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During the Sunday homily last week, the priest shared a reflection that stayed with me long after Mass. He spoke about Egypt in the Bible, not just as a physical place but as a symbol of a deep spiritual journey.
As I pondered this, I discovered that Egypt - my country of birth - is mentioned 659 times in Scripture, the second most-referenced country after Israel. That number alone caught my attention, but even more striking is how Egypt’s story mirrors the path many of us take in our faith: from being far from God to coming to know Him and ultimately learning to dwell with Him.
In the early books of the Bible, Egypt represents a place of bondage, idolatry, and spiritual resistance. It was in Egypt that the Israelites suffered under the harsh rule of Pharaoh, their lives made bitter by forced labour. Egypt, with all its grandeur and might, stood as a nation that did not know or honour the God of Israel. Pharaoh’s hardened heart is often seen as a warning against pride and self-reliance, which block us from receiving God’s grace. The prophet Ezekiel even speaks of God standing against Pharaoh, likening him to a monster of the Nile, powerful but ultimately accountable to the Sovereign Lord. In its early biblical role, Egypt represents the world turned inward, distant from the trustworthy source of life.
Yet Egypt was not cast off. What touched me most in the homily was the reminder that God reveals Himself even to those far from Him. Through the signs and wonders of the Exodus, God’s intention was not simply to free Israel but also to make Himself known to the Egyptians. “The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord,” God says in Exodus. These words echo throughout the biblical narrative as a promise of revelation. Even in judgment, God’s desire is not to punish but to transform. This is a God who reaches out, who speaks through plagues, prophets, and miracles to awaken even the most hardened hearts.
The prophet Isaiah offers one of the most beautiful visions of this transformation. He speaks of a time when Egypt, once opposed to God, will worship Him with offerings and keep vows in His name. The same people who once enslaved God’s chosen ones are pictured kneeling before the altar in sincere worship. This reversal is not forced - it is born out of recognition and reverence.
“Blessed be Egypt, my people.” (Isaiah 19:25). This stunning phrase reminds us that no one is beyond God’s embrace.
Alongside Assyria and Israel, Egypt is called a blessing on the earth. It’s a complete re-imagining of identity: from stranger to family, from oppressor to blessed.
What does this mean for us today? Sitting with these scriptures, I saw that Egypt’s journey is deeply personal. At some point, each of us finds ourselves in a spiritual Egypt - distant from God, perhaps even unknowingly resisting Him. But God is never far. He comes to us in our places of confusion, stubbornness, and fear. He reveals Himself in unexpected ways through moments of grace, acts of kindness, the voice of a friend, or the stirring of our conscience. And when we respond, however imperfectly, He draws us near and calls us His own.
This journey from far to near is not just Egypt’s story - it is ours. It is the story of how God takes what was broken, makes it whole, and turns hearts of stone into hearts that worship. It is the story of grace that never gives up, of a God who desires all nations, peoples, and individuals to know Him and live in His love.
May we be encouraged by Egypt’s transformation. If God could speak to Pharaoh, bless Egypt, and call them His people, surely there is hope for all of us? Let us open our hearts anew to the One who reaches across every border, breaks every chain, and calls each of us by name.
May the God of Egypt, Assyria, and Israel be with you today and always.
Maha Shawky, Columban Mission Centre CEO, Australia.
Listen to "Reflection - From far to near: Egypt and God’s Transforming Presence"
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