For over three thousand years, one of the most influential civilizations flourished on the banks of the river Nile. Egypt’s art and skill were unsurpassed. The mighty pyramids, over forty stories tall, remained the largest manmade structures until the Eiffel Tower was constructed in 1889. Even today, we are surrounded by their influence. The very building you are in probably has a pyramid shaped roof. Among their inventions are fluffy towels, makeup, toothpaste, cough drops and deodorant! We have much for which to thank them! Egypt never colonized other territories like the Greeks and the Romans, for they believed that in order for them to enter the afterlife, they must be buried with the correct rituals and only within Egyptian borders.
We Christians have a similar requirement; in order for us to enter our afterlife, we must be buried with Christ in baptism to enter the kingdom of Heaven (Galatians 3:27). So, if you are not in Him by His pattern of entrance, then you are not in His kingdom. Egypt was the first nation state in history and its ruler, the pharaoh, was a supreme monarch. He was unlike the kings of surrounding tribal peoples in that he was to his people the god king; he commanded, and it was done. There were no political squabbles in a land ruled by a pharaoh, and there were no government shutdowns or arguments about what’s to be done. The king said it, and it was done. This pattern was followed by succeeding empires in one form or another and has been the pattern for government for the majority of humanity and for the majority of history.
So, it is in the kingdom of God; Christ commands and that’s it – no discussion, except on how we shall achieve His will. For example, in Mark 16:15, the King commands us to preach the Gospel to every creature. We don’t get a say as to whom we share the Gospel! The apostles, at Pentecost, did not limit the good news to select groups or restrict their ministry to just locals. It was, and still is for all, for whosoever believeth in Him, not for whom we choose to deliver the Gospel message!
When the land has a single ruler, whose will is to be obeyed, things get done. Nations get built and people get defended. Families who need food and water receive. Christ came to build His kingdom, and we are tasked to give the bread and water of His Gospel for the nourishment of all. In John 6:35, He said, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” In Revelation 21:6, the Lord declared, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”
Unlike those under the rule of the Egyptian god kings, we have a choice for whom we serve! Our King is truly God, and He requires that we do as He says – not out of an unwilling or complaining attitude but because we love Him (John 14:15).
Now, you may be asking, “What does Egypt have to do with the Bible and what is the relevance?” Open your Bible and very soon you will see that the ancient Egyptian empire – its power, people, ways, religion and influence – echo throughout the Word of God.
It is a fact that the first five books of the Holy Bible were written by a member of the Egyptian royal family. Moses was a prince of Egypt for forty years. He was raised in its cultural ways and in the very center of its religious and secular life. He was highly educated and saw the suffering of his own people. The tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim descended from Joseph and his Egyptian wife. So, there is plenty of Egyptian blood in the house of Israel. We are told in 1 Kings 3:1 that Solomon married pharaoh’s daughter. It was to Egypt that Joseph of Nazareth took his wife Mary and adopted son Jesus. In Matthew 2:13, Scripture tells us, “Behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him!”
There are simply too many connections between Egypt and the Bible to ignore. Through study of God’s Word, we discover the greatest treasure ever to come out of that ancient land – the Lord Jesus Christ. He is everything the pharaoh wished to be and was not! Our blessed Redeemer is everything for which the pharaohs’ people longed in their king. On the birthday of the church on Pentecost in Jerusalem, Jews residing in Egypt were among the first to hear the Gospel and some likely were among the 3,000 souls who accepted Christ as their Lord. Won’t you follow their excellent example?
