Can historic enemies turn to the Lord and reconcile? Is this part of God’s ultimate plan? Let’s begin in Isaiah 19.
Will Egypt become confounded by civil war and a harsh dictatorship?
An oracle [burden, prophecy] concerning Egypt. Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt; and the idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them. And I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians, and they will fight, each against another and each against his neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom; and the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out, and I will confound their counsel; and they will inquire of the idols and the sorcerers, and the mediums and the necromancers; and I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a hard master, and a fierce king will rule over them, declares the Lord God of hosts. (Isa 19:1-4 ESV)
Will Egypt’s national dependence on the river for crops and fishing be severely tested?
The waters of the sea will dry up, and the river will be parched and dry. The channels will stink; they will dwindle, and Egypt’s canals will be parched. Reed and rush will die. The reeds by the Nile, by the mouth of the river, and all the cultivated areas of the Nile will wither, blow away, and vanish. Then the fishermen will mourn. All those who cast hooks into the Nile will lament, and those who spread nets on the water will shrivel up. Those who work with flax will be dismayed; the combers and weavers will turn pale. Egypt’s weavers will be dejected; all her wage earners will be demoralized. (Isa 19:5-10 HCSB)
Did Zoan, the ancient Egyptian capital city on the Nile delta, contain foolish leaders? Did other national leaders in Memphis, an administrative and religious hub, also lead Egypt astray?
Zoan’s princes are nothing but fools; the wisest advisors of Pharaoh give stupid advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I’m a descendant of wise men, a descendant of ancient kings”? Where are your wise men now? Let them tell you, let them make known what the Lord has planned against Egypt. The princes of Zoan have become fools, and the princes of Memphis deluded; the leaders of its tribes have led Egypt astray. The Lord has mixed within them a spirit of confusion; so they make Egypt stagger in all that it does, like a drunkard staggers around in his vomit. As a result, there will be nothing for Egypt that head or tail, palm branch or reed, can do. (Isa 19:11-15 ISV)
Does Egypt become fearful, afraid when anyone even mentions the land of Judah?
In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shaketh over it. And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts, which he hath determined against it. (Isa 19:16-17 KJV)
How can God smiting a nation lead to its healing? Do some Egyptian cities adopt the language of Canaan and worship the Lord?
In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will be speaking the language of Canaan and swearing allegiance to Yahweh of hosts; one will be called the City of Destruction. In that day there will be an altar to Yahweh in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Yahweh near its border. And it will become a sign and a witness to Yahweh of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to Yahweh because of oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Champion, and He will deliver them. Thus Yahweh will make Himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know Yahweh in that day. They will even worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make a vow to Yahweh and pay it. And Yahweh will smite Egypt, smiting but healing; so they will return to Yahweh, and He will be moved by their entreaty and will heal them. (Isa 19:18-22 LSB)
At that time will Egypt, Assyria and Israel all worship the Lord together?
On that day there will be a road from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria; and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. On that day Israel will be the third party to Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of armies has blessed, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.” (Isa 19:23-25 NASB)
Does God’s purpose ultimately include peace and unity between Jew and Gentile?
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility (Eph 2:14 NIV)
Can historic enemies turn to the Lord and reconcile? Is this part of God’s ultimate plan? You decide!
