This article is in pursuant to the previous entry, The Ark-God, with the emphasis on the significance of God’s presence.
Well, tracing back the history of the powerful, ancient Egypt over a thousand years B.C., when Jacob’s most beloved son, Joseph was jealously sold by his brothers to the caravan of Ishmaelite, then was sold to ‘Potiphar’, an officer of Pharaoh’s guard in Egypt. (Gen. 37:36)
Potiphar’s house was abundantly blessed, due to the skill, talent and wisdom of Joseph, but above all, God was with Joseph, because of his faithfulness, and being prayerful, remembering always the teaching of his father, Jacob. That was the reason of his being steadfast from the lure of temptation. (Gen. 39:10)
God was very much pleased to His most filial son Joseph, that’s why, God was with him, made him authority over dreams, and eventually, made him second in command to Pharaoh; and gave him his whole family to duel with him in the rich land of Egypt.
Then the nation of Egypt was wonderfully blessed to the point of transforming Egypt into a superior nation in the south, and in the whole world during her time.
They became the center of trade, excelled in all diverse aspects. “One of the most glamorous and romantic names in all history is that of ‘Egypt.’ No piece of real-state on earth is invested with more excitement, mystery, or magic. Land of the Pyramids, the Sphinx, and the Nile; home of the arts from distant antiquity; unequalled in luxury and magnificence – Egypt has continued throughout the ages as a realm of deathless wonder. But the foundation of her ancient greatness was not her military might – it was the inexhaustible wealth of her soil, ‘The Gift of the Nile,’ and The Granary of the World,’ Egypt became the symbol of limitless abundance and enviable prosperity. Fat-belled grain-ships carried Egyptian wheat and barley to all the nations of the Mediterranean sea-board. Papyrus reeds- raw materials of ancient paper – grew in abundance in the marshes of the Nile, and the ‘papyrus-scroll, an Egyptian invention, became one of its principal exports to the surrounding nations.”
It was during the time of Moses, when the magnificent legacy of Architectures, “The Pyramids of Egypt” was constructed; of course, through the hands of the enslaved Israelites, they were made.
The reason behind their economic power was because of the presence of God, through His people in the land. God blessed Egypt because “The God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob-Israel was with them.
However, in the usual time of abundance, prosperity, riches, honor and power which both Egyptians and Israelites has experienced, man’s natural tendency to forget Him who is the giver, the source of all things, enslaved them. Israel was succumbed with the sweet affliction of pride and arrogance with the Egyptians, having lost their peculiar identity as God’s people.
So, the God of love allowed them to be afflicted with the bitter sting of deaths in the turned- cruel hands of the Egyptians. They were afflicted severely to the point of remembering God and cried for mercy. And surely, the God of mercy sent them Moses, the deliverer.
Well, my main point of emphasis here, is, ‘God’s presence through His entity that was responsible for the making of Egypt into a superior, powerful country in the history.
However, the ‘Exodus’ of Israel back to the land of Canaan has brought Egypt to ruins to the dust.
Not to mainly emphasize on the reasons of being accursed, due to afflicting Israel, direct blasphemy against God, and above all, the mortal sin of pride, were all the reasons of their unprecedented humiliation.
“With uncanny pre-vision, the Bible prophets foretold Egypt’s descent from majesty to mediocrity. Two major characteristics mark these prophecies: (1) Decline, to the point of virtual non-entity, yet(2) Survival- a stubborn clinging to the tattered remnants of national existence- even at radically-reduced status,” “Whereas Babylon and Assyria would be destroyed utterly and sink into oblivion, Egypt would persist as a nation, though in age-long humiliation and weakness.”(Jer.46:19; Ezek. 30:12,13)
“Once the luxurious and fabled home of the Pharaohs, modern Egypt has become a vast open-air museum; a dusty sweaty show-case for the whole world; a gazing-stock for the curious of all nations. No longer a world-power, or even a great power – its best-known industry is “Tourism,” and its chief claim to international recognition consists of its ponderous, time-worn tombs and monuments- mute relics of its long-departed glory!”
The history of the fate of ancient Egypt, from being a blessed nation to accursed one, is an unperceived truth of tendency that may happen to any arrogant nation in our days; or may have been undiscernibly repeating the phenomenon itself, time and on, in any segment of the history, and may be possibly repeat in our time.
I look forward to the next entry that would attempt to divulge, unpopular Biblical and Extra-Biblical analysis of the past, current and prophetic issues on political, economic and religious affairs.
