35, 36. In fulfillment of Isaiah 19:23-25, what connections came to exist in ancient times between Egypt, Assyria, and Israel?

³⁵ The prophet then foresees a remarkable development: “In that day there will come to be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria will actually come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria; and they will certainly render service, Egypt with Assyria.

Yes, one day friendly relations will exist between Egypt and Assyria. How?

³⁶ When Jehovah rescued his people from the nations in times past, he made for them highways to freedom, so to speak. (Isaiah 11:16; 35:8-10; 49:11-13; Jeremiah 31:21) A limited fulfillment of this prophecy took place after the defeat of Babylon when exiles from Assyria and Egypt, as well as from Babylon, were brought back to the Promised Land. (Isaiah 11:11)

Some of these nations are like Assyria, heavily militaristic. Other nations are more liberal, perhaps like Egypt​—at one time “the king of the south” in Daniel’s prophecy. (Daniel 11:5, 8) Millions of individuals from the militaristic nations and the more liberal nations have taken up the way of true worship. Thus, people from all nations are united in ‘rendering service.’ There are no nationalistic divisions among these ones. They love one another, and it can truly be said that ‘Assyria comes into Egypt and Egypt into Assyria.’ It is as if there were a highway from one to the other.​—1 Peter 2:17.