Greetings. My name is Tom
Craig, I'm the Middle
East Co-ordinator for IC
J. And we're going to be
speaking in this session
about leading in times of
crisis from Isaiah
Chapter 19, which is a
very important passage
for those of us living
and working in the Middle
East region. And for many
years, we've focused on
this together with
leaders from Egypt, and
all across the nations of
the Middle East, which we
refer to as a Syria from
Isaiah is prophet as well
as those here in Israel,
both Jews and Arabs. And
it's exciting to see how
the Lord is developing
strong relational
network, across these
nations, even in
relationships between
Jewish and Middle Eastern
believers for such a time
as this, as we see more
and more shakings taking
place in the world, and
crises facing those of us
who are following Jesus
and longing to see his
kingdom come. So I'm
going to be sharing some
of the principles that
we've spent many years
praying over and
discussing and working
together to develop
understanding and an
ability to support one
another in times of
crisis. And so I'd like
to start by just giving
you a brief overview from
Isaiah chapter 19, that
it speaks primarily about
the nation of Egypt and
what God intends to do,
before Jesus returns in
that nation speaks of a
great transformation of
what's going to happen in
Egypt during those days.
And it's amazing to see
what he has planned for
the nation of Egypt, he
speaks about a time of
judgment coming, that's
going to be very severe.
And it's going to address
a lot of the issues in
the hearts of the
Egyptians that hinder
them from knowing God and
loving him. And it's
going to be a difficult
time, somewhat what is
similar to what we're
beginning to experience
worldwide, that this is
specifically about the
nation of Egypt and a
speaks about things like
civil unrest that's going
to affect the nation, and
break out in all parts of
the nation and cause
great consternation and
difficulty in society. As
well as there's going to
be a resurgence of
idolatry and looking to
even spiritists and
mediums to try to help in
the time of trouble,
which is only going to
further complicate and
caused problems in Egypt.
But as well, we see that
already happening in many
ways, people turning to
the occult and other
kinds of things for help.
It also speaks of natural
disasters, like the Nile
River drying up in Egypt,
and the people there are
going to have to struggle
to survive, and there
won't be able, they won't
be able to work in those
difficult times. As well,
the political situation
is going to be in great
confusion and actually
will break down in terms
of their ability to
respond and help the
Egyptian people in those
days. All of these things
are described in the
earlier verses of Isaiah
chapter 19. Then when we
come to verse 16, shift
takes place and what God
focuses on in that
prophecy to Isaiah. And
he begins to describe the
outcomes that he wants to
see happen. And so I
believe, as leaders we
can learn a lot from
these verses, the final
verses of Isaiah 19,
about what God intends
not only in the land of
Egypt, but looking at
Egypt as an example, or a
prototype of what's going
to be happening all over
the world. And even now,
in our day, we're
beginning to see these
things unfold and the
beginning of shakings or
birth pangs that we see
happening. So it speaks
in verses 16 and 17. I'll
just summarize from our
understanding and study
and prayer into these
verses for many years,
that it's speaking about.
God desires to release
the fear of the Lord,
through the shakings that
are taking place through
the judgments that will
unfold. His heart's
desire is to see the fear
of himself the fear of
God
being Released in the
hearts of people, that
they would turn to him
instead of to idols or to
other things that they've
hoped in and depended on,
that they would begin to
open up and realize that
he's sovereign, that he's
their Creator, and that
he has every right to
their lives and for them
to surrender to his
leadership in their
lives. And so that's what
we see happening in
verses 16 and 17, of
Isaiah 19, in the land of
Egypt at that time that
they begin to really be
overwhelmed by the fear
of the Lord, and what
he's doing what he's
allowing to happen. And
so as leaders, I believe,
we can learn from that.
And this can become a
principle of our prayer
and our sharing with
others that they would
consider the sovereignty
of God, His Lordship, his
right to rule over his
creation. And they should
turn their hearts to him
and call upon him for
mercy for forgiveness,
that there should be
repentance and turning
back to him in these
times, as well. Then as
we go into verse 18, it
speaks about whole
communities of believers
in Egypt will gather
together in these times
of judgment in this time
of striking that Isaiah
describes, and they will
be calling out to God
they will be speaking in
the language of Canaan,
it says in this
particular verse, which
means that they're
actually in Egypt,
learning the language of
Hebrew, and aligning with
God's heart and plan for
the nation of Israel
believers. And we see
that happening. This is
in the last many years,
from our experience, and
going into Egypt and
interacting with
believers there, many of
them are learning Hebrew,
they're wanting to
identify more with the
God of Israel, with even
his feasts and Shabbat
and things, various
things in their
understanding biblically
of the Hebrew roots of
their faith, so much so
that they would learn
Hebrew. And we can
encourage believers all
over the world as these
things are taking place
that it's about God's
kingdom, being restored
with the nation of
Israel, the Jewish people
as well coming to know
him. And that we are to
have an understanding of
his ways and align with
him. Now, that may not
mean everybody needs to
start learning Hebrew
right now. But this is
what's going to happen in
Egypt, apparently, from
what Isaiah 19 speaks
about. He also says
they're going to swear
allegiance to the Lord
that speaks of great
commitment and devotion
to the Lord. And to his
end time purpose is to
establish His Kingdom on
the earth as the Lord of
hosts, that they're going
to swear allegiance are
going to lie into his
purposes and agree with
what he wants to do, to
see his kingdom come even
if that means turning
over the nation of Egypt,
upside down, and
uprooting the strongholds
that are there, and
bringing his kingdom,
shaking everything that
can be shaken so that
what remains is the
kingdom of God, even in
nations like Egypt.
That's what we learned
from that. So I believe
as we're seeing shakings
beginning to happen in
our world today, that's
what we want to be
encouraging people around
us to understand God's
purpose and plan of how
his kingdoms coming and
align with that agree
with that, and say yes to
it, swear allegiance to
the Lord of hosts, who's
going to fight for the
kingdom of God to come
upon the earth. It goes
on to speak about an
altar in the heart of
Egypt and a monument
dedicated to the Lord on
the border of Egypt. All
of this speaks again of
great devotion, and
worship of God going on,
among those who have
turned to the Lord and
believe in Him in the
land of Egypt. So again,
as leaders in times of
crisis we want to call
people to worship the
Lord, we want to call
them to greater devotion,
and consecration times of
prayer, and fasting and
again of repentance and,
and just worshiping him
for who he is and the
beauty of His Holiness.
He's worthy of that. And
that's what we won't want
to as leaders focus on is
calling people back to
the Lord to the Lord, in
times of crisis. It goes
on to say not only will
he be worshiped in Egypt,
but he will actually be
known by the Egyptians in
a deep and intimate way
and they will make
sacrifices vows to the
Lord and keep them. So I
believe it's again,
speaking of great
discipleship of people
coming to know the Lord
discipling them into an
intimate knowledge of who
he is being devoted to
him in every way, even in
all of their life's
ambitions, that they
really want to serve Him
and wholeheartedly. And
they're sincerely from
their hearts. So this is
what leaders should be
focusing on in our own
lives. And as we lead
other people, through
times of crisis is to
know the Lord to press
in, to know Him, to grow
in intimacy with him, and
really long to be
obedient and followers of
him as his sons and
daughters growing in
relationship with him,
and then it, it goes on
to say that as well,
there's going to be a
real connection between
Egypt and the other
nations of the Middle
East, it speaks of a
highway that's going to
be raised up in Isaiah
19.
highway that facilitates
believers going back and
forth between those
nations of the Middle
East or a Syria and Egypt
to worship together. So
this worship and devotion
is like a spirit of
revival all over the
nations of the Middle
East, where they want to
be together and longing
to meet together and in
their various nations
going back and forth on
this highway for the
purpose of serving the
Lord or worshiping him
together. And that's
exciting. I believe,
again, as we see dark and
difficult days coming
upon the earth. God wants
us to believe for a great
outpouring of his spirit,
and revival to take place
in the midst of that. And
as leaders, we want to
lead people into that
spirit of revival and of
seeking the Lord pursuing
him and worship together
all across the nations
linking together in
various ways, not only in
zoom, as we have been
these months, during this
pandemic period. But as
things begin to unfold in
greater ways we would be
stretching our faith to
see greater expressions
of revival and awakening
taking place across the
nations. That's what
we're believing for in
the Middle East. And we
believe that we're going
to see that in the coming
season great outbreaks of
the Holy Spirit moving in
these nations and
bringing harvest,
bringing many souls into
the kingdom. And so
that's what Isaiah 19
gives us an idea that
that's what God intends
to do in these nations.
And as leaders, we want
to join him in what he's
doing, then it speaks of
as well, there being
great reconciliation and
blessing blessing back
and forth between the
nation's and the
connection of hearts and
reconciled relationships.
So it speaks of how even
Egypt with the nations of
the Middle East or a
Syria are connecting
together with Israel,
which is phenomenal that
we're beginning to see
these breakthroughs
taking place in the
cultures and nations of
the Middle East. But it's
got to be rooted and
grounded in the knowledge
of Yeshua as the Messiah,
and worshiping God
through him. And that's
what we're going to see
in the coming days is a
great move of the Holy
Spirit, bringing
salvation and
reconciliation to these
nations. The nations that
are made up of the
descendants of Abraham
and I believe are what
we're seeing even today
in the Abrahamic courts
is the beginning of God
opening the door for a
great move of the spirit
that's going to lead and
usher many people into
the kingdom. So we want
to be understanding God's
purposes agreed with him
that reconciliation, the
healing of the hearts of
peoples across the
nations is what he
intends, and especially
together with Israel,
that it's going to
recreate a blessing in
the whole earth. as Jews
and Gentiles come
together and become that
one new man that Paul
spoke about in Ephesians
chapter two. Along with
that, then we can expect
God's outpouring of
blessing upon the people
who believe and his full
restoration of Israel,
the salvation of Israel,
and his kingdom coming
upon the earth as it is
in heaven. This is what I
see in Isaiah 19 we've
been encouraging
believers across the
Middle East for years
with these ideas and and
outcomes that God speaks
about and how we can
cooperate together to see
those things happen. So
much so that through the
times of shaking during
the Arab Spring and how
it impacts Did Egypt and
other nations in the
region, there was great
prayer and support and
intercession from
believers all over the
world, and especially in
the middle east towards
one another, as well,
even more recently,
during the the explosion
that took place in the
port of Beirut, we rally
together, the believers
all over the Middle East.
And we had many meetings
on zoom and people
sending financial
support. Maybe some of
you participated that in
that with ICJ, there was
finances raised to help
the the Christians in
Beirut, to reach out and
minister to people in a
time of crisis. And we
stood with them and
encourage them and they
were awesome as they
reached out, even in
their own difficulty, to
minister to 1000s of
people giving food,
helping to repair their
homes, and using the
finances that were
pouring in from around
the Middle East and
nations all over the
world. And we're so
grateful for that. And
that's what God wants us
to do in these times of
crisis is support one
another, unite together
and help to see many
souls impacted and
brought into the Kingdom
during those times. And
we're gonna see greater
and greater opportunities
in times of crisis for
that to happen. So these
are things that we want
to tune into God's heart,
his word, his ways, and
be prepared for in these
coming days. So I hope
that you'll continue to
study his his word, find
these things in Scripture
like Isaiah 19 and other
key passages that speak
about the times of
trouble the times of
crisis that surely we're
beginning to enter into,
but God wants us to see
them as times of
opportunity to reach out
and touch the lives of
many NC many come into
His kingdom. So Bless
you. I hope that this
envision conference is an
encouragement to you. And
I encourage you to listen
to the other seminars
from the Middle East
leaders from Iran and
Egypt, who also have
helped to do seminar
content for this
conference. I think
you'll be blessed as you
hear from them. And God
bless you and may God use
you powerfully and
wonderfully, again to
encourage and lead others
through these times and
to see many come into His
kingdom be established,
strengthened and prepared
for his return. So God
bless you and may you
have a wonderful fruitful
year and 2021