Isaiah 19 – Egyptian Against Egyptian



http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/world/2011/01/26/deadly-egyptian-protests/#slide=84






http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/world/2011/01/26/deadly-egyptian-protests/#slide=9

 



http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/world/2011/01/26/deadly-egyptian-protests/#slide=17

 

     Nearly 3,000 years ago, the Prophet Isaiah gave this proclamation about Egypt, that to this day has not yet come true. Are we seeing it today?

The burden against Egypt.

     Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud,

     And will come into Egypt;

     The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence,

     And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst.

          “I will set Egyptians against Egyptians;

     Everyone will fight against his brother,

     And everyone against his neighbor,

     City against city, kingdom against kingdom.

          The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst;

     I will destroy their counsel,

     And they will consult the idols and the charmers,

     The mediums and the sorcerers.

          And the Egyptians I will give

     Into the hand of a cruel master,

     And a fierce king will rule over them,”

     Says the Lord, the LORD of hosts.

Isaiah 19:1—4 (NKJV).

     It might be a little too early to tell whether this prophecy is coming true with the current events in Egypt, but it certainly will come true one day. Based on other related eschatological predictions, it will also likely occur shortly before the physical return of Jesus Christ to the earth. Our natural reaction is to believe that the things written so long ago in the Bible are always way off into the future. But that thinking is not Biblical. Our Lord commanded us, “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.” Matthew 24:42 (NKJV).  Therefore, we need to be prepared that we are the generation who will see His return.

     Jesus also gave us some signs to look for, indicating that His return is near. He warned that the last days before His return will be marked by violence. The world has always been violent, ever since Cain murdered his brother Abel in a jealous rage. See Genesis 4:1—15. However, Jesus said that national violence would be a sign that His return is drawing near:

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Matthew 24:6—8 (NKJV).

     Since the early part of the Twentieth Century, we have certainly seen this. Virtually every place in the entire world has been involved in some sort of war, either active or cold, since the outbreak of World War I. I would even say that it began earlier than that, for by the Nineteenth Century, imperialism had already spread like wildfire with the various European, Ottoman, and Japanese empires.

     However, we have not seen anything like the worldwide carnage that erupted when World War I catapulted kingdom against kingdom. Then the global “cold wars,” or rumors of war, emerged shortly after World War II ended.

     Other than the general description of wars and rumors of wars, the Bible doesn’t tell us much about the European wars, and says nothing at all about the United States. But the Bible says quite a lot about the nations surrounding Israel, because as the Prophet Zechariah pointed out, during the last days before the Messiah’s reign on earth, all the nations surrounding Israel will seek to destroy it like drunkards going after the last bottle of booze:

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.

Zechariah 12:2, 3 (NKJV).

     In modern times, there have only been a few nations surrounding Israel that have prevented it from being completely destroyed. Many of these same nations had tried to conquer Israel since it became a nation again in 1948, but were unsuccessful. Since the last large scale war against Israel in 1973, the Yom Kippur War, a few nations have been standing in the way of further large scale attacks against Israel.

     Those nations are Turkey, Jordan and Egypt. Today, however, all three of those power structures have changed. Turkey has turned aside from being quite friendly with Israel to siding with Israel’s extreme enemies, Iran and Syria. Jordan is on the verge of changing too as the radicals favoring Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood are toppling the monarchy’s government.

     The upheaval in Egypt, however, has been the biggest blow to Israel. Time will tell if we are seeing Isaiah’s account come to pass before our eyes. The reason that I think it is in fact happening now is that so many other “end times” events are coming to pass that we have been expecting from Scripture. Many signs could be pointed to that involve the Church (many falling away from the true Gospel; see Matthew 24:9—12, 2 Timothy 3:5, 2 Thessalonians 2:3), society (complete breakdown of morality; see 2 Timothy 3:1—5), the economy (a global currency controlled by a central authority; see Revelation 13:16, 17), environmentalism (worshiping the creation instead of the Creator; see Romans 1:25), evolution (preferring to believe myths rather than truth; see Romans 1:18—32, 2 Timothy 4:3, 4, 2 Peter 3:4), and more. However, the predictions involving Israel and its neighbors are the most glaring.

     Against all humanly speaking odds, the nation of Israel was reborn in 1948 after the Jews were driven from the land in 70 A.D., just as Scripture predicted would occur in the latter days. See Ezekiel 36:19, 37:21, 22, 38:8. Through the Prophet Ezekiel, God said that the day would come when God would bring the Jews back from all around the world where they were scattered, and restore their nation Israel, “For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.” Ezekiel 36:24 (NKJV).

     The Roman Empire is also reemerging in the form of the European Union (“EU”), and specifically its confederacy project called the Union for the Mediterranean or EuroMed. Israel, as predicted by the Prophet Daniel, has already fallen under the auspices of that Revived Roman Empire through EuroMed, just as it was a subject of the Ancient Roman Empire. See Daniel 2:31—35 (describing the nations that would dominate Israel until the Messianic Kingdom, the legs of iron being the ancient Roman Empire, and the feet partly of iron and partly of clay being the Revived Roman Empire that we are seeing in the EU); see also Europa: Euromed, The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, http://eeas.europa.eu/euromed/index_en.htm, Centre for Research on Globalization, The Mediterranean Union: Dividing the Middle East and North Africa, http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=6879.

     For the first time in history, the alliance of nations that Ezekiel said would attack Israel in the latter years have united: Russia (Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech & Tubal), Iran (Persia), Turkey (Gomer & Beth-togarmah), Libya (Put) and Sudan (Cush). See Ezekiel 38:1—6. Through Ezekiel God said:

In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely. You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.

Ezekiel 38:8b, 9 (NKJV).

     Ezekiel mentions in the preceding passage that Israel is dwelling safely. If we look at Israel today, they are far from dwelling safely, with constant threats of annihilation coming from every direction. Thus many “prophecy watchers,” including myself, believe that a war will come to Israel that results in the utter destruction of Israel’s closest neighbors.

     That war is described in Isaiah 17, with the destruction of Damascus, Syria’s capital city and the hideout for many of the terrorist leaders who are calling for Israel’s extinction. I believe that it may also be described in Psalm 83, which talks about a conspiracy among Israel’s immediate neighbors who say, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, [t]hat the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” Psalm 83:4b (NKJV).

     The confederation of nations in Psalm 83 are: Egyptians (Hagrites), Arabs (Ishmaelites), Jordan (Edom, Moab & Ammon), Lebanon (Gebal & Tyre), Syria (Assyria), Gaza (Philistia) and the rest of the Palestinians as well as all those who hate Israel (Amalek). See Psalm 83:5—8. The exact separation of those nations is a bit difficult, and my list could be off a little. However, it is best to understand this confederacy as Israel’s immediate ring neighbors as viewed on a map, whereas Ezekiel’s list is comprised of Israel’s outer ring of neighbors.

     Obviously, nations have been conspiring against Israel with that same sentiment even before Psalm 83 was written, approximately 3,000 years ago. However, I am unaware of any confederation of those nations recorded in history, at least not in recorded history that has survived to this day.

     The fall of Egypt to the Muslim Brotherhood, or whatever power group takes over in Egypt is possibly the last event to take place that will allow for the Psalm 83 invasion to occur, which eventually will result in the destruction of those nations, as well as the Isaiah 17 prediction of Damascus “cease[ing] from being a city.” Isaiah 17:1b (NKJV).

     Time will only tell whether these things are happening today. Concerning Egypt, Isaiah said, “a fierce king will rule over them.” Isaiah 19:4b (NKJV). I believe that this fierce king is the Antichrist, Egypt being part of the EU’s EuroMed project, which makes up the borders of Ancient Rome. If Egypt eventually falls under the EU’s control, it will become clearer that the Isaiah 19 prophecy has indeed begun. [*See Correction Note Below*]

     Please do not dismiss these things. Jesus gave us the signs of His return for a reason. After describing those signs, Jesus warned:

Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near … But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.

Luke 21:28, 34—36 (NKJV).

     And most importantly, if you have never bowed your knee before Jesus Christ in repentance, and put your faith in Him, that He took upon Himself at the cross the penalty that you rightfully deserve for all of your sins, please do it now! Regardless of whether we are living in the “end times,” you will face Him one day and give an account. If you die unrepentant, you will be judged for your sins. But the good news of the Gospel of Christ is that He offers forgiveness for everyone who asks through repentance and faith. Do not be a rebel! If you hear His voice, do as Jesus commanded, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15b (NKJV).

*Correction: After thinking about this issue of who the fierce king of the Egyptians might be, I actually don’t think it is the Antichrist. For that reason, I also do not think that the proof of this prophecy coming true is Egypt coming under control of the EU. I wrote a second comment on this issue that goes more in depth here: http://lambslawnewsblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/isaiah-19-fierce-king-of-egyptians.html.

European Sovereignty Falling Away

     More than 500 years before Christ’s birth, God warned through the Prophet Daniel that there would only be four empires to reign over the Jewish People until Jesus Christ sets up His Kingdom on earth. Daniel wrote during the time that the Babylonian Empire was in power. The remaining empires were the Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman Empires.

     These empires were revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia in a dream, and this is how Daniel interpreted the king’s dream:

     You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Daniel 2:31—35 (NKJV).

     The gold portion of the statue was Babylonia, the silver was Medo-Persia, the bronze was Greece, and the iron and iron-clay mixture portions are both representative of Rome. We know this is the interpretation because it is revealed throughout the rest of Daniel as well is in Revelation. See Daniel 7—9, Revelation 17. The final kingdom that destroys the last form of the Roman Empire is when Jesus Christ Himself returns to the earth and begins what is called the Millennial Kingdom, where He reigns as King of the Earth, physically on the earth, for 1,000 years. See Revelation 19—20.

     What is so interesting about King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is that the Roman Empire was never ruled by the ten co-leaders signified by the ten toes of the statue. The Apostle John’s prophecy in Revelation confirms for us that there will be ten leaders of a revived Roman Empire. See Revelation 17. Therefore, we can confidently conclude that if the Bible is true, and I stake my eternity on the fact that it is indeed true, then the Roman Empire must return in some revived form that is ruled by ten leaders.

     What is even more interesting to me is that as we watch the European Union, and it’s creation of Euromed, the Union for the Mediterranean, I believe we are actually watching Rome return. In fact, the Union for the Mediterranean countries form the borders of ancient Rome. See Europa: Euromed, The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, http://eeas.europa.eu/euromed/index_en.htm; Centre for Research on Globalization, The Mediterranean Union: Dividing the Middle East and North Africa, http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=6879.

     I know that many people discount what I’m saying, but I would point out that it is crystal clear that the European Union is beginning to take shape as one single nation, rather than merely a union of many nations. In November 2009, a constitution of sorts called the Lisbon Treaty was entered into by the nations of the European Union. That document legally formed the European Union nations into an association that could technically be called the United States of Europe. Now that the world is trying to deal with this current financial crisis, we are beginning to see the individual decision making ability of the European Union nations disappear.

     Watch the video that follows and listen to the speech given by Nigel Farage. Mr. Farage is a member of the European Parliament, and in the video he rails against the tragedy of the European Union member states losing their individual freedoms to the supreme rule of the European Union.

     I don’t know what form this current financial crisis will cause the European Union to take, but I do know that eventually it will be led by ten co-leaders. Then one individual will rise up to power among them, and he will eventually be indwelt by Satan himself. See Revelation 13, 17.

     These things are coming, one day. The end might be very far into the future, but then again, it could begin tomorrow. I implore you today to make sure you are “right” with God. Repent from sin and rebellion, and then put your faith in Christ alone, who offers His death to be your substitute for the debt you owe God due to your sins/rebellion. The Apostle Peter described Christ’s sacrifice like this, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.” If you hear His voice, do as Jesus commanded, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15b (NKJV).

Peace in the Middle East & The Revived Roman Empire

     Below is an excellent commentary of both peace in the Middle East and the Revived Roman Empire from a Biblical perspective, as well as how we see it shaping up through the Union for the Mediterranean.

     I have to say once again, the things written in the pages of our Bible are coming to life. Please pay attention to this stuff. It should cause you to want to know who this God is who can write history before it occurs. His name is Jesus, and He commands today for you to repent from your rebellion, your sins, and trust Him for your salvation. He died for you 2,000 years ago, your own Creator taking upon Himself the penalty your sins require. But His atoning sacrificial death will not be applied to your account before God the Father unless you repent and put your trust in Jesus alone. If you hear His voice, do as Jesus commanded, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15b (NKJV).

Global Governance Update

     I really want to get away from writing about a one world government, but I’m having trouble doing it. Every time I turn around, something pops up regarding this issue.

     Below is the October 1, 2010 Glenn Beck show. I encourage you to watch it. Please understand, I fully recognize that Glenn is not a Bible-believing Christian, but I respect his understanding of history (aside from Biblical history) and his perception of where our world is heading. Moreover, the things he and his guests on this show talk about will astound you.

     I would expect this conversation to take place at a conspiracy theory crazy people convention. No matter whether you like Glenn or not, his guests (former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, Fox Business host Stuart Varney and European Union Parliament member Daniel Hannan) are very rational and successful people, not conspiracy theory crazies. Leaving his unbiblical views of Christianity aside, I think Glenn is pretty rational and successful too.

     Watch the videos below, paying particular attention to the second section. Also, there is a document they refer to, which I linked to in my last post. It’s a report on the coming global governance that was created by the United States of America and the European Union. That document is so clearly telling us that the governments of the world are indeed coming together. Please read this report so that you see with your own eyes what the US and the EU are saying about global governance: http://www.foia.cia.gov/2025/2025_Global_Governance.pdf.

     The things written about in the Bible are coming to pass one day. We’re watching it happen. Make sure that you are ready. The only way that you can be, however, is to “get right” with God. You must make sure that you have put down your rebellion against the Creator by repenting from your sins, and surrender to Him through putting all of your faith for salvation in God the Son, Jesus Christ. If you hear His voice, do as Jesus commanded, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15b (NKJV).

10/6/2010 UPDATE:

President Seeks Salvation In His New World Order http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/president-seeks-salvation-in-his-new-world-order/story-e6frg6so-1225933524128 

Global Government?! Really?

     I recently wrote a commentary on the future reality of a one world government from a Biblical perspective. See Lambs Law, Why Does It Seem Everyone Is Talking About Global Governance?, http://lambslaw.blogspot.com/2010/09/why-does-it-seem-everyone-is-talking.html. I started my comment with the disclaimer that I fully recognize that this whole notion seems like some crazy claim by the conspiracy theory nuts.

     Well, read my article and you will see that it’s really not the stuff of delusionists, it is in fact grounded in Biblical truth. Nevertheless, it’s still very hard to fully comprehend the reality of such a thing. Let me draw your attention to something though that I think may help settle your mind that this is not crazy talk, but actually at least one superpower’s goal.

     Just take a look at the photos above. The image on the left of each pair is a painting of the artist Pieter Brueghel’s rendition of the Biblical Tower of Babel. The image on the upper right side is the European Union Parliament building, which was built to resemble the unfinished construction of the Tower of Babel. The lower right image is a promotional poster marketing the European Union’s mission as finishing the work that was begun at the Tower of Babel – the unification of all nations. More on this comparison can be seen here: http://biblelight.net/Tower-of-Babel.htm.

     For those of you who don’t know the significance of the Tower of Babel, you can read about it in Chapter 11 of Genesis. God wanted the descendants of Noah to fulfill Adam’s duty to spread throughout the entire world and subdue it, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.” Genesis 9:1b (NKJV); compare Genesis 1:28. Under the first world leader, Nimrod, mankind rebelled against God at the Tower of Babel by building an anti-God idolatrous kingdom and refused to fulfill their duty. See Genesis 11:1—9; see also Genesis 10:8—10. God judged that rebellion by changing the languages, thus forcing people to spread throughout the earth as they congregated into groups who shared the same languages.

     It should be clear from these images that the promoted theme of the European Union is an effort to finish what was begun at the first Tower of Babel. The significance of this is not only the connection to that infamous first one world government, but also to the purpose behind it – rebellion against God. I believe this push for world government is rebellion for many reasons, but the clearest can be seen in the way these powers are consumed with regulating and “saving” the environment. We should all be good stewards of God’s gift to us, but we can never elevate the creation over the Creator. The Apostle Paul wrote of this saying, “Professing to be wise, they became fools ... who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” Romans 1:22, 25 (NKJV).

     Read the articles that follow, and you will see that the European Union and the United States appear very interested in reforming the one world government begun at Babel. The last of the three sites describes the prophetic move towards a one world religion as well.

The Interdependence of Countries Is Inescapable
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=385160&version=1&template_id=46&parent_id=26

National Intelligence Council
http://www.dni.gov/nic/NIC_home.html, and their report entitled Global Governance 2025 at: http://www.foia.cia.gov/2025/2025_Global_Governance.pdf

The President Of The EU Says Religion Must Play A Role In The Operation Of The European Political Structure
http://news.prophecytoday.com/2010/09/president-of-eu-says-religion-must-play.html

     Please take these things seriously. Though most people used to simply dismiss these thoughts as crazy talk, you can see that both the United States of America and the European Union are very involved at pushing the world’s governing bodies closer together. The Bible has been telling mankind of this day for thousands of years. That evidence should cause you to seek the God who wrote history before it happened. His name is Jesus, God the Son, the second member of a triune God. He died on a cross 2,000 years ago, taking upon Himself God the Father’s wrath, so that all who would repent from their rebellion against God and turn to Him through faith, would escape the wrath they deserve. If you hear His voice, do as Jesus commanded, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15b (NKJV).