Armageddon

We have often heard the term “The Battle of Armageddon” in reference to the final conflict between Jesus Christ and the nations of the world. Armageddon, the mount of Megiddo, has been a popular place for many historical battles. However, the final battle of Armageddon is a traditional understanding - not biblical truth.

When examining Scripture carefully, we find that Armageddon is identified as the gathering place for the nations kings in preparation for “the battle on the great day of God Almighty,” not the location of the final battle.

The passage below is the only biblical reference to Armageddon.

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. "Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!" (Revelation 16:12-17)

Scripture states that Armageddon will be a gathering place for a battle which will take place on “the great day of God Almighty.” The great day of God Almighty is the same as “the day of the Lord.” 

Scriptural references to “the day of the Lord” employ various expressions including: “the day of Christ Jesus,” “the day of Christ,” “the day of God,” even “that day” or “the day.”  Below, in Zechariah, we read that on “that day” God will destroy the nations that attack Jerusalem. This is one of several passages that indicate the final battle will be at Jerusalem, not Armageddon.

On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem. "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. … "On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity (Zechariah 12:8-13:1).

Isaiah also prophesied about “that day” when the Lord will come down (from heaven) and battle supernaturally on Mount Zion in Jerusalem with “a sword, not of mortals.”

This is what Yahweh says to me: "As a lion growls, a great lion over his prey-- and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against him, he is not frightened by their shouts or disturbed by their clamor-- so Yahweh Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights. Like birds hovering overhead, Yahweh Almighty will shield Jerusalem; he will shield it and deliver it, he will 'pass over' it and will rescue it." Return to him you have so greatly revolted against, O Israelites. For in that day every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold your sinful hands have made. "Assyria will fall by a sword that is not of man; a sword, not of mortals, will devour them. They will flee before the sword and their young men will be put to forced labor. Their stronghold will fall because of terror; at sight of the battle standard their commanders will panic," declares Yahweh, whose fire is in Zion, whose furnace is in Jerusalem (Isaiah 31:4-9).

The book of Joel also speaks of the Day of the Lord and he locates the final battle in the "Valley of Jehoshaphat."  The "Valley of Jehoshaphat" is the valley located between the Mount of Olives and the Temple Mount. It is immediately east of Jerusalem and it is also called the Kidron Valley.

I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of Yahweh. And everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as Yahweh has said, among the survivors whom Yahweh calls.

'In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations [at Armageddon] and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land (Joel 2:30-3:2).

Based on Scripture there is no final battle of Armageddon. Armageddon is a gathering place and the final battle will be at Jerusalem.           

Sometimes, what we think is true, is not.  Perhaps that is why the Lord tells us to test everything against His Word.

I once saw a bumper sticker for our times. It read, “Don’t believe everything you think.”

No one knows they are deceived, until they find the Truth, and the Truth will set them free.

Richard H Perry