Egypt Teeters On Brink Of Economic Ruin As Public Debt Mounts, Poverty Rate Soars and Overhauls Cabinet, but the Bible and Islam Point to Temporal Wealth

Egypt is facing poverty and just had a government shakeup:

Egypt Teeters On Brink Of Economic Ruin As Public Debt Mounts, Poverty Rate Soars

July 3, 2024

Last autumn, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi gave a speech in the New Administrative Capital in Cairo, the $300bn project that will ultimately define his presidency.

He said hunger was a small price to pay for progress: “If progress, prosperity and development come at the price of hunger and deprivation, Egyptians, do not shy away from progress! Don’t dare say: ‘It is better to eat.'” This horrifying vision of hunger and deprivation is what awaits millions of Egyptians in the coming years.

A decade after ascending to the presidency, Sisi has pushed the economy to the brink of collapse. The symptoms are everywhere. A severe debt crisis is strangling the state budget, the economy is heavily militarized, billions have been invested in white elephants with dubious economic benefits, and the crown jewels of the Egyptian public sector are up for sale to meet mounting debt obligations.

This all stems from the military’s desire to consolidate power and wealth in its own hands at any cost. This will have dire consequences that will be felt for generations – and recovery will take a mammoth effort.

Millions more people have been pushed into poverty in recent years, a trend that is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. In 2022, the poverty rate reached 33 percent, up from 26 percent in 2012/13, as the regime continues its policy of shifting the costs of the debt crisis onto the poor and middle classes. https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/egypt-teeters-brink-economic-ruin-public-debt-mounts-poverty-rate-soars

Egypt overhauls Cabinet amid economic pressures, power cuts

July 3, 2024

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi swore in a significantly changed Cabinet on Wednesday, including new finance and foreign ministers, as Egypt faces challenges such as the conflict in neighboring Gaza, economic difficulties, and frequent power shortages.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly was reappointed after the previous Cabinet resigned a month ago. El-Sissi emphasized the need to lower inflation — which reached a record high in September but has since fallen to about 28% in May — and boost investment. …

Despite recent foreign investments easing Egypt’s chronic currency shortages, power outages and gas shortages continue to pose challenges for Egyptians and their businesses.

Karim Badawi, recently a manager with an oilfield services company, will now serve as petroleum minister with a priority on the fuel supply to power stations. Mahmoud Esmat, formerly in public enterprises, takes charge of the electricity ministry. Sherif Farouk, who supervised pension reforms at Egypt Post, will lead the supply ministry, which manages wheat imports and a large food subsidy program. https://www.voanews.com/a/egypt-overhauls-cabinet-amid-economic-pressures-power-cuts/7684702.html

Yes, Egypt has financial, debt, hunger, and other economic problems.

And while that may worsen for a time, the Bible points to wealth being in Egypt in “the time of the end”:

⁴⁰“At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. ⁴¹ He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. ⁴² He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. ⁴³ He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. (Daniel 11:40-43)

So, we see a leader of nations in the Middle East and North Africa will turn against the coming European King of the North Beast power. Yet, we also see that before the European Beast power conquers Egypt, it is prophesied to have wealth of gold, silver, and other “precious things.”

How can that be?

Egypt does have ancient gold mines, so it would seem that may be. The Sukari gold project is currently producing gold in Egypt, and perhaps has more gold than estimated. There are also other gold mines. And there may be deposits of gold, silver, and other precious items that will soon be discovered.

Now, Egypt is basically a Muslim nation. As it turns out, Islam teaches that a leader will arise–called the Imam Mahdi–who has a lot of similarities to the coming King of the South of biblical prophecies. The Imam Mahdi reportedly will eliminate poverty among Muslims. Here are some items related to that in my free online book, Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century:

Now, when it comes to prophetic events, most Muslims seem to be looking for a leader who will arise in these end times, who is sometimes called the Imam Mahdi:

In a 2012 Pew poll, in most of the countries surveyed in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, half or more Muslims believe that they will personally witness the appearance of the Mahdi. In Islamic eschatology, the messianic figure known as the Mahdi (the Guided One) will appear before the Day of Judgment. This expectation is most common in Afghanistan (83 percent), followed by Iraq (72), Tunisia (67), and Malaysia (62).[i]

Mahdi means the “Guided One.” The Imam Mahdi is believed to be a leader who will unite Muslims and eliminate Islamic poverty.

[i] Stern J, Berger JM. ISIS The State of Terror. C. 2015, p. 219 …

Here are some hadiths {sayings attributed to Muhammad} related to the Imam Mahdi, who also looks to be the Caliph with wealth mentioned below as well:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The Mahdi will be of my family, of the descendants of Fatimah. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The Mahdi will be of my stock, and will have a broad forehead a prominent nose. He will fill the earth will equity and justice as it was filled with oppression and tyranny, and he will rule for seven years. (Sunan Abi Dawud 4284-5, Book 38, Hadiths 6-7)

“The Mahdi will be among my nation. If he lives for a short period, it will be seven, and if he lives for a long period, it will be nine, during which my nation will enjoy a time of ease such as it has never enjoyed. The land will bring forth its yield and will not hold back anything, and wealth at that time will be piled up. A man will stand up and say: ‘O Mahdi, give me!’ He will say: ‘Take.’“

“Three will fight one another for your treasure, each one of them the son of a caliph, but none of them will gain it. Then the black banners will come from the east, and they will kill you in an unprecedented manner.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 4083-4, Book 36, Hadith 158-159)

“A man will come to him and say: O Mahdi! ‘Give to me, give to me! So he will fill in his garment whatever he is able to carry.’“ (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2232, Book 33, Hadith 75)

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “From your caliphs there will be one in the Last Days who will distribute wealth without counting it.” (Riyad as-Salihin 1824, Book 18, Hadith 17)

“The Prophet (ﷺ) looked out at us from a room, when we were talking about the Hour. He said: ‘The Hour will not begin until there are ten signs: Dajjal, (False Christ), the smoke, and the rising of the sun from the west.’“ (Sunan Ibn Majah 4041, Book 36, Hadith 116)

He is to arise when there are “black flags” arising from Khorasan [i] (an area covering parts of Iran, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan).

The Mahdi is to be the leader of all the Muslim ummah (meaning Muslim world). [ii]

The Mahdi is to arise after a time of turmoil, [iii] and that is consistent with the rise of the biblical King of the South who, I believe, arises during what Jesus referred to as “the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:4-8) which has “wars and rumors of war” (Matthew 24:6), a time we now seem to be in.

The Mahdi is believed to be a type of savior for Islam as well as an eliminator of Islamic poverty:

Mahdi … some time after being in place, is expected to basically eliminate Islamic poverty and hunger, plus reign for seven years. [iv]

Based on various biblical prophecies, I do not believe that the one the Bible calls the King of the South in the latter portion of Daniel 11 will be able to reign that long—unless he reigned only in one land or smaller confederation for a time first.

[i] Yasseen, The Signs, p. 92

[ii] Yasseen, The Signs, p. 95

[iii] Yasseen, The Signs, p. 96; Sadr Sayyid Sadruddin. Published by Naba

[iv] Yasseen, The Signs, p. 96 …

Muslim Brotherhood

It should be pointed out that the Muslim Brotherhood wants a confederation of lands consistent with those that will be dominated by the coming King of the South:

What is the Muslim Brotherhood?

The world’s largest and most influential Islamist movement. Founded in Egypt in 1928, the group was originally focused on ridding the country of corrupting secular influences brought by British colonial rule. Over the years, it established branches and affiliates in many countries to promote traditional Sunni Islamic morals, social justice, and the eradication of poverty and corruption. “The Islamic nation,” its charter states, “must be fully prepared to fight the tyrants and the enemies of Allah as a prelude to establishing an Islamic state”—ideally a re-established caliphate, stretching from Spain across the Middle East and Central Asia to Indonesia, to be governed according to Islamic sharia law.[i]

While it will not end up with Spain, and how far east its rule will extend can be debated, some type of confederation of Islamic lands in the Middle East and North Africa will form.

[i] Understanding the Muslim Brotherhood. February 14, 2011. © The Muslim Brotherhood. http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=28019 viewed 11/21/2011

So, while we see poverty and the risk of increased poverty in Egypt, we see from the Bible that Egypt will end up with wealth. We see that a leader of lands including Egypt is prophesied to rise up.

We also see that Islam believes that after a time of sorrows, a leader of nations including the Middle East and North Africa will arise and somehow reduce poverty.

For a time, Muslims will believe that their prophecies are being fulfilled, yet also because the Bible shows that the King of the South, which some Muslims may take to be the Imam Mahdi, will be conquered.

All people, Muslim or otherwise, need to rely on the Bible and its prophecies.

If you are interested in more on Islam and prophecy, check out the free online book: Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century This is a free online book which helps show where biblical and Islamic prophecies converge and diverge. Here are links to related sermons: Seeing Christianity Through Islamic Eyes, Imam Mahdi, women, and prophecy, and Terrorism, Iran, and Fatima, Dajjal, Antichrist, Gold, & Mark of the Beast?, and Jesus and God’s Plan for Muslims.
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.
Seeing Christianity Through Islamic Eyes This article has information from the book, Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century, as well as from the old WCG and other sources. Here is a link to a related sermon: Seeing Christianity Through Islamic Eyes.
The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What About Silver? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold and silver? Two videos of related interest may be: Germany, Gold, and the US Dollar and Silver, Science, and Scripture.
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? Two videos of related interest are: The Future King of the South is Rising and The Rise and Fall of the King of the South. Here is a version the Spanish language: ¿Esta Surgiendo el Rey Del Sur?
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.
Why Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied? What does the Bible teach? Which nations may be affected? Here is a link to a related sermon: Terrorism, Christianity, and Islam. Here is a shorter video: Afghanis: Potential terrorists?
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.
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? A related video is Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?