How can believers avoid the "covenant with death" mentioned in Isaiah 28:15? Setting the Scene: What Isaiah Addressed “Because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have made an agreement; when the overwhelming scourge passes through, it will not touch us, for we have made lies our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception.’” (Isaiah 28:15) • Leaders in Jerusalem felt immune from judgment. • They trusted political alliances, false prophets, and their own schemes more than the Lord. • Their self-made “covenant” promised safety but guaranteed destruction (vv. 18–19). Recognizing Today’s Counterfeits • Any promise of security that bypasses repentance and faith in Christ. • Doctrines that minimize sin or deny judgment (2 Peter 2:1–3). • Cultural compromises that call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20). • Personal rationalizations: “God understands; this one compromise won’t matter.” God’s True Remedy: The Cornerstone “See, I lay in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will never be shaken.” (Isaiah 28:16; cf. 1 Peter 2:6–7) • Safety is found in a Person, not a pact. • Faith in the Cornerstone demands turning from every rival trust. Practical Steps to Avoid a Covenant with Death 1. Submit to Scripture’s Authority – Psalm 119:11: “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” – Measure every teaching, trend, and impulse against the Bible’s plain meaning. 2. Reject False Security – Proverbs 14:12 warns that a way “seems right… but in the end it leads to death.” – Ask: Does this path rely on Christ’s finished work or on human cleverness? 3. Embrace Repentance as a Lifestyle – 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us…” – Ongoing confession keeps deception from taking root. 4. Cultivate Holy Fear – Hebrews 10:31: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” – Reverence for God’s holiness dismantles casual attitudes toward sin. 5. Anchor in the Gospel Community – Hebrews 3:13: “Encourage one another daily… so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deception.” – Transparent fellowship exposes lies before they mature. 6. Guard Alliances – 2 Corinthians 6:14: “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” – Partnerships that dull obedience plant seeds of a deadly covenant. 7. Watch and Pray – Matthew 26:41: “Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation.” – Vigilance keeps the soul sensitive to the Spirit’s warnings. The Certain Outcome “Your covenant with death will be annulled… when the overwhelming scourge sweeps through, you will be trampled down.” (Isaiah 28:18) • Every false refuge will collapse. • Only those resting on the Cornerstone stand secure (Romans 8:1). Living in Confidence, Not Conceit • Confidence: rooted in Christ’s righteousness (Philippians 3:9). • No conceit: daily dependence, remembering “apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Believers avoid a covenant with death by clinging to the living Christ, submitting to His unchanging Word, and refusing every counterfeit shelter. |
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