The stories coming out of Egypt seem to be non-stop. Literally day by day there are new developments in the news. This has been going on for the last two years but seems now to be increasing in rate. Demonstrations against Mubarak. Free elections. Muslim Brotherhood leader Morsi gets elected as president. Morsi attempts to re-write constitution along lines of Sharia. Churches get attacked. Al-Sisi of the army removes Morsi from power in what is a coup. Muslim brotherhood members protest and set up camps. Churches get attacked. And so it goes. Will there be civil war? Will there be more change in governments?
This we do know from the Four Signposts as written about in Hidden In Plain Sight: Egypt is on a path being prepared for its role in the Third Signpost as one of the four nations that will be the Sunni Confederacy.
The ram of Daniel 8 that is modern Iran first invades the Middle East. Then the goat of Daniel 8 that is the Confederacy attacks Iran with a great embittered “rage.” This rage requires a personal hatred that goes beyond mere nationalism; it is based on religious conviction. It is the rage of a religious war. Sunni fundamentalism will make its appearance to counter the Shia fundamentalism expressed by Iran’s invasion.
So whether the government of Egypt is controlled by secular forces like the army, or Islamists like the Muslim Brotherhood, it doesn’t matter. Whether there is civil war or not doesn’t matter. Yes, people’s lives will be affected for worse or not as worse. There is a half of the Egyptian population that leans Islamist – they voted that way. That half of the population will be there no matter the condition in Egypt.
That Islamist-leaning half will still be there when Iran invades the Middle East and comes right up to Egypt’s border. A civil war in Egypt could be used by Iran as the right moment to attack the Middle East as Egypt’s armed forces will be busy. Indeed, civil war in Syria and perhaps even in Turkey might be used by Iran as the right moment to invade. But again, it doesn’t matter. God’s Word says in Daniel 8 that Iran will invade and Egypt with Turkey and two other nations will counterattack in an embittered rage.
So for now, day to day, these events are noise.
Categories: In The News, Signpost #3: Four Nations
THE FOUR SIGNPOSTS 
Mark: I couldn’t have said it better myself! 🙂 Shalom Brother
I’m glad I found your blog, Mark. It gives a long-term lens perspective to a very short-term crisis of international proportions. However, this could be very disastrous if somehow the Suez Canal is closed and then we would have a economic catastrophe on our hands. Millions upon millions of trading goods flow through the Canal each day…it is very much like the Straits of Hormuz for oil products if somehow that were to be closed…it is one thing to fight a possible civil war on Egyptian land, but it is the economics that now effect what happens globally for nations because we are so interdependent upon the unstable Middle East. Life in the modern world is complicated…the understatement of the day!
What you say about the Suez Canal and economic impacts is true to some degree. And its a good point to bring up (thanks for reminding me).
However, only 5% of the world’s oil goes through the canal. If that 5% were to be cut off completely (assuming the tankers cannot go around Cape Horn) then the economic impact and conditions would be similar to what we experienced in 1979 where there were lines at gas stations, a hike in the price (maybe 10-20%) and governments discouraging non-essential travel. And the petrodollar system is untouched. (I mention 1979 instead of 1973 because 1973 was actually worse.)
But these things pale in comparison to what will happen when Iran gets hold of all the fields in the Gulf. In this post I was thinking of noise in terms of all the various political things happening in Egypt. But as far as the world supply of oil is concerned this is still just noise because the Iranian invasion will make things far worse. The petrodollar system will be ended. That all by itself will cause an economic storm and plunge the U.S. into third world status. Also, most of the oil that comes to several industrial nations will be held hostage. These types of things again make any oil cutoff with the Suez, just as there was a cutoff in 1979, just noise in comparison.
What is not being reported in any media outlet is that Egypt is experiencing revival as a result of the turmoil. This weekend, three Egyptian national Christians (including a Coptic priest) spoke at the International House of Prayer and shared powerful testimonies about what the Holy Spirit is doing in Egypt. While the burning of churches is deplorable, these men of God shared how the religious infrastructure being dismantled is resulting in huge numbers of nominal believers turning to God with true hearts of love. Unbelievers are also getting saved all over the region, and it is reported that even many of the former Muslim attackers are being converted by this outpouring. Different denominations are laying down their barriers and coming together to pray. When churches are burned, the believers are united and continue prayer meetings house to house.
It is easy to get caught up in the visible politics of these situations, and to get most or all of our information from Western media. But we must realize that there is a God in Heaven who is determining the outcome of these things, and He turns what Satan means for evil into good. Isaiah chapter 19 tells us that God has a glorious destiny for Egypt, and that in the midst of this chaos they will turn to Him. Pray for Egypt!
Agreed. One thing that struck me about our brothers and sisters in the Coptic church who migrated to the area I live here in the United States, was their incredible faith and single-mindedness that they are His and will overcome the world, having fought the good fight.