9 Armageddon
ARMAGEDDON
ON SEPTEMBER 2, 1945, JUST AFTER HE HAD WITNESSED JAPAN'S LEADERS, SIGN THE PAPERS THAT ENDED WORLD WAR II.
GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR, SAID THESE WORDS;
"WE HAVE HAD OUR LAST CHANCE,
IF WE DO NOT NOW DEVISE SOME GREATER
AND MORE EQUITABLE SYSTEM,
ARMAGEDDON WILL BE AT OUT DOOR".
SHORTLY AFTER RONALD REAGAN WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT. HE WAS ASTOUNDED BY THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE MIDDLE EAST UNREST.
ON MAY 15, 1981, HE SCRIBBLED IN HIS DIARY, "SOMETIMES I WONDER IF WE ARE DESTINED TO WITNESS ARMAGEDDON."
THEN ONLY THREE WEEKS LATER, ON JUNE 7, HE RECEIVED NEWS THAT ISRAEL HAD BOMBED THE IRAQI NUCLEAR REACTOR.
THAT AFTERNOON HE WROTE IN HIS DIARY,
"GOT WORD OF ISRAELS BOMBING OF IRAQS NUCLEAR REACTOR. I SWEAR, I BELIEVE ARMAGEDDON IS NEAR."
THE UNITED STATES IS NO STRANGER TO WAR.
IN OUR HISTORY WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN TWENTY-NINE WARS OR MILITARY CONFLICTS.
THAT'S ONE WAR FOR EVERY EIGHT YEARS.
ABOUT 1,314,971 AMERICAN TROOPS HAVE DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THESE WARS.
25,000 IN THE WAR FOR INDEPENDANCE
623,026 IN THE CIVIL WAR
OVER 400,000 IN WWII
OVER 58,000 IN VIETNAM
OVER 4,000 IN THE IRAN/AFGANISTAN CONFLICTS
BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER WAR THAT WILL MAKE ALL THESE WARS, LOOK LIKE MINOR SKIRMISHES.
THIS WAR WILL DRAW THE FINAL CURTAIN ON MODERN CIVILIZATION.
ACTUALLY THE ONLY THING HOLDING IT BACK IS FOR THE CHURCH TO BE RAPTURED OUT, AND FOR THAT END TIME CLOCK TO BEGIN TICKING DOWN.
THE PREPARATION OF THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
REVELATION 12:9 (NIV)
9 THE GREAT DRAGON WAS HURLED DOWN—THAT ANCIENT SERPENT CALLED THE DEVIL, OR SATAN, WHO LEADS THE WHOLE WORLD ASTRAY. HE WAS HURLED TO THE EARTH, AND HIS ANGELS WITH HIM.
AND
REVELATION 12:13 (NIV)
13 WHEN THE DRAGON SAW THAT HE HAD BEEN HURLED TO THE EARTH, HE PURSUED THE WOMAN WHO HAD GIVEN BIRTH TO THE MALE CHILD.
DURING THE TRIBULATION, WHEN SATAN IS CAST OUT OF HEAVEN TO THE EARTH, HE WILL IMMEDIATELY BEGIN TO PERSECUTE THE "WOMAN"
THE 'WOMAN' IS ACTUALLY ISRAEL.
SATAN'S FIRST ATTEMPT AT PERSECUTION WILL BE THE BATTLE OF GOG AND MAGOG.
WE STUDIED THAT BATTLE LAST WEEK.
BUT GOD WILL FIGHT FOR ISRAEL AND RESCUE HER.
THE THWARTING OF THE BATTLE OF GOG AND MAGOG WILL BE A SETBACK TO SATAN.
BUT HE'S NOT GOING TO GIVE UP.
HIS HATRED FOR THE JEWS IS RELENTLESS.
REVELATION 16:13 (NIV)
13 THEN I SAW THREE EVIL SPIRITS THAT LOOKED LIKE FROGS; THEY CAME OUT OF THE MOUTH OF THE DRAGON, OUT OF THE MOUTH OF THE BEAST AND OUT OF THE MOUTH OF THE FALSE PROPHET.
SATAN WILL EMPOWER THE BEAST, WHO IS THE HEAD OF THE REESTABLISHED ROMAN EMPIRE,
AND THE FALSE PROPHED, THE HEAD OF THE NEW WORLD RELIGIOUS SYSTEM.
THE PLACE OF THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
ARMAGEDDON
IS ACTUALLY MORE OF A PLACE THAN A BATTLE.
THE NAME COMES FROM THE HEBREW WORD HARMAGEDDON, WHICH MEANS THE MOUNT OF MEGIDDO.
HAR MEANS MOUNT
AND MEGIDDO MEANS SLAUGHTER.
SO HAR...MAGEDDON MEANS MOUNT OF SLAUGHTER.
THE MOUNTAIN OF MEGIDDO IS LOCATED IN NORTHERN ISRAEL.
IT'S ABOUT 10 MILES FROM NAZARETH THE TOWN WHERE JESUS GREW UP.
ARMAGEDDON HAS BEEN THE LOCATION OF A LOT OF BATTLES DOWN THROUGH THE CENTURIES.
IT WAS AT MEGIDDO THAT DEBORAH AND BARAK DEFEATED THE CANAANITES. (JUDGES 4-5)
IT WAS HERE THAT GIDEON DEFEATED THE MIDIANITES.
(JUDGES 7)
KING SAUL WAS KILLED HERE ALONG WITH HIS SONS DURING A WAR WITH THE PHILISTINES. (1 SAMUEL 31)
AHAZIAH WAS SLAIN HERE BY JEHU. (2 KINGS 9)
JOASH WAS SLAIN BY INVADING EGYPTIANS HERE.
(2 KINGS 23)
THERE HAS BEEN A LONG SUCCESSION OF BATTLES AND ARMIES WAGING WAR AT THIS LOCATION.
ACORDING TO ALAN JOHNSON
MORE THAN 200 BATTLES HAVE BEEN FOUGHT AT OR NEAR HERE.
MEGIDDO IS TRULY A MOUNT OF SLAUGHTER.
IN 1799, NAPOLEON STOOD AT MEGIDDO AND DECLARED
"ALL THE ARMIES OF THE WORLD COULD MANEUVER THEIR FORCES ON THIS VAST PLAIN... THERE IS NO PLACE IN THE WHOLE WORLD MORE SUITED FOR WAR THAN THIS... IT IS THE MOST NATURAL BATTLE GROUND ON THE WHOLE EARTH."
WHILE IT IS NO MYSTERY WHY THE EARTH'S FINAL BATTLE WILL BE AT ARMAGEDDON, WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT IT WILL NOT BE CONTAINED THERE.
JOEL SPEAKS OF THE BATTLE BEING FOUGHT IN THE VALLEY OF JEHOSHAPHAT, WHICH IS CLOSE TO JERUSALEM AND ISAIAH SHOWS CHRIST COMING WITH BLOOD STAINED GARMENTS FROM EDOM, WHICH IS JORDAN.
SO IT SEEMS THAT THE BATTLE WILL STRETCH ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY OF ISRAEL.
ZECHARIAH 12:2-3 (NIV)
12 2 “I AM GOING TO MAKE JERUSALEM A CUP THAT SENDS ALL THE SURROUNDING PEOPLES REELING. JUDAH WILL BE BESIEGED AS WELL AS JERUSALEM. 3 ON THAT DAY, WHEN ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH ARE GATHERED AGAINST HER, I WILL MAKE JERUSALEM AN IMMOVABLE ROCK FOR ALL THE NATIONS. ALL WHO TRY TO MOVE IT WILL INJURE THEMSELVES.
SO SCRIPTURE TEACHES US THAT THE BATTLE WILL LITERALLY FILL THE WHOLE LAND OF ISRAEL.
THIS WAR WILL BE SO HORRIFIC THAT THE BIBLE SAYS BLOOD WILL FLOW IN STAGGERING TORRENTS.
(REVELATION 14:20)
WHILE THIS MAY SOUND HARD TO IMAGINE, IT IS NOT UNHEARD OF IN HUMAN HISTORY.
JOSEPHUS WROTE ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM IN 70 AD.
HE SAID; THE ROMANS RAN THROUGH EVERYONE THEY MET. THE WHOLE CITY RAN DOWN WITH BLOOD TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT THE FIRE OF MANY OF THE HOUSES WERE QUENCHED WITH THE BLOOD.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON?
1. TO FINISH GOD'S JUDGMENT UPON ISRAEL.
THE TRIBULATION PERIOD IS A TIME OF DIVINE INDIGNATION AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.
THEY REJECTED THEIR MESSIAH AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN THEY FAILED TO HEED THE CORRECTIVE PUNISHMENT OF GOD.
THAT'S WHY THIS TIME IS CALLED
"THE TIME OF JACOB'S TROUBLE."
2. TO FINALIZE HIS JUDGMENT UPON THE NATIONS THAT HAVE PERSECUTED ISRAEL.
GOD IS GOING TO DEAL WITH THESE NATIONS FINALLY AND DECISIVELY.
3. TO FORMALLY JUDGE ALL THE NATIONS THAT HAVE REJECTED HIM.
BECAUSE GOD IS SLOW TO BRING ABOUT HIS JUDGMENT, MANY NATIONS TEND TO DISMISS HIS JUDGMENT AND THINK IT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.
REVELATION 16:9 (NIV)
9 THEY WERE SEARED BY THE INTENSE HEAT AND THEY CURSED THE NAME OF GOD, WHO HAD CONTROL OVER THESE PLAGUES, BUT THEY REFUSED TO REPENT AND GLORIFY HIM.
THIS VERSE SHOWS JUST HOW INCREDIBLY WICKED THE NATIONS WILL HAVE BECOME.
EVEN IN THEIR PAIN THEY CURSE GOD AND REFUSE TO REPENT AND GLORIFY HIM.
THE BATTLE OF GOG AND MAGOG IS NOT THE SAME AS THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.
IN THE BATTLE OF GOG, RUSSIA AND AT LEAST 5 OTHER NATIONS ARE INVOLVED.
IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON, ALL THE OTHER NATIONS OF THE WORLD ARE INVOLVED.
IN THE BATTLE OF GOG, THE INVADERS WILL ATTACK FROM THE NORTH.
IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON, THE ARMIES COME FROM THE NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST.
IN THE BATTLE OF GOG, THE PURPOSE OF THE ARMIES
IS TO "TAKE A SPOIL, AND TO TAKE A PREY"
IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON, THE PURPOSE IS TO ANNIHILATE THE JEWS AND TO FIGHT CHRIST AND HIS ARMY.
IN THE BATTLE OF GOG, RUSSIA WILL BE THE LEADER OF THE NATIONS.
IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON, THE ANTICHRIST WILL BE THE LEADER.
IN THE BATTLE OF GOG, GOD DEFEATS THE NORTHERN INVADERS WITH THE CONVULTIONS OF THE EARTH,
THE CONFUSION OF THE TROOPS, THE CONTAGION OF DISEASES, AND CALAMITIES FROM THE SKY.
IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON, THE ARMIES ARE DEFEATED BY THE WORD OF CHRIST -- "A SHARP SWORD"
IN THE BATTLE OF GOG, ISRAEL'S ENEMIES WILL PERISH UPON THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL AND IN THE OPEN FIELD.
IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON THOSE SLAIN BY THE LORD WILL LIE WHERE THEY FALL, FROM ONE END OF THE EARTH TO THE OTHER.
IN THE BATTLE OF GOG, THE DEAD WILL BE BURIED
IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON, THEY WILL NOT BE BURIED, BUT THEIR CARCASSES WILL BE TOTALLY CONSUMED BY THE BIRDS.
WHO IS GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON?
AS WE'VE ALREADY SAID, ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE INVOLVED AND THEY WILL BE LED BY THE ANTICHRIST.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL MAKE A DEAL WITH ISRAEL.
DANIEL 9:27 (NIV)
27 HE WILL CONFIRM A COVENANT WITH MANY FOR ONE ‘SEVEN.’ IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ‘SEVEN’ HE WILL PUT AN END TO SACRIFICE AND OFFERING.
IN PROPHETIC LANGUAGE, THE SEVEN MEANS SEVEN YEARS.
A SHORT WHILE AGO, JIMMY CARTER CAME CLOSE TO BROKERING A PEACE TREATY WITH ISRAEL AND HAMAS THAT HAD A TEN YEAR TIME LIMIT.
I GUESS THAT IN THE LAST DAYS, ISRAEL WILL THINK THAT ANY PEACE TREATY, EVEN ONE WITH A TIME LIMIT IS BETTER THAN NOTHING.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL WANT TO BE WORSHIPED
RIGHT AFTER HE SIGNS THIS PEACE TREATY WITH ISRAEL,
THE ANTICHRIST WILL BEGIN TO STRENGTHEN HIS POWER BASE BY PERFORMING AMAZING SIGNS AND WONDERS.
INCLUDING A SUPPOSED RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD.
THEN WITH HIS POWER FIRMLY IN PLACE, HE WILL BEGIN TO ARROGANTLY DEFY GOD.
DANIEL 11:36-39 (NIV)
36 “THE KING WILL DO AS HE PLEASES. HE WILL EXALT AND MAGNIFY HIMSELF ABOVE EVERY GOD AND WILL SAY UNHEARD-OF THINGS AGAINST THE GOD OF GODS. HE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL UNTIL THE TIME OF WRATH IS COMPLETED, FOR WHAT HAS BEEN DETERMINED MUST TAKE PLACE. 37 HE WILL SHOW NO REGARD FOR THE GODS OF HIS FATHERS OR FOR THE ONE DESIRED BY WOMEN, NOR WILL HE REGARD ANY GOD, BUT WILL EXALT HIMSELF ABOVE THEM ALL. 38 INSTEAD OF THEM, HE WILL HONOR A GOD OF FORTRESSES; A GOD UNKNOWN TO HIS FATHERS HE WILL HONOR WITH GOLD AND SILVER, WITH PRECIOUS STONES AND COSTLY GIFTS. 39 HE WILL ATTACK THE MIGHTIEST FORTRESSES WITH THE HELP OF A FOREIGN GOD AND WILL GREATLY HONOR THOSE WHO ACKNOWLEDGE HIM. HE WILL MAKE THEM RULERS OVER MANY PEOPLE AND WILL DISTRIBUTE THE LAND AT A PRICE.
THE ANTICHRIST WILL BE DRIVEN
TO OBTAIN POWER OVER THE WHOLE WORLD.
AND WHEN HE HAS ACHIEVED IT
HEWILL REQUIRE EVERY LIVING PERSON TO WORSHIP HIM.
THIS GUY HAS GOD COMPLEX.
BUT, HIS GRIP ON GLOBAL POWER WILL NOT LAST LONG.
THE WORLD WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY DISCONTENTED WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS RUTHLESS DICTATOR.
MAJOR SEGMENTS OF THE WORLD WILL BEGIN TO ASSEMBLE THEIR OWN MILITARY FORCES AND REBEL AGAINST HIM.
DANIEL 11:40 (NIV)
40 “AT THE TIME OF THE END THE KING OF THE SOUTH WILL ENGAGE HIM IN BATTLE, AND THE KING OF THE NORTH WILL STORM OUT AGAINST HIM WITH CHARIOTS AND CAVALRY AND A GREAT FLEET OF SHIPS.
AFRICA FROM THE SOUTH, RUSSIA FROM THE NORTH.
AND THEN A NEW THREAT FROM THE EAST.
DANIEL 11:44 (NIV)
44 BUT REPORTS FROM THE EAST AND THE NORTH WILL ALARM HIM, AND HE WILL SET OUT IN A GREAT RAGE TO DESTROY AND ANNIHILATE MANY.
THE ARMY FROM THE EAST IS GOING TO BE HUGE.
REVELATION 9:16 (NIV)
16 THE NUMBER OF THE MOUNTED TROOPS WAS TWO HUNDRED MILLION. I HEARD THEIR NUMBER.
THE EURPHRATES RIVER WILL BE DRIED UP
MAKING IT EASIER FOR THIS 200,000,000 MAN ARMY
MOVE WESTWARD AGAINST THE ANTICHRIST.
ACTUALLY THE EUPHRATIES AND THE TIGRIS RIVERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DRIED UP ONCE.
IN 1990 TURKEY STOPPED THE FLOW OF THE EURPHRATES AND THE TIGRIS RIVERS FOR AN ENTIRE MONTH, DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ATATURK DAM.
WHEN THE EUPHRATES FLOW IS CUT OFF AND THE ARMY FROM THE EAST COMES AGAINST THE ANTICHRIST,
THEN THE FINAL ACT OF THE DRAMA IS ABOUT TO UNFOLD.
AS IF THIS NEWS IS NOT FRIGHTENING ENOUGH,
JOHN TELLS US THAT ALL THESE EVENTS ARE INSPIRED AND DIRECTED BY THE DEMONS OF HELL.
REVELATION 16:14 (NIV)
14 THEY ARE SPIRITS OF DEMONS PERFORMING MIRACULOUS SIGNS, AND THEY GO OUT TO THE KINGS OF THE WHOLE WORLD, TO GATHER THEM FOR THE BATTLE ON THE GREAT DAY OF GOD ALMIGHTY.
NO DOUBT, DEMONISM IN EVERY SHAPE AND FORM WILL MANIFEST ITSELF MORE AND MORE AS THE END DRAWS NEAR, UNTIL IT ALL ENDS IN ARMAGEDDON.
SO ARMAGEDDON IS ACTUALLY A BATTLE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH AND HELL.
AND SO THE STAGE IS SET FOR THE LAST, STUNNING MOVEMENT IN THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.
THE DESCENDING OF OUR LORD FROM THE HEAVENS.
HE IS COMING ON A WHITE HORSE TO JUDGE AND MAKE WAR.
HIS CLOTHES ARE A ROBE THAT HAS BEEN DIPPED IN BLOOD.
THE ARMIES OF HEAVEN WILL BE WITH HIM.
AND THEY WILL ONCE AND FOR ALL,
PUT AN END TO THE EVIL OF THE ANTICHRIST.
WHEN JESUS DESCENDS,
HE WILL BRING BACK ALL THOSE WHO WERE RAPTURED,
AS WELL AS ALL THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN.
THERE'S A LOT OF ANGELS.
REVELATION 5:11 (NIV)
11 THEN I LOOKED AND HEARD THE VOICE OF MANY ANGELS, NUMBERING THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS, AND TEN THOUSAND TIMES TEN THOUSAND.
THAT IS TO SAY THOUSANDS AND MILLIONS OF ANGELS.
WHAT A THRILLING PICTURE;
THE HUMAN SAINTS SIDE BY SIDE WITH GOD'S ANGELS
DOING BATTLE AGAINST THE EVIL THAT HAS TORMENTED THIS WORLD FOR SO MANY MILLENNIA.
THERE IS AN OLD COUNTRY MUSIC SONG, WRITTEN BY
ROY ACUFF AND ODELL MCLEOD.
IT GOES LIKE THIS;
THERE'S A MIGHTY BATTLE COMING AND IT'S WELL NOW ON ITS WAY.
IT'LL BE FOUGHT AT ARMAGEDDON, IT SHALL BE A SAD, SAD DAY.
IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, WORDS IN CHAPTER SIXTEEN SAY:
THERE'LL BE GATHERED THERE GREAT ARMIES FOR THAT BATTLE ON THAT DAY.
REFRAIN:
ALL THE WAY FROM THE GATES OF EDEN TO THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
THERE'S BEEN TROUBLES AND TRIBULATION, THERE'LL BE SORROW AND DESPAIR.
HE HAS SAID "YE NOT BE TROUBLED FOR THESE THINGS SHALL COME TO PASS."
THEN YOUR LIFE WILL BE ETERNAL WHEN YOU DWELL WITH HIM AT LAST.
TURN THE PAGES OF YOUR BIBLE, IN ST. MATTHEW YOU WILL SEE,
START WITH CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR AND READ FROM ONE TO THIRTY THREE.
IN OUR SAVIOR'S BLESSED WORDS HE SAID ON EARTH, HE PROPHESIED,
FOR HE SPOKE OF THIS GREAT BATTLE THAT IS COMING BY AND BY.
REFRAIN:
THERE'LL BE NATION AGAINST NATION, THERE'LL BE WAR AND RUMOR OF WAR.
THERE'LL BE GREAT SIGNS IN HEAVEN, IN THE SUN, THE MOON, THE STARS.
OH, THE HEARTS OF MEN SHALL FAIL THEM, THERE'LL BE GNASHING OF THE TEETH,
THOSE WHO SEEK IT WILL RECEIVE IT, MERCY AT THE SAVIOR'S FEET.
WE MAY BE DISTURBED BY THE SIGNS WE SEE,
BUT WE WHO TRUST THE SAVIOR HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR.
JESUS LOVES AND PROTECTS HIS OWN,
AND WHATEVER COMES, IF WE SEEK HIM AND HIS WILL,
WE'LL BE AMONG THOSE WHOM HE SAVES FROM
THE WRATH TO COME.