Chapter 41 - The Battle of Armageddon

Chapter 41 - The Battle of Armageddon
Many people have a mistaken notion, if they have any notion at all, about the Battle of Armageddon. Some thought the late World War was the Battle of Armageddon.
Others have advanced the idea that it will be a war between Catholics and non-Catholics. Still others teach that it is to be a mere spiritual conflict between good and evil without any literal reality. Yet others confuse it with the siege that is alluded in Revelation 20:8, which is to be after the Millennium. All of these ideas are unscriptural and unworthy of serious consideration.
Let us study this battle by noting the following:
I. WHY THE BATTLE IS SO NAMED
The battle is named for the place in which it is to be fought. See Revelation 16:13-16. The Revised Version renders the name Har-Magedon. Har-Magedon is defined as meaning the "mountain of Megiddo," which is located in the southwestern edge of Galilee. By this is meant, perhaps, not merely the mountain itself, but the mountain and the surrounding section. This section is described as "a high tableland surrounded by hills" (Carpenter). It forms a pass to the North, and so was famous as a battlefield. This vicinity was the scene of two notable victories and three notable deaths. The victories were that of Barak over the Canaanites and that of Gideon over Midianites. The deaths were that of Saul, that of Ahaziah (slain by Jehu), and that of Josiah. But the most famous event of all is yet to occur there.
II. WHO THE COMBATANTS ARE TO BE
The combatants are to be the kings of the earth and their armies under the leadership of the Beast and false prophets on one side, and King of Kings and Lord of Lords and His people—the Jews and the glorified saints—on the other. See Joel 2:11; Zechariah 12:2-3; Zechariah 12:8-9; Zechariah 14:3; Revelation 19:11-21.
III. THE DETAILS OF THE BATTLE
Near the close of the great tribulation period the Beast and the false prophet (the second beast—Revelation 13:11) will send out their emissaries to stir up the nations of the earth to gather against Jerusalem (Revelation 16:13-16; Revelation 19:19). In this they will be but fulfilling the purpose of God, for it is His design to gather all nations together for the purpose of judging them (Joel 3:2) and pouring out upon them His indignation and fierce anger (Zephaniah 3:8). The armies of the nations will be allowed to capture Jerusalem and work great destruction therein (Zechariah 14:2). In the approach of the armies and the capture of the city, two-thirds of the Jews in Jerusalem that are not killed will be either captured or driven out of the city (Zechariah 14:2). Then the Lord will appear to deliver His people (Zechariah 14:4). Then, judging from the fact that Revelation 16:16 says that the nations are to be gathered in a place called Armageddon, we take it that the armies of the nations, alarmed by the events that will presage the coming of the Lord, will desert Jerusalem and retreat northward. At Armageddon the Lord will overtake them and visit His vengeance upon them as described in Isaiah 66:15-16; Zechariah 14:12-13; Revelation 16:17-21; Revelation 19:20-21.
IV. THE VENGEANCE OF THE LORD IN CONNECTION WITH THIS BATTLE WILL BE WORLDWIDE
The vengeance of the Lord will be visited, not only upon armies of the nations that come against Jerusalem, but also upon all the wicked throughout the world. We believe this is shown in the following passages: Jeremiah 25:15-33 Isaiah 24:17-21; Isaiah 26:20-21; Isaiah 34:1-2.
V. THE RELATION OF THIS BATTLE TO THE JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS
We believe that the judgment of the nations, as depicted in Matthew 25:31-46, will take place in connection with the Battle of Armageddon. We believe that Matthew 25:31-46 is a figurative description of God’s dealings with the nations in the Battle of Armageddon and the destruction that shall attend it. It is in this all the tares are to be gathered out of His kingdom and burned (Matthew 13:40-43). No one will survive this ordeal except the righteous. For the relation between this battle and the judgment of the nations see Joel 3:2; Joel 3:12-13. Also note Joel 2:10; Joel 2:31; Joel 3:15-16; Isaiah 13:10-11 in connection with Matthew 24:29.
VI. THIS PERIOD OF WORLDWIDE DESTRUCTION WILL BE "THE DAY OF THE LORD"
See Isaiah 2:12; Isaiah 13:9; Isaiah 34:8; Jeremiah 46:10; Ezekiel 30:3; Joel 1:15; Joel 2:11; Amos 5:18-20; Obadiah 1:15; Zephaniah 1:15; Zephaniah 1:18; Zechariah 14:1 "The day of the Lord" is to be a day of extended length Zechariah 14:6-7.
VII. A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH WILL EMERGE FROM THE DAY OF THE LORD
See Isaiah 34:4; Isaiah 65:17-25; 2 Peter 3:10-13.