The Coming Splendor of Egypt

by Ernest L. Martin, Ph.D., 1981
Edited and expanded by David Sielaff, December 2007

Read the accompanying Newsletter for December 2007

 

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Some 5 years ago in 1977, we published a special Prophetic Report titled “Egypt’s Return to Greatness.” ¹ We started that article with this statement:

“How could a nation with 35 million people and a mere $175 per capita annual income ever rise to greatness? Yet the Bible says this most populous country of the Arab world ² is destined to become one of the great nations of the world in the years ahead of us. Egypt is prophesied to become a major commercial, financial, political, and military power with a significant role to play in end-time prophecy. Riches are coming and the Bible foretells it. The story of how this somewhat backward nation will be able to make these drastic advances is extremely fascinating.”

That is what the introduction was back in that 1977 article. I say now in 1981 the same thing. It is a fascinating story and biblical prophecy is going to come alive in the next few years to show just exactly what will be occurring with this nation called Egypt, this ancient nation that has been there for millennia. It is going to come back into prominence according to biblical prophecy.

Here we are in 1981. We see no reason for changing our minds on that evaluation which we made five years ago. There is no doubt to us that Egypt is destined to control much more territory in Africa, and come to relative riches and certainly much more political prestige and importance in the years ahead of us. According to the Bible, Egypt is destined to control or to head an alliance with Ethiopia and Sudan in the south, Libya in the west, and likely all the countries of North Africa almost to the Atlantic Ocean. If you would include all that territory into what might be called a new United States of North Africa under the leadership of Egypt, it would embrace more territory than the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii.

We may be getting ready to see Egypt’s move toward the west to fulfill some of these prophecies where it shows its leadership and dominance in this North African territory. The shooting down of two Libyan jets by elements of the United States 6^th Fleet has caused tempers to flare in that area, not only between the United States and Libya, but also between Egypt and Libya. Anwar Sadat ³ publicly stated that Col. Qadhafi, the dictator of Libya deserves to be executed for that and other acts of barbarism. There are thousands of Egyptian and Libyan troops facing each other on the border between the two nations at the present time. ⁴

What Does Prophecy Show?

Prophecy shows a league of peoples directed by Egypt, extending about 2,000 miles southward into the area of Sudan and Ethiopia (including those two countries), and westward some 2,000 miles to include Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and perhaps even Morocco. The new confederation could possibly be Egypt, the New Egypt, or the United States of North Africa, whatever. It will be a combination of nations that will have great influence not only in the Middle East but also throughout Europe and the world. It will vitally affect the United States and everybody else when this huge confederation comes to pass.

Figure 1.   Approximate Area Under Discussion (maybe larger) ⁵

The biggest obstacle to securing this landmass for Egypt at the present time is Libya just to the west of Egypt. What about Qadhafi himself? Perhaps he could bring about this confederation of nations if he could take over Egypt. But it is very unlikely from prophecy that the nation of Libya could seize Egypt. On the other hand, it seems most likely that Egypt will finally take over Libya. Once that is accomplished we will find that from then on it will be like a domino effect throughout North Africa and into the south, including almost the totality of the Sahara, that great desert region of the world. It will all come under Egypt’s control, according to prophecy.

Let us not sell that region short. It is bigger than the United States of America. Do you realize that underneath those sands are great quantities of oil? Great power, prestige, and political significance would be found by any nation that can control almost half of the African continent. It would be a very powerful political unit in the world today, and the Bible says these things will happen.

I ask all of you, how many of you have ever heard any prophetic interpreters say such a thing that we have been talking about in the last few minutes? Hardly anyone. They think about a United States of Europe. They maybe think of a United States of North America or something like that, they even think perhaps of Southeast Asia coming together. But how many people ever thought that the whole of North Africa, with great oil wealth and other minerals in the region, some of which are yet untapped, how many of us have heard of that before?

It is time we begin to look at some of these prophecies of the Bible that show Egypt is coming back into power and great prominence. Egypt will control much of this area. It will start occurring in the next few years because we know that these things have to take place according to the Bible not long before the Second Advent of our Lord back to this earth. I do not think we have very long to wait to see Egypt starting to make her moves. Let us watch Egypt. It is very weak, it looks like at the present time, but Egypt, headed by Anwar Sadat (whether he will be here at the time when this takes place or not) we do not know, but whoever leads, Egypt will play a prominent role. It looks like it will be the number one Arab country in the world to bring stability to the area of the Southern Mediterranean basin.

Daniel’s Prophecies

How can we know that all of these things that I have been talking about will occur? The Bible has some specific prophecies about these matters. Many people have overlooked them in the past. What we ought to do first is to look at the basis to these prophecies that we find in the number one prophetical book of the Old Testament. This book is the number one chronological sequence book of the entirety of the Bible. This book is Daniel. I want to take you to Daniel chapter 11. This is the longest chronological prophecy that you will find in the Bible. Daniel wrote it in the 6^th century before Christ, about 600 years (not quite) before the birth of Christ.

What Daniel has to give us here are some very interesting prophecies. We do not have time to go into that at present, but I want to take you to the overall prophecy of Daniel chapters 11 and 12. It speaks about the history of the world as it existed in the time Daniel gave this prophecy near the beginning of the 6th century BC, about 534 BC or somewhere in that time.

We find in Daniel 11:2 the angel Gabriel coming to Daniel and telling him this long prophecy and Daniel recorded it: “And now will I show you the truth.” This “truth” is about a book mentioned in the previous chapter of Daniel. It is a book of prophecy. This book of prophecy has the truth of what will occur future to Daniel, going all the way out to the resurrection of the dead and the time that God’s kingdom appears here on earth. It is a grand prophecy that gives an overview, a prophetic scenario from the time of the Babylonian and Persian empires all the way through until the Time of the End. So Gabriel is saying:

“And now will I show you the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; …”

• Daniel 11:2–4

The King of the North

It says in Daniel 11:36 that a king will come up from the kingdom of the north who:

“And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.”

• Daniel 11:36–37

Note the details about what this king shall do:

• He “shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished” (Daniel 11:36).
   
• He will not “regard the God of his fathers.”
   
• He will not regard “the desire of women,” which is Tammuz, the ancient god referred to by women. ⁶
   
• He will not “regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above all” (Daniel 11:37).

When you put this all together you will find that this king is none other than the Beast, or the antichrist mentioned in the New Testament. But it also speaks about him becoming very great. This is at the end of the age because this king finally will establish his capital, as it says in verse 45, “between the two seas,” meaning the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea, which is Jerusalem. He will have a world kingdom. This is also shown in the Book of Revelation chapter 13. ⁷

Immediately after Michael and his angels stand up and a great time of trouble takes place. That is in Daniel chapter 12. Then suddenly there is an introduction of God into the picture and the resurrection of the dead takes place and the Kingdom of God emerges on earth. There can be no doubt that from Daniel 11:36 through 12:4, this last part of this prophecy has to do with the End Time.

The King of the North Attacks Egypt

Look specifically at verse 40 of chapter 11 of Daniel. It brings us right down to the End Time, according to Daniel. It says that this king of the north, now called this great king who is none other than the Beast or the antichrist, what is he going to do right near the end of the age?

“And at the time of the end shall the king of the south [Egypt] 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.” ⁸

• Daniel 11:40

He is not only coming with cavalry, which means land forces, but he is also coming with naval power. With land and sea power, he will go into the area of the kingdom of the south.

“He shall enter also into the glorious land [meaning Palestine and Israel], and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.”

• Daniel 11:41

These last three are the areas east of the Jordan River apparently will not come under the grasp of this king at this particular time. Then it goes on to say that this northern king:

“He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries [those just mentioned]: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power …”

• Daniel 11:42–43

Verse 43 is the reason I want to bring you to this prophecy, to show you that at the end of the age, just prior to the time that Michael stands up for his people, and the resurrection of the dead takes place, which is future to us, just before that time this northern king comes through Palestine but then he attacks Egypt. Notice the state that Egypt will be in very near the Second Coming of our Lord. It says:

“But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.”

• Daniel 11:43

That is most interesting. Egypt today is a land impoverished, as I read from our 1976 article “Egypt’s Return to Greatness.” That is a prophecy that comes from the Bible. But at present Egypt is a nation that does not have many people of wealth at all. Most people are poor. In fact, Egypt is one of the poorest countries in the world. It is interesting that it says when this northern king comes into Egypt very near the end of the age he will “have power over the treasures of gold and of silver” in Egypt.

I wonder how in the world Egypt acquires all of that treasure, because it must be a relative thing. This man from the north must be going into Egypt to get these treasures, this gold and silver, from the point of view that he must have lots of it himself, and he seeks to gain more. It is a relative thing. It shows that we will soon see Egypt coming into greatness. Where are they going to get that money? Where is it going to come from? From where is that power and prestige going to originate? ⁹

Let us go on. It says one other thing in the middle part of verse 43: “… and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.” This king is not only going to take over Egypt, he is taking over Libya and Ethiopia. Ethiopia in the Old Testament period included the Sudan as well as Ethiopia today. It really embraces almost all of the River Nile area, going 2,000 miles south of the Mediterranean Sea, way down into central Africa. This area of Ethiopia is also going to be taken over by this northern king.

It also says Libya here, Lubim, as it is in the Hebrew. The word Lubim has been found on the Egyptian monuments. It means the people who lived to the west. That land goes way out into the west. It could mean even farther west than our present day Libya, which is an artificial country, as we know. ¹⁰ But Libya is there and Col. Qadhafi is presently in charge of it. Libya has a large amount of oil underneath those sands.

When this northern king takes over Egypt, at the same time Ethiopia and Libya shall fall. It seems to show that they are in an alliance with one another the time. As soon as he takes over this North African area, this area of great riches with “treasures of gold and silver,” then this northern king redirects his direction.

It says in Daniel 11:44: “But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him.” This king has his headquarters in Syria and in Babylon, in Iraq and parts of Iran and eastern Turkey at that time. That is where he will have the central part of his kingdom. At that time however, he gets “tidings out of the east and out of the north.” What is “east” and “north” of Iraq and Syria? Just look at a global map. You have Russia to the north, you have farther to the east China and India. It says that from the north and from the east, tidings are going to come about that will disturb him.

You know what many people have said? They have said that the Russian hordes are going to come down and destroy him. What nonsense! They do not even read what it says. Do you know what the last part of verse 44 says? After he has taken over the United States of North Africa, if we can call it that, the Egyptian confederation of nations larger than the United States of America (which I shall show you in a moment from another prophecy), then he gets these tidings from the north and the east.

The rest of the world is beginning to say that this king is taking over too much territory. He is getting too much influence and prestige. We have to do something about it.

“But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him [this beast]: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.”

• Daniel 11:44

He will conquer the north and the east. It is not the north and east conquering him. He is going out to conquer them. Do you know what he will do? He will succeed. That is what the prophecy says. He takes over the entire Eurasian continent, and he already has the North African part of the African continent. If you get the North African, you have the southern part of Africa. If you have the north and the east of the Eurasian hinterland, you have the rest of it practically. Once he gets all of that, and it says that is what he is going to do “with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many,” he will have control of the world right in his grasp. The United States of America and Canada and the South American countries are not mentioned in this prophecy, but we would not have a chance in the world of trying to overcome him at this time, as other prophecies show in the Bible.

Once he conquers the Eurasian continent, notice what happens in verse 45:

“And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.”

• Daniel 11:45

Again, between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean, he will put his palace. Do you know where that is? That is Jerusalem. His palace will be the Temple. Paul says there shall come a man who will go into the Temple calling himself God, which is a reference to this king here from verse 36 down to verse 38. There is no question who is being talked about here. It is the Beast. It is the antichrist. Once he establishes his tabernacles in Jerusalem, he will call himself the Christ returned to the earth.

There will be at that time a great exodus of spiritual powers from heaven described in the 12^th chapter of Revelation. Satan and his angels will be expelled at that time. Most people will think that is none other than Christ Jesus and His angels coming back at the Second Coming.

The point I am trying to show in verses 42 and 43 is that the last two things this king has to do to finalize his world domination are going to take over:

1. Egypt and the North African countries, and then
    
2. the countries north and east of his own central territory which means the landmass of Eurasia.

Once he accomplishes these tasks he is able then to set up his tabernacles at Jerusalem. Then he shall claim himself to be king of the world, the great Messiah that the world has been expecting for so long.

I say though that the last part of verse 45 says that when this king does this: “yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him” because in chapter 12 of Daniel it says:

“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which stands for the children of your people: and there shall be a time of trouble, …”

• Daniel 12:1

Deliverance will come. The resurrection from the dead will occur soon afterward. The Kingdom of God will soon emerge when this individual is finally put down and the true Messiah, Jesus Christ, comes on the earth and establishes His kingdom over the world in Jerusalem.

This all shows that Egypt and North Africa will be very rich, relatively so, at the end time. However, another prophecy speaks about the end time, and it also shows the extension of Egyptian territory.

Ezekiel’s Prophecies about Egypt

Look at some prophecies in the Book of Ezekiel which have never yet happened in history. Some men who lived in ancient history are mentioned in a few of these prophecies, but the events themselves have never yet occurred. There is no question about it.

In the article we wrote some 5 years ago, we mentioned several prophecies in the Book of Ezekiel that were never fulfilled. Several of them refer to modern Egypt at the end of the age. One of these prophecies is found in Ezekiel chapters 29 and 30. God is speaking to Ezekiel about 600 years before Christ:

“The word of the YHWH came again unto me, saying, ‘Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord YHWH; Howl you, Woe worth [alas] the day!’”

• Ezekiel 30:1–2

This is a great woe, a great dirge that is being given out here. It is a prophecy by God against the nations. Which nations? You will see in a moment.

“For the day is near, even the day of YHWH is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen [the nations].”

• Ezekiel 30:3

This is when God is coming against the nations of the world in judgment. Recall this is the Day of the Lord (YHWH). Now this phrase itself may not give a person confidence to believe that it means the future, just prior to the Second Coming of Christ. However, when you put Ezekiel chapters 29 and 30 altogether and study the two chapters together as a unit (and you should do that extensively), you will find that there are things here that have never happened in ancient history before, but they will happen in the Day of the Lord just prior to the Second Coming of Christ. There is hardly any doubt about that if you are going to look on the Scripture as giving reliable information.

It talks about the Day of the Lord. This day is also mentioned in Revelation 1:10. That is when John the apostle was taken forward in spirit into the Day of the Lord and he saw certain things that he was told by Christ to write down. He wrote them down and as a result we have all 22 chapters of the Book of Revelation. What are those chapters about? Anyone with any sense ought to know they have to do with the End Time, the time of the great holocaust, the time of the Beast and the antichrist, and finally the Second Coming of Christ and the judgment on the nations of the world. We find all that in the Book of Revelation.

In Revelation 1:10 John was taken forward into the Day of the Lord to see these things occur. Ezekiel is saying the same thing about the Day of the Lord.

“For the day is near, even the day of YHWH is near, a cloudy day [a dark day]; it shall be the time of the heathen [when God will start judging the Gentile nations of the world]. And the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia [south of Egypt, including the Sudan, as in Daniel], when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down.”

• Ezekiel 30:3–4

Notice verse 5 below. Along with this downfall of Egypt and Ethiopia, it mentions an entire string of nations that almost all the commentators, including Jewish and Gentile, recognize as referring to nations that stretch out west of Egypt, all the way no doubt to the Atlantic Ocean.

“Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.”

• Ezekiel 30:5

The first nation is Ethiopia. That is south up the Nile. Notice the next, “and Libya.” Notice the next, Lydia. This Lydia here is not the Lydia in Asia Minor, but it is in North Africa. It says “and all the mingled people.” The word in the Hebrew is “Arab.” “Arab” means “dark.” It means like sundown, after the sun goes down. Even the Arab peoples are named after this phrase here “the mingled people.” It means Arab peoples that live west of Egypt and going toward the Atlantic Ocean. It is most interesting that the very phrase “Arab” has to do with what we might call through the Greek “Hesperia.” “Hesperia” means the western part, the dark part where the sun goes down. ¹¹ It is known today in North Africa as the Maghreb. That is what they call it. Maghreb means “the place of mingled peoples,” the Arab peoples, the dark. ¹²

Here is a reference. You might not see it too well in the King James Version, but that is the mistake of the translators. It is talking about people west of Egypt, going farther west than Libya. Now we are coming into the present area of Algeria. It also mentions Chub. No one knows exactly where this was located, but most recognize that it certainly is a North African area that was well known by Ezekiel. ¹³ Then it says “and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them [with Egypt] by the sword” (Ezekiel 30:5). All of these nations are with Egypt. They are in confederation with Egypt. You could take it to mean that they are under the control of Egypt because when Egypt falls, all these nations fall. That is most interesting when you think about it.

It says in the King James Version “and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them.” If you translate that from the original Hebrew, it actually says “and the men of the covenant land shall fall.” Whoever heard of a covenant land way out in North Africa, somewhere that Ezekiel must have known about? Ezekiel’s covenant land must have been Israel, you would have thought, the land given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

We know from history, and I do not have time to give this right now, but it shows that in the time of Ezekiel and going back to the time of Solomon, there were many Jewish and Israelite settlements in North Africa in the region that we call Morocco today. ¹⁴ It was so filled with Jews that they sent representatives to Solomon to pay their taxes. I am not talking about any British Israelite theory or anything of that nature. I am talking about real information that the Jews of North Africa and of southern Spain in the old days have maintained for themselves.

It is clear that this Covenant land that is mentioned is not the Covenant land of Israel that you would think Ezekiel would be talking about, but it is a land west of Egypt, west of Libya, west of the mingled people, west of Chub; and there it is the Covenant Land, North Africa. It could very well be speaking about Morocco itself. I know that is interpretation, but I am giving you the interpretation from what the people of ancient times believed.

A sword will come upon Egypt (Ezekiel 30:5). That is what it says. And a great difficulty will occur to them. The king of the north will take them over. Ezekiel chapter 29 speaks of the same overthrow. It says there that Egypt itself will be so desolated — it even says from the northern part of Egypt down to the third cataract of the Nile (that is about where the Aswan Dam is at the present time) — all that region will be so desolated that for 40 years it will not be inhabited by man. That has never occurred in history.

Most people have felt that the 40 years desolation of Egypt that Ezekiel talks about took place back there in the 6^th century BC when Nebuchadnezzar came in and supposedly destroyed Egypt. That is a bunch of nonsense. That was the time of the 26^th dynasty of Egypt. We have absolute records by a Greek historian who lived no longer than 100 years after that event, Herodotus by name. Herodotus said the Egyptian priests, and the monuments constructed in the 26^th Dynasty, indicate that Egypt was more prosperous than it had ever been in history with over 20,000 cities over the land. That is in the 6^th century BC. ¹⁵ That 40 years desolation of Egypt mentioned in Ezekiel chapter 29 did not take place back in the 6^th century. It is for a fulfillment future to us. This is one of the reasons why you can know it is for the future, because that prophecy has never yet been fulfilled.

Followed right on by that is chapter 30 of Ezekiel, the one I have been telling you about, where the whole of North Africa including south to the Sudan and Ethiopia still further in the south, this vast territory of North Africa, that encompasses an area greater than the United States of America, is going to fall when Egypt falls. It will fall by a new Nebuchadnezzar who will come along, a new king of Babylon called the king of the north.

It goes on to say in chapter 30 of Ezekiel that after this war is over, when Egypt and the rest of these nations in league with it fall, there will no longer be a descendant of Egypt that will be allowed to rule Egypt.

Many people have said again that this was back in the 6^th century BC when that was supposed to take place. But the 29^th and 30^th dynasties of Egypt, just prior to the time of Alexander the Great (4^th century BC) were both dynasties ruled by native Egyptians. That prophecy of Ezekiel chapter 30 has not happened yet. In fact it may be a surprise to you but the former ruler of Egypt, Gamal Abdel Nasser and the present ruler [in 1981] Anwar Sadat, are both from a group of Egyptians known as the Farooni people ¹⁶ who claim to be, and there are good historical records to show, that they are the descendants of the ancient Pharaohs themselves (Farooni people = Pharaohs). They are Egyptian people ruling over Egypt. That prophecy in Ezekiel chapter 30 has not yet occurred.

I will tell you this: in my opinion these chapters 29 and 30 of Ezekiel are yet to take place just prior to the Second Coming of our Lord. It is not very much in advance of us as far as I am concerned. It means that Egyptian influence will come to an end, that is quite true, but not until Egypt has developed a complex of nations and a control over nations that embraces the entirety of the North African continent.

It is no wonder it will have great riches and great gold and silver because underneath those sands there, though it may be hostile on the surface, those sands contain great wealth, oil wells ¹⁷ and all of that. Egypt is prophesied to be Israel’s friend at this time at the end of the age. Did you know that? That is most interesting.

Egypt’s Absence in Psalm 83

I want you to look at Psalm 83. You will find ten nations mentioned in Psalm 83 that will come against Israel. This has never happened in history. All of those nations who are against Israel are to the north of Israel with the exception of the Philistines just in the Gaza Strip. It is most remarkable that Egypt is conspicuous for its absence. At the end of the age Israel and Egypt will be in league with one another.

Am I interpreting this from hindsight? Because in the last 5 years there has been a league between the two. We know that. But you can study every single one of the major prophecies dealing with the End Time and you will find of them show that Judah will be in some kind of an alliance with Egypt. That is exactly what we have at the present time. ¹⁸

In the past Judah trusted in Egypt as its ally. In fact, look at Ezekiel chapter 29. It says that Judah was depending too much upon Egypt, but when this new king of the north comes, this new Nebuchadnezzar:

“And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am YHWH, because they [Egypt] have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. When they took hold of you by your hand, you did break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon you, you broke, and made all their loins to be at a stand.”

• Ezekiel 29:6–7

Though it is a little complicated to understand right on the surface, read Ezekiel 29:6–7 carefully. It shows that at the end of the age Israel or Judah will be relying on a league with Egypt. When Israel falls with this king of the north coming through, then Egypt will fall soon after.

Isaiah’s Prophecies of Egypt

There are several other prophecies of the Bible that show the same thing. Isaiah chapter 19:17 shows that at that time Judah will be very, very powerful and that Egypt will actually be afraid of Judah, but they will be in general league with one another.

“In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of YHWH of hosts, which he shakes over it. And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that makes mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of YHWH of hosts, which he has determined against it [Egypt].”

• Isaiah 19:16–17

Zechariah Prophecies of Egypt

Zechariah 12:1–6 says that at the End Time just prior to the Second Coming of Christ, a few years before He sets His feet down on the Mount of Olives, it says that all the nations around Jerusalem will fear the people of Israel or the people of Judah.

“The burden of the word of YHWH for Israel, says YHWH, which stretches forth the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.

And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

In that day, says YHWH, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in YHWH of hosts their God.’

In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.”

• Zechariah 12:1–6

What happens is this: at this time there will be a continuation of the league and covenant between Egypt and Israel. There may be some falling out at times, that is true, but at the very end, in a few years from now, Judah (Israel) will start relying upon this power of the south called Egypt, this new United States of North Africa, with all the oil wealth and things of that nature. It will begin relying on Egypt. God says do not do it because both will be destroyed when the king of the north, the antichrist, sets up his kingdom in Jerusalem.

Egypt could possibly take over Libya peaceably in the next few months or in the next few years without a war. In my view that is highly unlikely. All of the signs show that Egypt will take over Libya. If it takes over Libya and that wealth of oil there, it is easy to take over Tunisia and Algeria. It is a little more difficult with Morocco perhaps; it is far away. It is easier to take Sudan and Ethiopia. All we know is that these nations will be in league together near to and right at the end of the age. They will present a great power to the world. It will not only affect the Middle East, but Asia, Europe, and the United States. ¹⁹

I think that it is time we watch what is happening in the Middle East. All of the Biblical prophecies focus in on that area. We must keep our minds sharp and realize that the majority of these prophecies in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the ones I have been referring to in Ezekiel, have never had a historical fulfillment or relevance in the past. Some of them have, but not the ones to which I have been referring. They have something to do with the future.

The prophetic scenario is now beginning to take place. Daniel chapter 11 will come alive as never before. Let us keep our eyes on the Middle East, and also North Africa, realizing that we will see some vast geopolitical changes taking place in the world in the next few years. Watch Egypt. It will come back in a way you cannot imagine. I tell you this, the Middle East is the place to watch.

Ernest L. Martin, 1981
Edited by David Sielaff, December 2007

 

Addendum: Egypt’s Future

by David Sielaff

Egypt will never again be the leading nation on earth as it once was in ancient history. However, it will achieve a place in power and prestige during the millennium. Egypt will be a nation third in power after Israel, which will be first, and Assyria. These three nations will dominate the world in the future.

Egypt will also develop wealth by the productive capacity and brilliance of their own population, exploiting the natural resources under the earth. As their people struggle out of poverty, the natural brilliance of the Egyptian people will burst forth. ²⁰

Egypt’s Near-time Future

Egypt will experience a taste of the greatness she will experience in the millennium just prior to the Second Coming of Christ. It is beginning already. Reread my Commentary of April 11, 2004, “Economic and Population Trends” (http://www.askelm.com/news/n040411.htm) where I discussed significant trends around the world, but also mentioned important activities taking place in Egypt that are continuing in their nascent stages in 2007. Steve Forbes discussed these freedom and prosperity issues of Egypt in an article “Mideast Miracle” at http://www.forbes.com/business/free_forbes/2004/0216/027.html:

“Yet in coming months Egypt will be initiating reforms that should dramatically transform its economy into a wealth-creating, wealth-distributing dynamo that will lead millions of Egyptians into a vibrant, increasingly democratic middle class. The country is set to become an economic miracle rivaling Ireland or Hong Kong.”

• Steve Forbes, “Mideast Miracle”

There is evidence that the Egyptian economic reforms are progressing with positive results. Egyptian banks are undergoing a process of privatization. ²¹ In a November 2007 Guardian article “Egypt Slides into Danger” (http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/meera_selva/2007/11/egypt_slides_into_danger.html) author Meera Selva emphasizes the problems, but admits to substantial progress being made:

“Egypt's economic growth has been a miracle. Prime minister Ahmed Nazif has, with the president's blessing, ²² embarked on a radical liberalization of Egypt's once clunking socialist economy in 2004, with near miraculous results.”

• Meera Selva, “Egypt Slides into Danger”

The potential that Steve Forbes talked about in April of 2004 has borne fruit because the productive capacity and ingenuity of the Egyptian people has been set free economically. If the government releases economic controls further, then prosperity will trickle down to the lower classes and push more of them into the middle class. Hopefully political freedom will follow which will still further Egyptian prosperity. It shall happen and we can watch that occur. Egypt will grow rich and dominate North and East Africa as prophesied. Great problems continue for Egypt, for her people and for her economy.

Egypts Farther Future

We have the unique opportunity to observe month by month, year by year, the growth of Egyptian prosperity and power, fulfilling God’s prophecies about Egypt. It appears that the beginning of that prosperity is happening now, and the rate of growth will increase. Monies held by Egyptians working overseas will return to Egypt. As those workers employed in Europe and the Middle East come back to their homeland the shall bring their prosperity and skills with them. The Egyptian economy and the economy of the region will expand even more. It will be an energetic, wonderful, and even a glorious time to be an Egyptian citizen.

When Egypt gains control (whether by direct or indirect control is not clear) of North African and East African nations, the prosperity of Egypt will really increase still more. Greater Egypt will become a vortex of investment, money, and power, just like the rebuilt Babylon will be, and as will Israel and the ten surrounding nations of Psalm 83 surrounding her. All will be prosperous.

God used the United States to be the engine of prosperity for the world after World War II to help Europe and Japan recover from that devastating conflict. He used Great Britain to be the engine of prosperity to lead the world into the Industrial Revolution. God had the Roman Empire be the economic engine of prosperity during the Pax Romana which included the time of Christ and the apostles. That was past. In the near future Israel, the Ten Nations, Babylon, Assyria, Greece, and Greater Egypt (or a United States of Egypt) together will be the engine of prosperity during the time before Christ’s return. The United States, Europe and the rest of the world will provide the finished goods for the growing Middle East mega-boom that will come.

All of this indicates a worldwide prosperity that will stun the world. The rising tide will raise all nations to levels of prosperity undreamed of at present. The prosperity of the United States, Europe, Japan, China, India will all increase, but it is likely that the greatest rate of increased prosperity will be those countries mentioned in the prophecies of the Bible in the endtime.

Before the Second Coming of Christ Egypt shall again become a nation of great wealth, power, and even some military might. With the wealth that it will have, Egypt will have the political and economic power to struggle (with Israel’s help) back and forth with the several kings of the north, finally to be utterly defeated by the antichrist king of the north, as Dr. Martin describes in his article.

Egypt’s Millennial Future

God has the king of the north attack the end-time empire of greater Egypt. This punishment that God inflicts upon Egypt for her sins and betrayal of Israel is so severe and devastating that:

“[1] No foot of man shall pass through it, [2] nor foot of beast shall pass through it, [3] neither shall it be inhabited forty years. And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.

Yet thus says the Lord YHWH; At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered: And 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.”

• Ezekiel 29:11–14

As Dr. Martin notes, this complete desolation of Egypt has never happened in history.

After Christ returns, in the millennium after the 40 years of desolation are ended, God will again bless Egypt to make her great again:

“And YHWH shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to YHWH, and he shall be intreated 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 YHWH of hosts shall bless, saying, ‘Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.’”

• Isaiah 19:22–25

The highway described indicates free passage of trade between Egypt and Assyria through Israel. This tripart trade will be the basis for worldwide prosperity. It will be the economic engine that will bring the millenial blessings to all nations of the world.

So too Egypt, Israel, and Assyria will lead the world to prosperity during the 1,000 year rule of Christ. It will not be a Babylonian system of rule, economy, and life. Israel shall be first among the three equals, but each will benefit the other. The government of the nations shall be by the direct intervention and rule of God through Jesus Christ. Egypt shall benefit, and so will all other nations of the world.

David Sielaff, December 2007

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1 This article was published by the Foundation for Biblical Research, Pasadena, CA in 1977 and was written by Gary Arvidson. Dr. Martin was the Director of FBR at that time. This article is not available.  DWS

2 CIA 2007 estimates (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/eg.html) show that Egypt has 80 million people. It is the most populous Arab country and it possesses the second largest economy of Arab nations after Saudi Arabia. The most populous Muslim (non-Arab) nations are Indonesia with some 234 million people, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Turkey, and Iran in that order. All have non-Arab Muslim populations larger than Egypt’s Arab Muslim populations. Egypt’s total population has more than doubled in 25 years since the original 1976 article Dr. Martin referred to was published.  DWS

3 Sadat was the president of Egypt in 1981. Sadat was assassinated in October 1981 by Islamic radicals after a fatwa approving the assassination was declared by Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, a cleric later convicted in the U.S. for his role in the February 26, 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Over 300 co-conspirators were rounded up in the Sadat assassination plot. It was the first time in the history of Egypt that a head of state had been assassinated by native Egyptians. See the Wikipedia article and sources at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anwar_Sadat. Sadat was succeeded as President by Hosni Mubarik, a military officer who is still President in December 2007, although suffering from deteriorating health.  DWS

4 Col. Mu'ammar Al-Qadhafi (sometimes spelled Khadafi, I use the U.S. State Department spelling here) still rules Libya as I write, and his relations with the United States, Egypt, and Europe have improved since 1981. Recently Qadhafi renounced any attempt to build or acquire nuclear weapons and is currently cooperating closely with the United States to dismantle all of its nuclear weapons production activity and facilities, as well as agreeing to close monitoring and verification by international agencies. See his Wikipedia article at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muammar_al-Gaddafi.  DWS

5 The area indicated may be larger or smaller depending where valuable resources are located. Perhaps the nations of Chad, Niger or perhaps even the oil-rich nation of Nigeria may be included. CIA 2007 figures show a population of 242 million people contained within the approximate enclosed area (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html). The nation of Nigeria (below Libya and Algeria) has the largest population in Africa with 135 million people. If Nigeria is included within the prosperity area, the total population would be 377 million people, larger than the United States and double the population of Russia.  DWS

6 I cannot imagine how Tammuz, “the desire of women,” could have any application in heaven. However, there are many things we do not know about the heavenly realm. We can only know what Scripture reveals. The “Geography of Heaven” article is certainly a one of the most provocative and controversial prophetic articles that Dr. Martin ever wrote.  DWS

7 See also 2 Thessalonians 2:3–12.  DWS

8 This appears to be the time when, when God punishes Egypt and when Egyptian forces move north, are repulsed, and the military forces of the king of the north strike back, going all the way to conquer Egypt, Ethiopia, and Libya (see Ezekiel 30:5 in the text below). Jeremiah 46:9–10:

“Come up, you horses; and rage, you chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow. For this is the day of the Lord YHWH of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord YHWH of hosts has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.”

   This had a partial fulfillment in the time of Nebuchadnezzar, but this will have a later fulfillment in “a day of vengeance.”  DWS

9 It takes time to (1) discover wealth; (2) access wealth; (3) produce wealth; (4) protect wealth with armies, police, and a justice system; (5) accumulate wealth after infrastructure investment; and (6) distribute wealth by enlarging the middle and upper classes through free markets and the flow of economic activity. Such things do not happen quickly. Raising and training armies alone takes time, at least 5 to 10 years in this modern world, although Dr. Martin believed that armies as we know them today will not exist near the time of Christ’s return. (See his “The Geography of Heaven” article cited in the Excursus above.) Nonetheless, each of these numbered elements takes time to accomplish before moving on to the next step. This wealth of Egypt, and the wealth of the countries associated with Egypt, must be of sufficient value for the antichrist to desire to conquer, seize, and “have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt.”    DWS

10 By “artificial” Dr. Martin correctly indicates that Libya has no natural boundaries separating it from Egypt to the east or Algeria to the west. In ancient times, borders between nations and peoples were determined by natural boundaries, usually mountain ranges. In modern times, national borders are frequently determined by rivers. Neither relate to Libya’s present national boundaries with its neighbors.  DWS

11 “Hesperia” according to my computer American Heritage Dictionary has the following definition: “Hes·pe·ri·an (hĕ-spîr′ē-ən) adj. Of or relating to the west. [From Latin Hesperius, from Greek hesperios, from hesperos, evening.]”   DWS

12 “Maghreb,” again according to my computer American Heritage Dictionary: “Ma·ghreb or Ma·ghrib (mŭg′rəb) A region of northwest Africa comprising the coastlands and the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.”   DWS

13 The name “Chub” occurs only one time in the Old Testament in Ezekiel 30:5. The literal New American Standard translation has this translation of Ezekiel 30:5:

“Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all Arabia, Libya [Chub] and the people of the land that is in league will fall with them by the sword.”

    If this translation is correct, then Egypt will also have control of, or allegiance with, Arabia with all its wealth.  DWS

14 Dr. Martin never fully developed this information about Jewish settlements in Morocco and North Africa during Solomon’s day. Wherever the Phoenician people went, Israelites went also. For a partial reference, see Dr. Martin’s article “Ancient Nations of the Middle East, Part 2” at http://www.askelm.com/prophecy/p900702.htm.  DWS

15 Pharaoh Amasis of the 26^th Dynasty ruled Egypt during the time of Ezekiel. See Herodotus, Histories book 2.177. G.C. Macaulay translation, The History of Herodotus (Macmillan, London [1890]):

“In the reign of Amasis it is said that Egypt became more prosperous than at any other time before, both in regard to that which comes to the land from the river and in regard to that which comes from the land to its inhabitants.”   DWS

16 The correct spelling is “Farooni.” See "Names of the Egyptians" at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptians#_note-6.  DWS

17 There are also considerable natural gas deposits in Egypt under development.  DWS

18 As of November 2007, the relationship of Egypt and Israel is one of polite but watchful neighbors, not as allies. This will change to a much closer relationship.  DWS

19 The days of overt conquest by invasion are largely over, like Iraq’s disastrous invasion of Kuwait in 1991 in the First Gulf War. That invasion resulted in a disaster for Iraq and the later overthrow of the Iraqi government. This new mode of “conquest” in the latter days appears will be more by political pressure, accommodation, agreement, alliance, and association of economies. Out of this grows political alliance and dependence, then military cooperation if not outright political union. There will indeed be wars, meaning armed conflict, as well as rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6–7 and Mark 13:7–8). Only at the end when the king of the north destroys Egypt will the destruction be massive.  DWS

20 All population groups that God has placed on earth have its own unique talents that can, and shall, bring them prosperity.  DWS

21 The July 2007 Economist article “Going Private in Egypt” (http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=9499509 tells the progress of privatizing banking in Egypt. This will make “legitimate” the huge underground economy in Egypt that is flourishing, energetic, and maintaining the Egyptian “miracle.” But see the January 2007 Economist article “Not Too Happy”: http://www.exonomist.com/world/africa/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8558408

“If a surging economy could solve all ills, Egypt might be the brightest spot in an increasingly grim Middle East. Its GDP is growing by 7% a year. Foreign direct investment is up sixfold since 2003. In the year to last June, the value of Egypt's commodity exports, excluding energy, leapt by nearly a half. With a capable team now running economic policy, a gear-shift towards the kind of sustained performance may lift the most populous Arab country, with its 79m-odd people, into mild prosperity.”

DWS

22 Selva is referring to President Mubarik. Egypt has a Parlimentary governmental system.  DWS

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