Faithfulness in Egypt

Adversity is nothing new to Ramez Atallah, president of the Egyptian Bible Society. We wrote about him almost a year and a half ago. This was amid the confusing government transition in Egypt, when Muslim fundamentalists burnt the society’s bookshops to the ground.

This blow did not dissuade him from the work before him, however. He resolved to rebuild the bookshops. Also, he replenish their resources so that the Word of God could continue to spread throughout Egypt.

Then, the events last week in Libya. ISIS beheaded 21 Egyptian Christians. Devastating news, particularly for Egyptian Christians like Ramez Atallah. But, in the words of this encouraging CT article, Atallah was once again “undaunted.” He saw an opportunity for gospel proclamation in the wake of unspeakable tragedy. He took it.

Faithfulness in Egypt.

Under Atallah’s leadership, the Egyptian Bible Society has now distributed over 1.65 million copies of a pamphlet titled “Two Rows by the Sea.” The pamphlet depicts the horrifying scene from the ISIS video. This includes two columns of men walking by the sea, one in black and one in orange. There is a beautiful poem that powerfully describes the executed and their executioners. A series of questions follows this about the two rows. Which row understands? Also, which row sees? Which row will prevail? Which row pleases God? Each of the questions is simply answered by a couple passages of Scripture.

Needless to say, the brief publication packs quite a punch. Now, hundreds of thousands of Egyptians who were rattled by the executions have had these questions about God, suffering, evil, and truth directly posed to them. Not only that, they’ve been proposed an answer: the gospel of Jesus.

A Reminder of God’s Presence in Suffering

We bring this story to your attention for several reasons.

First, we need to pray for the spread of the gospel in Egypt. Ask God to powerfully use “Two Rows by the Sea” to confront people with the truth of Jesus, and ask him to use Christians to help explain it further to lost people who read it.

Second, this story is a powerful reminder that we do not fight flesh and blood, and that God uses evil for good. Be encouraged and continue to trust that God is moving even in depressing headlines.

Third, we ought to be challenged by Ramez Atallah’s example of perseverance and endurance. Atallah continued to faithfully serve where God had placed him despite having his bookstores burned down less than 18 months ago. When the time came for God to use him in a huge way, he was ready. We see God’s faithfulness in Egypt through him.