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The Battle of Armageddon (Revelation
16)
For
centuries mankind has been interested in the battle
of Armageddon. Countless books have been written
about this topic. This battle is and has been the
subject of so much controversy over the years that
entire doctrines have been contrived around it. It
is not the purpose of this study to determine what
the battle of Armageddon is not. Rather, the goal
of this study is to shed light on what this battle
really is so that informed students of scripture can
determine for themselves what it is not.
First, we must bear in mind that John wrote this
book directly to the churches of Asia in the latter
half of the 1st century. At the time of this
writing the Lord's church was undergoing some of the
most severe organized persecution it would face in
all the Christian age. In the years soon to come,
Christianity was outlawed by the Roman Empire.
Emperor Domitian, the son of the reigning emperor
Vespasian, demanded to be worshipped as a god on
earth under his rule and any who refused became
enemies of the Imperial Roman Empire. Violators
were ostracized from society, forbidden to buy, sell
or participate in any kind of government program.
Not only was it illegal for a Christian to buy or
sell within the empire, it was illegal for the Roman
citizens loyal to Domitian to sell to or buy from
them. All commerce with Christians who refused to
worship the emperor was forbidden by the state.
These economic sanctions were focused primarily on
the Christians and excluded the Jewish people still
worshipping under the Mosaic system. The Jews
comprised such a large part of the Roman economic
engine that Domitian permitted them a degree of
religious freedom but, they were forbidden to trade
with their brethren of nationality who were
Christians.
Those
who were even suspected or accused of being
Christians or even aiding them were imprisoned,
their property seized by the state, their children
were often sold into slavery, and the prisoners of
the state were often subjected to various tortures
up to and including their use in the Roman games for
the public entertainment of the masses. Publicly
slaughtered by gladiators and wild beasts they
became a grim example to the rest of the citizenry
of Rome of the consequences for refusing to bow down
to Emperor worship or for helping anyone who refused
to obey their authority. It was a dark time for
God's faithful.
The
conditions under which the recipients of this letter
received it forms the backdrop for how we are to
understand it today. Revelation was a book of
comfort, exhortation and hope to a severely
oppressed group of God's people. It is only logical
that they would be able to understand John's
letter. They would know the Battle of Armageddon
and what it meant to Christians. They would be
familiar enough with the imagery to understand and
apply it to their situation. Nobody would write a
letter of encouragement to a suffering loved one
that they could not understand. So with this in
mind, to the best of our ability, let's look at the
Battle of Armageddon through the eyes of those to
whom Revelation was written. What the battle of
Armageddon meant to John and the first readers of
his book is what it was, is, or will be.
In
the original text, the word Armageddon is
"Harmaggedon." This is a compound word derived from
the Hebrew word "Har" which means a mountain or
range of hills, (See Strongs OT 2022). This word is
a shortened version of the Hebrew word "harar",
(Strong's OT 2042), which means to loom up; a
mountain or hill.
"Meggedon" is derived from the Hebrew word
"Megiddown" or "Megiddow". These words originate
from the Hebrew word "gadad" which means to
assemble, gather troops for battle, or to cut or
gash oneself. The latter meaning being of no
apparent connection to this context. The ASV
renders this as "Har-Magedon." which literally means
the "mount of Megiddo" or the "looming" or perhaps
"rising" of Megiddo. This would suggest the imagery
of the rising presence of an impending battle of
particular relevance to Megiddo.
There
are numerous references to Meggido in scripture but
nowhere else is this place referred to as a
mountain. The Bible speaks geographically of
"Megiddo and its three heights" (Joshua
17:11), "Megiddo and its towns" (Judges
1:27), the "waters of Megiddo" (Judges
5:19), and the "valley of Megiddo" (2
Chronicles 35:22;
Zechariah 12:11). Geographic Megiddo was a
battlefield beginning on the Northwest side of
Palestine at Mount Carmel, extending across
Palestine to Mount Gilboa on the southeast. Megiddo
was a strategic point in the protection of Israel
and Judah, since it guarded the northern entrance
into Israel. See
Map
Several decisive historical battles were fought in
this area. There were battles between the powers on
the northeast and those on the southwest, between
the Egyptians and the Assyrians, the Egyptians and
the Babylonians, and the Egyptians and the Medes and
the Persians. On one occasion, Pharaoh Necho, on
his way to fight the Assyrians encountered Josiah, a
good king of Judah. Pharaoh Necho tried to dissuade
Josiah from the battle, but he refused to listen and
was killed, (2
Chronicles 35:20-24). Barak and Deborah defeated
Sisera and the Caananites "by the waters of Megiddo"
(Judges
5:19-20). Saul and Jonathan fought their last
battle with the Philistines and died on the eastern
side of plains of Megiddo, (1
Samuel 31:1-6). It was in the valley of
Jezreel, "west of the hill of Moreh." that Gideon
took 300 men and defeated the Midianites, (Judges
7:1). It was at Megiddo where Ahaziah, king of
Judah, in league with Joram of Israel was slain at
the command of Jehu, (2
Kings 9:27). At Megiddo a small army of
Israelites defeated an overwhelming force led by
Antiochus Epiphanes IV, as prophesied in
Daniel 11. The Hebrews of the first century
recognized any reference to Megiddo as a place where
countless hundreds of thousands of their countrymen
lost their lives in numerous battles over centuries
of time in conflicts that often decided their fate
on earth. The best blood of the Israelites soaked
that battlefield along with the blood of their
mortal enemies since the time of Nebuchadnezzar,
king of Babylon.
Was
the battle of Armageddon a literal battle, fought
between the Lord's people and the forces of
darkness, on a literal battlefield, with literal
weapons of war? To answer this question we must
first look to what Paul wrote in
Colossians 3:17, "And whatsoever Ye do, in
word or in deed, (do) all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
No matter what the Christian does whether it be in
peace or at war, they must have authority from Jesus
Christ to do it. So if a Christian is going to wage
war with earthly weapons and shed the blood of their
enemies then this must be done with proper Biblical
authority. Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth,
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war
according to the flesh (for the weapons of our
warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God
to the casting down of strongholds)" (2
Corinthians 10:3-4). Not only is there no authority
for the Christian to wage spiritual war against the
enemies of God with earthly weapons, their use is
prohibited by divine inspiration.
How
does scripture teach the Christian to deal with
their enemies? Christians are to love their
enemies, (Luke
6:27), blessing those that curse them, doing
good to all that hate them, praying for those who
use and persecute them, (Matthew
5:44). Paul taught: "If it be possible, as
much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men.
Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto
the wrath (of God): for it is written, Vengeance
belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the
Lord. But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he
thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou
shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Be not
overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans
12:18-21). Paul refers to Christians as soldiers
in his second letter to Timothy where he also said
that they must contend lawfully, (2
Timothy 2:4-5). The only scripturally approved
offensive weapons of the soldiers of Christ are
described in
Ephesians 6:13-17, "Wherefore take up the
whole armor of God, that Ye may be able to withstand
in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having girded your loins with
truth, and having put on the breastplate of
righteousness, and having shod your feet with the
preparation of the gospel of peace; withal taking up
the shield of faith, wherewith Ye shall be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the evil (one). And
take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God." Nowhere in
scripture is the faithful child of God instructed to
wage war against evil by taking up a manmade weapon
of war and using it to shed the blood of the enemies
of God in the post cross Christian age.
John 18:36
"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world:
if my kingdom were of this world, then would my
servants fight, that I should not be delivered to
the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence."
Whatever the battle of Armageddon was, is, or will
be, it must be fought with the spiritual weapons of
the soldiers of Christ, it must be fought lawfully
using only the approved methods and means for
spiritual warfare as authorized in scripture. This
battle cannot be a literal conflict where the
righteous shed the blood of the enemies of God.
Such an interpretation of this battle would be to
create a direct conflict with the rest of scripture
which plainly teaches that the weapons and armor
which the righteous use against evil is the word of
God and their faith, (Ephesians
6:13-17;
Hebrews 4:12).
Furthermore, if the battle of Armageddon were a
literal physical battle, one would expect to see
three literal frogs going out from the mouth of a
literal dragon into the world to rally the forces of
evil and to lead them in their crusade against the
Christians. Frogs were loathsome and despised
creatures to the Israelites. Their meaning is given
in
Revelation 16:14, "For they are the spirits
of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the
kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather
them to the battle of that great day of God
Almighty." So the frogs weren't really literal
frogs, rather they represented something loathsome
coming out of the mouth of... "the dragon" (Satan),
the beast (Imperial Rome), and the false prophet
(The Concilia). The Concilia was an imperial cult
whose purpose was to enforce the worship of the
Roman Emperors. This false prophet is also
identified as the earth beast in
Revelation 13:11-18.
Backing up to
Revelation 16:12 we see the sixth bowl of God's
wrath poured out in order to prepare the way of the
kings of the east. The kings of the east were the
Parthians who hated the Roman Empire. The Roman
Empire tried on several occasions to conquer them
and they were never able to do so. Contextually
speaking, the battle of Armageddon was to be fought
between the Roman Empire and her enemies, the kings
of the east. The Battle of Armageddon was not even
a battle between the Christians and their enemies as
some people try and set forth. The actual battle
had nothing whatsoever to do with the Christians
except that they would ultimately benefit from the
demise of the Roman Empire. God was using the
enemies of the Roman Empire to execute His wrath and
judgment against them in order to bring the Empire
down. The symbolism of Armageddon was simply used
by John to indicate there will be a battle against
the evil forces of the Roman Empire with God in
control.
To
the first century Christians, the battle of
Armageddon could only have been a battle between God
and the Roman Empire which would ultimately result
in its downfall. They would read John's letter and
relate his writings to their immediate situation.
At the time of this letter, they were engaged in a
life and death struggle with the Roman Empire under
the reign of an evil emperor dedicated to their
eradication. Their immediate concerns were not some
dim and distant futuristic battle to be fought some
time in the obscure future. The spiritual battle of
Armageddon for them was being fought in their
lifetimes. They were fighting the Christian fight
of righteousness. They were being persecuted for
their beliefs and they were dying for their faith in
God. They lived their lives on the battlefield of
oppression and they fought their own battle of
Armageddon every single day of their lives and we
today owe them a debt of gratitude we can never
repay. Because it is upon their faith and
steadfastness that the future of all Christianity
hung. Just like the real battles fought in the
valley of Megiddo where the future of God's people
was decided by the outcome, so also did the outcome
of the real battle of Armageddon assure for all
Christians of all ages yet to come that
righteousness will prevail and God's faithful people
will be triumphant.
The
first century Christians who remained faithful till
death fought their own personal battle of Armageddon
and won. For us the war between righteousness and
evil still rages. Satan's hatred of mankind has not
abated one bit in the last 1900 years. Until heaven
and earth pass and the great day of the Lord is come
upon us, we will fight against the forces of
darkness, using only the spiritual weapons of
warfare. There are still plenty of forces out there
hostile to Christianity. Islam is the fastest
growing religion on earth right now.
Denominationalism and religious division is running
rampant over the globe. True Christianity is always
represented by the minority or a remnant. In third
world countries, Christianity faces poverty and
oppression from the government. In wealthy
countries, Christianity faces the problems brought
on by opulence and wealth. The unrighteous in fat
and happy societies feel no need for God in their
lives, being wrapped in a false security of wealth
and ease. The faithful watch as the unrighteous
force God out of their societies inch by inch.
While
the battle of Armageddon may be over for those who
lived in the Roman Empire, it rages still today
against the righteous, and our enemy is no less
opposed to us as he was against them. God is still
waging war against unrighteousness and Christians
today are His soldiers in this war against the
forces of evil just like in the first century.
Satan's weapons today are the same as they were
then; Trickery, deception, lies, fleshly pleasures,
oppression and division. Satan knows that the
kingdom of God divided is like a house divided. It
cannot stand, (Matthew
12:25). Our battle of Armageddon today is no
less important than the ones fought in previous
times. It is on our shoulders that the future of
Christianity sets. It is our resolve and dedication
to the truth that will someday have a part in the
preservation of the Lord's church for all future
generations for as long as earth remains. Our duty
is solemn and of vital importance to all who may
live after us and seek God's truth.
So with this thought anchored in
heart and soul, let us set our hand to the plough,
never looking back and run with patience the race
that is set before us. Let us contend earnestly for
the faith, of Jesus Christ, taking heed to and
teaching no other doctrine but the one that was
received by the apostles. Let us forget those
things which are behind and reach forth unto those
things which are before, pressing toward the mark
for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus. Let us put on the whole armor of God that we
may be be able to stand against Satan, girding our
loins with truth, wearing the breastplate of
righteousness, having our feet shod with the
preparation of the gospel of peace, taking up the
shield of faith while wearing the helmet of
salvation and wielding the sword of the spirit which
is the word of God.
Let us fight the good fight to the end, girding up
the loins of our minds, with sobriety, finishing the
course and keeping the faith, with hope to the end
for the grace that is to be brought to us at the
coming of Jesus Christ.
For we are not fighting against flesh
and blood, but against principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Therefore let us stand
united under the banner of truth and righteousness,
holding forth the word of life, using spiritual
weapons and fighting
the battles of Armageddon wherever they may be,
defending the church of the living God which is the
pillar and ground of the truth, and laying up for
ourselves and for our children, a good foundation
against the time to come. The battle of Armageddon
in the first century was the conflict between
righteousness and evil. Those battles are still
being fought today. Those who emerge victorious from
their battles of Armageddon will win the war and lay
hold on eternal life.
(c.f.
Luke 9:62,
Jude 3,
Galatians 1:8-9,
1 Timothy 4:16;
6:19;
3:15,
Philippians 3:13-14,
2:16,
2 Timothy 4:7,
1 Peter 1:13,
Ephesians 6:11-17)
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