Egypt has been prominently in the international news the last few years, and the present impasse between Great Britain and the Egyptian dictatorship headed by General Mohammed Naguib threatens the peace of the whole Near East, and perhaps of the world. For the first time in many centuries the down-trodden, poverty-stricken common people of Egypt have been awakened, and now desire to throw off every trace of foreign occupation. They are demanding that the British withdraw their forces from the Suez Canal and abandon the $1,500,000,000 military installation on which the Western Powers have counted to forestall Russian expansion into the Near East. This great base with its airfields has been a constant threat to would-be aggressors in that area, and has been a stabilizing factor in one of the most troubled spots of the world. To give it up might encourage another Arab-Israeli war, or a communist overthrow of the many unstable governments of the Mohammedan world.
To the Christian who is conversant with his Bible, Egypt is a familiar name. It takes a place in Holy Writ as second in importance only to the land of Canaan—Palestine. References to Egypt are to be found in 27 books of the Old Testament, and in many places in the New Testament. The history of God's earthly people is considerably interwoven with that of Egypt.
Long before the Israelites crossed the Jordan under the leadership of Joshua and invaded Palestine, Egypt was a strong and very prosperous country. It was peopled by descendants of Cush and Mizraim, sons of Ham. In the fields of science and arts, manufacture, land development, wealth, and luxury, it was unrivaled in its day; and even today the greatness and grandeur of the old Egypt is somewhat of a marvel.
We are apt to look upon Western civilization as the only one that has made real progress, but almost 4000 years ago the Egyptians excelled moderns in some things Developments that were supposed to have been made in medieval times (or later), were known to the Egyptians. They possessed considerable knowledge of chemistry and metallurgy, and even of the medical sciences. Mummies have been found with teeth containing gold fillings. Not only did they make glass and porcelain, but colored them. They were able to counterfeit the brilliant hues of precious stones, and even made imitation pearls. Glass cutting, engraving, and grinding were practiced by these early people. They made very beautiful linen and were able to dye their cloth in many colors. Papyrus (from which our word "paper" comes) was cultivated and processed into paper. Their knowledge of embalming is still unrivaled; they could preserve a human body with its features and facial expressions for thousands of years. They were acquainted with astronomy; and their engineering feats were tremendous, as is evidenced by the remains that have defied the ravages of time.
Ancient Egyptian attainments certainly go far to disprove the theory that man has been slowly working his way up from the brute beast. Egypt's greatest and best works were among her first; then deterioration set in, and for the last thousand years or more Egypt has been impoverished and degraded. It sank lower and lower until the masses of the common people have lived in some of the worst poverty and under the worst forms of oppression that have been known among mankind. Shall we ask, Why? Is it not the sad fruit of turning away from God?
In tracing the place Egypt has had in the Scriptures, it is important to notice that Abraham went into Egypt to escape the famine in Canaan (Gen. 12). God had called him from a family of idolaters in Mesopotamia to dwell in the land of promise, but when adversity reached him there by means of the famine, he resorted to the well organized and prosperous land of Egypt. This was turning to the world for help, and Egypt is used in the Scriptures as emblematic of the world in its power and independence of God. During Abraham's defection in the path of faith, he was rebuked by Pharaoh.
Next we read that Joseph was sold as a slave to the Egyptians (Gen. 37), but God was with him and, in the wisdom and providence of God, Joseph eventually became the second ruler in the land. Egypt was probably at the zenith of her glory about that time. It is generally thought t hat Joseph was exalted in Egypt during the Hyksos (or "Shepherd-kings") dynasty. This may account for the kindly reception given to Jacob and all of Joseph's house when they came to live in Egypt at Joseph's request, for they too were shepherds, and were given the best of the land, the land of Goshen.
Shortly thereafter, these Shepherd-kings were overthrown, and the new dynasty which came into power did not know Joseph, nor the work which he had done-"Another king arose, which knew not Joseph." The new dynasty was not favorable to the posterity of Jacob, and began to persecute them. When an edict was issued condemning all the baby boys to death in the river, God intervened in a providential way and Moses was delivered from death and raised up to be the deliverer of Israel. Moses, brought up as the son of Pharaoh's daughter, "was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds"—an advantage that would be the envy of many today. By faith he forsook Egypt and cast in his lot with a company of slaves.
From the time of the exodus the children of Israel were ever prone to desire Egypt and to turn to it for help. They had not gone far into the wilderness before they forgot the cruel lash of the taskmaster, and all the evil which befell them in Egypt, and in their hearts turned back again (Acts 7:3939To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, (Acts 7:39)). At a later date God spoke to them through Isaiah, and said, "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many;... but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel.... Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit." Isa. 31:1-31Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord! 2Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. 3Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together. (Isaiah 31:1‑3). In like manner, we who have been delivered from this present evil world are often inclined to turn again to it for help, and that to our shame.
The idolatry of Egypt also had its influence on the Israelites. When they made a golden calf in the wilderness, they were imitating the Egyptians who worshiped the sacred bull. The same evil broke out again in the days of Jeroboam, when it was doubled—he made two golden calves.
Solomon in his day "made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt" (1 Kings 3:11And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about. (1 Kings 3:1)) and took Pharaoh's daughter as one of his many wives from the heathen nations about him. This was in direct disobedience to the commandment of the Lord, and in his later years these wives turned his heart to the gods of the heathen. This was a most solemn breakdown, but it shows that our only safety is walking in obedience to the Word of God. Solomon also disobeyed God in multiplying horses to himself (Deut. 17:16, 1716But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. 17Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. (Deuteronomy 17:16‑17)), and many of these were imported from Egypt (1 Kings 10:2828And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price. (1 Kings 10:28)).
We cannot mention all the times that Egypt entered into the lives of the Israelites, but in the days of Jeremiah another defection occurred, and a company that had been left in the land by Nebuchadnezzar when he took most of the Jews to Babylon, disobeyed the word of the Lord, and sought refuge in Egypt (they took Jeremiah with them), only to reap the sad fruit of their ways. They had escaped Babylonian captivity, but then chose Egypt. The two principles set forth by Babylon a n d Egypt still harass the saints of God. The former represents the world in its corrupt religious aspect, and the latter, the world in its boasted wealth and independence of God-the world as we generally speak. May we be kept from both evils.
One claim to distinction for Egypt is that our Lord was there for a time. When Herod sought the young child Jesus to destroy Him, Joseph was warned in a dream to take Mary and the Child into Egypt, which he promptly did. Thus as Israel was called out of Egypt, so was the Lord Himself; Hos. 11:11When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. (Hosea 11:1) is applied to Him in Matt. 2
In all history no nation ever remained in a place of international prominence and importance for so long a time.
Other great kingdoms arose and vanished while Egypt retained her place for century upon century. We might well ask, Does Scripture have anything to say regarding the terrible fall of this once-mistress of the nations? Yes, God spoke through the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel of the destruction of its cities, its industries, its gods, and of its abject degradation.
Thebes, the ancient capital of Egypt, lies in ruins according to the word of the Lord. It is referred to as No in Ezekiel 30, where it was prophesied that "I will... execute judgments in No... And I will cut off the multitude of No.... And No shall be rent asunder." Today only the ruins are left of that great city with its massive temples, its obelisks, sphinxes, a n d many other works of art and engineering feats.
Zoan was the capital about the time of the Hyksos dynasty, and it was there that Moses and Aaron performed all their miracles before Pharaoh. "Marvelous things did He... in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.... He... wrought His signs... in the field of Zoan." Psalm 78:12, 4312Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. (Psalm 78:12)
43How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan: (Psalm 78:43). Zoan was noted for its wise men, but God said, "Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counselors of Pharaoh is become brutish.... The princes of Zoan are become fools." Isa. 19:11, 1311Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings? (Isaiah 19:11)
13The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof. (Isaiah 19:13). Today there is another city, Tanis, built over the ruins of the proud city of Zoan. Surely God's counsel shall stand, and all the words of men shall be brought low.
The industry of Egypt was to be wasted, for the Lord said, "Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail [leaders or lead], branch or rush [high or low of the people], may do." Isa. 19:1515Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do. (Isaiah 19:15). The fishermen were to mourn, and those that worked in the flax were to be confounded (vv. 8, 9). Thus the land of enormous wealth and great industry withered and dried.
The Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans each in turn ruled over Egypt; through all those changes of masters her glory faded, although she retained some of her native force and wealth. But with the onslaught of the Arab hordes, flushed with victory and with fanatical zeal of Mohammedanism in 638 A.D., the decline of Egypt was accelerated. There has been a fulfillment of the prophecy, "I will... sell the land into the hand of the wicked: and I will make the land waste, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers: I the LORD have spoken it." Eze. 30:1212And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked: and I will make the land waste, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers: I the Lord have spoken it. (Ezekiel 30:12). That once arrogant nation whose ruler said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice?" was brought low, and the land of those that ill-treated strangers was laid waste by strangers.
But with all its degradation, Egypt still remains, and in a fashion described by God before it came to pass: "They shall be there a base kingdom. It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations! for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations. And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel." Eze. 29:14-1614And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation; and they shall be there a base kingdom. 15It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations. 16And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord God. (Ezekiel 29:14‑16). History and the writings of those who visited Egypt bear solemn testimony to the fulfillment of the prophetic scriptures concerning that nation, cities, land, and people.
For more than 2000 years they did not have a native prince ruling the land (Eze. 30:1313Thus saith the Lord God; I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause their images to cease out of Noph; and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt. (Ezekiel 30:13)), and such governments as they had were often corrupt beyond description. They have fared better under British control than they had at almost any time in the Christian era, but even those from among themselves set to rule have been utterly corrupt. Only now that it is ruled by a military junta has there been an attempt to give the downtrodden people an honest government. There is also a revival of a national spirit (for centuries it was extinct) which is now seeking to get rid of British troops and influence, and to assume once more the handling of their own affairs and destiny. This likewise is an indication of prophetic fulfillment, for it is said in Luke 21:29, 3029And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; 30When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. (Luke 21:29‑30) that when the fig tree (Israel) and all the trees (the Gentile nations) send forth shoots, then summer is nigh.
Israel, the fig tree, has again become a nation, and has shown the buddings of spring. It is there in Palestine in readiness for the antichrist and the last great day of man's wickedness. Egypt, another tree in the forest of nations, is showing the flow of sap, and is being readied for the strike against the Jews in Palestine under the antichrist (Dan. 11:4040And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. (Daniel 11:40)). The Moslem nations north and east of Palestine are in a state of agitation as though being prepared for some great happening, while Russia and the nations of the West continue to move closer and closer toward the consummation of evil, and the coming of the Son of man to execute righteous judgment.
But then after the great and terrible day of the Lord, Egypt is to be blessed during the Millennium, as we read in Isa. 19:21-2521And the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord, and perform it. 22And the Lord shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the Lord, and he shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them. 23In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. 24In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: 25Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance. (Isaiah 19:21‑25): "And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it. And the LORD shall smite Egypt: He shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and He shall be entreated of them and shall heal them. In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance."