Question
Happy New year and wish you have a blessed new year too. please help me What is Armageddon war means. I want to know more about and write an article to my nations to teach. Please send me email. Thanks.
Answer
Keith Sharp
And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame” And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon
(Revelation 16:13-16)
The only place in the Bible where the name “Armageddon” occurs is Revelation 16:16. The name means “Mount of Megiddo” (ISBE, 2:1340). “Megiddo” was a hill town in the territory of the tribe of Manasseh in Central Palestine on the edge of the Plain of Esdraelon near Mount Carmel (Joshua 17:11). Because this was the natural pass through Central Palestine, a number of great battles were fought here. At Megiddo Barak defeated the Canaanite army of Jabin commanded by Sisera (Judges 5:19). Here Gideon’s 300 man army defeated a numberless horde of Midianites, Amalekites, and people of the East (Judges chapter 7). At the Eastern edge of the plain Saul and Jonathan were killed by the Philistines (1 Samuel 31:1-6). Here Jehu killed King Ahaziah (2 Kings 9:27). King Josiah intercepted Pharaoh Necho going to fight against Babylon at Megiddo and was slain by Necho (2 Kings 23:29; 2 Chronicles 35:20-24; Zechariah 12:11). Thus, “Armageddon” is symbolic of a great battle.
If this is a literal battle, the armies of evil are gathered together by “three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.” Obviously this is symbolic. The dragon symbolizes Satan (Revelation 12:9). The beast is the “beast rising up out of the sea” (Revelation 13:1), and is the fourth beast of Daniel 7:1-7, combining all the characteristics of the three previous kingdoms (Babylon, Persia, Greece/Macedonia; Revelation 13:2), and, as the kingdom is personified in its ruler (Daniel 2:37-38), signifies the Roman emperors antagonistic to Christ and His saints (Revelation 13:6-7). The false prophet, previously called the “beast coming up out of the earth” (Revelation 13:11-12), is paganism, false religion, supporting the emperors’ blasphemous claims to deity (Revelation 13:1, 8).
Though “Armageddon” is introduced in Revelation chapter sixteen, no battle is mentioned in this chapter, and the phrase “Battle of Armageddon” is unknown to Scripture. The warfare of Satan through pagan Rome against Christ and the saints is introduced in chapter thirteen (verse 7), but the actual battle is mentioned in chapter nineteen.
And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:19-20)
Thus, the actual battle is not described but only the victory of Christ and Christians over Satan and his emissaries.
When the time comes that we are prepared to read of an actual battle, all the text says is ‘the beast was captured and with him the false prophet…’ When God gets ready to respond, there is no extensive battle because God is all-powerful and His purpose is accomplished immediately. (Harkrider)
There is no one “Battle of Armageddon,” only the ongoing conflict between Christ and His church against Satan and all the forces of evil.
Christ and the saints conquered pagan Rome, not with the sword but with the sword of the Spirit (John 18:36; Ephesians 6:10-18). Ultimately the Lord Jesus will lead His people to victory over Satan and all his allies (Revelation 6:2; 19:11-21). Satan and those allied with him will be cast into the land of fire (Revelation 20:9-10, 15). The Lord Jesus will receive His people into the eternal, heavenly abode (Revelation 22:1-5). “Even so, come Lord Jesus!”
Works Cited
Robert Harkrider, e-mail to Keith Sharp.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
