What Is Armageddon?

The truth about Armageddon is sobering indeed

Nations today possess sophisticated, highly advanced nuclear weaponry so lethal and potent it can readily wipe all human life from off the earth.

History testifies that at no other time has mankind had the ability to destroy himself.

There is a word that has become associated with this grim, apocalyptic doomsday scenario of nuclear war that threatens human existence.

That word is Armageddon.

WHAT ARMAGEDDON REALLY IS

Actually the Hebrew word is Har-Magedon or Har-Megiddo, meaning fortified hill of Megiddo.

In Hebrew, the H’s are not pronounced, so they are often left out in the English spelling of the word. Thus, the words for Magedon or Megiddo have become the more familiar English word Armageddon.

Megiddo was a strategic military stronghold located in the valley of Jezreel, 55 miles north of Jerusalem.

Situated on the main road linking Egypt to Syria, commercial and military traffic passed through Megiddo (“Megiddo,” Nelson’s Bible Dictionary).

Megiddo also has the reputation for being the scene of many of history’s bloodiest battles.

History’s earliest recorded battle in Megiddo was in 1457 BC when Egypt’s Pharaoh Thutmose crushed an uprising by rebellious Canaanite tribes (Khalid Elhassan, “16 of History’s Most Devastating and Dramatic Surprise Attacks,” historycollection.com).

During World War I, the British general Edmund Allenby defeated the Germans and Turks in Megiddo.

George Washington University archaeologist and military historian Eric Cline remarked, “This area has always been a theater for war.” At an archaeological site atop Tel Megiddo, he discovered 200 spent cartridge cases from the Arab-Israeli war of 1948 (Pamela Weintraub, “Rewriting Tel Megiddo’s Violent History,” discoverymagazine.com).

The Bible records the account of Joshua’s victory over the king of Megiddo (Josh. 12:21).

It was at Megiddo that king Josiah died in a battle against the Egyptian army of Pharaoh-nechoh (2 Kings 23:29).

Armageddon has become the very symbol of war itself, “synonymous with a potential global nuclear cataclysm” (David T. Zabecki, “Hallowed Ground Megiddo Armageddon, Israel.” historynet.com).

BIBLE PROPHECIES ABOUT ARMAGEDDON

Will there be another battle at Har-Megiddo or Armageddon, this time involving nuclear weapons, which threaten the survival of all mankind?

There is only one irrefutable source we can turn to for a true and accurate description of what is going to occur at Armageddon: God’s Word, the Holy Bible. What does the Bible say about a coming Armageddon?

This word “Armageddon” occurs only once in the entire Bible. In Revelation 16:16 it says, “And he [other translations use ‘they’] gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”

Notice that Revelation clearly states that Armageddon will be a gathering place, a staging area. A gathering place, a staging area for what?

Fully one-third of the entire Bible is prophecy; and, 90% of those prophecies are for our time today. Much of the prophetic events leading up to the gathering at Armageddon is cloaked in symbols.

But when we let the clear verses of the Bible interpret these symbols, everything begins to make sense. We get a more definitive picture of what this battle of Armageddon actually will be.

Bible prophecy reveals that a union of 10 nations will rise up to form a political, economic and military powerhouse—the United States of Europe. This will be the seventh and final revival of the Holy Roman Empire (Herbert W. Armstrong, “Who is the BEAST?” p. 11).

A charismatic and highly popular individual—whom the Bible symbolically calls “the beast”—will emerge and assume unquestioned power. Together with a false religious leader called the “man of sin,” he will propel this European powerhouse to world dominance.

The European armies will defeat the forces of the Middle East and take over Jerusalem, where he will establish his headquarters in this religious capital.

WORLD WAR III LOOMS

A huge military coalition of the kings of the east, cross over the dried-up Euphrates River. They confront the European army before the hill of Megiddo, overlooking the surrounding plain or valley of Esdraelon.

Their leaders have been stirred up to this ancient battleground by “three unclean spirits” or demons that are empowered by the dragon who is Satan the devil (Rev. 16:13).

So then, Armageddon is the place where these armies are gathered. It’s important to notice, however, that the Bible does not speak about a battle of Armageddon.

There will be a battle, but not at Armageddon.

Is this true? What does the Bible say? The answer is surprising and eye-opening.

As both these armies face off against one another, World War III is about to erupt; and, the whole world now stands in mortal danger of total annihilation (Matt. 24:22)!

It is at this point that Jesus Christ returns to the earth with power and glory (v. 30).

THE BATTLE OF GOD ALMIGHTY

Instead of fighting against each other, these two armies join forces to fight against the returning Jesus Christ and His angelic army. This is that climactic battle the Bible calls “the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Rev. 16:14; 19:11-19).

The focal point of this battle will be at the valley of Jehoshaphat, which the Bible also refers to as “the valley of decision” (Joel 3:14).

The valley, also known as the Kidron Valley, is a deep ravine separating Jerusalem in the east from the Mount of Olives.

These nations are then utterly vanquished by Jesus Christ and His army of angels in a massive display of overwhelming force (Zech. 14:12-13; Rev. 14:20; 19:20-21).

This is not the battle of Armageddon because no battle takes place at Armageddon!

These tumultuous, troubling events prophesied in the Bible lie just ahead. The times we are in today are extremely perilous times. Many nations have weapons of mass destruction that can literally annihilate the entire human race several times over!

In Luke 21:36, Christ offers those who obey Him a way to escape these catastrophic ties: “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

But beyond the chaos and upheaval, as we draw closer to the end of this age, there is good news! In fact, it is the BEST news ever!

GOOD NEWS, AT LAST

The return of Jesus Christ marks the pivotal point in all of human history. He will establish His rule as King of kings and Lord of lords over all the nations on this earth (Rev. 19:11-16).

At last, the Kingdom of God will be restored on the earth. And it will usher in a millennium of true and lasting peace, overflowing abundance and plenty, real happiness and fullness of joy for all of mankind.

It’s going to happen! We have God’s iron-clad guarantee of that coming Wonderful World Tomorrow. Isaiah 9:7 says “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this."