Darrow Miller and Friends

A Perspective on Egypt

Photo taken by Ian Sewell

The world is watching, and blogging about, Egypt. We don’t have an insider’s perspective, but every human story evokes one or more of DNA’s teachings.

As history unfolds in Egypt before our eyes, what should Christians derive from the picture?

Of course a big concern is the influence of Jihadists, especially in view of suggestions that the Muslim Brotherhood is co-opting the protest. Darrow Miller’s forthcoming book will address the worldview battle between radical Islam and Judeo-Christian influence.

Beyond that, three of DNA’s 13 Transforming Truths are of particular relevance to current events in north Africa:

God is personal: We were made to live in community, just as the Triune God has existed in community from eternity. What we are seeing in Egypt is Satan’s alternative: destruction of community, setting brother against brother, the natural outworking of the first murder recorded in Genesis 4. That killing, and today’s killing of Egyptians made in God’s image, are both inspired by the same wicked enemy of God and man.

History is going somewhere: God is not threatened by human chaos; He can and does use chaos fomented by Satan for His own divine purposes. Current events in Egypt do not change that. In fact, Egypt plays a leading role in the story of the Bible: “Egypt” and its derivatives appear 751 times in the Bible! Here’s an intriguing one: The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork, and Israel my inheritance.” (Isa 19:25 NIV)

All people and nations are unique: It’s only human to filter international events through our own grid. U.S. news outlets sell ads with stories about how Egypt’s sorrows might affect American gasoline prices. Nothing, not even gasoline prices, lies outside God’s agenda. But, in the overall picture, a tank of gas isn’t the issue. More to the point is the value God places on a nation. God wants all nations to connect their stories to history, which is His story.

– Gary Brumbelow

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Gary is the Disciple Nations Alliance editorial manager. He manages Darrow Miller and Friends and serves as editor and co-writer on various book projects. For eight years Gary served as a cross-cultural church planting missionary among First Nations people of Canada. His career also includes 14 years as executive director of InterAct Ministries, an Oregon-based church-planting organization in Canada, Alaska, and Siberia. Gary is a graduate of Grace University, earned an MA from Wheaton College and a Graduate Studies Diploma from Western Seminary. He lives near Portland, Oregon with his wife, Valerie. They have two married sons and twelve grandchildren. In addition to his work with the DNA, Gary serves as the pastor of Troutdale Community Church.
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