We need to be concerned about the current situation in Egypt
Today high-level military leaders met without their Commander in Chief, and issued a communiqué saying that they had stepped in "to safeguard the country" and that "all of the demands" of the anti-government demonstrators (presumably including Mr. Mubarak's ouster) would be met "today". Meanwhile, the square was again filled throughout the day with tens of thousands demanding that the President go, and chanting "Allahu Akbar!-Allah is Great!" The demonstrators represent many streams swept together in the winds of protest against a host of perceived repressions and hardships attributed to the present regime. As of this time, there is certainly no orderly, representative council evident behind this "revolution", intent on bringing into existence a government similar to what many westerners think of when they think of "democracy" or of a "representative republic". Who will finally come out on top?
In Israel there is a strong, uneasy hearkening back to the 1979 revolution in Iran. At that time, an indecisive US administration chose to suddenly become lukewarm in its support for another potentate whom it had supported as a firm and trusted ally for years. As the Shah's position crumbled, the Carter administration allowed itself to be influenced that Mehdi Barzagan, the Ayatolla Khomaini's choice for prime minister, would have more influence with extremist forces than the Shah's appointment for the office; and high-level diplomats suggested that Khomaini might indeed himself be a not so immoderate influence in the region. Within eighteen months, when he no longer needed him, Khomeini dumped Barzagan, replacing him with a new leader and a radical government which more reflected his ideals for the Islamic revolution. Today there are many in the west who are calling for Mohamed ElBaradei, a former head of the International Islamic Energy Agency-and supported by the Muslim Brotherhood-as a moderate choice to replace Mubarak as an interim president. Others, however have pointed out that ElBaradie, having lived outside of Egypt for many years, has no popular support, and could, like Barzagan, be easily toppled by the Brotherhood after having served their purposes.
This week members of the U.S. Congress warned of the dangers of the Muslim Brotherhood's participation in any new Egyptian government, and took issue with the Obama administration for suggesting that the Islamic group might warrant some such role. Although the Brotherhood has in the last few days avowed itself to have no desire of taking control of the government, nor of advocating a religious regime, its true behind-the-scenes goals may be better expressed in a sermon given last September by the organization's supreme guide Muhammad Badi, "[Muslims] need to understand that the improvement and change that the Muslim nation seeks can only be attained through jihad and sacrifice and by raising a jihadi generation that pursues death, just as the enemies pursue life." And an article in the 01 Feb 2011 Jerusalem Post by Yaakov Lappin entitled, "Muslim Brotherhood: 'Prepare Egyptians for war with Israel'", reported Muhammad Ghannem, a leader of the Brotherhood in Egypt as telling an Iranian news network that he would like to see the Egyptian people prepare for war against Israel, that the Suez Canal should be closed immediately, and the flow of gas from Egypt to Israel stopped "in order to bring about the downfall of the Mubarak regime." (It is Mubarak who has been behind the export of natural gas from Egypt to Israel. Interestingly, the flow was temporarily stopped this week when one of the pipelines was sabotaged. The recent discovery of huge natural gas reserves off the Israeli coast begins, for Israel, to appear an incredibly timely blessing indeed!).
Please Pray:
Isaiah 19, especially verses 2-3 and 19-25 express God's sovereign love and purposes for Egypt "his people".including her relationship with Israel "His inheritance". In Ezekiel 29:3 the LORD speaks of a "great monster" which was ruling in pride over Egypt, claiming the very Nile itself as its own creation and property (This monster represented either the literal Pharaoh or, more likely, a great demonic presence which empowered him.). The Hebrew word used here for "great monster" is tanin (translated elsewhere as 'dragon'). The first thing to realize when tanin is used is that it was first mentioned in Genesis 1:21 as "created by God". And when Moses' rod was cast down by Aaron before Pharaoh (Exodus 7:9-10), it became a tanin instead of a snake (nakhash) as it had become before the burning bush in Exodus 4:3; 7:5. And when the magicians were able also to devise their own tanin's, the one manifest from the Rod of God (Ex 4:20) devoured all of those devised by their occult means! (Exodus 7:12).
LET US PRAY THAT THE SOVEREIGN ROD OF GOD WOULD BE HELD OVER EGYPT-THAT THE EVIL WORKINGS SET AGAINST GODLY GOVERNANCE IN EGYPT WOULD BE DEVOURED BY DIVINE AND HOLY POWER. HOWEVER THINGS MAY SEEM TO FALL IN THE SHORT-TERM, PRAY FOR THE BODY OF MESSIAH IN ISRAEL TO BEGIN MOVING IN SIGNS AND WONDERS AS DID MOSES AND AARON. WE BELIEVE THAT SINCE THESE BELIEVING LEADERS HAVE CHOSEN TO HONOUR ISRAEL IN THE FACE OF HATRED ALL ROUND THEM, THE POWER AND DELIVERANCE GIVEN TO ISRAEL WHILE SHE WAS IN EGYPT SHALL BE THEIRS. PRAY THAT THE BODY IN ISRAEL AND EGYPT STAND STRONG IN LOVE AND COURAGE AND INTERCESSION FOR EACH OTHER ON BEHALF OF THEIR GOD'S PURPOSES IN THEIR NATIONS IN THE SEASON AHEAD!
Portions taken from the Israel Prayer Update
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