Cancer Blog #68
By Brian Zimmerman
Begun on July 31, 2021
Email: dyingman1@yahoo.com
My Dying Words
Entry #68– The Covenant with Death
January 21, 2023
[Isa 28:15, 18-19] 15 Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we have made a pact. The overwhelming scourge will not reach us when it passes by, For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception.” … 18 “Your covenant with death will be canceled, And your pact with Sheol will not stand; When the overwhelming scourge passes through, Then you become its trampling [place.] 19 “As often as it passes through, it will seize you; For morning after morning it will pass through, [anytime] during the day or night, And it will be sheer terror to understand what it means.”
Here Isaiah makes an astounding statement, that there are those who claim to have a covenant with death, to have an agreement of impunity from the effects of death. Those of this pact call themselves deceivers, liars in effect. From the fall, we see that lying, death, and Satan are bound together, for Satan is the father of lies, and to follow him is to court the sentence of death. Yet these liars claim to have broken these links so they will escape the condemnation of God with His pronouncement of death. Though Isaiah does not reveal the identity of these deceivers, it might remind us of remarks we have seen elsewhere by the most conspicuous and brash of the wicked: the rich, the influential, the powerful, who often pronounce the strength and invincibility to avoid God’s judgment. They live as if the final verdict has been rendered in this age, and have or will escape it, refusing to see what even their own eyes tell them, viz., that each generation lives and dies and then goes to prepare for that ultimate rendering of condemnation that will be irreversible.
Yet I fear we as believers often live as if we accept the statements of the wicked – that our possessions and positions are somehow a reflection of the final situation we will find at the end, that what we own and occupy (or a lack thereof) during this life will follow us into the age that is to come.
But, if you are tempted to accept that deception, then listen to God’s response to those who lie about their covenant for death. The so-called covenant with death for safety and exemption has been cancelled for the arrogant wicked. They have no more pack with Sheol. They are no more, if they ever were! There is no escape from death; the wicked will be trampled, crushed by its power and might. They should fear its reach and its certainty.
Yet in vs. 16, the Lord God pronounces, “…I am laying in Zion a stone…a costly cornerstone for the foundation, …he who believes in it will not be disturbed.”
Believe, then, in Jesus, the cornerstone and foundation as named in the New Testament, and you will find that you need not fear the power of death ever again. He is our great hope and refuge!
Next: What Abides Forever
Medical Update
Yesterday (Wednesday, February 1), I started my new regimen of 3 chemo drugs: Ramucirumab, Irinotecan (since this causes severe diarrhea, the patients call it, “I run to the can”), and 5-fluorouracil (everyone just calls it 5-FU; some patients have the poor taste to call it the “FU” drug. Okay, it is offensive. Sorry about that. Chemo sometimes does offensive things). The first two are given by IV in the oncologist’s office, the third one by using a pump at home over the course of two days. (Warning: no showers during that time!)
There are a number of problems caused by these drugs. Many of the side effects I’ve already experienced with the previous chemo drugs I’ve received. First, as I’ve already mentioned is severe diarrhea. They gave me a dose of atropine to prevent that. There’s early diarrhea (which happen in less than the first 24 hours. Late is >24 hours. So far, to my great surprise, I’m good. No problems!
Second, the infusion for all my other drugs were always 1.5 to 2 hours tops. Now the infusion takes >4 hours. Yesterday my infusion started at 1230pm, so I finished at 5pm so I ran the poor treatment nurse late. I felt bad about that, but I didn’t set the appointment time.
Third, I had some kind of weird reaction with the Irinotecan, so they had to stop the drug, wait 10 minutes then restart it very slowly, then step up the speed of the administration in several steps.
Fourth, I was very weak afterwards. My legs felt like rubber so I Karen held onto my arm while walking to the car. I felt better after eating one of my wife’s excellent meals, but was still very tired and rubbery. Much better the next morning (Thursday, February 2), though still very shaky.
Fifth, before all this palaver with the new drugs, starting on Monday (January 30), my blood pressure started climbing for no reason, and finally stopped at 190/100. It slowly came back down and then did the same thing on Tuesday. So, now the oncology nurse practitioner has prescribed Losartan as a PRN (as needed) anti-hypertensive medication. And, I went ahead and ordered an automatic blood pressure machine for when Karen isn’t around to take my BP with the manual blood pressure cuff.
Isn’t it always something? Sheesh… But, God has been good. In a short while I’ll be 71, and come two months from now (April), I had my original diagnosis, and I was on the fast track out of here. So, I’m guessing my life has been extended going on two years. We are most grateful for the great generosity of our Lord for that additional time!