Description
This chapter describes the liberation of Egypt by Jesus. Egypt will descend into a state of civil war following its conquest by the Antichrist and his subsequent departure. Jesus reveals himself as Egypt's saviour and national revival breaks out.
Commentary
After his second coming, Jesus, together with the Jews (v16-17), makes war against Egypt (v1).

Egypt will be ruled by a fierce king (v4). Egypt is one of the countries that Antichrist conquers according to Daniel 11:42. There will be civil war (v2). According to Daniel 11:44, Antichrist will be alarmed by reports from the east and north and will return to Israel in a rage. It is possible that his departure from Egypt leaves a power vacuum that results in civil war.

The Egyptians will lose heart (v3). The economy will collapse (v5-10), caused in part by the Nile drying up. It is possible this is related to Ethiopia's construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam across the Blue Nile, intended to provide hydro-electric power to Ethiopia. Construction of the dam began in 2011 but has been resisted by Egypt amid concerns about its impact on the flow of the Nile through Egypt. If the Antichrist conquers Egypt and tries to besiege Ethiopia, it is conceivable that Ethiopia may use the dam to deliberately reduce its flow downstream and to target Egypt's economy.

The Egyptians will tremble with fear at the Messiah (v16) and be humiliated by the Jews (v17). Some of the Egyptians cry out to the Lord, and he rescues them (v20). Jesus strikes Egypt with plagues, but later heals them (v22).

In the process of liberating Egypt, Jesus makes himself known to the Egyptians as their saviour and defender (v20) and national revival breaks out (v18-22). The Egyptians will turn to the Lord, and learn to speak Hebrew (v18). However, it is possible that the 40 year desolation of Egypt, as prophesied in Ezekiel 29, will occur between Egypt's conquest by Jesus, and its restoration.

In the Millennium, political, economic and spiritual harmony will be established between Egypt, Israel and Assyria, with a highway connecting them (v23). These three nations together will become a blessing to the whole earth (v24). Jesus calls Egypt 'my people', Assyria 'the work of my hands', and Israel 'my special possession (v25). It is interesting to wonder how Assyria becomes 'the work of my hands'. The Antichrist is called 'the Assyrian' in Isaiah 10:17, 14:25 and 30:31, and in Micah 5:5. But after the Antichrist is defeated, it seems that Jesus redeems a remnant from Assyria. In 722 BC, Assyria deported the ten northern tribes of Israel, and they never returned. In terms of being a distinct people-group, they have long since been lost in the pages of history. But God knows who is descended from the lost tribes of Israel, and in many end-time prophecies he promises to restore them, along with the Jews (descendants of Judah and Benjamin), to become a re-united people in the land of Israel (search tags: Restoration of Israel and Judah). It is likely that many people in the region that historically belonged to the Assyrian Empire, and who today are mostly Muslims, are in fact descendants of the twelve tribes of Israel. Similarly, when Judah fell to the Babylonians in 586 BC, those who were left ended up going back to Egypt. So God's redemption of Egypt, Assyria and Israel may reflect his redemption and restoration of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Tags
Places: Egypt, Assyria, Israel
Symbols:
Tags: Jesus fights muslim nations, Jesus liberates Egypt, Israel fights alongside Jesus, Antichrist as Pharaoh, End-time revival, Highway of Holiness, Great Tribulation, Millennium, Civil war, Restoration of Israel and Judah
The Lord Will Judge Egypt
1 This is an oracle about Egypt: Look, the Lord rides on a swift-moving cloud and approaches Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him; the Egyptians lose their courage.
2 “I will provoke civil strife in Egypt, brothers will fight with each other,
as will neighbors, cities, and kingdoms.
3 The Egyptians will panic, and I will confuse their strategy. They will seek guidance from the idols and from the spirits of the dead, from the pits used to conjure up underworld spirits, and from the magicians.
4 I will hand Egypt over to a harsh master; a powerful king will rule over them,” says the Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
5 The water of the sea will be dried up, and the river will dry up and be empty.
6 The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will trickle and then dry up;
the bulrushes and reeds will decay,
7 along with the plants by the mouth of the river. All the cultivated land near the river will turn to dust and be blown away.
8 The fishermen will mourn and lament, all those who cast a fishhook into the river, and those who spread out a net on the water’s surface will grieve.
9 Those who make clothes from combed flax will be embarrassed; those who weave will turn pale.
10 Those who make cloth will be demoralized; all the hired workers will be depressed.
11 The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; Pharaoh’s wise advisers give stupid advice. How dare you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the sages, one well-versed in the writings of the ancient kings?”
12 But where, oh where, are your wise men? Let them tell you, let them find out what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has planned for Egypt.
13 The officials of Zoan are fools, the officials of Memphis are misled; the rulers of her tribes lead Egypt astray.
14 The Lord has made them undiscerning; they lead Egypt astray in all she does, so that she is like a drunk sliding around in his own vomit.
15 Egypt will not be able to do a thing, head or tail, shoots or stalk.
16 At that time the Egyptians will be like women. They will tremble and fear because the Lord of Heaven’s Armies brandishes his fist against them.
17 The land of Judah will humiliate Egypt. Everyone who hears about Judah will be afraid because of what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is planning to do to them.
18 At that time five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. One will be called the City of the Sun.
19 At that time there will be an altar for the Lord in the middle of the land of Egypt, as well as a sacred pillar dedicated to the Lord at its border.
20 It will become a visual reminder in the land of Egypt of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. When they cry out to the Lord because of oppressors, he will send them a deliverer and defender who will rescue them.
21 The Lord will reveal himself to the Egyptians, and they will acknowledge the Lord’s authority at that time. They will present sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and fulfill them.
22 The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and then healing them. They will turn to the Lord and he will listen to their prayers and heal them.
23 At that time there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will visit Egypt, and the Egyptians will visit Assyria. The Egyptians and Assyrians will worship together.
24 At that time Israel will be the third member of the group, along with Egypt and Assyria, and will be a recipient of blessing in the earth.
25 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies will pronounce a blessing over the earth, saying, “Blessed be my people, Egypt, and the work of my hands, Assyria, and my special possession, Israel!”
(NET)