Armageddon
What, When, and Where?
Armageddon: What, When & Where?
Return
Rapture
The Anti-Christ
Church Age
The 1,000 Year
The Great Tribulation
Reign
The Battle of Armageddon
Dan 11; Rev 16 & 10
7 Years
Daniel’s Armageddon (?)
 The Premillennial View of Daniel 11:36-
39
♦ King of the south represents millions in Africa who will
attack the Antichrist in Jerusalem
♦ King of the north represents Russia/Arab alliance that
attacks Jerusalem
♦ Advancing Chinese army is “reports from the east”
♦ Antichrist shall have great success
♦ But he shall come to his end, and no one will help him
♦ Because Christ will come to save the day
The word “Armageddon” appears only
one time in the Bible: Revelation 16:16.
“And they assembled
them at the place that
in Hebrew is called
Armageddon.”
Revelation 16:16 (ESV)
The word “Armageddon” appears only
one time in the Bible: Revelation 16:16.
It is described as the rallying place of
the kings of the whole world who, led
by the unclean spirits from the mouth
of the dragon, the beast and the false
prophet, assemble there for “the war of
the great day of God, the Almighty.”
The battle of
Armageddon is
anticipated in
Revelation 16:13-16,
but is not fought until
Revelation 19:11-21.
The Battle is the source of much
sensational speculation.
The far-fetched views and
misconceptions which people have on
this subject are truly amazing to
consider.
Much of the problem lies with the
advocates of the false system of
premillennialism.
They teach that a universal war will
soon take place among the nations of
the world, and the final, catastrophic
battle of that war will occur on the
plains of Megiddo.
The battle described in Revelation is
viewed literally. It will be a bloody
holocaust such as the world has never
known.
The advocates argue
that conflicts are now
developing that will
lead to Armageddon.
It supposedly will take
place after the 7-years
of tribulation, and just before the
second advent of Christ.
Let’s examine whether or not their
teaching will harmonize with the
Scriptures.
The word “Armageddon” is derived from the
Hebrew Har-Magedon, which means the
“Mountain of Megiddo.” The city of Megiddo
lay in north central Palestine. This valley,
also known as the Plain of Esdraelon, was
some 20 miles long by 6 miles wide.
Valley of Megiddo
--Armageddon-Where Is The Place?
What did Armageddon mean to early
Christians?
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Armageddon literally means “Hill of Megiddo”
Megiddo was a town at northeast end of Jezreel Valley
By the way, that puts it far north of Jerusalem
Easiest route between Egypt and cultures north of Canaan
Therefore, site of major conflicts between ruling powers
Over the centuries, successive cities built on top of old ones
creating the “hill” in Armageddon
About sixteen historical battles fought
over 2,500 years before Christ
Because of its location, Megiddo
became an important military outpost.
It is often described in the Bible as a
military stronghold:
– Joshua 12:21
– Joshua 17:11
– Judges 1:27
– Judges 5:19
– 2 Kings 9:27
– 2 Kings 23:29
Model of Ancient Megiddo
Tell of Megiddo
Actually, there was no literal mountain
named “Megiddo.” The reference is
either to the mountains that were near
the town of Megiddo, or possibly to the
large mound of the city itself.
Valley of Megiddo
“The fact that the tell of Megiddo was about
70 feet high in John’s day, and was in the
vicinity of Carmel Range, justifies the use of
the Hebrew, har, used loosely in the Old
Testament for ‘hill’ and ‘hill country’--Josh.
10:40; 11:16” (New Bible Dictionary, p. 249)
Valley of Megiddo
Consider the words “Remember the
Alamo!”
In that battle, a small
group of men stood
bravely against
impossible odds.
That small mission in
San Antonia represents the spirit of
courage and sacrifice, and is a proud
part of the heritage of Texas.
A place can become
symbolic because of
some historical event
with which it is
associated.
For example, all are
familiar with the saying, “He met his
Waterloo!”
Waterloo was a small town in central
Belgium where Napolean was finally
defeated in 1815.
The expression has come to
respresent a disastrous defeat.
So it is with the plain of Megiddo or
“Armageddon.”
It was the scene of so many decisive
battles, that it came to stand for
battle itself.
“These low hills around Megiddo,
with their outlook over the plain of
Esdraelon, have witnessed perhaps a
greater number of bloody encounters
than have ever stained a like area of
the world’s surface” (ISBE)
Battles at Megiddo
 It was famous for two great
victories:
 Deborah & Barak overthrew Sisera
and defeated the Canaanite kings
 (Judges 4:15; 5:19)
 Gideon and his 300 defeated the
Midianites
 (Judges 6:33)
Battles at Megiddo
 It was also famous for disasters:
 King Saul, who had been rejected by
God, was defeated by the Philistines
(I Samuel 31:8)
 Ahaziah died of Jehu’s arrows
(2 Kings 9:27)
 Josiah was killed here when he tried
to prevent Pharaoh Necho of Egypt
from going to the aid of Assyria
(2 Kgs. 23:29-30; 2 Chron. 35:22)
Armageddon
 To the Jewish mind, Megiddo
was a place of great slaughter
and represented God’s terrible
judgment upon the wicked.
 Armageddon became a poetic
expression for terrible and
decisive conflict.
--Armageddon-Literal or Figurative?
 What is the message of Revelation
when it speaks of the battle of
Armageddon?
 The book was written during a time of
severe and widespread persecution.
 The Christian movement seemed to be
on the brink of extinction.
 This was an hour of desperate need.
 John wrote in order to
reassure disciples that
the forces of evil would
be completely overthrown
and Christianity would triumph
victoriously.
 The book of Revelation is a message of
victory.
 The Greek word (nikao), translated
“overcome,” “conquer,” or “victory,” is
found 28 times in the New Testament
and 17 of these are in Revelation.
 John wrote concerning things that
would “shortly come to pass.”
 Those who take a futuristic and literal
interpretation of Revelation fail to
grasp the true message of the book.
 No interpretation of the book as a
whole or this battle in particular can
have any significance unless it has
application to those first-century saints
to whom the book was addressed.
 Revelation is an apocalyptic book,
filled with highly symbolic language.
 Those who would interpret
Armageddon literally are very selective
in their approach.
 The context speaks of three unclean
spirits 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 that look like frogs!
--Armageddon-Literal or Figurative?
 If literal meaning is taken in Revelation:
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Satan will have 7 heads and 10 horns (13:1; 17:7)
There will be a great river of blood 200 miles long (14:20)
The generals fighting for Satan will look like frogs (16:13-14)
There must be enough space for at least one army of
200,000,000
 Premillennialists see …
♦ This event happening on the Plains of Megiddo
♦ With any number of variations of combatants & conditions
 Would this have encouraged the early
Christians?
--Conclusion-What Is Armageddon?
 So what does this mean for us today?
 Is it a real battle with Jerusalem as the
key?
 Is it a nuclear holocaust with millions of
people killed in the name of Christ?
 Or is it our spiritual fight against the
temptations of Satan?
 And do we see the victory we NOW have
in Jesus Christ?