Egypt as the world:
(Hosea 11:1 KJV) When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Jesus and his parents were called out of Egypt after the death of Herod and so was fulfilled the prophecy in the earth. The prophecy is also fulfilled when each of us is called out of the world...out of the darkness into the light. We are set free from sin and death and are awakened to the light of the presence of God, which is true life. The word "church" is really a translation (perhaps mistranslation) of the Greek word "ecclesia" which means "the called out". Called out from what? Called out from the world...called out from Egypt. The world is Egypt...Egypt is a symbol for the world. The whole world lies in sin. We are set free from the bondage of sin and the worldly mind by the calling of God to our hearts. God draws our hearts to Him. He FIRST loved us...When Israel was a child, then I loved him.....
There is a prophecy concerning Egypt in Isaiah (Ch 19). This oracle has to with the judgement of God upon the world...upon all those outside the church at the end of this age. I am only going to point out a few things that I think I understand out of the chapter but one should read it in its entirety.
(Isa 19:1 KJV) The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.
The Lord comes swiftly to make manifest His judgements on the earth and the world (its desires, systems, governments, etc.) will be shaken because the heavens are shaken. Notice He doesn't send another nation for his purpose...the Lord shall come into Egypt Himself. What mankind highly esteems in this world is an abomination to the sight of God, therefore, the "idols" of the world shall be moved at his presence. Men's hearts will be failing them when they see these things (judgements) come upon the world. The heart of Egypt shall melt. This is highlighted by Jesus:
(Luke 21:26 KJV) Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Upon the earth there will be distress of nations...of the world....with perplexity. A storm causes the sea and waves to roar figuratively speaking. (See Luke 21:25)
(Isa 19:2 KJV) And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.
Once again, Jesus seems to be quoting Isaiah when he indicates to his disciples that kingdom will rise against kingdom...nation against nation:
(Luke 21:10 KJV) Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
As stated in verse 2, God will set Egyptian against Egyptian and they shall fight everyone against his brother. This seems to be saying that the love of most will grow cold because of the increase of sin in the world: This can be seen inside the church as well as outside. People betray and hate each other.
(Mat 24:10 KJV) And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
(Mat 24:12 KJV) And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Who can deny that the world seems to be getting worse. Man has lost his love for his neighbor. The increase of iniquity is definitely visible in this present time. One doesn't have to look far to see rudeness and hatred. All you have to do is go to any internet message board and witness what comes out of people's hearts today. Driving down the road (road rage), one can see how Egyptian is against Egyptian. Meeting a kind, honest person is geting fewer and far between. The increase of iniquity was foretold by God to Isaiah.
(Isa 19:3 KJV) And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.
The spirit of the world shall fail....men's hearts shall fail as they see the time of trouble come upon the earth. They will be PERPLEXED....the counsel of the world will not solve any of the troubles that it is facing...their plans will be brought to nothing. People of the world, in their distress, will go to seek "professional" help from their own....leaning on the foolish wisdom of the world which can not still the roaring of the sea. Only the Messiah can still the effects of the storm. The world does not know God nor does it immediately seek Him for help....spiritual knowledge is "foolish" to the world and so they first seek counsel from their idols and the spirits of the dead. They consult the "dead" who know not God (people whose minds are alienated from God) nor can they help against the judgements of God. It is mentioned that there are 2 things that the Egyptians found detestable in ancient times: to eat bread with the Hebrews (Genesis 43: 32) and that the occupation of being a shepherd was an abomination (Genesis 46: 34). Likewise, the world does not "eat" of the word of God because it is "foolishness" nor does it regard Jesus as the Shepherd...in fact, Jesus noted that the world HATES him:
(John 15:18 KJV) If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
(Isa 19:4 KJV) And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.
Many seem to think that this unnamed fierce king is the king of Assyria. Perhaps they are correct but it seems the answer is given within the prophecy itself. The fierce king could possibly be the perverse spirit that the Lord pours or mixes (like wine) on the world in order for it to stagger as a drunkered in its increased iniquity (vomit). This wicked spirit seems to be poured on all the leaders of the worldly things who cause the world to stagger. The leaders and goverments of the world become "fools".
11 Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?
12 Where are they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the LORD of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.
13 The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof.
(Isa 19:14 KJV) The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.
Later on in Isaiah, we see the same picture of drunkeness:
(Isa 24:20 KJV) The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
The whole earth or world reels to and fro (staggers) like a drunkard and the transgression (error in every work) will be heavy or severe upon it. Iniquity increases. With the authority of the perverse spirit (a fierce king and a cruel master) over the earth comes the increase of sin and oppressors which causes the people to be troubled:
(Prov 29:2 KJV) When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
(Prov 29:16 KJV) When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.
The following verses seem to be indicating that there might be economic trouble in the world or perhaps the joy and gladness that the world enjoys from its activities will wither away. The land will be filled with darkness and sorrow. The land will be filled with increased iniquity and trouble as a consequence. The Nile river is the main source of nourishment (wealth) of Egypt...it dries up and causes things that rely on its flow to wither away.
5 And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.
6 And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither.
7 The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more.
8 The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.
9 Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded.
10 And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sluices and ponds for fish.
Once again, it is reinforced that the world (Egypt) will be afraid and shudder with fear (it is being shaken by the hand of the Lord of hosts) on all these things that come swiftly upon the earth. The waves and the seas roar...there is no calm.
(Isa 19:16 KJV) 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.
Again, highlighted by Jesus:
(Mat 24:21 KJV) For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
It is the judgement of God upon the world...it is the time of distress, tribulation...it is a time of darkness (night) and sorrows. It will bring about a change in the world...the will of the people will be guided toward seeking God as a result. They will cry unto the Lord. When His judgements are in the world, the world learns righteousness:
(Isa 26:9 KJV) With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
There is SALVATION!!! The good news is this: that God sends the Messiah to deliver the world and bring it into the awareness of God's presence. The world (the Egyptians) will KNOW the LORD in that day....they will understand the will of God...they will speak with understanding and every knee will bow in acknowledgment of God....that He is King alone. It is God's will to smite the earth and to heal it...it is a learning lesson for the world. It is all for the glory of God to show this was His plans from the beginning.
20 And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them.
21 And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it.
22 And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them.
The world (Egypt) will KNOW the Lord...the whole earth will be full of the knowledge of God:
(Isa 11:9 KJV) They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
The world (Egypt) will be God's people...knowing and worshipping Him.
(Isa 19:25 KJV) Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.
Jesus is the Savior of the world:
(1 John 4:14 KJV) And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
Jesus is the Savior of ALL MEN as per the Father's will:
(1 Tim 4:10 KJV) For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
There is an order to Salvation...first, the "called out" of Egypt....Israel (consisting of spiritual Jews: both Jews of the flesh and gentiles of the flesh). Israel is the Lord's inheritance...the first fruits. And then, Egypt will be saved because they belong to God. There is a great harvest at the revelation of the Messiah to the world who can not see him at the present time. All kingdoms of the earth become God's. All shall be made "alive" to God's presence..saved from "death" which is the alienation of the mind from God's presence.
From 1 Corinthians 15:
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
(Psa 68:32 KJV) Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah:
The power of the world over the people will be done away with. The worldly wisdom will no longer rule those who don't know God....the sceptre of Egypt will depart after the judgements of God are manifest on the earth..
(Zec 10:11 KJV) And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away.