Egypt extends voting another day to hope to get a bigger turnout, but . . .

Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi

Egypt extended its voting into today with the hope that more people would actually vote:

May 28, 2014

Polls in Egypt’s presidential election are open for an extra day Wednesday, as the government tries to boost voter turnout in the contest widely expected to bring former army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to power.

An unexpectedly low number of voters in the first two days prompted the country’s election commission to extend voting, but turnout early Wednesday was still light.

A high turnout is seen as key to legitimizing Sissi’s long-assumed win in a process that began when he led the army’s ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi last July.

Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood has urged Egyptians to boycott the vote, and said in a statement Tuesday that Sissi and his allies will not be able to legitimize their actions with “more fraud and tricks.”

Leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi is the only other candidate on the ballot. Official results are expected next week.

Egypt has seen three years of political turmoil since the popular uprising that pushed former leader Hosni Mubarak from power in early 2011. Morsi became Egypt’s first democratically elected president in 2012, but he lasted only a year in office before protesters held mass rallies accusing him of trying to monopolize power and failing to fix Egypt’s economy.

His ouster set off protests from the Muslim Brotherhood and a violent military crackdown that left more than 1,000 people dead. Many of the Brotherhood’s leaders have also been arrested, and Sissi says the Islamist group has no future in Egypt.

An army-backed interim government has been overseeing a roadmap for a new constitution and elections for president and parliament. . . . Before Morsi, all of Egypt’s presidents had come from the military ranks. http://www.voanews.com/content/voting-light-in-extra-day-of-egypts-presidential-election/1924035.html

Notice also the following:

May 28, 2014

(Reuters) – Many Egyptians failed to vote in a presidential election on Wednesday despite official efforts to boost turnout with an extra day of polling, raising doubts about the level of support for the man still forecast to win, former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

A low turnout would sound a warning to Sisi that he had failed to achieve the resounding mandate he sought after toppling Egypt’s first freely elected president, Islamist Mohamed Mursi, following street protests last year.

A tour of Cairo polling stations on Wednesday suggested authorities would again struggle to get more people to cast their ballots. The same pattern emerged in Egypt’s second city, Alexandria, Reuters reporters said.

In a country polarized since a popular uprising toppled Hosni Mubarak in 2011, the low turnout was linked to political apathy, opposition to another military man becoming president, discontent at suppression of freedoms among liberal youth, and calls for a boycott by Islamists. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/28/us-egypt-election-idUSKBN0E70D720140528

What does all of this mean?

It means that the Islamists are not finished in Egypt and that General Sissi cannot legitimately claim the amount of overwhelming support that he hoped he had. The Muslim Brotherhood has multiple millions who still support it.

Notice what a Morsi party supporter he and others wanted, four years ago:

On May 1, Egyptian Cleric Safwat Higazi launched the presidential campaign of Muhammad Mursi, telling a huge, enthusiastic crowd that Mursi will restore “‘United States of the Arabs’ with Jerusalem as Its Capital”

The video is from MEMRI.

Safwat Higazi: We can see how the dream of the Islamic Caliphate is being realized, Allah willing, by Dr. Muhammad Mursi and his brothers, his supporters, and his political party. We can see how the great dream, shared by us all – that of the United States of the Arabs… The United States of the Arabs will be restored, Allah willing. The United States of the Arabs will be restored by this man and his supporters.

The capital of the Caliphate – the capital of the United States of the Arabs – will be Jerusalem, Allah willing.

(Video: Muslim Brotherhood: “‘United States of the Arabs’ with Jerusalem as Its Capital”. May 9, 2012. http://daledamos.blogspot.com/2012/05/video-muslim-brotherhood-united-states.html)

Egyptian Cleric Safwat Higazi…reiterated the campaign promise, but this time in more unequivocal language: “Our capital shall not be Cairo, Mecca, or Medina. It shall be Jerusalem, Allah willing. Our cry shall be: ‘Millions of martyrs march toward Jerusalem! Millions of martyrs march toward Jerusalem!’” (http://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/muslim-brotherhood-launches-presidential-campaign-the-capital-of-the-united-states-of-the-arabs-will-be-jerusalem/2012/05/10/)

A “United States of the Arabs” sounds a lot like the King of the South that the Bible foretells–so another Islamic “prophecy” that seems to align with a biblical one (see also in YouTube video The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South).

Many of the opponents of General Sisi still want what the Muslim Brotherhood wants.

The time will come when an Arabic/Turkish confederation will form which will have similar objectives to the Muslim Brotherhood– the Bible teaches it in Daniel 11:40-43 and Ezekiel 30:1-9. The Bible also says it will not end well for that group, but to suggest that the objective who currently support such a confederation will not be met is in error.

The Bible also warns of violence in the land of Egypt, like a type of civil war (Isaiah 19:1-4).

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi may find that some who do not support him will rise up against him.

The final biblical King of the South will rise up, and Egypt will be part of that confederation (Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:1-9)

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Egypt in Prophecy Does Egypt have a special role in end time prophecy? Will Egypt rise up and then be defeated. What does God teach will happen to those in Egypt? Here is a link to a YouTube video titled Egypt and End Time Prophecy.
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Others have many misunderstandings about him. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
What Should You Know About Turkey in Prophecy Do you know the Turkish people descended from? Did the Ottoman Empire possibly fulfill a promise in Genesis? Will Turkey support the European King of the North or Arabic King of the South? Will it betray one of them? Will Turkey be involved in the encouraging the destruction of Israel? Is Turkey going to become Catholic? Is Turkey mentioned in Psalm 83, Daniel 11, and elsewhere in the Bible? This video provides answers.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
Barack Obama in Islamic Prophecy? There is actually a 17th century Shiite prophecy that some believe that Barack Obama will fulfill that will lead to a rising up of Islam.
Arabic Nazarenes May Have Kept Original Christian Practices Were their faithful Arabs who held to original Christianity?
Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes? Who were the Nazarene Christians? What did they believe? Should 21st century Christians be modern Nazarenes? Is there a group that exists now that traces its history through the Nazarenes and holds the same beliefs today? Here is a link to a related video sermon Nazarene Christians: Were the early Christians “Nazarenes”?