Roundtable Discussion: USA parallels to ancient Egypt
In October 2008, in the midst of the financial crisis, the Lord started speaking to me about how the global capital markets – which had been exported to the rest of the world by the USA – were coming under judgement. And that the financial crisis of 2008-2009 was not the end of that judgement, but rather was the beginning. And further judgement would come in waves (in God’s mercy not destroying everything at once), but in the end would greatly level our financial markets and banking system as we know it (laid low – humbled – made a desolate land). This partly came through Ezekiel 29-32, which is known in scripture as “The Seven Fold Judgment of Egypt”. I felt the Lord spoke His heart about how there would be several waves of judgment on the Western financial markets (predominantly USD based, but also the Yen, Pound Sterling, Euro based financial markets) which have so driven global economic growth in the past century.
Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. Speak to him and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt,
you great monster lying among your streams.
You say, “The Nile belongs to me;
I made it for myself.”
But I will put hooks in your jaws
and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales.
I will pull you out from among your streams,
with all the fish sticking to your scales.
I will leave you in the desert,
you and all the fish of your streams.
You will fall on the open field
and not be gathered or picked up.
I will give you as food
to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the sky.
Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.
‘You have been a staff of reed for the people of Israel. When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered and you tore open their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and their backs were wrenched…‘Because you said, “The Nile is mine; I made it,” therefore I am against you and against your streams…
Egypt will no longer be a source of confidence for the people of Israel but will be a reminder of their sin in turning to her for help. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.'”
Ezekiel 29
This scripture has similar language, structure and meaning as this one about the love of money:
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 Tim 6:10
And then there is the sorted story of God’s people crafting and worshipping the “golden calf”. Moses fasts and prays and visits with God for 40 days. What do the Israelites do with their sovereign “wealth transfer”, having plundered the Egyptians (Exodus 12:36)? (recall they got the silver and gold of the Egyptians because they were so in awe of the God of the 10 plagues). They fashioned a “golden calf” idol of gold, which was an Egyptian God of prosperity and wealth and worshiped it. This is right after the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea! Oy Vey!! The proper use of the wealth was discovered later when the people of Israel voluntarily gave it toward the building of the tabernacle (Exodus 36:3). Rember, those who got all the gold and the silver died wandering in the desert for 40 years, where gold and silver don’t buy you anything…
And how about when Abraham went to Egypt because there was a famine in the land and nearly betrothed his wife Sarah to Pharaoh? All in the name of provision in a time of famine. Fearing Pharaoh rather than fearing God. Yikes.And there is more. Such a rich prophetic metaphor from the Lord. The parallels between the USA – the new American Dream of Fame, Fortune, Technology, Military Power, Financial Power, Pride, Materialism, and the self-effort to achieve these aims – and ancient Egypt (the most technologically advanced civilization, wealthiest nation in the world, most powerful military in the world, worship of false Gods, such as the golden calf, the pride of Pharaoh, Pharaoh the chief leader being God-like).
Let’s start with this. How long were the people of God enslaved in Egypt?
400 years.
How long has it been since the people of God settled these lands in what became the USA?
400 years. (Pilgrims 1620 -> 2020).
What started off well (Pilgrims and Puritans – the worship of God), was sprinkled with the levin (sin) of financial enslavement (debt and contractual obligations to insure a voyage on the Mayflower needing to be paid) ended up becoming an enslavement to God’s people (money dependance, debt).
Egypt biblically is an interesting nation. Unlike Babylon (which will be destroyed as a harlot at the end of the age), Egypt is shown in Zechariah to exist in the Millennial Kingdom and age to come! Here is a fascinating scripture about that:
Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles… If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The Lord will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.”
Zechariah 14:16-18
Nonetheless, Egypt was a biblical metaphor for the idea of “trust in the strength of man / the flesh” instead of “trust in God” or put another way – Egypt was the place people went if they needed food or supplies, or military assistance/alliances. But God several times warned the people of God not to trust in Egypt, but trust in him. Isaac was going to Egypt in a famine. God said no, plant in Canaan. He reaped 100x return in a dry and barren land.
The corrupt leadership of Judah during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in 686 tried to align with Egypt to avoid God’s judgment of the Babylonians, but failed and they were destroyed. (Ezek. 17:15-18)
Why is this so important for us to understand today? As God is calling his people out of Babylon and out of Egyptian captivity…
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