The Abomination of Desolation - St. Marys Coptic Orthodox Church

94 HIS BEGINNINGS
is a peace seeking country that is respected in the world, so, why is it
necessary for Antichrist to invade Egypt? In my own personal view, it
is the Church of Egypt, the largest and strongest church in the Middle
East that Antichrist has to subdue before he can dominate the area.
Twenty five years ago, the late fundamentalist Moslem leader of Iran
Ayatullah Khomeiny was asked by a journalist, “what do you think is
the greatest danger that faces Islam in the world?” The anticipated
answer was the U.S.A. “The great Satan,” but, surprisingly enough,
Khomeiny told him, “the church of Egypt!” Khomeiny saw in the
U.S.A. a corrupt worldly society that cannot adversely influence Islam.
But, in the Coptic Church, he saw a church awakening from its
centuries long sleep, starting to resume its role as teacher and
missionary, and he felt that this is the greatest challenge to Islam.
Satan is a very intelligent being and he knows that unless he stifles
this church, his representative on earth (Antichrist) cannot spread his
influence in the Middle East. But, our all knowing God has other plans
for His church in Egypt. For over the last third of a century, the Lord
has been transplanting the church of Egypt, and indeed the church in
the Middle East in the “wilderness of this world.” The unprecedented
exodus of Christians out of the Middle East has been discussed earlier
in a previous chapter. It is made very clear to us in Revelation 12,
where we are told the woman (the church) will be given the two wings
of a great eagle (A jumbo jet?) that she might fly into the wilderness,
where she is nourished for the duration of the reign of Antichrist. (Rev
12:14)
Someone may ask, how can we reconcile Daniel’s warning that “the
land of Egypt shall not escape with God’s blessing in Isaiah, “Blessed
be Egypt my people?” (Isa 19:25) In my own personal view, there is no
contradiction between the two. In Isaiah, the Lord blesses His people
in Egypt. The blessing is for the people of Egypt, wherever they may be.
And, if it is the will of God to say to His people Egypt, “Get thee out of
thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a
land that I will shew thee ... and I will bless thee ...,” (Gen 12:1-2) then
the blessing of God promised of old will certainly follow, even as the
blessing of God followed Abraham when he left his own country to go
to the Land of Canaan.
The blessing of the Lord promised in Isaiah has been fulfilled. Look
at the number of churches and schools we now have in every continent