The turmoil in the nation of Egypt has been a central news story for some time now. These events are also, seemingly, central to Bible prophecy and remind us that we are living in the last days. First, a revolution that unseated long time president and one time ally of the United States, Hosni Mubarak, next the installation of he Muslim Brotherhood leader, Mohamed Morsi, and now a bloody military coup in which Egyptians are killing Egyptians for control of the government. Prior to these events, Egypt has had a stabilizing effect in the Middle East. Though a mostly Muslim country, Egypt has a large, and until recently, unpersecuted, Christian population. For the most part, Egypt was a friend to the America, and peaceful toward Israel.
The trouble started when as President Mubarak consolidated control over the country and became more of a dictator than a president, much as the the Shaw of Iran did back in the 1970's. As in the case of the Shaw, the people wanted Mubarak out and instead of the U S defending it's friend and ally and attempting to negotiate for better conditions in the country, bad foreign policy led to an extremist Islamic group taking control of the country. In Iran, the Ayatollah, a Muslim pope, in a sense, runs the country, and in Egypt, Morsi, of the extremist group, the Muslim Brotherhood took over.
The Muslim Brotherhood is an extremist Islamic group that advocates Sharia law. What once began as a humanitarian group, has now, almost 100 years later, become an advocate of Jihad. The creed of the Muslim Brotherhood is: Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. Qur'an is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope. (emphasis added) The Muslim Brotherhood is not a friend to America nor it's belief in personal freedom. The Muslim Brotherhood does seem to be a friend to our president, which is somewhat disconcerting.
Unrest in Islamic countries is nothing new, anyone who reads the paper or watches national news knows that unrest in the Middle East is almost the norm. What is notable is the fact that today's headlines concerning Egypt seem to be taken right from the pages of Bible prophecy. The prophet Isaiah foretold these events almost 3 thousand years ago as they were revealed to him by God. Look with me, if you would, at this passage from Isaiah 19:
Isaiah 19:2-4 And I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians, and they will fight, each against another and each against his neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom;
and the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out, and I will confound their counsel; and they will inquire of the idols and the sorcerers, and the mediums and the necromancers; and I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a hard master, and a fierce king will rule over them, declares the Lord GOD of hosts.
The next several verses pertain to the Nile river being dried up and having "bare spots". Interestingly, there is much turmoil over the Nile river as other nations are utilizing it's waters for agriculture and even low cost energy production, causing consternation in Egypt concerning the loss of water in the river itself. Speaking of the Nile river going dry just a few years ago would have been laughable, but today is a growing concern as water rights treaties are being ignored or revisited.
The passage in Isaiah continues :
Isaiah 19:12-16 Where then are your wise men? Let them tell you that they might know what the LORD of hosts has purposed against Egypt.
The princes of Zoan have become fools, and the princes of Memphis are deluded; those who are the cornerstones of her tribes have made Egypt stagger.
The LORD has mingled within her a spirit of confusion, and they will make Egypt stagger in all its deeds, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit.
And there will be nothing for Egypt that head or tail, palm branch or reed, may do.
In that day the Egyptians will be like women, and tremble with fear before the hand that the LORD of hosts shakes over them.
This passage shows two notable things, first, the leaders of Egypt are the cause of the turmoil and confusion, which evident and second, that this turmoil will continue until the Lord returns. If the events in Egypt today are indeed the fulfillment of this prophecy, there will be no quick solution. Interestingly, verse 17 of the above passage refers to Judah being a terror to Egypt, could it be that these events are a build up to the events that would cause a world leader to broker a treaty between Israel and "the many" as the Bible tells us will happen just prior the the Great Tribulation?
We are certainly living in exciting times, as events foretold thousands of years ago are beginning to unfold before our very eyes. Since 1948, the world seems to be back on the prophetic timeline and events are happening at an escalating pace. We need to pray for the people of Egypt, especially the Coptic Christians who are experiencing escalated persecution. As of this writing over 800 people have been killed due to government instability and the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood. As in all things, faith in the God of the Bible through Jesus Christ is the only answer to true peace.
I encourage you to read the whole of Isaiah 19, especially the last verses that pertain to God bringing Egypt into a time of peace after the return of Christ. Please join me in praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters in the Egyptian church and as always for the peace of Jerusalem. I quote John the Revelator: "amen, come Lord Jesus!"
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