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Another suggestive title given by the Scriptures to Egypt is "the iron furnace":
"The Lord hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of
Egypt" (Deut. 4: 20).
This is remembered in Solomon's great dedicatory prayer (I Kings 8: 51), and by
Jeremiah (Jer. 11: 4).
"The fining pot is for silver, and furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts"
(Prov. 17: 3).
Israel were tried in this furnace of Egypt, but they carried out with them much dross
mixed with their gold. Another fiery trial awaits them (Mal. 3: 1-3) when the Lord will
sit as a refiner, and the sons of Levi (the priests) shall indeed be purged and the offering
of Judah (the King) be pleasant.
The Prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel abound with references to Egypt, and of the
Minor prophets Hosea, Joel, Amos, Micah, Nahum, Haggai and Zechariah together refer
to Egypt twenty-seven times.
The subject is vast, but we give a selection from the prophet Isaiah so that the typical
character of Egypt may be seen: "The shame of Egypt" (20: 4); "Trust in the shadow of
Egypt" (30: 2); "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help" (31: 1); "This broken
reed, Egypt" (36: 6).
Lastly, we must draw attention to the King of this house of bondage, Pharaoh.
"There arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph" (Exod. 1: 8).
When Joseph ruled in the land, the Hyksos or Shepherd Kings were reigning, and
Manetho, the ancient Egyptian historian says that these Hyksos "kept possession of Egypt
five hundred and eleven years". After this, he says, "The Kings of Thebais and of other
parts of Egypt made an insurrection against the shepherds" and out of this insurrection
arose "the new king" who knew not Joseph and who afflicted Israel.
In case any reader should feel that we have made a serious omission in not dealing
with the promise made in Isaiah to the ultimate blessing and Assyria, we just remark that
this is rather a blessed example of superabounding grace than anything to do with Egypt
as a type.