During the past month, a plague of locusts swept across Egypt and then into neighboring Israel. While not so uncommon, a number of news reports were quick to point out the significant timing of the occurrence—coming as it did just before the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, which will be observed next week. At this time we reflect on God's deliverance of the ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt. To free His people, God sent devastating plagues on Egypt, including locusts. In light of other recent events, there is much more to reflect on at this time as well.

It's been more than a month since I wrote the lead articles for the current issue of The Good News concerning the Arab Spring—covering Egypt's slide into Islamist tyranny and the drive toward an Islamic caliphate throughout the region and the wider Muslim world. Yet of course the threat to Israel remains. In fact, it may surprise you to learn that the Bible even foretells that slavery in Egypt and other lands lies ahead for many modern Israelites. I would like to have addressed this issue in the magazine, but length prevented me—and I'll still only be able to touch on it here.

Let me first clarify that modern "Israelites" are not just the Israelis or Jewish people generally. The Jews of today are predominantly the people descended from the ancient kingdom of Judah, made up principally of the Israelite tribe of Judah along with Benjamin and Levi. The preponderance of the other tribes of Israel made up the northern kingdom of Israel—before they were taken captive to Assyria, centered in what is now northern Iraq. Over the centuries, these tribes lost their identity and eventually migrated to northwestern Europe, giving rise to the modern nations tracing their heritage to this area, the chief representatives being Britain and the United States of America (for proof, see our Bible study aid The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy.)

The Bible foretells national greatness for the modern Israelites, but because of rampant sins, God will allow them to suffer severe decline and ultimately invasion, devastation and scattering into captivity—just as He allowed to happen to ancient Israel. Thankfully, God will again rescue the Israelites—this time in an even bigger way than before (Jeremiah 16:14-16).

Notice what will happen at the time of Jesus Christ's return in Isaiah 11:11: "It shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people who are left…" Note from where they will be brought back in this second Exodus: "…from Assyria and Egypt…" Assyria probably denotes Central Europe in an end-time context, as it seems the Assyrians also migrated into Europe. Also: "…from Pathros [an ancient name for southern Egypt], and Cush [which could denote East Africa and possibly parts of India and Pakistan], from Elam [another name for Persia or Iran and perhaps also referring to parts of Eastern Europe, as some Elamites appear to have migrated there], and Shinar [Mesopotamia, which is in Iraq], from Hamath [which is in Syria], and the islands [or coastlands] of the sea." Verse 15 tells us that "the Lord will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt" in bringing His people back from the south and will dry up "the River," meaning the Euphrates, in bringing them back from the north.

As wonderful as this deliverance will be, it should be sobering to realize that it means the Israelites will first be captive in all these places, subject to the religious tyranny there.

At this time of year, we should also recognize that ancient Israel's enslavement in Egypt was a type of all humanity's captivity to the present evil world and its sinful ways. The lamb slain at Passover to redeem the Israelites was a type of Jesus Christ slain to deliver us from sin and death (1 Corinthians 5:7). The Feast of Unleavened Bread then represents turning from our sinful past and following Christ our Savior, who leads us out of sin. We reflect on the past deliverance, the present help we receive from Him as well as the future completion of our deliverance at Christ's return. (To learn more, read the online Bible study aid God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind.)

May God lead you through the trials yet ahead and bring you to His great salvation sure to come.