p. 10 | Egypt | AdventAI

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 14, 1907

Egypt

In all his dealings with the nations God has sought, first of all, to save as many of their people as possible. This purpose he has never lost sight of. “When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.” Deut. 32: 8. The apostle Paul states the same fact thus in his address to the Athenians: “He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times, before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.” Acts 17: 25-27. The people of all nations are equally near to the Lord, and, since he has made all of one blood, all are equally dear to his heart. He does not regard them with indifference, as mere passive agents in the execution of his designs, but seeks to stir them up to feel after him, that they may find him.

One of the most ancient families of the earth was settled in the land of Egypt, and the history of God’s dealings with that people is full of interest. Like the other nations, they lost the knowledge of the true God because when they did know him, “they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of

the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.” Rom. 1: 21-23.

Yet, although the land of Egypt was filled with idolatry of the grossest kind, God did not abandon it, but sent his witnesses again and again to declare the truth. Abraham and Joseph made known in Egypt the living God, and the children of Jacob were welcomed to the land by Pharaoh. But a change came, and persecution, long and sore, was visited upon the rapidly multiplying Israelites until God stretched out his hand and by great signs and wonders delivered his people from the house of bondage. No nation in the world ever had a clearer testimony to the true God than was given through Moses and Aaron to the Egyptians.

From that time Egypt had full opportunity to know what God was doing in Israel. Again and again the prophets received messages for the land of Egypt, but its ancient pride and stubbornness frustrated the work that God would have done for it, until the time came when he was obliged to break its strength to pieces, and humble it into the dust by means of the armies of Babylon.

There were two sins for which Egypt was especially punished, her pride and her treachery to Israel. It is true God had forbidden his people to go down to Egypt for help, but that did not excuse Egypt for her deceitful course. Her statesmen had been very prompt to desert those who trusted in them when the interests of Egypt seemed endangered, but God had marked the treachery, and its punishment came in due time. “And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou breakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand.” Eze. 29: 6, 7.

The pride of Egypt was to be permanently humbled. “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.” Verse 15.

But all these things came upon Egypt, after being foretold to her by God’s prophets, in order that she might know the true God, and might learn to fear him. “And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts, which he hath determined against it.” Isa. 19: 17.

Egypt became later a place of refuge for the children of Israel, a land where they were welcomed, and, on the whole, kindly treated. To Egypt Joseph and Mary were directed to flee from the wrath of Herod, and there, probably in one of the colonies of Jews, they found a refuge until Herod was dead. It may have been this experience that was before Isaiah when he wrote: “In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, . . . they shall cry unto the Lord because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a savior, and a great one, and he shall deliver them.” Verses 19, 20.

In their weakness Egypt learned the lesson that was taught in vain in the days of pride and prosperity, and thus the distress and downfall of Egypt was blessed to it. “And the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day.” On the day of Pentecost devout men were present from Egypt, and a little later the treasurer of Candace, queen of Ethiopia, carried to the south of Egypt the good tidings of the Saviour.

“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.”

Under the healing influences of the gospel, the three ancient enemies, Egypt, Assyria, and Israel, should be no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens and of the household of God; “whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria, the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.”

Notwithstanding the rebellious spirit of Egypt, God’s thoughts toward it were thoughts of peace. He was compelled to humble it as a nation in order that the people of Egypt might feel after him and find him. In mercy God shatters the idols and the ambitions of mankind in order that he may bring true and lasting good to his children.

More than this, no one can tell how powerful to restrain the other nations has been the history of Egypt. On that stage, before the eyes of all the earth, God has revealed himself and taught a needed lesson to many peoples: “I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known. Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall.” Eze. 32: 9, 10.—Present Truth.