3 Egypt

Ruins of the Temple at Karnak
 

a) Thebes

The picture on the right shows the magnificent ruins of the temple at Karnak, part of the ancient city of Thebes. The past grandeur of the city of Thebes and its temple can be seen from the ruins that still remain. The size of the people in the picture shows the vast scale of the temple.

While this enormous temple was still in use, God told the prophet Ezekiel:

I will … inflict punishment on Thebes. … and cut off the hordes of Thebes… Thebes will be
taken by storm                                                                             Ezekiel 30 v 14 to 16 (NIV)
 

General view of the ruins at Karnak

  

This prediction about Thebes was finally fulfilled in the first century BC, when it was besieged by Ptolemy Lathyrus, the grandfather of Cleopatra. For three years it defied the
efforts of the besiegers. But when it did eventually fall, Lathyrus levelled most of Thebes to the ground. The city continued as several hamlets, but the large former population never returned – the “hordes” were indeed cut
off, as Ezekiel predicted.
     
  • Thebes would suffer an attack from a large
    force

  • Its large population would be “cut off”
 

b) Memphis

There are two interesting predictions about Memphis:

 

…Memphis will be laid waste and lie in ruins
without inhabitant.

Jeremiah 46 v 19 (NIV)

The picture opposite shows how literally this has been fulfilled.

 


The second prediction is even more detailed:

Ruins of Memphis
 
 
This is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘I will destroy the idols and put an end to the images in Memphis.’                                                                                           Ezekiel 30 v 13 (NIV)
 
As you will see from the picture, very little of Memphis still stands, and nothing at all of its temple to the god Ptah. By contrast, we have already seen that extensive remains of the temple at Thebes have been found. Temple ruins also exist elsewhere in Egypt. So the detailed prediction was absolutely right about the destruction of the idols in the temple at Memphis.
 
  • Memphis would be totally demolished

  • The objects of worship would be completely
    destroyed
 
c) The decline of Egypt
 

Despite being a superpower for many centuries, the decline of Egypt was clearly foretold. The prophet Ezekiel said of the nation:

 

There they will be a lowly kingdom. It will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself above the other nations. I will make it so weak that it will never again rule over the nations.

Ezekiel 29 v 14 and 15 (NIV)
 
For many centuries now, Egypt has continued to be dominated by other powers.
 
  • Egypt would become a “lowly” nation

  • It would not dominate other nations any
    more