THEOLOGY >
Future
>
The End of the Age
> Battle of Armageddon
BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
The Word – Armageddon is a Hebrew word and is formed by a combination of two words, Har Magedon, meaning “Mount Megiddo”; the English word “Armageddon” is a transliteration of the Hebrew word. The word appears one time in the Greek New Testament, in Revelation 16:16;
The Place – Megiddo is the name of an ancient city in Canaan and later in Israel; it was located on a low hill overlooking a plain, sometimes called the Valley of Jezreel or Plain of Esdraelon, running along the Mount Carmel range in northern Israel.
Megiddo was an important trade and military center, situated on the ancient trade route between Egypt and Mesopotamia.
It was the site of numerous and significant battles, some of which are recorded in the Scriptures and some are not. The king of Megiddo was conquered and slain by Joshua (Josh. 12:21); Jabin, the Canaanite king fought against Deborah and Barak here, and Sisera, Jabin’s general, also fought here and died “by the waters of Megiddo” (Jud. 5:19); it was one of the twelve cities of governors under Solomon (I Ki. 4:12); enlarged and fortified by Solomon (I Kings 9:15); King Ahaziah of Judah, after being wounded, fled there to die (II Kings 9:27); Josiah met his death at Megiddo at the hand of the Egyptian leader, Pharaoh-necho (II Kings 23:29; II Chron. 35:20).
Perhaps literally or symbolically, or both, the word and the place are associated with the battle marking the Return of Christ to the earth.
The Battle – The battle is described in several passages: Rev. 16:12-16; 19:11-21, and is even anticipated and prefigured in Ezek. 38-39. It will be a natural and supernatural conflict, involving good and evil, Satan versus God, demons verses angels, beast (see: The Antichrist) and false prophet, and kings of the earth and their armies, who will be summoned and directed by demons.
It will be a historical battle, a real battle, one that happens in history, at the conclusion of history. It will be universal in scope: “kings from the east” (Rev. 16:12), and “kings of the whole world” (Rev. 16:14) will converge on this ancient territory. They will be brought there by “demonic spirits” who are “performing signs” (Rev. 16:14; see: Supernatural Evil), and they will be assembled in order that they might be destroyed; for this day of their coming together is “the great day of God the Almighty” (Rev. 16:14; see The Day of the Lord). The conclusion will be decisive and instantaneous; see Rev. 19:11-21.
Return to: The End of the Age; Next Article: Purpose of the Second Coming
For overview of THEOLOGY, see: Site Map - Theology
BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
The sixth
angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its
water was dried up,
to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, coming out of
the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of
the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are
demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole
world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.
“Behold, I am coming life a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake,
keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked, and be seen
exposed!” And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called
Armageddon (Rev. 16:12-16).
The Word – Armageddon is a Hebrew word and is formed by a combination of two words, Har Magedon, meaning “Mount Megiddo”; the English word “Armageddon” is a transliteration of the Hebrew word. The word appears one time in the Greek New Testament, in Revelation 16:16;
The Place – Megiddo is the name of an ancient city in Canaan and later in Israel; it was located on a low hill overlooking a plain, sometimes called the Valley of Jezreel or Plain of Esdraelon, running along the Mount Carmel range in northern Israel.
Megiddo was an important trade and military center, situated on the ancient trade route between Egypt and Mesopotamia.
It was the site of numerous and significant battles, some of which are recorded in the Scriptures and some are not. The king of Megiddo was conquered and slain by Joshua (Josh. 12:21); Jabin, the Canaanite king fought against Deborah and Barak here, and Sisera, Jabin’s general, also fought here and died “by the waters of Megiddo” (Jud. 5:19); it was one of the twelve cities of governors under Solomon (I Ki. 4:12); enlarged and fortified by Solomon (I Kings 9:15); King Ahaziah of Judah, after being wounded, fled there to die (II Kings 9:27); Josiah met his death at Megiddo at the hand of the Egyptian leader, Pharaoh-necho (II Kings 23:29; II Chron. 35:20).
Perhaps literally or symbolically, or both, the word and the place are associated with the battle marking the Return of Christ to the earth.
The Battle – The battle is described in several passages: Rev. 16:12-16; 19:11-21, and is even anticipated and prefigured in Ezek. 38-39. It will be a natural and supernatural conflict, involving good and evil, Satan versus God, demons verses angels, beast (see: The Antichrist) and false prophet, and kings of the earth and their armies, who will be summoned and directed by demons.
It will be a historical battle, a real battle, one that happens in history, at the conclusion of history. It will be universal in scope: “kings from the east” (Rev. 16:12), and “kings of the whole world” (Rev. 16:14) will converge on this ancient territory. They will be brought there by “demonic spirits” who are “performing signs” (Rev. 16:14; see: Supernatural Evil), and they will be assembled in order that they might be destroyed; for this day of their coming together is “the great day of God the Almighty” (Rev. 16:14; see The Day of the Lord). The conclusion will be decisive and instantaneous; see Rev. 19:11-21.
Return to: The End of the Age; Next Article: Purpose of the Second Coming
For overview of THEOLOGY, see: Site Map - Theology