TAKING REFUGE IN LIES

Isa. 28:15

Morning Meditation 8/24/14

"Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:"

When men put their trust in their weapons and their alliances, they make a serious mistake. Our passage is dealing with Israel when they made men their refuge and rejected the LORD. I would like for us to look as some of the refuges that men take today.

THE LIE OF EVOLUTION

This is a lie and one is not safe in this refuge. As the teacher or college professor teaches his theory, many that are listening to this lie, receive it as the truth. But there is nothing further from the truth. It is so obvious that evolution is Satan's attempt to trap man and secure him for hell.

If evolution is true, there is no accountability in the future. To them there is no God. The explanation they make to the origin of the earth is a belly laugh. They project the theory is that millions of years ago there was a giant explosion and what we see of universe is the result. They violate one of their most basic theories, i.e., that order comes out of an explosion.

This is a lie in which the evolutionist find refuge. I want to assure you that that is a refuge of lies. It will not stand up in the judgment.

Don't make the mistake of putting your trust in a lie. Those who do this will stand before God and give an account. There will be no second chances.

The claim of the Bible infuriates the man of science. To accept the Bible puts the lie on evolution. Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." The very first verse in the Bible God is seen as the Creator.

The Pulpit Commentary comments: "Thus, according to the teaching of this venerable document, the visible universe neither existed from eternity, nor was fashioned out of pre-existing materials, nor proceeded forth as an emanation from the Absolute, but was summoned into being by an express creative fiat. The New Testament boldly claims this as a doctrine peculiar to revelation (Hebrews 11:3). Modern science explicitly disavows it as a discovery of reason. The continuity of force admits of neither creation nor annihilation, but demands an unseen universe, out of which the visible has been produced 'by an intelligent agency residing in the unseen,' and into which it must eventually return ('The Unseen Universe,' pp. 167,170)."

Multitudes are hiding in the lie of evolution. Frankly, it would take more faith for me to believe the hypothesis of evolution than it does special creation.

Let's take a closer look. Our text says, "In the beginning God created . . ." The word "created" translates "bara" and means to create something out of nothing and do it perfectly. God did not work through a process. Psalms 33:6 says, "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth."

Psalms 33:9 says, "For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast."

If you do not believe in God and that His word to us in infallible, then you must have another way to explain creation.

This truth is also declared in the New Testament. John 1:1-3, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

Colossians 1:14-17, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

MAN'S BOLD REJECTION OF GOD

Isaiah 28:15, "Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:"

"We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement: as safe from death, and secure from hell, or the grave, as if a covenant and compact had been formally entered into between them. The phrases are expressive of their being fearless of them, and of their confidence and assurance that they should not be hurt by them." -- The Pulpit Commentary.

This is the condition of most of the world. They do not want to Romans 1:28, "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;" Then again in Romans 3:18, "There is no fear of God before their eyes." This definitely describes the world in which we live..

Men as a whole will never bow to the Lord and give Him glory until the day of God's wrath. Revelation 16:10-11, "And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds."

It is almost inconceivable to think that man is so given to self and sin that he can knowingly refuse repentance. Out text says, "when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:"

THE LIE REVEALED

Paul makes it plain that man will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. At that time there will be no place of repentance.

John 8:44 says, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." Satan is behind all lies. So when man finds refuge in a lie, he is actually finding refuge in Satan. There is no protection there.

Philippians 2:9-11 says, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." You will notice that this text says that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess the Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Every man will acknowledge the truth of God before he is cast into the lake of fire.

THE LIE FORGIVEN

God is a merciful and forgiving God. If you have been hiding behind a lie, God invites you to come out.

The unsaved church member is hiding behind a lie. He thinks because he is in some church that this will be enough. This is a lie. The lie can only be taken away by the Lord. This is the reason that He came into the world. He died to make a way. Jesus said in John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Isaiah said in our text, "Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us . . ." One cannot hide from God.

God is omniscient. There is no place where you can go to escape. God sees in the dark as well as in the light.

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White