As always, thank you for your ministry. It is a shining spot in my day. I just want to clear something up in my mind regarding the 40 year desolation in Egypt. I thought that the Millennium was to be a time of peace and prosperity until some time towards the end when Satan is to be let loose for a time. If that is so, then how will Egypt be made desolate for 40 years at the beginning?
On Earth during the Millennium Israel will enjoy a time where peace will flow like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream (Isaiah 66:12). There will also be peace among the nations, but only because the Lord will rule over them with a rod of iron (Psalm 2:8-9). (Remember, they’ll still be in their natural state with their sin nature). These nations will have neither arms nor armies. When they dispute among themselves, the Lord will settle their disputes for them (Micah 4:3). Nations that rebel against His rule, such as Egypt, will be dealt with immediately and harshly (Zechariah 14:16-19).
In the New Jerusalem, the Church will have entered an eternal state of peace and blessing and this is why Christians often think of the Millennium as a time of unparalleled peace.