BLESSED IS EGYPT, MY PEOPLE In the previous chapter, the prophet persuaded the king of Cush and Egypt, to bring a present to the Lord of hosts, to the Mount of Zion, instead of sending a delegation to request alliance with God’s people against Assyria. In the present chapter, he presents a prophecy about Egypt, representing with its Pharaoh, the violence and fierceness of the world, and with the fertility of its land, the luxuries and desires of the world, and with its idols and temples, the leaning on human wisdom and capabilities. The prophet foresaw the Lord Himself coming to Egypt carried on the arms of St. Mary, the white, swift, and light cloud, coming in His infancy, to destroy, with His innocence, Egypt’s idols and magicians; and “to set an altar to the Lord in the midst of its land, and a pillar to the Lord at its border.” That was a clear prophecy concerning what would happen to the Holy Family, and also about establishing the living Christian Church in Egypt, as a blessed people to the Lord. 1. Escape of the Holy Family 1. 2. Chastising Egypt 2-17. 3. Setting an altar to the Lord 18 –25. 1. ESCAPE OF THE HOLY FAMILY We would never find a land, talked about in the Holy Bible, beside Canaan, like Egypt. The reason for this was that Israel as a nation and a people has settled down and lived in Egypt for about 400 years, to come out of it by an exalted arm. By their exodus, through the blood of lambs, they became a symbol for the whole world, set free from the servitude of the devil, through the blood of the unique Victim Christ. Egypt turned to represent, in general, the strength of the world, and the house of servitude, out from which God leads His people to salvation. Isaiah began his prophecy about Egypt, by a joyful portrait concerning it, saying, “Behold, the Lord rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt. The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence, and the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst.” (Is. 19: 1) St. Cyril the Great sees in that light swift cloud (the Septuagint version), the Virgin St. Mary, who has been sanctified by the Spirit of God, to become light and exalted, carrying the Lord of glory, Jesus, to escape with Him to Egypt, from the face of Herod (Matthew 2: 13 - 15). By His entry, the idols tottered, and with them the pagan worship; and the hearts of Egyptians melted in love, to receive Him to dwell in them, St. Cyril says, [The shining cloud that carried the Lord Jesus to Egypt is His mother, the Virgin St. Mary, who surpassed the clouds with her purity. As to the altar that was set in the midst of the land of Egypt, it is the Christian Church that was established on the ruins of the pagan temples, after the collapse of their idols, before the face of the Lord Jesus1.] That is why the Church sings on the feast of the entry of the Lord Christ into Egypt, saying, [Rejoice and be Joyful, O Egypt, with all your children; as to you, came the Lover of mankind, who exists before all ages.] Egypt, with its Pharaoh and pagan worship, represented the ancient pagan world, in its violence and uncleanness. Yet it has been a refuge for many, particularly at times of famine. To it came our father Abraham (Genesis 12: 10). It received Joseph, persecuted by his brothers, to become the second man after Pharaoh, to provide out of its storehouses, life for all the neighboring countries. To it, our father 1 Fr. T. Malaty: Introduction to the Coptic Orthodox Church, Ottawa 1988, ch 1. Jacob came with his children, to start the nucleus of the ancient people of God, with its twelve tribes, and to produce the first of their leaders, Moses, the great among prophets, supported by the first High Priest Aaron. Among the prophets who came to Egypt, was the prophet Jeremiah, who tried to dissuade the people from escaping to Egypt, but to be forced to accompany them into it (Jeremiah 41: 1; 43: 7). His last prophecies were uttered in Tahpanhes, in Egypt (Jeremiah 43: 8; 44: 1). As to the heavenly coming of the Lord Christ to our land, He established in it a Church characterized by divine blessing, carrying in its worship, rites, and songs, tunes of heavenly life. Egypt, filled with pagan worship, that set gods of calves, crocodiles, frogs etc., has received the Lord of glory, to establish out of the hearts of Egyptians a sanctuary for Himself. Egypt was transformed from being the greatest fortress of paganism, to become the greatest center of Christian thought, of spiritual worship, and of evangelical life, within a short time lapse. The star of the Church of Egypt twinkled, through the School of Alexandria, the teacher of Theology and Bible interpretation to the whole early Christian world; and the leader of the movement of defending the straight faith, on a universal level. From Egypt, the movement of Christian monasticism, in all its forms, set forth, to draw the heart of the Church toward the wilderness, to practice the angelic inner life, at the same time the gates of the empirical courts were opened before people of religion. As danger chased the Church, where spiritual work is conducted amid political and contemporary authority, the Church of Egypt carried the cross of its Groom along the ages, and presented uncountable numbers of martyrs and confessors, when entire cities were martyred, and thousands have raced to gain the crowns of martyrdom, with joyful hearts2. 2. CHASTENING EGYPT The escape of the Holy Family to Egypt, and setting an altar to the Lord there, do not mean putting a cover over its evils, but on the contrary, God revealed its spiritual wounds, in order to take away from it every weakness ‘kingdom of evil,’ and to set what is new ‘kingdom of God.’ The coming of the Lord to it means destroying its idols, and casting away its uncleanness, in order to sanctify its people. The fruits of the ancient uncleanness were demonstrated as: (1) Occurrence of civil wars: “I will see Egyptians against Egyptians. Everyone will fight against his brother, and everyone against his neighbor, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst.” (Is. 19: 2, 3) This is a natural fruit of its isolation from God, the Grantor of inner peace, love, and unity. Wars occur on the personal level between friends, as well as between cities and kingdoms. [There has been a kingdom in upper Egypt, and another in lower Egypt.] Evil destroys the inner soul, and let it enter into a condition of despair. Isolating ourselves from God leads us to lose our inner harmony, through which our inner life would be turned into a battlefield, where the body wrestles against the soul, and where the inner energies do not harmonize with each other, the heart turning into a kind of hell. The other way round, when God takes over the leadership, man submits wholly to him, to live in harmony, the body supports the soul in its worship, and the senses and emotions become sanctified, to work hand in hand with the pure mind, with a good and holy will in the Lord. 2 .6- للمؤلف: الكنیسة القبطیة الأرثوذكسیة والروحانیة، أتاوا، كندا، ص 5 (2) Loss of true wisdom. The Egyptians were known as people of high intelligence3. The Holy Bible testifies how Moses was “learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.” (Acts 7: 20) But isolating themselves from God, has led to loss of everything; their wisdom, knowledge, and civilization did not help them, so they resorted to seek the counsel of idols: “I will destroy their counsel. And they will consult the idols and the charmers, the mediums and the sorcerers.” (Is. 19: 3) (3) Suffering cruel masters (Is. 19: 4), with more love for authority, than for serving the people and building the country. Hardening of people’s hearts, distances them from God, the Grantor of goodness and compassion, who would allow for fierce leaderships, to let them be treated the same way they treat others. This is exactly what happens in our daily life: in work, and in our personal and family life etc. Whoever treats his parents hard, his body would be as hard, in its war of lust against his soul. What we sow to others, we shall reap in our personal life. (4) Suffering a condition of draught: “The waters will fail from the sea, and the rivers will be wasted and dried up. The rivers will turn foul, and the brooks of defense will be emptied and dried up. The reeds and rushes will wither. The papyrus reeds by the river, by the mouth of the river, and everything down by the river, will wither, will be driven away, and be no more. The fishermen also will mourn. All those will lament who cast hooks into the river, and they will languish who spread nets on the waters. Moreover those who work in fine flax, and those who weave fine fabric will be ashamed. And its foundations will be broken. All who make wages will be troubled of soul.” (Is. 19: 5 - 10) It is as though evil carries its bitter fruit even in man’s daily life and in his necessary needs; the River Nile dries up [In many parts of Upper Egypt, it is called ‘the sea’]; people deprived of water to drink, or to irrigate their land; even fishermen will lose their source of income, to mourn with no avail. All that would affect the general economy of the country: the natural resources (water), food (fish and agricultural products), fabrics for clothing, and above all man would lose his inner peace! (5) Loss of wise counselors: man would not only suffer material losses, but also would lose wise counselors to support him in difficult times. So it is said: “Surely the princes of Zoan are fools. Pharaoh’s wise counselors give foolish counsel. How do you say to Pharaoh, ‘I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings? Where are they? Where are your wise men? Let them tell you now, and let them know what the Lord of hosts has purposed against Egypt.” (Is. 19: 11, 12) In place of wisdom, for which Egypt was known, foolishness prevailed, even in Zoan, the capital of ancient Egypt. It was said: “Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt.” (1 Kings 4: 30) Yet that wisdom disappeared, once man isolated himself from his God the Source of wisdom. That is why the counselors of Pharaoh gave him a foolish counsel. A sign of losing their wisdom was their inability to apprehend the plan of the Lord of hosts against Egypt (Is. 19: 12). How, then, could the people of God, trust in the Pharaoh’s counsel, concerning the alliance against Assyria? “The officials of Noph have become fools. The princes of Noph are deceived. They have also deluded Egypt, those who are the mainstay of its tribes.” (Is. 19: 13) That was the great problem for Egypt; it received foolishness as if it was wisdom. The rulers of Noph (Memphis), the capital of Upper Egypt, were deceived by 3 Bultema, p. 195. the supposedly wise counselors. Those were parallel to the false prophets, of whom the prophet Jeremiah talked so often. (6) Loss of consciousness and entering into a condition of drunkenness: “The Lord has mingled a perverse spirit in her midst. And they have caused Egypt to err in all her work, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit.” (Is. 19: 14) As sin, is like bad wine that causes man to lose his consciousness. Whenever man drinks from its chalice, he aimlessly staggers like a drunkard, unable to perform any serious task to edify him or others. That is the most dangerous situation, reached by any man, to lose his human stature, to lead his life as if dead, to him life is tasteless. (7) Shuddering with fear: “In that day the Egyptians will be like women, and will be afraid and fear because of the waving of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which He waves over it.” (Is. 19: 16) Pharaoh who arrogantly thinks of himself as the one who is to rescue Israel and Judah from the hand of Assyria, will, together with his men, will tremble like women with fear before the Lord of hosts and before Judah (Is. 19: 17). It is as though the Lord is encouraging Judah to have no fear before the words of Pharaoh, and persuading it to refrain from making any alliance with him, the way Israel and Aram did. Pharaoh himself is not only shuddering with fear before Assyria, but before Judah as well. 3. SETTING AN ALTAR TO THE LORD Having revealed the ailments of Egypt, and what the sin has done to it, from a loss of unity and true wisdom, to cruelty of rulers, severity of nature (draught), confusion of economy (agriculture and industry), lack of leading human resources, entering into a condition of unconsciousness, together with fear and terror, even before Judah, the little kingdom - God intervenes to heal its wounds and save it, presenting the following blessings: a. A new language: “In that day, five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear by the Lord of hosts; one will be called the city of the sun.” (Is. 19: 18) What are these five cities other than the senses of the believer? As the nations come to faith in the Lord Christ, they surrender the five senses in His hands, to sanctify to speak the language of the spirit instead of that of the flesh; to be told as to the apostle Peter: “Your speech shows it.” (Matthew 26: 73; Mark 14: 70) The heart of the believer is lifted up to the heavenly Canaan, not only during partaking of the sacrament of the Eucharist, and all the other liturgies of the living Church, but also during his private worship, and even in his daily life activities. That is the work of the Holy Spirit of God in our life, to carry it to heaven, to experience it in our depths, to change our language to that of Canaan, that is to say, that of heaven - the language of love and inner joy; to share with the heavenly hosts their liturgies and incessant joy; and not to be “people of obscure speech and difficult language.” (Ezekiel 3: 5) b. “Swear by the Lord of hosts.” (Is. 19: 18) What does that mean? Swearing was a sign of trust and faith in Him, in whose name man swears. Instead of swearing by the names of the pagan idols, nations-Egypt included-would receive faith in the Lord of hosts; hold fast to His name, counting it as the Source of their strength. c. “One will be called the city of the sun.” (Is. 19: 18) That refers to Heliopolis, which was the center of the worship of the sun; to get transformed from that material worship to the worship of the Sun of righteousness that shines on those sitting in the darkness. In the Septuagint version it came as “the righteous city,” carrying in itself the righteousness of Christ. d. Setting an altar to the Lord: “In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border.” (Is. 19: 19) That refers to the altar of the Church of the New Testament; as the altar of the Old Testament was in Jerusalem, outside which it was not allowed to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. The Holy Family crossed to Upper Egypt, to disappear for about three years and six months at the location, where the monastery of the Virgin Mary, known as ‘El-Meharrak,’ in the middle of Egypt, is located. In that location, an altar to the Lord was set, on which the sacrifice of Eucharist is offered - an enjoyment of the sacrifice of the cross itself. As to the pillar at its border, this is St. Mark, the apostle, who came to Alexandria, at the border of Egypt, to preach the gospel, and to set the altar of the Church of the New Testament for the Egyptians to enjoy salvation from the devil, their oppressor; and to have the Lord Himself: “A Savior and a Mighty One, to deliver them” (Is. 19: 20). e. Spiritual Gnosticism (knowledge): “Then the Lord will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day, and will make sacrifice and offering. They will make vows to the Lord and perform it.” (Is. 19: 21) Of the best writings on the close connection of Gnosticism with worship, as with the biblical behavior in the daily life, was by St. Clement of Alexandria; That thought came as a golden thread in all his writings4. Of his words about Gnosticism: [These are the signs that designate our Gnosticism: First of all, Contemplation, and then keeping the commandments, to be followed by teaching promising people. A man with those features is considered a perfect Gnostic; and if he lacks one of them, his Gnosticism does not hold5.] f. An inner healing: “And the Lord will strike Egypt, He will strike and heal it. They will return to the Lord, and He will be entreated by them and heal them.” (Is. 19: 22) God will allow it to get struck, to chasten it for its weakness, to let it discover itself and realize its need for a Savior; to return to Him, to find in Him the only Healer of the wounds of the soul, and restoring its peace. Our Christ came as a Physician and Medication at the same time: Blessed is the (Physician) who descended and amputated without pain; healed our wounds by a non-bitter medication, sent His Son as a (Medication) to heal sinners! St. Ephram the Syrian6 The Lord came to Egypt, and struck its idols, to let the Egyptians discover in Him the mystery of their healing. g. As the conflict between Assyria and Egypt was flaring at that time; with the other nations including Israel, victims of that conflict, the coming of the Lord of Glory Jesus Christ, brought peace to all, and let all - in Christ Jesus - feel that the earth belongs to the Lord and His Christ, and is not a center of conflict; All partake 209 . للمؤلف: آباء مدرسة الإسكندریة الأولون. 4 للمؤلف: الكنیسة القبطیة الأرثوذكسیة ، 1986 ا، ص 5 .14 6 On Nativity, hymn 2. together of worship. In a magnificent portrayal of that peace, the prophet says, “In that day, there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. The Assyrians will come to Egypt, and the Egyptians to Assyria and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, ‘Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.” (Is. 19: 23- 25) What does he mean by “In that day,” that came about five times in the verses 18 to 25, other than the “fulfillment of time,” when the Lord Christ came to grant us these blessings; came, to be “the Way,” in which all nations gather together, to enjoy spiritual unity, and a flood of blessings. What does the gathering together of Egypt, Assyria and Israel, to share the enjoyment of divine blessing and eternal inheritance mean? It is a portrait of the (catholic) Church that embraces the enemies together, in a spirit of love and unity. Israel, has been struggling between making an alliance with either Egypt or Assyria, the two major forces at that time. But the coming of the Lord Christ solved that problem. All became members in one Church, enjoying the divine work, to have Egypt called God’s people, Assyria His handiwork, and Israel His inheritance.
Welcome