One section within the Bible seems to have captured the eye of Christians and non-Christians alike: The Battle of Armageddon.
The phrase itself conjures images in popular culture which can be related to the tip of the world. From movie titles to references in books and media of the specific name, “Armageddon,” one can surmise this is a few great battle (The Last Battle, for those who will) that takes place within the Last Days before the brand new heaven and the brand new earth (Revelation 21:1).
This article will dive into the Scriptural passages that discuss Armageddon, discuss the small print we now have available about this great battle, and what it means for us today.
Armageddon Meaning
The actual word for “Armageddon” only appears once within the Bible (Revelation 16:16). Even though a lot of the New Testament is written in Greek, this comes from the Hebrew word which suggests, “Mount Megiddo”, which stands out as the same with Har-megiddo; for the Hebrew word (rh) is read “Ar” by the Greeks; so town Argarize is interpreted the mountain of probably the most High.
What Is the Battle of Armageddon?
Revelation 16:16 – “”Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is named Armageddon.” – describes what happens after God pours out the sixth bowl of wrath (considered one of the numerous plagues that permeates the Revelation narrative).
In this verse, John, the writer of Revelation, writes in regards to the gathering of earthly rulers and armies to a spot called Armageddon. The word “Armageddon” is derived from the Hebrew “Har-Megiddo,” and it is usually understood to be a symbolic location for a final, climactic battle.
The Battle of Armageddon is described in additional detail in Revelation 19:11-21 (NIV), where it portrays a dramatic confrontation between the forces of fine, led by Jesus Christ (the rider on a white horse), and the forces of evil, symbolically represented by the beast and the false prophet. The antichrist gathers “kings” in a placed called Armageddon. These kings, loyal to the antichrist, will gather their armies to wage war against the people of God. This battle leads to the defeat of the enemies of God and the last word triumph of righteousness.
We see hints of this war in Revelation 16:14 and in Revelation 20:7-9, where Satan gathers enemies from the 4 corners of the earth (in essence, in all places). They’ll surround the camp of the Christians, but fire from heaven will eat them.
Where Is the Battle of Armageddon?
We can actually find some contextual clues about this battle from the Old Testament.
Although we don’t have an actual location for Armageddon, we are able to surmise from its name (“mount” or “hill) that the battle will happen on a hilly spot.
Some have placed the battle about 60 miles north of Jerusalem where:
- Barak fought the Canaanites, a people known for living in depravity (Judges 4:15)
- Saul and his sons perished in battle (1 Samuel 31:8) against the Philistines, considered one of Israel’s most known and infamous enemies
- Pharaoh Necho of Egypt, of whom Israel has had a tumultuous history, killed Josiah, considered one of the few good kings of Judah who turned the nation back to God (2 Chronicles 35:22).
It would make sense to put the battle on the market attributable to Israel’s history of that location. It symbolizes a holy people coming against enemies of darkness.
We also know that God ultimately wins this battle, even when the enemy pulls armies from all of the ends of the earth to cross the Euphrates to destroy God’s people.
When Is the Battle of Armageddon?
Although Armageddon could appear many years or centuries away, we have no idea the hour when Jesus will return nor when the events in Revelation will happen.
But, at this present moment, we are able to derive the next from the passages in regards to the Battle of Armageddon:
Modern Significance of Armageddon within the Bible
1. The enemy will attempt to intimidate Christians.
He will pull people from all 4 corners of the earth. Kings will side with him, and they’ll try and annihilate God’s people.
2. God will overcome the enemy.
The enemy cannot form an obstacle large enough to stop God from acting. Just as he overcame the enemy on that exact same location throughout the time of Barak and Deborah, he’ll do the identical within the End Days.
3. History plays a very important role in End Times.
If you’re taking a take a look at all of the Old Testament prophecies concerning Jesus or anything that appeared within the New Testament, we regularly see hints of history playing over and once again within the biblical narrative. Ruth meets Boaz in Bethlehem, the identical place of Jesus’ birth of their family line centuries later, as an example. We must listen to what Scripture says in regards to the End of Days and look ahead to the markers described in Revelation and other books of the Bible.
4. Although we cannot know the hour, we are able to trust God.
Sometimes Christians wish to predict when events in Revelation will happen. But we should always shift our focus from attempting to predict when Christ will return to preparing for that return. In such preparation, we’d like to spread the Gospel to the tip of the earth, reaching as many individuals as possible, prior to this great battle to finish all battles.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Hasan Almasi
