The Battle Of Armageddon

The Battle of Armageddon = a last day battle or war fought in Palestine between all nations and Israel

Revelation 16:16 is the only place the word Armageddon is used. It is not found anywhere else in the Scriptures.

Revelation 16:16 "And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon."

In the Hebrew the word is compounded of the Hebrew har which means mount, and Megiddo which means slaughter. It's a mountain. Megiddon or Megiddo: the mountain of Megiddo. So it is the mountain of slaughter. It is the same area as the valley of Jezreel. Today, that valley is called the valley of Esdraelon, located in northern Israel. It would have been in the kingdom of Northern Israel in ancient times. Esdraelon means God will sow and scatter. They gather into a place called the mountain of Megiddo, but the battle is fought in all of Palestine. The armies of all nations gather there, but the battle is fought in all of Palestine.

The key places the Battle of Armageddon (which is the 6th trumpet) is seen

1. As the 6th trumpet- that demonic plague at the time of the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 9:13-21). The preparation for the Battle.

2. Christ as a vinedresser trampling grapes in a winepress Revelation 14:18-20 Isaiah 63:1-6.

3. The 6th vial or the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-16).

4. As being stopped by Christ's Second Coming (Revelation 19:11-21;16:17-21.

5. And in Revelation 11:15-19 Christ bringing in His kingdom( which is the 7th trumpet) stopping the Battle of Armageddon.

6. It is also seen in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39; Daniel 11:40-45; Zech.14:1-5.

God's judgment is the key thought

1. On national Israel to save them through the fire.

2. On sinners to destroy them.

Ezekiel chapters 38,39 (Read)

Ezekiel 38:1,2 (Read). Set thy face against Gog. Who is "Gog"? He is the leader of Russia. It's a man--the leader of Russia. He's a Russian leader of some sort. NAS says in Verse 2 "Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him." So Gog is a leader of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh or Meshech, and Tubal. So Rosh is a place. It's probably Russia, we don't know for sure. Now Genesis 10:2 mentions Magog and Meshech (the sons of Japheth). These are sons of one family. They migrated northeast of the Caspian Sea, Russia.

Magog = Russia (primarily S.W. Russia). Meshech = Russia (primarily N.W. Russia, Moscow; and Armenia). Tubal = Russia (primarily central Russia; and Spain, India, Syria). So he's a leader of some sort in Russia.

Read verses 3-5. Verse 4-- of course, here we are seeing the battle spoken of in terms of the realities of war in Ezekiel's day. It doesn't really mean that they have horses and bucklers at the Battle of Armageddon. But it is spoken in a way that could be understood in Ezekiel's day. Verse 5 Persia = Iran. Ethiopia and Libya with them. Libya or Libia is on the north coast of Africa. Ethiopia is just south of Egypt.

Read verse 6. Gomer = Germany (and Denmark, Wales; some in Turkey, S.W. Russia). The house of Togarmah of the north quarters = Turkey (and Armenia). And many people with thee; possibly the eastern block nations. So we see many nations being gathered to the Battle of Armageddon. And many people with thee.

Verses 7,8 Read. In the latter years when Israel is brought back and dwell safely- all of them.

Verse 9 Read. Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. Also verse 16. So we see extra people with them.

Verse 10,11 Read. At the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates. They shall think and evil thought and then say (talk) the devil's idea. So they will probably be led by demonic forces.

Verse 12 Read. To take a spoil, and to take a prey-- this is their motive. Israel is doing good and being blessed. They are dwelling safely and prospering-- Joel 2:3 the land is as the garden of Eden. So somehow the land of Israel is being blessed and these nations want it. Possibly they are being blessed while the rest of the world is experiencing God's judgment during the plagues. Maybe the 144,000 live their. So Israel has something there that the nations want. Possibly it has something to do with the Antichrist.

Verse 13,14 Read. Yes! They do want to take the spoil. Yes! They do know Israel is dwelling safely. That's why they come against Israel.

Verse 15 Read. They shall come from the North parts, and many people with thee-- a great army. They shall be like a storm that covers the land.

Verse 16 Read. In the latter days. And God is going to be sanctified as He causes them to be slaughtered and judges them. He'll be sanctified in judgment. We read in Romans about how that if a vessel is not willing to become a vessel of mercy, God will make it into another kind of a vessel of judgment, and He will still be glorified in the end. Zep.3:8.

Verses 17-20 Read. A great shaking in the land of Israel. Probably a great earthquake that even the fish feel it. Everything shall shake!

Verse 21 Read. God will cause great confusion in the great earthquake that they even fight against each other.

Verse 22 Read. Him = Gog. I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Revelation 16:18-21 Read. Possibly fire from heaven.

Verse 23 Read. He will be known in the eyes of many nations, because He has shown how powerful He is. It shows He's Holy and Just by His judgment. They know it's from God.

Ezekiel 39:1,2 Read. We see that one-sixth of the northern army survives.

Verses 3-5 Read. It says and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee. So it's not just Russia, but many other people as well. God will somehow destroy them.

Verse 6 Read. And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles. So God will send fire on them. It's not just in Palestine, but on Magog, and them that dwell in the isles; Russia and the isles.

Verses 7-10 Read. (Ezek. 38:12). So God spoke it, and it is done. In God's eyes, it is done! It will happen as sure as He has said. We see all the weapons are burned, and shall burn for seven years. Israel shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them... Israel will use the fuel for seven years; they will not need to cut wood, etc.

Verse 11 Read. So we see that it shall come to pass in that day, that God will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel-- a cemetery. Possibly east of the Jordon River. In the valley of Hamon-gog-- the valley of the multitude of Gog. Probably will stink so bad, that the people who pass by will not be able to breathe. Verses 3-6 indicate that God personally destroys them.

Verses 12-13 Read. It will take seven months to bury them, that they may cleanse the land. It shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord God. They will not forget this day!

Verse 14-15 Read. There will be continual employment. It will take seven months to clean up the carnage, bodies, bones and everything. The Israelites will send out men and they will have a full time job of searching for any remaining bones. And when they find a bone, they'll put a mark by it and there will be others that gather them up and they shall cleanse the land. It will be so bad, that they will even employ passengers or travelers who are passing by. Millions of dead bodies, it will take years just to bury the bodies in piles, etc. Their will be bodies everywhere; they will be buried under everything. Birds and animals will devour many of the dead bodies. It will take a long time for them to cleanse the land for the Lord.

Verse 16 Read. And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah-- the multitude.

Verses 17-20 Read. Possibly speaking figuratively of men; men of different strengths. It's a great slaughter. We see at the second coming of Christ an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice... Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God. Revelation 19:17-21 (Read). Verse 18 has similar language as in Ezek.39:17-20. Talking about the great slaughter at the battle of Armageddon.

Verses 21-29 Read. So after the Battle of Armageddon, Israel receives blessings. The LORD shall be King over all the earth during the Millennium. God will gather all the tribes that were scattered throughout the nations and bring them back to their land. And they will realize that they were scattered because of their trespasses against God. And they will realize that if they would have just followed God, He would bless them. Oh, look at what God can do when we are following Him.

Now let's take a look at Revelation 16:12-14, also read verses 15-21

Revelation 16:12 "And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared."

Now a parallel passage is Revelation 9:13-21 (Read).

Verses 12-16 is the 6th vial or bowl of the 7th seal. It's probably the same as the 6th plague-- the 2nd woe. Now this 6th angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates and the result was that the water dried up. This is a bowl of wrath.

Now the great river Euphrates being dried up: Two possibilities

1. One is that because the Euphrates was what nourished Babylon and it was the life source of the city of Babylon; we're talking about something that is the life source of this great last day Babylon; of this great last day Antichrist kingdom. And so possibly this would refer to the political system and life of the Antichrist kingdom being weakened in order to prepare for the battle Armageddon.

2. Another possibility is that literally the river Euphrates is dried up to allow the armies of the kings of the east to go over the Euphrates river, as they are coming toward Israel. Remember, God did literally dry up the Read Sea, and He cause the sun to stand still during the time of Joshua. So anything is possible with God.

Now here it says that the river is dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. So we're talking about kings probably from nations like China, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Japan, and maybe even Korea. It says literally, "kings of the sun rising." It seems to be more than one nation, because it's the kings of the east; kings involve nations.

Now if this is showing the political and government strength of the Antichrist kingdom somehow being dried up, his source of power being dried up or weakened, then the way of those kings of the east is somehow being prepared by the weakening of the Antichrist system, so that they come from the east to the battle of Armageddon. Verse 10 says that the 5th vial was poured out upon the kingdom of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness...

Now on the other hand, if it's a literal drying up of the river bed to make way for them, then the armies some how need this river dried up in order to cross and get to the battle of Armageddon, or it may be to hasten their way as they go to Israel.

Revelation 16:13 "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet."

Now frogs are unclean and despised creatures, slimy, unpleasant creatures. They're unclean and messy and they are not really good for a whole lot except to eat bugs. So we're seeing these demons which are unclean spirits, and they're despised and they are basically unpleasant things, verse 14.

And they come out of the mouth of the dragon which is Satan, and out of the mouth of the beast, the Antichrist, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. Now this doesn't mean, of course, that these demons actually look like frogs in the spirit realm, but John is seeing a vision and in the vision, they look like frogs. They represent something, and they are coming out of their mouths. So it is something that is coming from their speech, something that is coming from what Satan is telling people through these men; the Antichrist and the false prophet. And these men are telling the nations demonic things.

Revelation 16:14 "For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."

It says about them here that these are the spirits of demons working miracles. Now although they come out of the mouth of the Antichrist and the False Prophet, ultimately the source is Satan. But the beast and the false prophet are working in submission to Satan, and so these demons are manifesting through them. We know that the Antichrist is controlled by Satan, according to Revelation 13:2.

Now the False Prophet, remember, is the leader of the world church. So he is involved in this deception that gathers the nations to Armageddon.

The word devils in the K.J.V. is demons. And the word for miracles is signs.

And it talks about the kings of the earth and of the whole world. Here we are talking about the whole economy for the world. The word means economy; or habitation; or the inhabited earth; the whole inhabited earth. It is directed toward the people of the earth.

So this is a particular manifestation of demonic power during this 6th plague. The sole purpose of it is to gather the armies to Armageddon for that great battle. Now what kind of signs do they work, these demons working signs to gather the nations to Armageddon? Well, it is not said here, but if they are coming out of the mouth of the dragon, beast, and false prophet, they may be signs dealing with words or things that they say. One thing we can be sure of and that is that they are lying with great deception. Matt.24:24; 2 Thess.2:9; Revelation 13:13-14.

Now God gathers the armies, the Antichrist and ten kings gather the armies, the False Prophet gathers the armies, and demons are involved in the gathering of the armies. Zech. 14:1-2 shows us that God is using this deception to accomplish His purpose as well, because He says that He will gather all nations to Jerusalem to do battle. So the dragon and the beast and the false prophet knowingly or unknowingly are accomplishing God's purpose, and that is to judge them. So God is the one who's gathering these nations to battle, ultimately.

Now God does use demons at times to accomplish His purposes. We see that in 1 Kings 22:19-38; 1 Samuel 16:14.

1 Kings 22:19-38 When the unexampled wickedness of Ahab was come to the full, and it was determined in heaven that an end should be made of him, "The Lord said: Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead? And one said on this matter, and another said on that matter. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said: I will persuade him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said: I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said: Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also; go forth and do so." So the Lord put a lying spirit in the mouth of all Ahab's prophets; and he went up to Ramoth-Gilead, and was wounded between the joints of his harness, and was brought back a dead man, and the dogs licked up his blood. A spirit of hell was allowed to go forth to inflame and deceive him to his ruin. And so it is in this case, only on a vastly greater scale, and with mightier demonstrations, to persuade and deceive all the kings and governments of the earth to join in an expedition which proves the most terribly disastrous of all the expeditions ever undertaken by man.

So God allows this to happen so He can Judge the wicked (Zep.3:8; Joel 3:2,9- 11) and to bring repentance to Israel (Zech.12:9,10).

Possibly this battle is caused by the Antichrist (Daniel 11:40-45).

Basic order of events at the battle of Armageddon

1. The nations are gathered to the battle.

2. Then, of course, is the battle of Armageddon in which the nations devastate Israel.

3. The second coming follows just in the nick of time to save the righteous remnant of Israel. Jesus said except those days had been shortened, no flesh would be saved. That has a very real application at Armageddon. Except those days would be shortened by Jesus' second coming to save that righteous remnant of Israel, then none of them would be saved.

4. After the second coming, the Millennium commences.

A couple of scriptures to illustrate that order: (Zech. 14:1-5; Revelation 19:11-21).

Read Revelation 19:11-21. At the second coming of Christ to stop the battle of Armageddon, the key thought is God's judgment on the sinners to destroy them, and to save Israel.

All nations will come against the city of Jerusalem; Jerusalem is the main target (Zech. 14:2). The city of Jerusalem will be captured; the houses will be looted, and the women will be raped; half of the inhabitants will be taken outside the city as prisoners. Most of the inhabitants of Israel during the battle will be Jews, not Israelites from the ten tribes. Some Jews will fight in the battle; 1/3 of the Jews survive. The Jewish Tribulation Temple is completely destroyed in the battle. And a spoil will be taken. Zech.14:1-5.

There are many locations involved in the battle of Armageddon

Actually, the battle is fought in all of Palestine, plus other places as well; they only gather in Megiddo, the mountain of Megiddo. It's located in northern Israel. Revelation 16:14,16 says they are gathered there; it's a gathering place, then they march south, etc. It's also known as the valley of Esdraelon. Hosea 1:5,11 it's called "the valley of Jezreel". Esdraelon is the Greek name for the Hebrew "Jezreel." All three: the mountain of Megiddo, the valley of Esdraelon, the valley of Jezreel are the same location.

It appears from Scripture that this last great battle of that great day of God Almighty will reach far beyond Armageddon, or the Valley of Megiddo. Armageddon appears to be mainly the place where the troops will gather together from the four corners of the earth, and from Armageddon the battle will spread out over the entire land of Palestine. Joel speaks of the last battle being fought in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, which is close by Jerusalem, and Isaiah shows Christ coming with blood stained garments "form Edom," and Edom is south of Palestine. So the battle of Armageddon, it seems, will stretch from the Valley of Megiddo in the north of Palestine, through the Valley of Jehoshaphat, near Jerusalem, and on down to Edom at the extreme southern part of Palestine. And to this agree the words of the prophet Ezekiel that the armies of this great battle will "cover the land."

Revelation 14:20 says that the blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. A furlong is about 660 feet, approx. So the bloodshed shall extend about 180 or so miles; that's a lot of bloodshed. A horses' bridle has to be at least five feet high, so it is showing a tremendous carnage and slaughter of men. Millions of people could be killed in this battle. Jerusalem will no doubt be the center of interest during the battle of Armageddon, for God's Word says: " I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle."

Battles fought in this area: Armageddon; the mountain of Megiddo

1. Judges chapters 4 and 5

2. Judges chapter 7

3. 1 Samuel 31:8

4. 2 Kings 9:27

5. 2 Kings 23:29; 2 Chron.35:22

6. Napoleon also fought there

The main locations are Megiddo, Judah in general, and Jerusalem in particular.

Zech.12:2 Judah in general, Jerusalem specifically.

Others that are involved in the battle and judgment:

1. Jeremiah 1:15 all the cities in Judah

2. Zep. 2:13 Assyria

3. Zep. 2:4 Gaza, Ashkelon and Ekron

4. Isa.34:6 with 63:1-4,6 Christ cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah.

The judgment of God (Rev.14:20; Ezek.39:17-21). It's a great feast.

5. Isa. 33:9 East of the Jordon River

6. Amos 5:5 right by Jerusalem-- Bethel, and further south Beersheba and Gilgal

7. Hab.3:7 Cushan and Midian

8. Zep.2:5 Canaan, sea coast

9. Joel 3:4 the coast of Palestine

10. Isa. 63:1 Edom

11. Isa.11:15 Egypt

12. Zep.2:12 Ethiopia

13. Jer. 46:6 Euphrates River (Rev.9:14;16:12)

14. Jer. 25:31-33 not limited to Palestine

15. Ezek. 20:47 forest of the South

16. Ezek.39:6 the isles a far off

17. Isa. 34:6 a great slaughter in the land of Idumea

18. Zech. 14:1-2; 12:2,9; Joel 2:32 Jerusalem

19. Hosea 1:5,11 valley of Jezreel

20. Zep.2:8-9 Moab, East of Jordon

21. Ezek. 38:8; 39:2,4 Mountains of Israel-- the central section

22. Hab.3:3 Paran, Teman

23. Zep.2:13 Nineveh

24. Jer.46:6,10 the north country

25. Ezek.38:18 Palestine (Daniel 11:41)

26. Isa.33:9 Lebanon, Sharon, Bashan-- the coast line

27. Joel 2:1,32 Zion

Allegorical names

1. Joel 3:14 the valley of decision

2. Joel 3:2,12 the valley of Jehoshaphat = YAHWEH will judge.

2 Chronicles 20:1-24 is symbolic of the battle of Armageddon. They came from

3 different directions; it's a picture of the battle of Armageddon.

So you can see how this is much more than a battle, and why so many people will be slaughtered.

We see that the armies fight each other at the battle of Armageddon (Ezek.38:21; Zech.14:13). So there's great confusion; that's always the case with the devil.

Other scriptures that show this: Judges 7:22; Isaiah 9:4,5 and 1 Samuel 14:20. 1 Samuel and Isaiah 9:4,5 are not battle of Armageddon scriptures.

People that participate in some way in the battle of Armageddon

1. All nations (Zech.14:2).

2. The army of saints who return with Christ at the Second Coming (Rev.19:14)

3. The beast (Antichrist) (Revelation 16:13-14; 19:19-20).

4. Christ (Revelation 19:11-21; 2 Thess.1:7-10; Isa.63:1-6 and others).

5. The False Prophet (Revelation 16:13-14; 19:19-20).

6. Gog (Ezek. 38:2). Probably the leader of Russia.

7. The kings of the earth and of the whole world (Revelation 16:14; 19:19).

8. The kings of the east (Revelation 16:12).

9. The king of the north--Daniel 11:40-45 Possibly Syria.

10. The king of the south--Daniel 11:40-45 Possibly Egypt.

11. The ten kings (Revelation 19:19 possibly; Revelation 16:14 possibly, kings of the earth probably kings over nations, but possibly the ten kings are involved in some way.

12. The three-tribe southern nation of Judah (Jews) (Zech.12:7; Jeremiah 30:7).

Arguments that support the conclusion that current Mideast battles between Israel and Arab nations are not the battle of Armageddon referred to in the Bible

1. They do not determine the final outcome between Israel and her enemies.

2. They do not involve all nations.

3. They do not climax with the Second Coming.

4. They do not result in the Jews accepting Jesus as their Messiah. (Zech.12:7-10; 14:1-9). Immediately before the Second Coming, the Jews repent and ask Yahweh to save them.

5. They are not preceded by the events the Bible says precede the battle of Armageddon. (e.g., the Tribulation period, the plagues, etc.)

6. They are not caused by the Antichrist and False Prophet, nor do they end with their destruction. (Revelation 19:20)

7. They are not followed by a restoration and reuniting of Judah and Israel into one monarchy with Christ as king.

8. They do not involve supernatural intervention by God to the degree foretold by the Bible.

9. They do not involve a restored Jewish Tribulation Temple, which must be built before the abomination of desolation.

10. They do not fulfill the details of the battle as described in the Bible.

11. The motives of the attackers are not the same as those mentioned in the Bible. (e.g., to take a spoil, not the land)

Some arguments that help refute the theory that Ezekiel 38 and 39 describe a battle in which Israel defeats Russia before the battle of Armageddon

1. Revelation 16:12-21, which refers to Armageddon, contains direct parallels to the Ezekiel passage (e.g., a massive earthquake and great hailstones). Revelation 16:18 with Ezek.38:19-20 and Revelation 16:21 with Ezek.38:22.

2. Revelation 19:11-21, which refers to Armageddon, contains direct parallels to the Ezekiel passage (e.g., multitudes are slain and fowls eat the flesh of the armies). Revelation 19:17-21 with Ezek.39:11-20. Again all nations gather.

3. Zechariah 14:1-19, which refers to Armageddon, contains direct parallels to the Ezekiel passage (e.g., the armies intend to spoil Jerusalem and a remnant of the armies survive). Ezek.38:12 with Zech.14:1,2,14 to take a spoil. Ezek.39:2 with Zech.14:16 a remnant survive. Why not just say they are the same battle.

4. The argument that Ezekiel 38 and 39 only includes Russian armies from the north, not the armies of all nations, is disproved by the repeated statement in both chapters that there are many other people allied with Gog (e.g., Ezek. 38:6; 39:4). They say they come only from the north (Joel 2:20; Ezek.38:6), but this is disproved by the repeated statement that many others come with them (Ezek. 38:6;39:4).

5. After the battle described in Ezekiel 38 and 39, God sets His glory among the heathen (Ezek. 39:21). This cannot occur after a battle that concludes before the Second Coming, but it does fit the battle of Armageddon.

6. After the battle described in Ezekiel 38 and 39, Israel becomes God's people and He pours out His Spirit on them (Ezek. 39:22,29). This does not fit a battle that concludes before the Second Coming, but it does fit the battle of Armageddon.

7. After the battle described in Ezekiel 38 and 39, God regathers Jacob (the Jews) and the whole house of Israel (the rest of the tribes), restoring them into one nation (Ezek. 39:25; 37:21, 22). This does not fit a battle that concludes before the Second Coming, but it does fit the battle of Armageddon.

8. No verse in Ezekiel 38 and 39 says Israel defeats Russia. All the chapter says is that God defeats the northern army (Ezek. 39:3,6), while Israel is defenseless (Ezek. 38:11).

9. God has two reasons for gathering at the battle of Armageddon:

A. To purify Judah

B. To destroy the attacking armies

This is a war not a battle. Revelation 16:14 "battle" is "polemos" in the Greek and it means war or campaign. Revelation 19:19 is the same word. A battle is part of the war, but the war is the whole thing.

The implications of a war

1. It would be larger in scope

2. It involves more people

3. It would be longer in duration

4. It would have a greater consequence

5. It would have a global affect

6. It would have a final outcome and a change in government

Reasons why the weapons described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 may be interpreted allegorically: (e.g., Ezek.38:4 hooks, etc.)

1. The literal method says any prophecy that does not make sense when interpreted literally must be interpreted allegorically. It does not make sense for modern armies to fight with ancient-style weapons.

2. Ezekiel 38:9 gives authority to allegorize part of the prophecy because it uses similes, saying that the army will come like a storm, and like a cloud.

3. Prophecy is often figurative, so it is not unreasonable to allegorize part of this prophecy.

4. God limited Himself to the vocabulary of the Bible writers, so He could not mention modern weapons by name.

5. If weapons that did not exist yet were named in the Bible, the passages would be scoffed at, and would not be effective warnings. (e.g., Psa.22:16 He did not say crucifixion because it was not understood until about 600 B.C., so, He used pierced, etc. something they understood).

6. The intentional ambiguity of certain descriptions (e.g., "all of them clothed with all sorts," Ezek.38:4) leaves room for us to supply modern details as necessary.

Names for the battle of Armageddon

1. It is called "the day of the LORD." (Zech.14:3)

2. It is called "the time of Jacob's trouble." (Jeremiah 30:7)

3. It is called "the battle of that great day of God Almighty." (Rev.16:14)

4. It is called "the day of vengeance of our God." (Isa. 61:2)

The battle area is called "the valley of decision". Also it's called the valley of Jezreel and the valley of Esdraelon; both mean "God will sow and scatter". Probably means "God will sow and scatter in judgment".

Palestine will probably be spared from the plagues that ravage the rest of the earth before the battle

Revelation 9:4, the 144,000 are protected from the plagues; possibly they live in Palestine.

Ezekiel 38:11,14 we see that the land is protected.

Joel 2:3 it says it's like the garden of Eden before it's attacked. (Israel)

Zech.14:2 says God is the one who gathers them (Rev.16:16).

Revelation 16:13-14 says demons do it.

Both do it. God allows the demons to gather them because the people give their wills over to them, but ultimately God is doing the gathering.

Most of the inhabitants of Israel during the battle will be Jews, not Israelites from the ten tribes. Now some Jews will fight in the battle. Isa.63:1-6 says Jesus fights alone, Zech. 12:7-8 says the Jews will fight.

David was a great man of war; he was a great man of war because of God's power upon him. It was not because of David being something great in himself. The house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. The weakest person will fight like David, and God will bless them because they are of the house of David; they are fighting with the power of God.

So God fights alone in one part of the battle, and He fights with the Jews in another part.

Isaiah 63:1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? This is speaking of Christ at His Second Coming; He comes from the south and fights alone, and up north the Jews are fighting alone.

Zech. 13:8-9 says that 2/3 of the Jews will die fighting. (Isaiah 11:16)

At the battle of Armageddon, the priest repent between the porch and the altar of the Jewish Tribulation Temple. (Joel 2:17)

Now the abomination of desolation is defined as the Antichrist sitting in the Jewish Tribulation Temple and claiming to be God. (Matthew 24:15; 2 Thess.2:4)

Matthew 24:15 "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet (Daniel 12:11), stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:...." This is probably talking about the Second Coming of Christ to stop the battle of Armageddon.

Zech.14:1-5 we see things that will happen to the city of Jerusalem.

At this time (the battle of Armageddon) we see there is a great rain and much confusion during the battle; the Antichrist army will fight against itself; the Antichrist and the False Prophet gather to make war against Christ and the saints who come with Him; The LORD will smite with a plague all who go to war against Jerusalem. (Ezek.38:21,22; Revelation 19:11-21; Zech.14:12-13)

Joel 2:2,31 It's a great day of darkness that you will not even be able to see. (Amos 5:18-20; Zep.1:15; Zech.14:6-7)

Plus there's a GREAT EARTHQUAKE at the Coming of Christ. Joel 3:16; Hag.2:7,21; Revelation 16:18; Ezek.38:19-20

Christ stops the battle at His Second Coming

Zech.14:3-6 "Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark:"

So Christ will split the mount of Olives and stop the battle of Armageddon.

There will be people that survive: Ezekiel 39:2; Zech.13:8.

Zech.14:12 We see the plague from God.

Zech.14:16 this may refer to people from the nations that survive.

You either repent or die. (2 Thess. 2:8-9; Revelation 19:19-20)

The Antichrist and False Prophet are thrown alive into the Lake of Fire at the Second Coming. (Revelation 19:20)

Isaiah 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge..... (Isa.63:1-6)

Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 say that they will spend seven months burying the dead, etc....

Daniel 11:41 It seems that Edom, Moab, and Ammon escape.

Zech. 14:9 This is the conclusion: "And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one."

Isaiah 66:15-21 God will use the survivors to evangelize! They probably will have a great thankfulness for surviving.

Now the battle of Armageddon happens at the 6th trumpet of the 7th seal in the book of Revelation; and the 6th vial-- both probably the same.

The 7th trumpet or vial of the 7th seal is the Second Coming of Christ to stop the battle of Armageddon.

Then, of course, the Millennium commences.

A recap of the modern locations to their ancient tribal names

Cush = Ethiopia (Genesis 10)

Gog = Russia

Gomer = Germany

Kings of east = China, etc.

Magog = Russia

Meshech = Russia

Persia = Iran

Phut = Libya (Genesis 10)

Rosh = probably Russia

Togarmah = Turkey

Tubal = Russia

List: Armageddon texts

The following is a relatively comprehensive list of Bible verses relating to the battle of Armageddon. Some are direct references to various aspects of the battle, while others are merely parallel passages which indirectly bear on the subject. This list is only offered to you as an aid to personal study.

Deuteronomy 32:41-43

Judges 4:15,16; 5:19,20; 6:33; 7:9-12

1 Samuel 31:1-8

2 Kings 9:27; 23:29,30

2 Chronicles 35: 22-24

Psalms 2:1-5,9; 50:3; 68:17; 83:3-5; 94:1,2; 97:3; 110:5,6

Isaiah 2:10,11; 5:30; 9:6,7; 10:12-34; 11:4,15; 13:4-9; 19:1-22; 24:21,22; 26:20,21; 27:1; 28:18-21; 29:6; 30:27-33; 31:8,9; 33:1-24; 34:1-17; 35:4; 43:1-6; 51:22,23; 61:2; 63:1-6; 66:15-20

Jeremiah 1:14,15; 4:6-16,27-31; 6:4-6,15-26; 7:32-34; 25:15,16,25-33; 46:3-10; 50:28

Ezekiel 7:3-16; 13:5; 20:47,48; 38:1-23; 39:1-29

Daniel 2:35,44,45; 7:11-14; 11:40-45

Hosea 1:5-11; 2:2,12,18; 3:5

Joel 1:7-20; 2:1-31; 3:1-16

Amos 5:4-15

Micah 4:11,12; 5:5

Habakkuk 3:3-12

Zephaniah 1:13-18; 2:2-11; 3:6-8,20

Haggai 2:7-9,21,22

Zechariah 9:14-16; 10:10-12; 12:1-3,9-11; 13:7-9; 14:1-15

Malachi 3:3,4; 4:1

Matthew 13:39; 24:30,31; 25:31-46

Luke 21:24-26

2 Thessalonians 1:7; 2:8,9

Jude 14,15

Revelation 1:7; 6:8; 9:13-21; 14:17-20; 16:12-21; 17:14; 19:11-21; 20:10