At Isaiah 28:17-19 it states:
"And I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the leveling instrument; and the hail must sweep away the refuge of a lie, and THE WATERS THEMSELVES WILL FLOOD OUT the very place of concealment. And your covenant with Death will certainly be dissolved, and the vision of your with sheol will not stand. THE OVERFLOWING FLASH FLOOD, when it passes through -- you must also become for it a trampling place. As often as it passes through, it will take you men away, because morning by morning it will pass through, during the day and during the night; and it must become nothing but a reason for quaking to MAKE [OTHERS] UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS BEEN HEARD [NWT Ref. Bib. Ftn. or, "The Report"]."
The verses above describe essentially the most direct way God gets His point across... to Israel, after giving a verbal warning through his prophets. He uses, DEATH and destruction, something that mankind can truly "understand." Yes, Jehovah uses the "overflowing flash floods of waters," upon Israel, outside political nations to overrun Israel. -- Isaiah 30:26; Micah 4:6,7; Revelation 13:5-7
These Political Nations, spoken of as "flash floods" of water, coming as would be, quickly, as would "flash floods" of water to drown, or "carry away," day by day, members of the "Israelite" nation. To wash them away, in "death" as we know, "flash floods," can do. Yes, in other words, people will have to die, "washed away," drowned, flooded, or be killed, before they will "UNDERSTAND" the "Report," God's message for them. This happens during the "42 months" of trampling upon modern-day "Israel," -- Jehovah's Witnesses.
Thats the point of Isaiah 28:18, 19.
To help us to see the situation we are faced with, let's examine Isaiah 28:9. It says,
"Whom will one instruct in knowledge, and whom will one make UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS BEEN HEARD? [or, The "Report" See footnote NWT Large Print Ref. Bibl.] Those who have been weaned from the milk those moved away from the breasts?"
The point is made here, that to "understand" the "Report," the "thing heard," does one need to first have been "weaned from milk," meaning, a mature servant of God, one who is no longer feeding of the "Milk" or elementary teachings of God. In other words, does he necessarily need to be a full-grown, mature christian, or servant of God. Is that the requirement to "understand the Report"?
Actually, the answer is no. He does not.
A person could be a spiritual "babe," and still "understand," the "Report." That's because the message is plain and simple, and easy to understand. And so, it has nothing to do with a person's spiritual progress or growth, per say, as to whether he can "understand," the "Report." Even as a spiritual "babe," he could possess the mental and spiritual powers to comprehend, understand the message God is giving "Israel," the "Report."
So, this cannot be used as a excuse.
Even now, we have evidence, that individuals who are not even baptized, at present, can still truly "understand" the message that God has provided for "Israel." They can "understand the thing heard," the "Report."
Isaiah 28:11, shows that since God cannot reach His people through conventional methods, sending a prophet to speak warning words to them, speaking in their native tongue, intelligible words, and yet they repeatedly, ridicule, scoff, become "scoffers" of the message, and will not listen. So, because of this attitude, Jehovah now decides to resort to speaking to them in another tongue, one He is sure they will understand...brute force, death and destruction! -- See Isaiah 28:22
Isaiah 28:18, 19 shows that the "brute force," God resorts to, in allowance of the political nations to overrun Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide, will bring indeed, a unique and clear "understanding of the thing heard," an "understanding" of the "Report." Death and Destruction will bring about a true "understanding" of the "Report," and a meeting of the minds with the Creator and Israel.
So, as mentioned above, their "Covenant with Death will certainly be dissolved," meaning, many of Jehovah's Witnesses will have to face "death," destruction, many will be killed by the "King of the North," the "Small Horn." Many will be killed, literally. This will be in the early stages of the "42 months of trampling," upon Israel. It will be this "killing" action taken by the political nations upon Jehovah's Witnesses, who have been chased to the "wilderness" that force the Watch Tower Society, and their unfaithful 2/3 following, to compromise and get upon the back of the beast and "ride," the back of the political "wild beast." A more resilient "1/3", will not do this, will not compromise. They would rather stay in the wilderness and be treated as a outcast of society and suffer the consequences.
PLEASE NOTE: Those that God has targeted to be "killed," are indeed, dedicated, baptized, Jehovah's Witnesses that will be put to death, killed in the wilderness. They are people in whom God has observed to be, unrepentant, practicers of Gross Sin. This is their punishment.
Zechariah 5:1-4 shows us a "flying scroll," huge, measuring some 15 feet wide and 30 long. This "flying scroll," shows us clearly that Jehovah is keeping up with all names of ALL JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, who who practice sin, those who practice "stealing," and yet have "gone free of punishment." Also, those "making sworn oaths," falsely, and have "gone free of punishment."
Jehovah God is keeping up with these individuals, to repay them back for their wicked conduct. No one of Jehovah's Witnesses who unrepentantly practice Gross Sin, will escape.
Also, Malachi 3:5 shows Jehovah God, indeed, will become a "speedy witness," against all "sorcerers, and against the adulterers, ..."
He will become a "speedy witness," by allowing the political nations to move "speedily" against His own people. Jehovah will allow the political nations to have many of Jehovah's Witnesses "killed," put to death, in the eartly stages of the "42 months of trampling."
Revelation 13:10 shows us the situation:
"If anyone is meant for captivity, he goes away into captivity. If anyone will kill with the sword, he must be killed with the sword..."
If the Jehovah's Witness is meant for "captivity," to jail he will go...but if he meant for "killing," then he will be put to death, he will be "killed," as this is what God has righteously decreed for him...for his past conduct of bad deeds and practices. He must die, eternally.
The "woman," the 1/3 of Jehovah's Witnesses, who will divide off from the WTS at this time, will not suffer this situation. It is only truly the wicked from among Jehovah's Witnesses, who practice vile things...from among the "2/3" wicked followers of the WTS. The "killing" takes place from among this number. -- Zech. 8:8,9
After much "captivity," and "killing by the sword," is done, the WTS will quickly compromise and decide to join forces with the governments...giving them no more adversity or trouble. They will at that time, clearly support the Governments, getting the "mark of the beast," openly. They will come out of the wilderness, then, "riding on the back of the wild beast," meaning they will no longer want to stay under persecution in the "wilderness," living as an outcast toward the world of mankind. Their spiritual "compromise" will then, be complete in the eyes of God and Satan, the real ruler of the wicked world of governments...the real ruler of the "7-headed, 10-horned Wild Beast", the wearer of "7 diadems." They are now saying the words, that Jesus himself heard the mouth of Israel of his day..."we have NO KING but Caesar!" -- Luke 4:5,6; Revelation 12:3
All of Jehovah's Witnesses, who are practicers of Gross Sin, are liable to God, still because of being in a Covenant Relationship, arrangement with Him. Their conduct is under scrutiny. Their "behavior" watched. If they practice these wicked things, unrepentantly, they will become as the prophet Zechariah said of them...
"The Flock meant for the Killing..." -- Zechariah 11:7
Therefore, in being such, they can not make any "Covenant with Death," that is to avoid it, by any means...they cannot avoid "death," at all...they are destined to be "killed," they are the ones who are "meant to be killed," ... the "flock meant for the killing." -- Revelation 13:10; Zechariah 11:7
MDS
"And now do not show yourselves SCOFFERS, in order that your bands may not grow strong, for there is an extermination, even something decided upon, that I have heard of from the Sovereign Lord, Jehovah of armies, for all the land." -- Isaiah 28:22