PROPHECY: Armageddon.
After the Dragon (Satan), the Antichrist (Beast), and the False Prophet have their day in the sun, Jesus Christ physically appears in His Second Coming - Armageddon will ensure.
THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
If you search the internet today, there are 6,490,000 references to Armageddon. Most are references to movies, books, and media related to a concept of a battle beyond all battles – the final battle that ends all wars.
People tend to view the battle of Armageddon as WWIII. When I hear this, I laugh. Not in mockery but rather in the amazement of the generalized masses who are clueless as to what this battle is, why it is, and how short it will be.
Another misperception is Satan presently being on the earth. While this is true for some of his demons, it is not true for Satan. Satan is restricted in the lower heaven and cannot contact the earth outside his productivity with his demons. It will be the first moment of the Tribulation when he is released (Rev. 12: 9 – 13). The fallen angels, and demons, he brings with him will be torturous and loaded with power humanity has not seen before. Their mission? To attack the “woman” who gave birth to the world’s savior. That woman is Israel. And it all begins with the first of two primary battles, the Battle of Gog and Magog, which is not the final Battle of Armageddon.
The Gog and Magog battle will resemble a World War.
It will be a massive global war, a Russian-led coalition of nations with a mission to come against Israel. Satan will be the commanding force and power behind this invasion. This mission must be completed before the Antichrist can take the Holy seat in Jerusalem’s third temple. We know Israel is severely weakened in this battle because the prophecies reveal that the Antichrist successfully took over the Holy of Holies. It must be noted that Satan has some knowledge that Christ, Jesus Christ, will set up His one-thousand-year rule in Jerusalem. As illusions go, he thinks he can derail this prophecy by stealing the throne seat before Christ arrives. His weapons of war include two major plans.
It says in Revelation 16:13-14, 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 spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.
Here is what we know. These unclean spirits have the power to perform great signs of such a magnitude that it gains the attention and loyalty of all nations. Each gives their money, power, and military might to the Antichrist. Without question, Satan knows an even bigger battle is coming – the final Battle of Armageddon.
After the Dragon (Satan), the Antichrist (Beast), and the False Prophet have their day in the sun, Jesus Christ physically appears in His Second Coming to the entire world. At this moment, the stage is set for the last Battle of Armageddon.
Armageddon is the English derivative of Har-Magedon – mount of Megiddo. Surprisingly, with all the global fuss, while it is referenced in the Old Testament twelve times, it is only mentioned once in the New Testament – Revelation 16:16. Megiddo means “slaughter.” For the orthodox Jews, it is referenced as the “Mount of Slaughter.” It is located in northern Israel – ten miles southwest of Nazareth, home to where Jesus spent His childhood years, and fifty-five miles north of Jerusalem.
Megiddo has been the rallying place of kings who had issues against Israel through the ages. It is noted in history as the ultimate perfect battlefield on Earth. Many battles have been fought here – Joesiah versus Pharaohnecoh, Israel’s victory over Sisera, and others.
According to Revelation’s book, the final war will be horrifically violent. Chapter fourteen reveals blood will be spilled that comes up to the horses’ bridles for a distance of two hundred miles. That is the exact distance from the northern tip of Israel to its southern point.
It should be noted that Armageddon has many battles. It is a campaign of battles. In Greek translations, the word in Revelation used for “battle” is pole-mos, a series of battles. This clear-cut translation supports many battles that will be fought throughout the entire land of Israel over a three-and-one-half-year period of time. However, the final battle fought in Megiddo will be where Jesus Christ defeats Satan and his followers once and for all.
What is the purpose of the final battle?
While scholars have attempted to answer that question for centuries, the answer is NOT complicated. The first answer is what makes things a bit challenging. God uses the campaign of battles to bring judgment down upon Israel. Keep in mind Israel has been rebelling against God for thousands of years – literally missing the Messiah, He promised them – Jesus. After Jesus ascended to this hour, Israel has deluded into being one of the leading liberal countries in the world. Secondly, as prophetic notations predicted, Israel signed a ‘peace agreement’ with the Antichrist. This proves the level of stupidity and mindless lack of discernment on Israel’s part. To make things worse, the Jews handed the throne seat of the third temple to the resurrected Antichrist to rule the world. For the Jews being some of the smartest people created, their actions continue to prove the stupidity of depraved men.
The most important doctrine of the “why” of the final Battle of Armageddon is ending the power-grabbing enemy of the Living God – Satan. Through this battle, God ends the evil one and eternally destroys Satan’s demonic influencers and followers in one sweep.
Jesus’s Second Coming comes strategically – moments before Satan attempts to destroy Israel, Jesus shows Himself physically to the nations and its people. The moment humanity has been waiting for occurs – Jesus draws His sword on Satan directly. At this moment, we note the final battle in Megiddo – the Battle of Armageddon.
Here is how John described this moment in Revelation 19:11-16:
And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."
Mock this moment, and you will be condemned to damnation. This is the moment all believers in Christ have been awaiting since the beginning of humanity. Jesus’s physical Second Coming is staged with the most miraculous and glorious sight of all the ages. A white horse with the rider of Jesus Himself, full of Faith and Truth. His eyes are filled with flames of anger. His robe is dipped in the blood of all those who sacrificed their lives for His name's sake. He reveals Himself as the Word of God, not a book deluded into hundreds of translations, but a person, the Personage of God.
Behind Him, the armies of Heaven readied for battle. As they cascade from the Throne of God to the earth, a sword shoots forth from His mouth, proclaiming, He will strike down all nations and rule over them with an iron rod – distressing each with the wrath of God. Does this sound like the gentle Savior you are accustomed to preaching? No. In Jesus’s first coming, He came as a Lamb. In His Second Coming, He comes as a fierce Lion – ready to devour. Here we have the full image of the Son of God, the Lion (Law), and the Lamb (Grace).
As unusual as it is, Israel’s last war will be fought without the support of any nation – only the nation of God that comes down from Heaven. How many Jews survive this horrendous battle? That number is so small most have a difficult time believing it – 144,000 pure-bloodline Jews.
What happens to the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and their followers?
And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:20-21)
While this ends the influence of the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and their followers, Satan remains one evil yet to be punished. For Godological reasons, Jesus chains him and puts him in the bottomless pit for one thousand years. Jesus and his Bride conduct the Great White Throne of Judgement for the next one thousand years—a time when all past and present humans will give an account for their sins. You don’t want to miss this episode. God ends humanity as we know it. Until next time…