June 24: THE LAND OF EGYPT
He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. Daniel 11:42
In verse 41, we learned of an unlikely ‘wheat crop’ that will be harvested (Matthew 13:30) when the Lord returns: those who originally had close associations with truth-bearers—that is, full access to God’s truth—but for whatever reason chose to align with the world in disbelief. Along with this disbelief, a measure of pushback, ranging from disrespect to all-out persecution, against the truth-bearing remnant was reflected in their attitudes and actions, just as the tribes of Edom, Moab, and Ammon harassed Israel. The LORD is so ready and anxious to forgive! His appeals, made through His prophets throughout the Old Testament, revealed His heart of love for all of His beloved children. Our sin—that terrible thing that destroys our relationship with Him—breaks His heart. Verse 41 reveals that, in the last days, many of these will respond to the Holy Spirit’s plea to return to the Lord.
Today’s verse stands in vivid contrast. Early on, Egypt was the country most known for its refusal to acknowledge God (see Exodus 5:2). Through the centuries, Egypt has come to symbolize hardened unbelief. The land of Egypt, spiritually speaking, is all over the world. During the latter part of the time of the end, the king of the North—which is the same as the sea beast of Revelation 13—bolstered by the military and economic power of the earth beast of Revelation 13, shall stretch out his hand against the countries.
Earlier in Daniel 11, we saw that the king of the North . . . show[s] regard for those who forsake [God’s] holy covenant (v.30). He puts himself forward as a religious leader. Though the land of Egypt is symbolic for atheistic people, they will not escape his hand. This is because they choose to go along with the unbiblical worship mandate that goes out to the world (see Revelation 13:12; 14:9). Though they do not believe (the beast’s mark is not on [their] forehead), they go along for the worldly advantages available to the compliant. This is what the Bible calls receiving the beast’s mark on [the] hand.
The Holy Spirit gently nudges every heart to trust in the Lord, and to exercise that trust by obedience to His word. The leadings of the Holy Spirit are always in harmony with the written word of the Lord. Not to escape the reach of the antichrist means not to experience the deliverance of the Lord Jesus at His return. This is because, apart from the Holy Spirit, we cannot experience the heart change that is essential for every heaven-bound soul. Pushing the Holy Spirit away and going against God’s word are two phrases that describe the same thing: blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (see Matthew 12:30-32).
God takes great pleasure in saving and transforming everyone who comes to Him! The Creator can and does re-create repentant hearts. He longs to lavish the joys of a renewed creation as it was originally intended upon His people. Our world and even the atmosphere all around it will be thoroughly cleansed and made new: a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1).
“For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn and live!” Ezekiel 18:32