The answer can be understood through the Scriptures that speak of this coming time as well as reviewing how God dealt with the Pharaoh and the Egyptians for the way they dealt with Israel in a very similar situation. History has definitely a way of repeating itself.

Scripture makes known that we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-8)! This will also apply with the Beast and the 10 nations of Europe just as it did in that previous time. Job makes this quite plain:

"Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same" (Job 4:8; Ecclesiastes 10:8; Romans 2:6).

(AN ASIDE: I heard Mr. Armstrong say years ago that all of his enemies who fought against him in the early years died with cancer! With this in mind think of the kind of death the apostate who replaced him experienced!)

Egypt Of Old A Definite Parallel —

From the first plague to the last one, God took vengeance on Pharaoh and the Egyptians for enslaving Israel and for killing all of the newly-born boy babies of the Israelite women.

Retribution was exacted! All of the firstborn of Egypt of all ages were killed by God the night of the Passover. This even included their livestock:

"And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of stock. So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; AND THERE WAS A GREAT CRY IN EGYPT, for there was NOT a house where there was not one dead" (Exodus 12:29-30).

A minister in the past did some calculations with the conservatively estimated figure of 2,000,000 Israelites leaving Egypt. According to him it would appear the population of Egypt must have been right at 20,000,000. He found that the percentage of the firstborn is normally about 20 percent. Using those figures he concluded there were probably 4,000,000 Egyptians who were struck dead that night by God.

They truly reaped what they had sown, and many times over!

With the screams of heart-broken grief ringing in his ears from all around him, as well as seeing his own son lying in death before him, Pharaoh called for Moses (Exodus 11:5-6). With fierce anger he finally freed Israel. This was in the face of his adamant refusal to let them go even though Egypt had already been ravaged and in ruins by the previous nine plagues:

... Pharaoh’s servants said to him, "How long shall this man (Moses) be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. DO YOU NOT YET KNOW THAT EGYPT IS DESTROYED?" (Exodus 10:7)

Hitler And Germany Also A Type —

Adolph Hitler was just as rigid as the Pharaoh about not conceding defeat and also held out to the bitter end! During this time he also continued to have all the Jews killed that he possibly could – men, women, and children! Many soldiers who had been captured were also doing forced slave labor.

Though Germany already lay in ruin and buildings in piles of rubble from the continued bombings and the shelling of big guns over a long period of time, he would not humiliate himself by the raising of the white flag in surrender as did the Kaiser in World War I! Never!

It was not until Berlin was in the final stage of being totally crushed by the heavy boot of the Russians that he knew the end had come and no way out but captivity or suicide! Learning it would only be about an hour before the Russians would be in his bunker he made the decision to die by taking his own life.

Before he shot and killed himself he gave instructions that his dead body be burned with a container of gasoline that was there for he feared the Russians would do the same to his body as was done to Mussolini and his mistress in Italy some little time before!

Their dead bodies had been hung up by their feet and left there for some time so all could view their dead and rotting bodies. Hitler wanted to make sure that would not take place with him! His instructions were carried out and his body was burned and charred beyond recognition then hastily buried in a shallow grave.

There is yet ample film footage that reveals the wreckage of Germany so there is no question as to the way it looked at the end of World War II. It had to be completely rebuilt.

The Beast and Europe in Type —

The Beast will also continue to hold out to the bitter end even though Europe will also come to be devastated and in ruins as the result of all of the plagues God will bring on those nations through His Two Witnesses! Scripture also records how he will meet his end. More about this later.

An Overview

We have seen evidence from writers of history and seen on film the devastation of Germany that took place during World War II. Scripture also reveals the total devastation that will take place in Europe in the near future. But, one may ask, is there any evidence, aside from Scripture, regarding the total ruin of Egypt during the deliverance of Israel?

An Egyptian Eye-witness Testifies —

It is interesting and noteworthy that a record was found in Egypt many years ago of an eye-witness to the destruction of Egypt. It was written on a papyrus (A type of writing material made by the ancient Egyptians.) Though it was in bad shape due to the coverage of time some of the writings were still legible.

This papyrus was written on both sides and contained the words of Ipuwer. He wrote of a great catastrophe, a script of lamentations, a description of ruin and horror.

It speaks of a revolt among the population, of a flight of wretched slaves from this country visited by disaster, and of a cataclysm in which the Pharaoh perished. It speaks of a series of earthquakes and other natural phenomena that occurred in Egypt, accompanied by plagues bringing destruction to men, animals, plants and sources of water.

The following gives some background regarding the discovery and translation of this ancient historical writing by this Egyptian eye-witness during the time of God’s deliverance of His people from Egypt.

Ages in Chaos, Immanuel Velikovsky, Pages 23-25

"It is not known under what circumstances the papyrus containing the words of Ipuwer was found. According to its first possessor (Anastasi), it was found in ‘Memphis,’ ... In 1828 the papyrus was acquired by the museum of Leiden in the Netherlands and is listed in the catalogue as Leiden 344. ... The text of Ipuwer is now folded into a book of 17 pages ... In 1909 the text, translated anew, was published by Alan H. Gardiner under the title, The Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage from a Hieratic Papyrus in Leiden. ... the papyrus containing the words of Ipuwer is called, in the Gardiner edition, Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage."

Please note a few of the excerpted statements taken from this ancient papyrus that reveal the innermost feelings of a man who witnessed and experienced in mind and heart what took place within his nation:

Ages in Chaos, Pages, 26-28

Papyrus 2:5-6 "Plague is throughout the land. Blood is everywhere" (The first plague, Exodus 7:21)

Papyrus 2:10; 7:20 "The river is blood ... Men shrink from tasting – human beings, and thirst after water." (Exodus 7:21, 24)

Papyrus 3:10-13 "That is our water! That is our happiness! What shall we do in respect thereof? All is ruin!"

Papyrus 4:14; 6:1; 2:10 "Trees are destroyed. ... No fruit nor herbs are found ... Forsooth, gates, columns and walls are consumed by fire. (The 7^th Plague, Exodus 9:23-25)

Papyrus 10:3-6 "Lower Egypt weeps. ... The entire palace is without its revenues. To it belong (by right) wheat, barley, geese and fish." (Exodus 10:15; Psalm 105:33)

Papyrus 6:3; 5:12 "Forsooth, grain has perished on every side. ... Forsooth, that has perished which yesterday was seen. The land is left over to its weariness like the cutting of flax." (Psalm 105:34-35)

Papyrus 6:1; 5:5 "No fruit nor herbs are found ... hunger. ... All animals, their hearts weep. Cattle moan ..." (The 5^th Plague, Exodus 9:3, 19, 21)

Papyrus 9:2-3; 9:11 "Behold, cattle are left to stray, and there is none to gather them together. Each man fetches for himself those that are branded with his name. ... The land is not light." (The 9^th Plague, Exodus 10:22)

Papyrus 2:13; 3:14 "He who places his brother in the ground is everywhere. ... It is groaning that is throughout the land, mingled with lamentations." (The 10^th Plague, Exodus 12:30)

Mr. Velikovisky then summaries the fall-out from the plagues in view of the writings on the papyrus while coupling them with Scripture as Israel began leaving Egypt:

Ages in Chaos, Pages 12-13

"The Biblical story does not present the departure from Egypt as an everyday occurrence, but rather as an event accompanied by violent upheavals of nature. Grave and ominous signs preceded the Exodus: clouds of dust and smoke darkened the sky and colored the water they fell upon with a bloody hue. The dust tore wounds in the skin of man and beast; in the torrid glow vermin and reptiles bred and filled air and earth; wild beasts, plagued by sand and ashes, came from the ravines of the wasteland to the abodes of men. A terrible torrent of hailstones fell, and a wildfire ran upon the ground; a gust of wind brought swarms of locusts, which obscured the light; blasts of cinders blew in wave after wave, day and night, night and day, and the gloom grew to a prolonged sight, and blackness extinguished every ray of light. Then came the 10^th and most mysterious plague: the Angel of the LORD ‘passed over the houses of the children of Israel ... when He smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses’ (Exodus 12:27). ... In the ash-gray dawn the multitude moved, leaving behind scorched fields and ruins where a few hours before had been urban and rural habitation."

Death in the Red Sea

As Israel approached the Red Sea they found they were being furiously chased by the Pharaoh and his army to exact vengeance by slaughtering many of them and returning the remainder to Egypt.

It would be here they would pay with their lives for their murderous and brutal deeds of long-standing against the helpless people of God!

Facing this very great and real danger from Pharaoh and his anxious army to begin slaughtering them; the people of Israel were in great fear knowing they were separated only by supernatural darkness (Exodus 14:9-10, 19-20). They feared the coming day when in their minds the darkness would be gone and they then would be facing the Egyptians without any weapons to defend themselves. No hope! So they thought.

This very real fear of Pharaoh and his armies would soon be replaced by stark terror upon beginning to hear the deafening sound and viewing the fury of the forces of nature God would begin to use to make a pathway of escape for Israel. Note God’s instructions being carried out by Moses:

... Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind ALL THAT NIGHT, and made the sea into dry land and the waters were divided (Exodus 14:21).

It has been noted that the Red Sea was nearly eight miles across and 350 feet deep. Whatever the actual figures when we consider the logistics it is obvious the sea had to be separated 1000s of feet wide to make possible 2 million people to cross over during the Last day of Unleavened Bread.

Moving that much water back that far would build the two walls of water very high! Each wall has been estimated to have been the equivalent of a 36 story building. When we consider the forces that would hold them in place – it defies the imagination!

By using our imagination possibly we can get a little in mind of the tremendous and awesome power it must have required for these forces to open up a path that wide in a sea that deep and that far across and walls that high! The sound and sight of the forces to bring this to pass must have been staggering for the people of Israel to have experienced – let alone the Pharaoh and his army!

God led a Psalmist to write and describe in part for us the forces of nature that God brought into action that night to make possible the deliverance of Israel.

When we study closely what was written by him we can see that God Himself came down and made the way for Israel by His very presence walking in front of them!!!

For a greater understanding of what the Psalmist wrote, I will use some of the comments of Clarke’s Commentary, volume, 3, pages 463-464, as we read these Scriptures:

"The waters SAW You, O God; the waters SAW You, they were afraid;] He represents God approaching the Red Sea; and the waters seeing Him, took fright, and ran off before Him, dividing to the right and left to let Him pass

the depths also trembled] Everything appears here to have life and perception. The waters see the Almighty, do not wait His coming, but in terror flee away! The deeps, uncovered, are astonished at the circumstance; and so they cannot fly, they are filled with trouble and dismay. ... inanimate nature springs into life; ... .

The clouds poured out water] ... there was a violent tempest at the time of the passage of the Red Sea. There was a violent storm of thunder and lightning, and rain. These 3 things are distinctly marked here: 1) The shies sent out a sound: the THUNDER. 2) Your arrows flashed about] the LIGHTNING. 3) The clouds poured out water] the RAIN. In the next verse we have 4) An EARTHQUAKE: The earth trembled and shook.

[My comments from here] Very probably this violent storm of the very heavy and continuous thunder and the constant striking and display of the lightning began almost immediately after Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. It also undoubtedly continued throughout the night and the following day causing great fear with the people of Israel and the Egyptians as well.

Based on the Scripture that makes known Israel walked across the Red Sea on dry ground would indicate the heavy downpour of rain would follow after the closing ranks of the Israelites and would fulfill God’s purpose of the bogging down of the Pharaoh’s chariots (Exodus 14:21, 24-25).

The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind (Hebrew: wheel, God’s Chariot, Ezekiel 1:4,27-28, undoubtedly bringing about gigantic hurricane winds); the lightnings LIT UP the world; the earth trembled and shook (earthquakes, volcano eruptions).

When we think about the hurricane force of wind that was with God’s presence when He began walking from the edge of the Red Sea and through it; we realize Israel could not have survived with the exceedingly strong force of that wind coming against them! It was in front of them. They were spared from it just as they had been protected by God after the 4^th plague in Egypt.

Your way was in the sea, Your path in the great waters] This makes known Christ walked ahead of Israel opening up the multitude of water to make a pathway of escape to safety, and Your footsteps (leading Israel) were not known (except for the effects, they were invisible, not recognized by Israel). You LED Your flock by the (visible) hand of Moses and Aaron (and with the cloud overhead)" (Psalm 77:16-20).

With the invisible God in presence, but known only by what He was doing in leading the way, it can easily be understood why Moses told Israel:

And Moses said to the people, "Do NOT be afraid. Stand still (relax), and SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you and you shall hold your peace (be quiet). Why do you cry to Me? TELL THE CHILDREN TO GO FORWARD ..." (Exodus 14:13-15).

This is a great lesson for the Church today and will be in the future when things get real rough. Jesus Christ always leads the way and commands us to follow Him:

"... the sheep hear His voice; AND HE CALLS HIS OWN SHEEP ‘BY NAME’ and LEADS them out. And when He brings out His own sheep, HE GOES BEFORE THEM; and the sheep FOLLOW Him, for they KNOW His voice. Yet they will BY NO MEANS follow a stranger, and will FLEE from him, for they KNOW NOT the voice of strangers" (John 10:1-5).

(Stranger here does not mean always one who is unknown; he may be well known having both rank and office. However he is a stranger to us IF he is NOT HOLDING FAST TO ALL THE TRUE TEACHINGS OF GOD!)

To view and hear the awesome sounds of these forces of nature must have been so terrifying as to be beyond description

(AN ASIDE – There is a parallel here with Israel leaving Egypt behind by walking through the Red Sea with Christ leading the way; and in the soon-coming time when He will be leading the way for the ELECT who will be fleeing on the final part of the trip to the place of refuge?

The parallel can easily be seen with Pharaoh and his army who were dashed to pieces by the huge walls of the sea coming back together as they furiously tried to overtake Israel and slaughter them, and the coming time when God will use an earthquake to save His ELECT from the army sent by the Beast to destroy His chosen people.

Revelation 12:14-17 – implies that God’s people will all be assembled together for the final distance of the trip for we read of the Beast sending an army after God’s people to destroy them, as a whole.

For understanding, we should realize the Elect will be coming together at some given place for they will be coming in very small numbers from various nations.

Just as the sea swallowed up Pharaoh and his army so will the earth OPEN ITS MOUTH AND SWALLOW UP the army who will be sent after the Elect to destroy them. Christ will be going before His people in this coming time and will command the earth to destroy the enemies of His people at exactly the right time.

If it is Petra, and we assume it will be, it was stated years ago it would be very easy for a bomber, helicopter, whatever, to fly over and drop a bomb and destroy everyone during that time for though it has very high rock walls there is no overhead covering.

This is no cause for concern for God will lead the way to the place and will not leave it. He will provide the covering! In addition, Revelation 12:17 implies Satan will leave God’s people alone during that 3 and ½ year period of time.)

Pharaoh and His Army Perishes -- 

Pharaoh and his armies were dashed in pieces by the avalanche of millions of tons of water coming back together (Exodus 15:3-10, 19; 14:28).

"... but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea" (Psalm 136:15).

Egypt was left leaderless, in chaos and ruin:

Ages in Chaos, Page 37

"There was no longer any royal power in Egypt. In the following weeks the cities turned into scenes of looting. Justice ceased to function. The mob dug in the debris and in the public records, where contracts, notes and pledges, and deeds to real property were filed. The plunderers searched among the wreckage of the royal store house:

PAPYRUS 6:9; 10:13 "Forsooth, the laws of the judgment-hall are cast forth. Men walk upon [them] in the public places. ... The storehouse of the king is the common property of everyone."

The Egyptians Lavished Gifts upon Israel

Shortly before Israel was to leave Egypt, God had told Moses to have the people ask the Egyptians for their treasures and they did. This was to compensate them for their slaved labor:

And the Egyptians URGED the people (of Israel), that they might send them out of the land IN HASTE. For they said, "We shall all be dead. ... Now the children of Israel had done, according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians (Exodus 12:33, 35-36).

He (God) also brought them out with silver and gold, ... Egypt was glad when they departed, for the FEAR of them had fallen upon them (Psalm 105:37-38).

The Papyrus narrates that gold and jewels —

Papyrus 3:2-3 ‘... are fastened on the necks of female slaves."

Obvious Parallels

God is no respecter of persons! He will deal with the Beast, his subjects and servants as He did with Egypt! In addition He will also deal with all of the slave owners in every nation in much the same way. God used Moses to destroy Egypt! He will also use the Two Witnesses to leave Europe devastated and in ruin by the bringing of plagues upon that part of the world!

Notice the announcement of the end of it:

"... I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen (Ancient Babylon), is fallen (Modern Babylon, religion, system, and state, Rome primarily) and HAS BECOME a habitation of demons (where Satan and his demons will be confined for a 1000 years), a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird" Revelation 18:2; Jeremiah 50:33-40; 51:36-37; Isaiah 13:17-22).

To be Continued –

Now that we can see the obvious parallels, I will plan on writing further about that coming time and see what else the slave owners will do for Israel after forcibly releasing the captives.

Please realize once again that I am sort of taking editorial license in these writings of what will be taking place in the beginning of the millennium. Remember Mr. Armstrong wrote about editorial license regarding the writings of the Bible Story by Mr. Basil Wolverton as being acceptable; with the understood meaning that the writings would not conflict with Scripture. I am trying very hard to do this with both Scripture and the writings of His late apostle, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. If and when I should be found wrong, please let me know and I will correct them.

Another thing: I feel these writings should have sufficient time for exposure. For that reason I will only post a new one every two weeks for the time being.

Our love and prayers as always,

Don Billingsley

 

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