Sissi, Obama, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Egypt’s Fate

Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi

There are concerns that Egypt’s election will not lead to the type of stability that many wanted:

Analysts: Obama in Bind Over Sissi Election

May 31, 2014

WASHINGTON — The sweeping victory of former Egyptian army chief Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in the presidential election is part of a continuing diplomatic dilemma for the Obama administration and its Egypt policies, analysts say.

Sissi received more than 90 percent of the vote amid allegations of foul play and little independent monitoring of the low voter turnout last week. A crackdown on opposition forces notwithstanding, little dissent was voiced throughout Egypt.

Sissi’s election comes after the military ouster last year of Egypt’s first democratically-elected civilian president Mohamed Morsi, who is in detention.

In his foreign policy address at West Point this week, U.S President Barack Obama walked a fine diplomatic line, analysts say.

“In Egypt, we acknowledge that our relationship is anchored in security interests – from the peace treaty with Israel, to shared efforts against violent extremism,” he said.

Despite an outcry from international human rights groups against the Egyptian military leadership, Presidents Obama said that the U.S. has not cut off cooperation with the new Egyptian government.

He said that his administration can and will persistently press for the reforms that the Egyptian people have demanded.

Amy Hawthorne, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East said the U.S. is caught between promoting American ideals and maintaining its national interests.

“The U.S. message is confused because it is pursuing a lot of different priorities in Egypt; it has been trying to say that the defense and security relationship is very important, but on the other hand the U.S. is very concerned about violence and political repression.” Hawthorne said. http://www.voanews.com/content/analysts-say-us-in-a-bind-over-egypt/1926205.html

The USA will also have a hard time accepting the legitimacy of the election, though it probably will decide it has to. The Obama Administration originally seemed to embrace the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and then embraced the ouster of Egypt’s elected President Morsi who had been a leader in the Muslim Brotherhood.

Notice also the following which gives additional reason to challenge the support of General Sissi:

Egypt’s presidential election has turned out to be more revealing of national sentiment than might have been expected. Despite increasingly desperate measures by authorities, turnout was disastrously low. While an official newspaper reported a figure of 37 per cent Wednesday, other sources, including the sole opposition candidate, said it was closer to 15 per cent. The relentless propaganda by the regime of General Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, which claimed he enjoyed overwhelming support from an adoring population, was proved false.

That may surprise Western supporters of Sissi who have bought into his claim that he can restore stability to Egypt. The election is one more sign that Sissi lacks the means or the mandate to deliver on those interests.

That the low turnout reflected more than apathy or hot weather was confirmed by a recent survey in Egypt by the Pew Research Center. It showed that 72 per cent of Egyptians were dissatisfied with the direction of the country and that Sissi was viewed favourably by only 54 per cent, compared with 45 per cent who rated him unfavourably. Despite massive repression, the arrest of thousands of its members and a vicious media campaign, almost 40 per cent still were willing to say they have a positive view of the Muslim Brotherhood and former president Mohammed Morsi.

Sissi’s strategy of eliminating the Muslim Brotherhood with repression has no chance of success. If he persists he will drive supporters of the group into the arms of more militant organizations, making terrorism worse. http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/4550115-egypt-remains-troubled-after-election/

The Muslim Brotherhood is not gone. It still has has multiple millions who still support it. It is good that others are willing to also report that.

The Muslim Brotherhood, which was officially formed in Egypt in 1928, had long been banned in Egypt (which is why its members/leaders are sometimes jailed there–and many left Egyptian jails in the 2011 protests)–it gained power there for a while, then lost it in a military coup (in September 2013, it was again banned in Egypt). Yet it still has influential there and in other Muslim-dominated lands. Some Arabs seem to believe that the Muslim Brotherhood can give them the type of world and world-influence that many of them long for.

The Muslim Brotherhood a pan-national Islamic caliphate ruled by an Imam. Many Muslims long for the rising up of a leader called the 12th Imam, often referred to as the Imam Mahdi.

Notice a translation of what some, who are/were part of it, write that the Muslim Brotherhood wants:

…the Islamic Ummah [nation] can regain its power and be liberated and assume its rightful position which was intended by Allah, as the most exalted nation among men, as the leaders of humanity…

He [Hassan al-Banna] felt the grave danger overshadowing the Muslims and the urgent need and obligation which Islam places on every Muslim, man and woman, to act in order to restore the Islamic Caliphate and to reestablish the Islamic State on strong foundations and to liberate the Muslims and defend them from any attack, and to spread the Da’wa (Islamic missionary activity) of Islam in the world and to establish this great religion, which Allah wanted for his servants…

Some think that Shahada (Martyrdom) causes loss and damages the [Muslim Brotherhood] Society, since it has lost influential people in action and Jihad. This is wrong, since the fall of the Shahid (Martyr) for the sake of Da’wa (Islamic missionary activity) is [seen as] provisions and fuel for the [next] generations, and as a symbol of self sacrifice in the way of the Da’wa until realization of the goals which the [Muslim Brotherhood] Society was established for, that is, establishing the State of Islam, headed by the Islamic Caliphate, in order to establish Allah religion on Allah’s land…(Source: The Muslim Brotherhood – in its own words Translation of “Jihad is the way” by Mustafa Mashhur Leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, 1996-2002 by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik. http://www.palwatch.org/STORAGE/special%20reports/Jihad_is_the_way_by_Mustafa_Mashhur.pdf viewed 04/30/11)

To bring enough Arab nations together, I have felt that some type of “strongman” needed to rise up. One who Arabs would tend to respect–who might use or not use the title Imam Mahdi. The time may be now for him to rise up and the Muslim Brotherhood may play an important role.

The Islamists are not finished in Egypt. More unrest is coming to Egypt:

3 Now the Egyptians are men, and not God;
And their horses are flesh, and not spirit.
When the Lord stretches out His hand,
Both he who helps will fall,
And he who is helped will fall down;
They all will perish together. (Isaiah 31:3)

1 The burden against Egypt.

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.

2 “I will set Egyptians against Egyptians; Everyone will fight against his brother, And everyone against his neighbor, City against city, kingdom against kingdom. 3 The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst; I will destroy their counsel, And they will consult the idols and the charmers, The mediums and the sorcerers. 4 And the Egyptians I will give Into the hand of a cruel master, And a fierce king will rule over them,”

Says the Lord, the Lord of hosts. (Isaiah 19:1-4)

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). And it will not turn out well for Egypt.

Ultimately, God has a plan that will involve the Egyptians.

The Bible clearly teaches that salvation will be offered to all. And that includes the Egyptians. Notice the following scripture:

6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God (Luke 3:6).

Those who were uncalled in this age (including most people and nearly all of the Egyptians, including those that have long been dead) will be offered an opportunity for salvation (two related articles of interest may include Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis and Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differ from most Protestants).

And nearly all of them will accept it. The Continuing Church of God teaches that God will ultimately give every individual an opportunity for salvation–and that nearly every individual will accept that opportunity. The vast majority of human beings will ultimately be in God’s family.

Notice that the Egyptians are specifically mentioned in the following:

19 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. 20 And it will be for a sign and for a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the Lord because of the oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Mighty One, and He will deliver them. 21 Then the Lord will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day, and will make sacrifice and offering; yes, they will make a vow to the Lord and perform it. 22 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.

23 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians.

24 In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria — a blessing in the midst of the land, 25 whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance. (Isaiah 19:19-25)

But until then, a certain chaos, confederation, and destruction will come to Egypt first.

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”?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests? Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies. Watch also the YouTube Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.