All men know themselves to be sinners against God. They know, also, that as sinners they are in peril and are not safe. Hence their anxiety to find some refuge for safety. They know they might find this in the way of forsaking sin and turning to the Lord; but they do not choose to forsake their sins. Hence there seems to be no convenient resource but to hide themselves under some refuge. Our text speaks of the "refuge of lies." Notice some of these refuges.
I. An unsanctifying hope of heaven. A good hope purifies the heart. But there certainly are hopes indulged that fail to purify the heart of those who hold them. Those hopes are worthless a mere refuge of lies.
II. An old experience, that is all old, is a lie.
III. There are two forms of self-righteousness the legal and the Gospel both of which are refuges of lies. The legal depends on duty-doing, evermore trying to work out salvation by deeds of law. The Gospel form sets itself to get grace by works. Men try to get a new heart, not by trying to turn from all sin, but by praying for it.
IV. Universalism is an old refuge of lies. It never saved any man from sin. It throws no influence in that direction.
V. God declares that "the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies." No doubt the hail is the symbol of God's displeasure. He loves truth too well to have the least sympathy with lies. He loves the souls of men too well to have any patience with agencies so destructive. Therefore, He loathes all these refuges of lies, and has solemnly declared that the hail shall sweep them all away.
VI. There is a refuge which is not one of lies. There is a hiding-place which no waters can reach to overwhelm. It lies far above their course. You need to come into such communion with Christ, that His power and presence and fulness shall flow through your heart fully and freely, and be in you a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
C. G. Finney, Sermons on Gospel Themes,p. 119.
References: Isaiah 28:17. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xxv., No. 1501.Isaiah 28:20. W. H. Langhorne, Penny Pulpit,No. 1030; Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. v., No. 244; Homiletic Magazine,vol. viii., p. 67. Isaiah 28:23-29. S. Cox, Expositor,1st series, vol. i., p. 88. Isaiah 28:24-29. Homiletic Magazine,vol. xi., p. 142.Isaiah 28:25. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xxvii., No. 1626. Isaiah 28:29. Ibid.,vol. xii., No. 711.