THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON

Premillenialism teaches that Christ will descend with His saints from the clouds and begin an earthly reign at Jerusalem to last 1,000 years. During the millennium satan will be bound in a bottomless pit. The Jews will be converted and return to Palestine. The Battle Of Armageddon

Shortly before the termination of the millennium satan will be released from the pit for a little season. At the end of the millennium a second resurrection will bring the wicked dead from their tombs. Then the world-wide battle of Armageddon will follow. The Battle Of Armageddon

John 5:28-29 “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” The Battle Of Armageddon

Rev. 14:20 “And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.” Blood here, is but a symbol of the overflowing of the wicked - their final rejection. The Battle Of Armageddon

Revelation 16:16 (KJV) “And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” Revelation 16:16 (ASV) “And He gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew Har-magedon” The Battle Of Armageddon

The word “Har” signifies mountain. Hence the mountain of Magedon or Megiddo. Megiddo was a city in northern Palestine. Located on the north & south road between Egypt & Mesopotamia The Battle Of Armageddon

Megiddo with its plains and hills was the scene of many decisive battles in the history of Israel. Low hills around Megiddo overlooking the plain of Esdraelon have witnessed possibly a greater number of battles than any other place of comparable size in the world. The Battle Of Armageddon

One was Deborah & Barak who defeated the Canaanites. Song of Deborah & Barak – Judges 5 King Josiah was killed in battle here, II Chron. 35:22-24 Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal here on Mt. Carmel. The Battle Of Armageddon

Gideon & his 300 men defeated the Midianites here. King Saul was defeated by the Philistines here. Here Isreal achieved some of her greatest victories & suffered some serious defeats. The Battle Of Armageddon

I.What did John & the first readers of the Book of Rev. understand the battle of Armageddon to be? Did they know it was a physical battle? Did they know it would be near Megiddo? Did they know it would be fought with carnal weapons between Christ & the devil & their forces? The Battle Of Armageddon

I.What did John & the first readers of the Book of Rev. understand the battle of Armageddon to be? Did they know that it would be at the end of time? This is believed by many today! This cannot be the meaning! The Battle Of Armageddon

II. The identity of the battle of Armageddon. Let us go back to the first century, To the time the Book was written. Let us look at Rev. 16:16 Let us look through first century glasses. The Battle Of Armageddon

II. The identity of the battle of Armageddon. Two empires went forth: Each with a goal to conquer the hearts & minds of the people. The empire of Rome & the Lord’s church. This battle is mirrored in the Book of Revelation. The Battle Of Armageddon

II. The identity of the battle of Armageddon. It was a conflict between God & the devil. Between Christ & the Roman Caesars Between the church & Roman Empire Between Monotheism & Polytheism Between morality & immorality The Battle Of Armageddon

II. The identity of the battle of Armageddon. John knew about the battles around Megiddo. Holy Spirit used these battles to describe the spiritual battles to be fought by all Christians until the end of time. The Battle Of Armageddon

III. How did John see this battle? He saw it between RIGHT & WRONG in all their dimensions. Symbolic of a world-wide battlefield In an age-long war. Fought NOT with carnal weapons, but with moral, spiritual & intellectual Weapons used by the minds & hearts of men & women. The Battle Of Armageddon

III. How did John see this battle? It is NOT a single battle! But different encounters between right & wrong. It is going on day & night, and has been going on since Adam & Eve. It will continue until the end of time. The Battle Of Armageddon

III. How did John see this battle? Many have already fought their battle. Adam & Eve lost to Satan – Gen. 3 Joseph in Potiphar’s house won – Gen.39 David with Bathsheba lost II Sam. 11 Jesus in wilderness won – Matt. 4 The Battle Of Armageddon

IV. We fight the battle of Armageddon frequently. Each victory helps us to win others. Moral & spiritual encounters lie in the choices of life. Deut. 30:19 “… I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” The Battle Of Armageddon

IV. We fight the battle of Armageddon frequently. Joshua 24:15 “… choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” The Battle Of Armageddon

IV. We fight the battle of Armageddon frequently. Matt. 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” The Battle Of Armageddon

IV. We fight the battle of Armageddon frequently. Matt. 12:30 “He that is not with me is against me...” Matt. 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness..” The Battle Of Armageddon

IV. We fight the battle of Armageddon frequently. In the choices of life, we fight the battle of Armageddon! What are our priorities? If they are: God, Christ & His church: We will win every Armageddon encounter. The Battle Of Armageddon

IV. We fight the battle of Armageddon frequently. I Cor. 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” The Battle Of Armageddon

Jesus’ way was never the way of the sword! It is absurd to think that this is a literal battle. Matt. 26:52 “Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” The Battle Of Armageddon

If one expects this to be a literal, material battle, he must expect the devil’s army to be headed by a committee of three frogs. The Battle Of Armageddon

Rev. 16:13-14 “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. 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.” The Battle Of Armageddon

Rev. 16:13-14 “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. 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.” The Battle Of Armageddon

Rev. 16:13-14 “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. 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.” The Battle Of Armageddon

Rev. 16:13-14 “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. 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.” The Battle Of Armageddon

Rev. 16:15-16 “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” The Battle Of Armageddon

Both figures are symbolic, neither is literal. No reason to make one literal & the other symbolic. Battle of Armageddon has no location on the map of the world. Battle is between righteousness & evil. RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL WIN!!! The Battle Of Armageddon

God’s plan of salvation to overcome The Battle Of Armageddon Hear –Rom 10:17Believe – Heb 11:6 Repent – Luke 13:3Confess –Acts 8:36-37 Baptized – Acts 2:38 Faithful – Rev 2:10