The Battle of Armageddon

The Battle of Armageddon

 

            Last week we read about the Great Tribulation which takes place during the last 3 ½ years of the 7 year Tribulation.  I don’t have space here to go into all the details, but you may want to read the Book of Revelation for better understanding.  During the last 3 ½ years before the Battle of Armageddon many things will take place.  God will send two prophets (Witnesses) to warn people of what is to come.

Many believe these prophets to be Enoch and Elijah, because according to OT readings, they did not die.  Elijah was carried up to heaven in a fiery chariot and Enoch was taken by God. [Genesis 5:24]  Some believe it to be Elijah and Moses, but the Bible says Moses died. [Deuteronomy 34:7]  The bible says ‘it is appointed for man to die once’ so it would appear to be Enoch and Elijah.  In chapter 11:1-8 of Revelation, they are killed in the streets of Jerusalem.

Also, the sun will be darkened; the moon will turn red as blood; meteors will crash to the earth; a third of the fish in the sea will die; a third of the water in the earth will be poisonous and people will be stung with huge scorpions that come out of the earth.  One third of the people on earth will be killed.  Another interesting thing is that 144,000 Jews will be raised up to be witnesses to the world.  The mark of God will be on their forehead, so they will be saved from the mark of the antichrist.  Now to the Battle!

 In Revelation 16:16 it reads “And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.” At the close of the tribulation period, the Antichrist and his false prophet, with the armies of the earth, will besiege the Jewish remnant in Jerusalem.  These world powers will gather in Megiddo on the plain Jezreel which is called Armageddon.  Revelation 19:19 shows us that this battle is between the Antichrist with the leaders (kings) of the earth, and Jesus Christ with his armies of heaven.  This will be the last World War.

As all these armies gather for the Battle, an amazing picture of Christ’s coming unfolds in Revelation 19:11-16.  “ Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.  His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.  He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.  Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

            Apparently, those who attended the Marriage Supper of the Lamb are also His armies for they are clothed in ‘fine linen, white and clean’.  If you are saved by the blood of Jesus and in heaven, then you are among these armies and ready to destroy the remaining evil in the world.  The Wrath of God is pouring out on this evil.  The good is about to triumph of the evil. 

In verse 15 it tells us that he will tread the winepress of the wrath of God.  Strange as it may seem, in Old Testament times it was prophesied in the Book of Joel, chapter 9: 12-17, it was like a warning that this time would come, “ Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow-- For their wickedness is great.”  Now we see that Jesus, himself, is the one to tread the winepress.  All these evil ones in this valley will die this day.  The antichrist and the false prophet will be captured alive and will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. 

            You can only be alive with a body, so note that these 2 were thrown alive into the Lake of Fire, where they will be burned and tormented alive for over a 1,000 years.  Satan has not yet been destroyed and will be locked away safely in the bottomless pit.  God set a seal on him so he will never deceive anyone again.  However, at the end of the 1,000 year millennium he will be judged and his end will come. 

“The devil, which deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:10

            The number of dead from that battle is so great that the birds in the air were called to feed on the flesh of those who died and also the animals that were involved in the battle.  There must be thousands, if not millions of birds that will clean up after this battle.

After such a gruesome picture, I must say to you that from the time God created the heavens and the earth and placed humans here, they have had a choice as to which supper you will attend at the end of time as we know it; the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, or the Tragic Supper of the flesh-eating birds.  May you choose Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior today, because you can see in the Bible the outcome of those who choose to follow the ways of the world.

 

For those who have chosen Jesus, this is not the end!  There is a great time coming after Armageddon and it is called, The Millennium; a time of total peace over the entire earth and joy unimaginable for 1,000 years.  Read next week’s lesson on, “The Millennium”!