“The Battle of Armageddon”
By Ernesto Illingworth
The Context and background
Assumptions in regards to biblical matters are very frequent. Armageddon is not the exception. Armageddon has been regarded as a battle that soon will take place at middle East, others think about this as a nuclear attack or meteorite that will destroy the whole earth. Hollywood has definitely done a “very good job” confusing the minds of the people in regards to this matter.
But, is that what the bible teaches? Is that, what Armageddon really means? Let’s begin by analyzing the verses and context where we find the word Armageddon. The place we need to go is the book of Revelation, the clear context is the seven last plagues, specifically, the 6th plague and the close of probation.
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.
Revelation 16:14 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.
Revelation 16:15 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.
Revelation 16:16And they gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
As a special note. We know that the book of revelation is a symbolic book (Revelation 1:1), and because of this we must approached the book in a symbolical way unless it is clearly described in a literal way. Symbols in the book of Revelation are drawn from the Old Testament stories with the purpose of guiding us in our understanding of the book. When we think about plagues and frogs, we can clearly perceive there is a strong and direct connection with the Exodus story when Moses by the mighty power of God delivered the people of God from the Egyptian bondage. The bible says that the magicians of Pharaoh were frantically trying to counterfeit every miracle and sign that Moses was doing in the sight of the people.
Moses brought frogs into the land, and the bible says that the magicians did the same, the interesting thing is that after this deception their power was not a match for the power of God and they were not able to counterfeit anymore the power and signs of God. In simple words we can say that this deception, was the last counterfeit deception of the enemy upon Egypt. So, we can conclude that this spirits like frogs in the book of revelation are making their last effort to counterfeit the word of God in the last day events in earth’s history. it is the last counterfeit Satan will perform, so it is necessary to identify what kind of deception is the enemy preparing.
The Word Armageddon
The word Armageddon comes from two different Hebrew words. Har which means Mountain and Megiddo, which means gathering. In the land of Israel there was and there is still a place called Megiddo. Following certain “logic” Many assume Revelation is using this symbol to point us to that place as the center of the prophetical fulfillment, but there is a problem here. If you ever have the opportunity to go to Megiddo or even see a picture of it you will notice Megiddo is not mountain. Megiddo is actually a valley or a big flat plane area. So, again, this is definitely an issue that we need to consider and resolve. Is this place where the book of Revelation is pointing us to, or could it be that the general interpretation is probably based on wrong assumptions?
Evangelical scholars now days still want to push the interpretation that a military conflict will take place in the valley of Megiddo where interestingly there is not Mountain.
The Framework to understand Revelation and Megiddo.
Remember Revelation is a symbolical book and many have lost sight of that fact.
One thing we have to understand about bible interpretation is that in order to interpret the word of God correctly it is imperative to build our interpretation upon the proper framework, otherwise our whole system will collapse sooner or later. For instance, many evangelicals have the idea that somehow a physical temple in Israel will be rebuilt at some point in the future, by a so-called messiah, so every interpretation for them has to be linked with this idea. This is their framework of interpretation.
Now. I want to suggest that this is not a solid framework and I’ll tell you why in a minute. The theme that needs to be our framework and foundation to understand the end time conflict is perceived in the bible as the “Great Controversy theme”. The reason why we need to choose this theme over the other one is because this is the only theme which explains us how evil began. Unless we understand how evil began and what are the implications of this conflict, we are building upon the air. We won’t have a clear picture of why things need to happen and the time of the end, and we would be force to interpret revelation based upon our own presuppositions rather than a theme clearly defined from the beginning. The Great controversy theme also provides a picture of the conflict of the time of the end. This is the real framework because this is the real conflict.
So how do we explain the Idea of Armageddon trough the picture of the Conflict that began in heaven? Let’s see.
The word Armageddon as we said before is made up of two words.
HAR- MEGIDDO, Har meaning Mount and Megiddo meaning Gathering. In other words, this word means “Mount of the Gathering”. Other Scholars believe that the word Armageddon actually comes from the word
HAR- MOED which means “Mount of the Assembly” or Congregation. The idea is still the same. The word denotes a mountain for congregating or assembling.
Now listen what the book of Hebrews says in regards to a mountain.
Hebrews 12:22-24. But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect
I hope you notice something very evident. Here we see that Mount Zion is actually the “Mount of the assembly”. This is the place where the people of God congregate in heaven. This is where the assembly of God takes place, in other words, this place is the true “Har-Moed” or Ar Megiddo which the bible speaks about. This is the place of the assembly. Now, using the same Framework of the Great Controversy, Let’s go back in time to the very beginning to see how Lucifer’s efforts were employed in the Mount of the congregation.
Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels”
The bible tells us there was “war” in heaven. The word “war” is also translated as “battle” in different places simply because is the same word. This battle, we can now see, took place in heaven, which is also Mount Zion, In the Mount of the Assembly, in a place called Ar Meggido. There you have it. The first battle of Armageddon that we have record of, took place in heaven. Satan went to the kings of heaven to gather them for a battle in a place called “Har Mageddon” (Mount of the Assembly), isn’t that amazing? The bible reveals the true meaning when we use the proper framework.
What is the battle all about?
Now that we have some pieces together, the only thing we need to understand is, what kind of conflict was the one that began in heaven. What is this battle all about? If we can understand how this conflict began, we will certainly comprehend more about the conflict of the end time, since we know Satan has extended the same battle to the earth.
The bible says this in regards to the motivation of Lucifer’s heart while in heaven.
Isaiah 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Satan wanted to sit upon the Mount of the Congregation, upon the heavenly church, upon the Har Moed. He wanted to be the leader of the church. The bible explicitly says. He wanted to exalt his “throne”. In the bible a throne is a word used to describe a kingdom or a government since a throne is what a king uses to rule his kingdom. The symbols are clear. Satan wanted to establish a new kingdom, a neg Government. Satan proclaimed to the universe a greater and better kingdom than that of God.
The next question we can make in relation to this is the following. What are the features of this new kingdom that Satan promoted to establish in heaven? One of the things we can understand as a principle, is the fact that knowing the truth, will expose the counterfeit. So, let’s first see what are the characteristics of the throne of God to understand later what Satan is trying to counterfeit.
Psalms 89:14 “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face”
The kingdom or the government of God is based upon his own righteousness and justice. His kingdom is a kingdom of righteousness and a kingdom that does the right thing and makes the right judgments in behalf of his creatures. In other words, the kingdom of God is righteous, because God is righteous, the Kingdom of God is just because he is just. And what exactly is righteousness you might ask. Well, the bible gives us a clearer understanding of what the righteousness of God is.
Psalms 119:172 “My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness
The Righteousness of God is manifested in his commandments. The law of God is a reflect of the character of God. his law is righteous and God is righteous. This is the reason why God wants to write his law in our hearts and minds (Hebrews 8:16). God wants to put his righteousness un us, that’s his ultimate purpose, to make us like him. It was his desire from the very beginning and he hasn’t changed his mind. His purposes will be fulfilled in a group of people that accept his government rather than Satan’s Government.
Gods’ government then is a Kingdom of Righteousness based on God’s righteousness, a kingdom of Justice based on God’s justice, and a kingdom founded upon God’s commandments. This is the perfect kingdom of God.
Satan’s government on the other hand is based not on the righteousness of God but on his own self-righteousness, self-justice and obviously his own counterfeit commandments. In other words. Satan’s kingdom is an appeal to those that are not looking for the perfect character of God but for a half righteous character. An “almost perfect” righteousness. Isn’t this what the Christian world is proclaiming to the inhabitants of the earth? A life that is not complete and perfect, since “no one is perfect”. A half obedience to the commandments of God, since no one can obey them? Trough the frame work we are using, we can clearly perceive how Satan is behind all this offering a “new” and “better” kingdom where everyone is entitled to follow their own righteousness and obey God according to their own ideas and traditions.
But this is What we really need to know. God is offering his kingdom of perfect righteousness to each one of us freely, and this righteousness can be attained not in our own strength but by his own power. this is the missing link in all our Christian theology, we can be like God, not by our own ideas or traditions, but by submitting to the power of the one who is able to make us conquerors. We can accept his power in our lives and live like righteous men and women.
Little Horn.
In the book of Daniel in chapter seven, the bible describes a religious power described as “the little horn”. This entity is also pointed as one persecuting the people of God for 1260 years (Daniel 7:25). As you consider history, there is only one power that fits the description to the “t” and this power is no other than the papacy, the Roman Catholic Church. No other power has persecuted Christians for such a long and specific time.
Now, this little horn is said to do different things besides persecuting the saints.
Daniel 7:25 “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
One thing we know, and it’s clear. The papacy has changed the law of God. if you open a catechism which is the study book, they use to teach their converts, you will find that the second commandment has been removed from the decalogue, and you will also notice the fourth commandment which commands God’s people to remember and keep the seventh day Sabbath Holy, has been changed, and instead, they have established a new day of worship which they declared to be the day of the Lord, which in any place in the bible can we find that evidence. Only the sabbath is called the day of the Lord in the bible, from the beginning of creation till the end (Genesis 2:1-3, Isaiah 58, Revelation 1:10).
Another interesting thing is that Daniel 7:25 also tells us that the little horn will think to change “times”. The word times can also be translated as “appointed times”. In other words. The papacy would try to change the “appointed times” of God. Even more interesting and amazing is to know that the sabbath is described in the book of Leviticus in chapter 23 as an “appointed time” of the Lord. Let me show you.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
Lev 23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.
Now, you might ask, But where in this verses do we find the seventh day being described as an appointed time? Well, here we go, the word “Feast” is also the Hebrew word for “appointed time” it is just translated as feast in this verse. The sabbath is then declared to be an appointed time of the Lord. This is what the bible predicted the Papacy would do, and he is thinking to do that from a long time ago. This is the work of the antichrist, to sit in the place of God, making himself God. And where is that God sits? According to the bible, in the Mount of the Congregation.
But something that is not clearly appreciated in the English translation is the fact that the word “Feast” is the Hebrew word “Moed”. Which is also the same word used to describe “Mount Moed” or the “Mount of the assembly”.
Are you following the logic here? We can clearly see here that “Mount Moed” or the “Mount of the Feast” it’s obviously the “Mount of the Appointed Time”. The reason is I believe very obvious. Upon this Mountain, every child of God is commanded to attend to his presence in the appointed time of the sabbath. This amazing truth show us that the little horn is specifically intending to attack the very commandment that God established in regards to the appointed time. Satan is intending to establish a new “Appointed time” a New Mount of the Assembly a New Mount Megiddo.
The Two Mountains
In the bible there are two Mountains that are shown to be in direct conflict. One is Called “Babylon” the other one is called “New Jerusalem” or “Mount Zion”. These two mountains claim to be the right and true mountain. Each one of these mountains with their own leader claim to have the true authority to judge man. On one side you have God with his son Jesus Christ calling people to the true worship of God in his due appointed time the Seventh Day Sabbath. On the other hand, you have Satan and his “only begotten son” the papacy, which by the way is also called the “Son of perdition” in the book of Thessalonians. And they also call people to their own “appointed time” Sunday, the first day of the week. This day is kept in their own ideas and in their own way, not by any biblical commandment, but by their own self-righteousness and justice.
Through their own agencies or sons, God and Satan are trying to manifest and show their righteousness to the world.
God, through his son Jesus Christ is manifesting his perfect righteousness, demonstrating that a man can live a perfect and righteous life when they submit to the Lord.
On the other hand, Satan is manifesting trough his infamous son the imperfect righteousness of a fallen creature, and he proclaims this to be the standard of righteousness of the kingdom of God, what a fallacy and deception has fallen upon the world. this is the real battle of the Har-Moed, the battle of Armageddon, the battle of the “Appointed times” where both groups are gathering their loyal followers.
The Counterfeit Horn.
As we saw already, the papacy is called the little horn in the bible. A horn in the scriptures is a symbol of Power and of a kingdom or king. Since Satan is always trying to counterfeit God’s word and power, and since the papacy is a counterfeit of Jesus, is clear that the papacy is actually a “counterfeit horn” and that Jesus is actually the true horn of God.
Psalms 18:2 “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
There is no doubt. The only power able to help us in this battle is the power of Jesus Christ. He is the horn of our salvation. He is the only one that can save us. it is only his righteousness that can make us like God. The papacy is making the same claim in regards to his own self-righteousness, and the pope declares that it is through his power that the sins of the world can be forgiven and he can also impart his righteousness.
Synagogue of Satan.
Let’s read again the verses where we find the Armageddon.
Revelation 16:13:16 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.
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.
And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
The word “gathered” is the Greek word “sinagoo” which is the same word that we used for synagogue. Satan and his emissaries go to all the world to synagogue his people, to gather them for a battle, he puts them together into a world-wide movement, into his own church, into his own mountain. Satan uses his three messages to gather his people and he claims to bring them upon “Mount Zion” The Mount of the Congregation, the Mount of the Assembly.
Interestingly enough, God has also three angels’ messages in Revelation 14, which have exactly the same purpose, to gather his people for the final conflict in a place called Har Moed. Mount of the Assembly or Mount Zion. This is now then a matter of decision. Are we going to gather in the mountain of unrighteousness or in the mountain of perfect righteousness and perfect obedience to God’s commandments?
Are we going to accept the “Appointed time of God” or the “Appointed time of the Beast”
The book of Revelation gives a word of encouragement and hope for those that will be living in the time of the end. To those that will be persecuted and thrown into prison. Notice.
Revelation 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan
Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Revelation 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Those that overcome will not be hurt of the second death. It is only trough Jesus Christ that we can overcome. Satan will gather his synagogue and fight against God’s church, but those that overcome and be faithful unto death will be victorious and will receive a crown of life.
The 144 thousand.
In the book of Revelation, we finally see who will be victorious in the battle of Armageddon. We finally see the result of those that will finally overcome in the cosmic battle that began in heaven. Who will be victorious in the battle of righteousness?
Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
These are the ones that have overcome. ( ) Those that have decided to side with the lamb, those that decided to be gathered into the true Mount Zion, the Mount of the true Appointed time. We know this people will finally reflect the perfect righteousness of God because the bible says that they have the name of their father written in their foreheads. The name of the father is his character, is his righteousness, Is his perfect image. This hundred and forty-four thousand have decided to be faithful to the kingdom of righteousness that God established from the very beginning.
May the Lord help us to be faithful till the end and receive the pure and holy righteousness of our heavenly father.
