as the word denotes, a positive and reassuring message. It is "good news of great joy,"{Luke 2:10} and contains such revelations of Divine grace as are entirely suited to our helpless and deplorable circumstances. It reveals to us the justice of God fulfilled, the dominion of Satan vanquished, and the power of corruption overcome; and consequently, in all these respects, it portrays us as prisoners of hope.

i. The gospel reveals to us the justice of God fulfilled and the dignity of his law maintained.

Consider how each of us faced the law’s condemnation, and were subject to its terrible enforcement in order to uphold God’s justice and law. Yet, the gospel reveals Jesus Christ’s atonement: "Justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins."{Romans 3:24 ,25} Also, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."{2 Corinthians 5:21}

This shows God’s holiness upheld through Christ’s sacrifice, allowing him to accept repentant believers without compromising his attributes. Further, "That he might be just, and the justifier of him who believes in Christ Jesus."{Romans, v. 26} Thus, God reconciles former captives, granting them favor: "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."{Romans 5:1} And "to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them who believe on his name."{John 1:12}

ii. The gospel portrays Satan as defeated, rendering his captives as prisoners of hope.

Regarding this, our Lord Jesus Christ proclaims concerning the strong man that when he is armed and guarding his residence, his possessions remain secure; however, if a mightier one arrives and binds him, he will seize his goods.{Luke 11:21-22} Through this, our Lord establishes himself as more powerful than Satan. He has confronted him to restore the ruins of human nature that Satan had devastated, securing a decisive triumph over him, to the degree that the prince of darkness is depicted as destroyed or abolished by him. He took on flesh and blood, so that "through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil."{Hebrews 2:14}

To grasp this, one must understand that Satan’s dominion over mankind arose not solely from greater strength but also from divine authorization, as a righteous consequence for God’s rebellious creatures. Upon the reconciliation of these rebels to divine grace, that authorization to the adversary promptly ceased, and with God exercising his authority on their behalf, Satan swiftly proved unable to resist. Thus, the original promise is fulfilled: the seed of the woman has crushed the serpent’s head.{Genesis 3:15}

iii. The gospel reveals an abundance of divine grace sufficient to enable us to triumph over the corruptions of our nature, consistently depicting us as prisoners of hope.

God is the father of lights and the source of every good and perfect gift.{James 1:17} It is clear that human nature is never so profoundly degraded that he is unable to restore it. The gospel brings with it more abundant outpourings of the Spirit, which is why it is called "the law of the Spirit of life."{Romans 8:2}

In this context, the apostle declares that he was freed by it from the flawed law that caused him such anguish. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has liberated me from the law of sin and death, "for God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh."{Romans 8:2-3}

As the Spirit is described as the purchase of Christ, so "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, that we might receive the promised Spirit."{Galatians 3:13-14} Christ promises this in the most gracious manner: "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"{Luke 11:13} This is undoubtedly a deeply encouraging truth.

He who raises us from the dead can awaken us from the profound slumber into which sin has plunged us. He who shakes the earth and overturns the foundations of the mountains can break our chains of sin. He who by his power upholds the entirety of creation can fortify us in all our weaknesses and empower us, as scripture states, to recover ourselves from Satan’s snares.

And so, with what gratitude and joy should those in such a naturally deplorable condition embrace these messages of hope.

What joy should be manifest among wretched sinners when these proclamations of freedom are announced! Are these not now declared? Have you not just seen, from the word of God, that although you were condemned under the just verdict of the law, through a Redeemer, that verdict may be reversed, and your souls may be restored to life and happiness?

Is it not clear that, despite Satan holding you in dark captivity, through the great Redeemer, you may be delivered from his grasp and made more than conquerors over him?

And that, notwithstanding the painful and futile struggle you have endured with the weakness and corruption of a depraved nature, you may still receive those outpourings of the Spirit, which will purify and strengthen you, enabling you to cleanse yourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God?

Are these truly trivial matters? What if you had been assuredly told the opposite—that you must remain forever under this dreadful verdict, enduring its terrors in full: that Satan would forever dominate you, and that all this corruption of nature would persist, forever worsening rather than improving? Would that not have been a profoundly sorrowful situation?

How joyful and thankful should you then be, that through divine grace you hear the complete opposite of all this? And how senseless would it be to hear all of this, yet treat it as a mere tale?

And, how unreasonable is it that any should believe themselves excluded from hope? Prisoners of hope, will you yield to despair? Does Christ not possess sufficient merit, power, and grace to redeem and save you? Will you accept only the word of Satan that he does not? As all this is clearly proclaimed, yet it is true also that God must speak to our souls; may he do so in his mercy.

III. Our Lord Jesus Christ is a stronghold, where those prisoners of hope may find safety and protection.

He is able not only to grant them immediate deliverance by breaking open the prison doors and setting them free, but also to ensure their ongoing security in that blessed state: if they accept the protection he offers, they will be as shielded from sin as if in an unassailable fortress, which no force of the enemy can overcome. To illustrate this, consider how the divine power of Christ equips him to defend his people against all opposition; and that his eternal existence and unchanging glory make him even more capable of doing so.

1. The divine power of Christ enables him to shield his people from all assaults aimed at them. When the soul seeks sanctuary in Christ, it is guaranteed that God will not forsake it, for, as previously stated, God designated Christ as a refuge, and God cannot contradict himself or annul the covenant he has crafted and instituted.

Regarding the influence of Satan and depraved human nature, what are they when confronted by the supreme power of the blessed Redeemer? Earth and hell may combine their forces against him to no avail; he will prevail as more than a conqueror. By his decree, Satan will be completely subdued.

By his word, all corruptions of human nature will not merely be reduced but wholly eradicated. If he so desires, the most feeble and defiled sinner will be transformed to possess purity and strength. For our Lord is not merely man, nor solely an elevated being, but truly and completely God, through an indescribable and unfathomable union with the eternal Father: by virtue of which the power of the Father is his power, and will be wielded by him in the matters concerning his people. Thus he himself proclaims: "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all... I and the Father are one."{John 10:28, 29}

2. As our Lord Jesus Christ possesses such divine power, he also has an unchanging nature, which will provide eternal security for his people. He can not only offer them immediate protection but can extend that protection through all future ages of eternity.

The strongest fortresses eventually fall to ruin: rocks turn to dust, and mountains wear away; but Christ is the lasting rock of ages. He remains "the same yesterday and today and forever:"{Hebrews 13:8} able to continually support and defend his people: as able to do so now as he was at the beginning; and he will be equally able to do so a thousand years from now as he is today. For this reason, it may be rightly said that he is the stronghold.

How joyful and confident, then, may those be who have reason to believe they have found refuge in this stronghold! To those who have sought shelter at the feet of a Redeemer, who have humbly placed themselves there and poured out their souls before him: Why, then, are you so weighed down with distress and discouraging thoughts? Why do you hold such heavy fears? What do you doubt? Can the forces of sin and hell pull you from the arms of this blessed Redeemer? Or do you suppose that, after all the kind and uplifting words he has spoken, after all the efforts he has made, after all the blood he has shed for your sake, he will willingly abandon you to ruin?

Consider that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And so you may say to your soul, Rejoice, O my soul, for you are in the hands of Christ, you are secured in that unbreakable stronghold, and therefore, I am secure. "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"{Psalm 27:1}

I, a humble soul seeking refuge in Christ, will not fear divine judgment, as Christ's sacrifice extinguishes its terrors and his embrace offers me eternal protection.

I will not fear you, O prince of darkness, for Jesus, my protector, has triumphed over you, ensuring your destruction while I remain secure.

I will not fear you, O corruptions of nature, for Christ's grace is sufficient, and I trust he will soon end your fading struggles, raising me to perfection.

Blessed Jesus, I find joy in you as my hope, and the fiercer the storm rages around me, the more fiercely the enemies of my soul attack me, the more tightly will I cling to you, and the more will I find comfort in your care.

IV. If sinners wish to turn to this stronghold, it is essential that they direct their attention to it.

This is readily understood in the nature of things. Who could imagine that a refuge would be provided for those who do not value it or work toward it? If you examine the messages of peace in the gospel, you will discover that the promise of salvation is extended to those, and only to those, who believe in the name of the Son of God. This act of believing in him is precisely equivalent to turning to the stronghold. Since we are so clearly urged to do so, let us more carefully explore what is meant by it.

1. It presumes an awareness that we are truly in danger: a yearning for Christ as a stronghold; a desire to break free from the prison in which we are naturally confined and to follow the most straightforward path to the appointed refuge.

i. It presumes an awareness that we are truly in danger: that we do not depend on a general acknowledgment of the fallen and miserable state of man’s natural condition, but that we apply all these to ourselves: “I am thus condemned by Divine justice; I am thus enslaved to the power of Satan; I am thus bound in the chains of corruption.”

ii. It further presumes that we are deeply affected by this danger and strongly eager to be freed from it. It presumes that we are led by Divine grace to proclaim, “I now recognize this is not a trivial or minor issue; the judgment of God is now terrifying; the enslavement to Satan is degrading and agonizing; and these chains of sin, once seemingly light and pleasant, are not only disgraceful but would prove deadly. If I remain a prisoner, I am lost: Lord, deliver my soul from prison.”

iii. It presumes a hopeful understanding of the provision established for our deliverance. It presumes that through the perspective of faith we see the stronghold, that we understand the intentions behind its creation, that we view it as built for sinners, and that we are convinced that if we turn to it, we will find our safety within it.

iv. Turning to the stronghold further presumes that, as a result of this conviction, we follow the path to this appointed refuge; that we do not merely turn toward it, but that, as the apostle states, we flee for refuge to seize the hope placed before us;{Hebrews 6:18} that we actively reject our sins, that through the power of God we break free from our chains, that we leave behind the domain and authority of Satan, and press forward to embrace Christ with an urgency suitable for beings who recognize it as their only hope, like those pursued by the sword of Divine justice, who will perish by it if they are not protected in him. This is turning to the stronghold.

To apply this point, each of us should seriously examine ourselves to determine whether we have turned to the stronghold. You understand that this is a matter of the greatest importance. Your freedom and your life depend on it. Therefore, we ought to review the points just presented and evaluate ourselves on this matter with proper seriousness, as individuals who desire to face the worst parts of themselves and fear, above all, being misled in an issue of such deep significance.

Have you recognized yourselves as prisoners? Do you long more intensely for freedom? Have you been led to Christ as the refuge, and have you eagerly sought him as such? On what basis? In what situations? With what earnestness? Have you ever entered this stronghold to entrust your souls to him?

There are many, even who bear the name of Christian, who are effectively indifferent to this matter, I trust none of us fall into this category. I would hope that at the very least you are now eager to pursue it; or that, by the grace of God, you are rather able to declare that you have already done so.

We close with a specific appeal to each of these groups.

1. To obstinate sinners, which I trust includes none of us this morning, may we help them strive to recognize the darkness and chains that bind them, and to not remain so dangerously unaware of the peril and the coming judgment upon them. Let us bring to them the hope of Divine grace, which offers a stronghold for their deliverance, that they may turn to it before their opportunity for hope is lost forever.

2. To awakened sinners, I would simply urge, Flee to the safe haven with haste and resolve, and in humble dependence on all the direction that God offers through his word.

i. Flee with haste: as the angels said to Lot, it may be said to you, Arise, "escape for your life. Do not look back."{Genesis 19:17} If you delay for a week or a day, the prison doors may, perhaps, shut upon you, and all your plans and hopes may be forever ruined. Countless individuals have perished with good intentions that God never allowed them to complete.

ii. Flee with resolve. Carefully consider that you must expect strong opposition. Satan will oppose you fiercely, and, above all, your own sinful habits will grip so tightly that they cannot be shed without great effort. It will be like cutting off a right hand or removing a right eye, yet it must be done.

iii. Pursue it with humble trust in the provided guidance. Obtain your directions from the word of God. Thankfully accept the help fellow believers can provide, but do not entirely depend on human strength. Understand that it is the Spirit of strength and power that will give you freedom. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is,” in this sense as in others, "there is freedom."{2 Corinthians 3:17} Therefore, maintain a humble reliance on that Spirit, and earnestly pray for his presence to be given to you.

3. To those who have already found safety in the secure fortress,

i. Honor the grace that led you to it. Otherwise, it would have been provided in vain, for your eyes would have been blinded, preventing you from seeing it at all, or you would have seen it only to turn away from it.

ii. Make it your priority to stay within it. The man who found safety in the city of refuge was secure only as long as he remained there. The same applies to you. Therefore, let it be your focus to maintain steadfast trust in Christ, to stay close to him, and to strive for an ever-closer bond with him. Then you will be prisoners of hope in a deeply different sense from what we have been considering.

Though limited by the body, which restricts your souls in their highest desires, you will soon be set free, rising pure and immortal into the presence of God. And though confined in the grave, even those gates will open, and your earthly remains will be called to a state of eternal freedom and glory.