Our study of Zechariah brings us to the Battle of Armageddon. Zechariah 12 gives very interesting details about that end-time event. Before we get into those details, I want to set the stage for the Battle of Armageddon from other texts in Scripture.
I. THE END-TIME SETTING FOR THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
Let’s look first at Revelation 16:12-16.
“Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 ‘Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.’ 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.”i
The word translated “battle” in verse 14 is polemos. It is more appropriately translated “war” which is the way the New American Standard Bible translates it. Vincent says the Greek word for battle is mache.ii This conflict is a campaign that culminates in a final battle. That final battle destruction of Israel’s enemies at the Second Coming of Christ. The conflict between Israel and Antichrist will begin in the middle of the Tribulation period when Antichrist breaks his covenant and desecrates the temple.iii
Here in Revelation 16 the war has expanded to include “the kings of the earth and of the whole world” (Rev. 16:14). The gathering of the nations in Palestine for this final show down is inspired by demon spirits sent forth by Satan and the Antichrist. The “ kings of the earth” think they are gathering to destroy Israel, but the sovereign God is gathering them for their own destruction.
Joel prophesied this end-time gathering. In Joel 3:1-2 God says, “For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, [This has begun happening in our generation.] 2 I will also gather all nations [notice this is world-wide], And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel . . . .” The location identified here is the “Valley of Jehoshaphat” which is an area immediately east of Jerusalem.
But the primary gathering place where the troops will be assembled is Megiddo, north of Jerusalem, ten miles south of Nazareth. Armageddon is literally “the mount of Megiddo.” The plain of Esdraelon there at Megiddo has been “a chosen place of encampment” for many armies in the past.iv In Judges 4-5 Debora defeated the Canaanites there. That’s where Gideon defeated the Midianites (Judges 7). King Josiah was killed there when the Egyptians invaded Israel.v Megiddo is the primary location of the troops. Keep in mind the size of the armies gathered for this final conflict. The kings of the East alone bring 200 million soldiers. “The battle will spread out over the entire land of Palestine.”vi
There are four gentile power centers in the world during the last days. One is a Northern confederation that includes Iran, Syria, Turkey, and possibly Russia. There is debate as to whether “Rosh” in Ezekiel 38:2 is a reference to Russia. Ezekiel 38:6 does tell us this huge army includes troops from “the far north.” vii
In this war described in Ezekiel 38-39, these Northern countries come down to attack Israel but are destroyed in the process. Some theologians think this is part of the Armageddon battle at the end of the Tribulation period. I personally think it is a separate war that occurs sometimes near the beginning of the Tribulation period. It could even be a catalyst to the covenant between Antichrist and Israel. It is difficult to establish the exact time this happens. But Dwight Pentecost makes a convincing argument that it is not part of the Armageddon battle at the end of the Tribulation period.
The following differences indicate they are separate events.
(1) “In the battle of Gog [Ezek. 38-39] definite allies are mentioned, while in Armageddon all nations are engaged (Joel 3:2; Zeph. 3:8; Zech. 12:3; 14:4).
(2) Gog comes from the north (Ezek. 38:6, 15; 39:2), while at Armageddon the armies come from the whole earth. (3) Gog comes to take spoil (Ezek. 38:11-12), while at Armageddon the nations assemble to destroy the people of God.
(4) There is protest against Gog’s invasion (Ezek.38:13), but at Armageddon there is no protest for all the nations are joined against Jerusalem.
(5) Gog is the head of the armies in his invasion (38:7 R.V.), but at Armageddon the Beast is the head of the invasion (Rev. 19:19).
(6) Gog is overthrown by convulsions of nature (38:22), but the armies at Armageddon are destroyed by the sword that goes out of Christ’s mouth (Rev. 19:15).
(7) Gog’s armies are arrayed in the open field (Ezek. 39:5), while at Armageddon they are seen in the city of Jerusalem (Zech. 14:2-4).
(8) The Lord calls for assistance in executing judgment on Gog (Ezek. 38:21), while at Armageddon He is viewed as treading the winepress alone (Isa. 63:3-6).”viii
We do not have time to deal with all this in depth. But these differences convince me that the war in Ezekiel 38-39 happens prior to the final battle at Armageddon. It could occur before the Tribulation period.ix There are some arguments for placing it near the middle of the Tribulation period.x Iran is currently preparing for this war as they develop their nuclear capabilities. There will definitely be war between Israel and Iran.
If Ezekiel 38-39 war occurs prior to the end, then the Northern alliance will have been neutralized and probably brought under the dominion of Antichrist during the second half of the Tribulation period. Daniel 11:40 also talks about a Southern power centerthat does battle during the end times. That alliance is probably defeated by Antichrist prior to the final Armageddon battle.xi
With the Northern and Southern alliances defeated, Antichrist will consolidate his power in the latter part of the Tribulation period. Revelation 13:7-8 tells us the extent of his authority. “And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
So, at the end of the Tribulation period the dominate power in the world is the Antichrist. His kingdom rises out of the old Roman Empire. That territory includes Syria, Palestine, Asia Minor, Europe, and England.xii By extension this Western Roman culture has expanded to include the Americas. The Asian confederacy that we read about in Revelation 16:14 would probably be led by China.xiii Out of these two power centers, the armies of the world converge on Jerusalem in what we refer to as the Battle of Armageddon.xiv That is the general situation in the last days as we approach our text in Zechariah 12.
II. ZECHARIAH'S ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
In Zechariah 11 we saw Israel’s rejection of Messiah at his First Advent and concluded with a few verses about the Antichrist who would emerge in the last days. Zechariah 12:1 introduces a new section with the phrase: “The burden of the word of the Lord.” The last half of this book has two sections: chapters 9-11 and chapters 12-14. Each of those sections begins with that phrase, “The burden of the word of the Lord.”
Today we launch into this last section of Zechariah. These last three chapters deal with end-time events that bring the current age to a close. Commenting on this section, Eugene Merrill wrote, “Few writings of the OT are so consistently and persistently rooted in the eschaton as this. That classical eschatological formula ‘in that day” or the like occurs 19 times in just 45 verses. . . .”xv The rest of Zechariah provides graphic details about end-time events.
The subject of this oracle is the nation of Israel: “The burden of the word of the Lord against Israel.” The context requires the NIV translation: “concerning Israel.” The events in these three chapters records God’s defense of Israel and his judgment on the nations who have persecuted her. This is about the entire nation although Judah and Jerusalem are the focus.xvi
Zechariah 12:1 uses three participles to convey the authority of God to fulfill the predictions that follow. “Thus says the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him.”xvii As properly reflected in this translation, these participles indicate ongoing action.xviii God did not just create the heavens and earth, then step back and take his hands off as the deists would have us believe. He is actively engaged in his creation. He is actively engaged in individual lives. Hebrews 1:3 tells us he is “upholding all things by the word of His power.” If he withdrew that, the elements would melt with fervent heat.”xix The atomic composition of the material world would fly apart in an unimaginable nuclear explosion. In fact, that will happen at the end of the Millennium as God creates a new heaven and earth for our eternal abode (Rev. 21:1).
If we consider Israel’s situation in Zechariah’s day when this prophecy is given, we can understand why this authentication of the message is given upfront. The prophecy foresees all the armies of the world converging in Palestine to destroy Israel. At the time this oracle is given, there were less than 50,000 Jews in the area.xx Greene County, Missouri alone has almost 10 times that population. When Nehemiah counted the people, he talked about the physical size of Jerusalem, then said, “the people in it were few” (Neh. 7:4). Compared to the great empires of the gentile world, they we insignificant in numbers. Yet Zechariah is predicting their victory over all the armies of the world. Even with a population of six million today, it is nothing compared to just the armies from the east of 200 million. It would be natural to think, how could this prophecy possibly come to pass. It happens because the God of the heavens and earth intervenes and brings it to pass. This miracle far exceeds the miracle God did in Egypt at the first exodus.
So how does God work this great victory for his people in the Battle of Armageddon? He does it by weakening the Antichrist army and by strengthening the Israelites.
First, he confounds and weakens the gentile army (vs 2-4). Two metaphors are used to describe the effects of this. The first one is in verse 2 where God says, “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem.”xxi The idea here is of someone drinking wine for pleasure but ending up drunk, humiliated, and incapacitated. They attack Judah with the idea of consuming the nation for their own pleasure and enrichment. Instead, they are rendered weak and helpless like a drunk man.
Then in verse 3 the second metaphor takes the effect further in that they are not only weakened, but seriously injured as well. “And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.” Antichrist has all the nations involved in this attack. But that will not matter. It will be like a person picking up a heavy stone with jagged edges. In the process he is cut and severely injured.xxii
Verse 4 vividly describes God’s action against this pagan army. “‘In that day,’ says the Lord, ‘I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness; I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.” God opening his eyes on the house of Judah is an assurance of watchful care over his people.
Three actions are brought against Antichrist’s army:
(1) “I will strike every horse with confusion.” The horse represents the army’s war machines. They won’t work as expected. The attack will be thrown into confusion. The RSV says, “I will strike every horse with panic.” The Hebrew word timmahown means “astonishment, bewilderment, stupefaction.”xxiii
(2) “and its rider with madness.” Those running the war machine won’t be able to think right.
(3) “and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.” This is terminology of warfare that Zechariah would understand in his day.xxiv The armies of that day relied on their horses for success in battle. Today we are heavily reliant on high tech equipment. What if the radar stopped working? What if the computer chips failed and the guided missiles miss their target? However, the details play out at the Battle of Armageddon, this verse tells us the vast army that comes against Israel will be thrown into panic and confusion by an act of God himself.xxv All of this could easily result in destruction through “friendly fire,” or the panic could cause them to break rank and run even though they have superior numbers.
It should not be hard for us to conceive of all this happening. During the Six Day War similar things happened. Early in the war, 200 Israeli planes were making their way toward Egypt. Egypt’s ally, Jordon, detected the attack and “forwarded a coded warning to Egypt.” However, the Egyptians had changed their message-coding equipment without notifying the Jordanians. As a result of their failure to get the warning, the Israelis were able to destroy half of Egypt’s air force in only three hours.xxvi
Toward the end of the war a cease fire was in the making. Israel knew that the borders would be established based on where the armies were when the cease fire went into effect. So, they were stalling for the cease-fire because they were wanting to get as much as the Golan Heights as they could.
But Syria began to realize the tide of battle was going against them. So, they were pressing and urging the world for an immediate cease-fire. And in order to press the world for that, Damascus radio began to broadcast that the Israeli troops are fighting in the streets of Damascus. It was a lie to push world sentiment toward an immediate cease-fire. However, all the Syrian commanders out in the Golan Heights were listening to the Damascus radio broadcast. They heard and believed all these propaganda lies. They were convinced that Israel had advanced to Damascus and was fighting in the streets of Damascus. Thinking they were cut off; the Syrian tank commanders and their troops began to leave their tanks and flee toward Jordan.
Israeli observation planes saw all these troops fleeing towards Jordan. So, they reported this to headquarters. Knowing this, Israel stalled the cease-fire for one more day, and they were able to take over a thousand square miles of the Golan Heights in just one day. Since Syria had abandoned the territory, Israel sent in their paratroopers to the lines that they wanted, and they took it. The cease-fire was claimed, and they had all of this territory as far out as the paratroopers had gone.xxvii
All of that is a harbinger of what God will do at the Battle of Armageddon. It is happening in our generation.
After weakening Antichrist’s army, God will strengthen his people to win victory over the enemy.
Verses 5-9 describe how that will happen.
In verse 5, their faith in the Lord is strengthened. “And the governors [leaders] of Judah shall say in their heart, [This is not superficial excitement. From their hearts they are seeing God as their strength.] 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the Lord of hosts, their God.'” The NIV is a better translation of that last sentence: “The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the Lord Almighty is their God.”
These clan leaders in the surrounding areas outside Jerusalem see the courageous stand made by those in Jerusalem and are inspired to make a valiant stand themselves. The key concept here is that God’s people from the heart are realizing God is their strength. They will win because they are not trusting in themselves. They are trusting in the Lord. Psalm 125:1: “Those who trust in the Lord Are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.” You can apply that timeless truth to your own current situation.
Then in verse 6 we are told what God does in answer to their faith. “In that day [I hope you are taking note of the many times that phrase confirms the timing of these events. It’s a problem for Replacement theologians because they must spiritualize all this as generally happening in the church. Certainly, there are timeless principles here that apply to the church. But these events will literally happen to the nation of Israel in the last days. In fact, we are already seeing God work like this in the nation of Israel.] I will make the governors of Judah [these are the same leaders we saw in the previous verse] like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place — Jerusalem.”
Two metaphors are used here to describe the empowerment of God that enables Israel to defeat their enemies. First, God says he will make these leaders “like a firepan in the woodpile.”xxviii A firepan is a container “used to carry hot coals for the purpose of building a fire.”xxix When those coals are placed “in the woodpile,” the wood is completely destroyed. In the same way, Israel will destroy this Antichrist army. Secondly, God says he will make these leaders “like a fiery torch in the sheaves.” A burning torch will immediately consume dry sheaves. There is no danger that the sheaves will destroy the fiery torch.
God’s people will “devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place — Jerusalem.” Out of all the combat, Jerusalem will still be standing in its place. Through it all, Jerusalem will sit secure under God’s protection in its own place, the place where God established it.
Verse 7 is instructive as to how God works with his people: “The Lord will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not become greater than that of Judah.” The dignitaries and wealthy dwelt in the city where they were protected by the walls—that was a key point of security in those days. The poorer people dwelt in the fields outside the walls. While those within the city lived in stable housing, those in the field lived in tents. They were the most vulnerable to attack. But just as the previous verse tells us, they will defeat the enemy in glorious fashion.
So why does God give them the first taste of victory? He does it to protect the mutual honor among his people. The “house of David” and “the inhabitants of Jerusalem” already enjoyed more prestige than those living in tents outside the city. Had they enjoyed the first breakthrough to victory, they could easily become prideful and look down on the tent dwellers.
There is a principle here that we often find in God’s dealings with his people. Look at the people God used to bring in Messiah at his First Advent. They were not the high and mighty. Joseph and Mary had to stay in a barn the night Jesus was born.xxx The principle is applied to the Body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12:24-25. “But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.” Do not fret if God has stationed you in a lowly place. It may be the very place where he gives you a glorious victory to be honored by all.
Verse 8 describes the kind of strength God will give his people. “In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the Lord before them.” Now attention is turned to those in Jerusalem. We have seen the strength God will give those in Judah around Jerusalem. Now a similar strength is given to “the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” Even the feeble ones will “be like David.” Of course, David was the national war hero. He was the one who brought down Goliath. He was the one who subdued the enemies of Israel and set up Solomon for a glorious reign of peace. The verse also says, “the house of David [these are the princes of David’s linage] shall be like God [‘elohiym], [‘elohiym is further explained by the phrase:] like the Angel of the Lord before them.” The “the Angel of the Lord before them” is the pre-incarnate Christ seen often in the Old Testament. For example, in Joshua 5:14 he is Captain of the Host who led Israel to victory over Jericho. Zechariah is using hyperbole to make his point.xxxi
The concept here is the amazing empowerment God gives his people in this hour of need. That too is a timeless principle. God provides the strength we need for every situation. Deuteronomy 33:25: “As your days, so shall your strength be.” If in the days ahead, we face unusual challenges, God will give us unusual strength to meet those challenges. We can rest in that assurance.
Finally, in verse 9, God summarizes the victory he will give Israel at the Battle of Armageddon. “It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” That statement is designed to instill confidence in the people of God. From a natural standpoint, the Antichrist army that comes to destroy Jerusalem is overwhelming. They come with the intention of destroying Jerusalem. But it is not their intention that will prevail. It is God’s intention that get accomplished. If God intends a thing, it is as good as done. “It shall be in that day that I [the omnipotent God described in verse 1] will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” You can trust him to get that done.
These verses have described the last-days physical deliverance of Israel from their external enemies. But a greater deliverance will be described in the verses that follow. Israel will not only experience deliverance out of their physical crisis, but they will experience a spiritual transformation in the process. They will be granted victory over the internal tendencies toward sin and uncleanness. The victory is a complete one: spirit, soul, and body.
God does the same thing for each of us. As our Shepherd, he is our protector from physical harm. He is our healer and provider. All of this is important, and we should continually trust him for those things. But he also does the miraculous work of justifying and sanctifying us so that we are prepared and equipped for an eternity with him. If you have a need in that area today, look to Jesus for help. His name is Jesus “for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).
ENDNOTES:
i All Scripture quotes are from the New King James Version unless indicated otherwise.
ii Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament, Rev. 16:14, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft. See also Joseph Thayer, Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, 1896, s. v. “NT:4171.” Accessed in Electronic Database: Biblesoft 2000.
iii Cf. Matt. 24:15-21; Dan. 9:27; Richard W. Tow, Rapture or Tribulation: Will Christians Go Through the Coming Tribulation? (Bloomington, IN: WestBow Press, 2022), 15-30, 151-168.
iv Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament, Rev. 16:16, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft.
v Cf. 2 Kings 23:39-30; 2 Chron. 35:22. Debora defeated the Canaanites there in Judges 4-5, and Saul was killed by the Philistines in 1 Sam. 31:8.
vi Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology, 1958 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1973) 341-342. For convincing arguments against the Ezekiel 38-39 war happening at the beginning or end of the millennium, see Pentecost, 348-350.
vii In the end-time global environment, the whole world will be engaged in conflict. After two world wars, it is easy for us to understand how these alliances develop. Dr. Criswell believes Russia is leading the coalition. Dyer and Rydelkik do not think Rosh is a reference to Russia. W. A. Criswell, Expository Sermons on Revelation: Five Volume Complete and Unabridged in One, Vol. 5, 1962 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978),
40; Charles Dyer and Eva Rydelnik, “Ezekiel” In The Moody Bible Commentary, Michael Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham, eds., (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2014) 1260.
viii Pentecost, 344-345. See also Pentecost, 347-348.
ix Because of his understanding of imminence, Pentecost does not think this is possible. However, my understanding of imminence allows for such a possibility. See Richard W. Tow, Rapture or Tribulation: Will Christians Go Through the Coming Tribulation? (Bloomington, IN: WestBow Press, 2022), 96-97, 119-121, 227-229.
x Pentecost, 350-355.
xi Cf. Pentecost, 356-357.
xii See territory of the old roman empire - Bing images
xiii While the “kings of the east” may just refer to the Parthians, Revelation 16:14 lets us know this gather at Megiddo includes armies from “the whole world.” Cf. Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 803-805.
xiv According to Revelation 16:13-14 the kings of the East will be deceived into joining Antichrist in this final campaign to destroy Israel. In today’s political environment it is easy to see how this could happen through the United Nations.
xv Merrill, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, 284. The Greek word eschatos means last, from which we get the English words eschaton and eschatology. Hill says, “The apocalyptic tone of the oracle is set by the repletion of the phrase on that day, a prophetic shorthand for the eschatological Day of the Lord . . . (emphasis Hill’s). Hill, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, 238.
xvi Cf. Leupold, Exposition of Zechariah, 223-225.
xvii Cf. Isa. 42:5; 44:24; 46:9-10; Luke 1:37.
xviii Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Zech. 12:1. Copyright (c) 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.
xix Cf. Second Peter 3:10-12.
xx When Ezra recorded the number who returned to the homeland, he counted a total of 49,897 (Ezra 2). “The whole company numbered 42,360, 65 besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 200 male and female singers” (vs 64-65 NIV). Cf. Michael Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham, eds., The Moody Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2014) 642.
xxi Keil soundly refutes the interpretation of this verse that Judah would join with the enemy against. Additionally, the Septuagint translation of “threshold,” rather than “cup” does not fit the context and should be rejected. Cf. Isa. 51:21-23.
xxii Unger (p. 209) thinks the idea is that the person ruptures himself in the process of carrying the stone. Both ideas convey essentially the same concept of a person getting injury to himself while trying to pick up the stone (capture Judah and Jerusalem).
xxiii Strong’s Concordance OT:8541.
xxiv When giving revelation God must accommodate the limitations of those receiving the message. Otherwise, the revelation would be nonsensical for them. Zechariah could comprehend the chaos in battle resulting from blinded horses. He would not have understood how modern radar works, for example.
xxv An example of God throwing a superior army into panic and confusion can be seen in Judges 7:20-22.
xxvi Christopher Eames, “Miracles in Six Days,” The Trumpet. Accessed at https://www.thetrumpet.com/15858-miracles-in-six-days.
xxvii Chuck Smith, “Verse by Verse Study of Zechariah 11-12 (C2000), Blue Letter Bible. Accessed at https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/smith_chuck/c2000_Zec/Zec_011.cfm.
xxviii Of course, as the leaders go, so goes the people. Therefore, this promise extends to all the Judahites.
xxix Leupold, 232.
xxx Cf. First Corinthians 1:26-29.
xxxi Cf. Merrill, 289.
