CAIRO— Egypt was in the news this spring: Killings in Alexandria on Good Friday, suicide bombings in Sinai resorts after Easter, and democracy marches in Cairo in May.

But that isn't the whole story. If you come to Egypt, you'll encounter all the usual images: pyramids, sphinxes, one very long river bounded by desert, camels, the gold and glitter of King Tut's famous treasure. But you may also learn of the power of ancient Egyptian religion.

You might know about Mesopotamian religion with its human sacrifice and male and female temple prostitution. But Egyptian religion, the other religion of the Bible, was very different. Human sacrifice was rare and not reported much at all after 3000 b.c. Temple prostitution didn't exist. Nor did God command the Israelites to destroy the Egyptians as he did the child-sacrificing Mesopotamians.

Egyptian temples, tombs, and wall paintings often show gods and goddesses with wings; for example, a winged disc of the god Horus is on the underside of many door lintels. But Psalm 91:4 says: "God will cover you with His feathers and under His wings you will find refuge." What would have come to mind for an ancient Israelite or even Egyptian reading that verse? God was making it clear it is His wings, not those of Horus, that protect us.

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