Armageddon Series

Besides referring to the earth, though, the word "world" in the Bible sometimes refers to corrupt human society opposed to God. (1 John 2:15-17) In this sense, Armageddon will bring "the end of the world."—Matthew 24:3, King James Version.

When?

When will Armageddon take place?

When discussing the "great tribulation" that culminates in the battle of Armageddon, Jesus said: "Concerning that day, and hour nobody know, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father." (Matthew 24:21, 36). Nevertheless, the Bible shows that Armageddon takes place during Jesus' invisible presence, which began in 1914.—Matthew 24:37-39. The name Armageddon occurs only once in the Bible and designates where the last great battle of the ages will occur ( Rev 16:16 ). It will coincide with the second coming of Christ ( Rev 16:15 ), and there, all of the hosts of evil will be defeated ( Rev 19:11-21 ).

Armageddon is a Hebrew word, although not in the Old Testament. Its meaning is not precisely clear, but it is best taken to mean Mount Megiddo since "Har" in Hebrew means mountain and "Mageddon" is the place-name of Megiddo.

In Old Testament history, Megiddo was a place of numerous decisive battles because of the broad plain that stood before it. Deborah and Barak defeated Sisera and his Canaanite army there (Judges 4-5), Gideon drove off the Midianites and Amalekites (Judges 6), Saul and the army of Israel were defeated because they failed to trust in God (1 Sam 31), and the Egyptian army under Pharaoh Neco killed Josiah, king of Judah (2 Kings 23:29). Although these decisive battles were fought before Megiddo, the place-name never became fixed in Jewish tradition as designating the place of decisive battle. However, given that it was such a place, it is natural that John should use it to locate the final great battle on earth.

Some interpreters take John's designation literally, expecting the armies of the earth to gather against God in the end times below the remains of Old Testament Megiddo; others see in it a more figurative element. They point out that Megiddo was not a mountain and that the battle would occur in the plain. Perhaps John designated Mount Megiddo as a clue to its symbolic meaning, drawing together the historical place of conflict in Israel's history with the prophecies of Ezekiel that speak of the tremendous eschatological conflict taking place in the mountains of Israel ( Ezekiel 39:2 Ezekiel 39:4 Ezekiel 39:17 ).

In any case, John sees the final triumph of God at Armageddon and offers that to the persecuted Christians as a word of comfort and hope that evil will not win but is doomed to ultimate destruction.

Revelation 16 describes the end of the age and the last battle being fought at Armageddon between the forces of good and evil. The text: (16:16): "And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon."

In Hebrew, the place can be interpreted as "Har-Megiddo," where Har is a mountain or hill, and Megiddo is the ancient site of Tel Megiddo.