The Battle of Armageddon, Pt. 2

But Bible translator and scholar, Robert Moffet argued strongly that the word really refers to the battle of Gideon, when a small but divinely chosen army gained the victory over a powerful and vastly larger enemy. Armageddon comes from the word ‘Amar Gid’ own,’ which can be translated from ‘Yehovah Amar Gid’ own,’ meaning, ‘the word or challenge of Jehovah to Gideon.’ It’s also noteworthy that the battle of Gideon was fought in the valley of megiddo. Revelation chapter 16, verse 14 connects armageddon with the battle of the great day of God almighty, but what exactly is this mysterious battle of armageddon? And what’s involved in it? What’s at stake and how does it affect you? Together, let’s take a careful look at these answers. I don’t know how to break this to you. The Bible tells us that we are at war.

There is a war going on. If you have not felt that war in your mind, then I wonder if you’re trying to live a holy life. Because, if you are Christian, and you are trying to be good in a bad world, you feel conflict. Jesus said, ‘you will be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.’ There is a Great Controversy that is going on in the world between the forces of good and the forces of evil. We see it playing out through history.

Jesus said there will be wars and rumors of wars and there have been from the very beginning and we see it playing out in our lives, this battle between good and evil – the desire to do God’s will between our own will, which is often the will of the evil one too. Now, that takes us to the ultimate battle of battles, which is what this series is about, better known as the battle of armageddon. The very word ‘armageddon’, it’s used a lot of different times – it’s sort of ominous – and it talks about just the ultimate battle, the battle on steroids, of all battles. And so people say that word – it only appears one time in the Bible, as far as the scholars can tell, it comes from the composite of two words. It’s - in Greek – in Revelation 16 we say ‘armageddon,’ but they’re drawing from a Hebrew word and it says, in the Hebrew tongue, it would be ‘har megiddo’ – har means ‘hill of’.

Megiddo was a hill outside of the valley of jezreel, a very famous place. Matter of fact, we’ve got a picture of that up on the screen for you. Those are the ancient ruins of megiddo. Not very big, but what it was is a remarkable watch tower – a little village or a little kingdom – it was a walled fortress that overlooked a very important strategic valley known as the valley of jezreel. And the valley of jezreel has been the site of about 34 different battles.

And so, when you talk about armageddon, it means the battles from the valley of jezreel. It’s in that battle where Gideon fought. Matter of fact, some have wondered if armageddon is really referencing Judges chapter 6 because when it says the Lord said to Gideon it sounds like ‘yah mar Gideon’ – very similar to armageddon. But his battle took place in that valley too, so it works either way. It’s where josiah was killed.

It’s where deborah and barat got victory over the canaanites. And so, there have been a number of significant battles in this valley. One reason it’s so strategic is because this valley is the main road that brings together three continents. Whovever owned this valley owned the tax revenue and it was just fantastically important for kingdoms to possess this valley and the watch tower, in particular. Napoleon, one time, visited the middle east.

And when he went to Israel and he went, in particular, to the hill of megiddo, he overlooked the valley and he is reported to have said, “all the armies of the world could maneuver their forces on this vast plain… there is no place in the world more suited for war that this… [it is] the most natural battleground of the whole earth.” That’s napoleon, and he knew something about war – thought about this battle. Well, a lot of charismatic and evangelical pastors have read quotes like this and they say [the] battle of armageddon is going to literally be fought in this valley. And you’re going to have china and you’re going to have russia and we’ll, you know, America and Israel and there’s just going to be this big – you know, the battle of armageddon, biblically, has nothing to do with toy soldiers fighting on a battlefield the way they used to do, where they all line up and March against each other. They don’t fight wars like that anymore. Look at how war has changed in the last few years.

Now, there are some times things that happen in the middle east - there may be some war – but the battle of armageddon is the ultimate battle of satan against God’s people. If you want to know what it is, you can read in Revelation 12, where it say in verse 17, “the dragon” – who’s that? Satan. ”The devil is wroth” – infuriated – “with the woman and he goes to make war.” And, well, i’m getting ahead of myself. We’ve got several other wars where it talks about that. So people wonder, is the battle of armageddon a physical war? Is it a financial war? Is it a spiritual war? Why don’t we go to the verse and read it again? Turn with me to Revelation chapter 16 and let’s just kind of get our heads wrapped around what’s being said here.

The battle of armageddon is actually plague #6 out of the seven last plagues. And, if you go to verse 12, Revelation 16, “then the sixth angel poured out his bowl” – or his vial - on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up,” – the waters of the Euphrates might be dried up - “so that the way of the Kings of the east might be prepared. 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. For they are the Spirits of demons, performing signs that 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.” Now, it’s interesting that – how many of you have a red-letter Bible? Do you notice that suddenly, out of nowhere, things turn red? “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches; and keeps his garments, lets he walk naked and they see his shame.

” You don’t see any red letters until you get to the end of it, or you go back to Revelation chapter 3. This is one place where Jesus suddenly interjects a phrase during the sixth plague – and we’ll explain more about that – and it says, “and they gathered them” – verse 16 – Revelation 16:16 – “together to the place called in Hebrew, armageddon.” Alright, well, with that little background, let’s get back to our study. Some of this will be a brief review. You remember before, there’s a sealing that takes place. We read in Revelation chapter 7 – I didn’t get to the 144,000 in chapter 14, but I told you in chapter 7 it tells us that there’s 144,000 that are sealed.

These angels are holding back the winds of strife and the winds are not allowed to blow until God’s servants are sealed in their foreheads. And it tells us there are 12,000 sealed from the tribes of judah, reuben, gad, asher, naphtali, manasseh, simeon, levi, issachar, zebulan, Joseph, and Benjamin. Now, does that mean that God is going to have 144,000 literal jews from these literal tribes, in the last days, that receive this spiritual seal before the last plagues come? No. You’d be surprised. There are some evangelical pastors and preachers saying that, and i’m just, quite honestly, shocked at their ignorance, because all you have to do is read the Bible and you’ll see that, long before Jesus was born, back during the time of hezekiah, ten of the tribes were carried off to assyria – many of the tribe names we just mentioned – they intermarried with the assyrians.

Many of them just completely lost their identity. They are probably some of you here that have a little issachar in you. You don’t even know it, because many of them were dispersed and scattered and intermarried and – so the idea that God can’t do his final work until he gets 144,000 pure-bred jews – 12,000 from each of these tribes. Again, that’s odd, because the tribes had such vastly different populations. Judah was much bigger than Benjamin and ephraim than manasseh.

That’s so – why the number 12 – exactly 12 – well, I believe that the number may be particular, but the names you’re going to find in Revelation – names always have a spiritual meaning. I feel so sure of that i’m going to say it twice. The names in Revelation always are symbolic. When it talks, in Revelation, about jezebel, well, do you think they’re talking about real jezebel or was she dead long ago? It’s talking about someone who does what jezebel did. In Revelation it talks about balaam.

Do you think it’s really balaam resurrected or is it talking about someone that has greed? They sell out on God like balaam. And it talks about the dragon, it talks about apollyon, it talks about Michael – it talks about a number of these terms and they have spiritual names. When you get to the 144,000, what do those names mean? First of all, you do not find a list of The Sons of Jacob the way they’re listed in Revelation, anywhere in the Bible. It is unique list of tribes. Two tribes are left out.

Do you know which ones? No mention of dan. Why is dan left out? And there’s no mention of ephraim. Instead, it adds Joseph and includes levi. And the reason is because this list, when you say the names together, tells the story of redemption. Ephraim, the Bible says ‘ephraim is joined to her idols.

Let him alone.’ And then dan, it says, is a serpent in the way. And dan also means judgment and judgment is passed, at this point, for the 144,000. So when you take the names the way they’re given, if I were to just read the names in Hebrew with their meaning, what does it say? For instance, the name judah – judah’s first – why is judah first in this list? He’s not the firstborn, reuben’s the firstborn. You see, it’s a – it’s a deliberately mixed-up list. John knew what the tribes were because it says something.

This is what it says, “i will praise the Lord” – when you put the names together and you decipher them with their meaning, it says a statement: “i will praise the Lord for he has looked on me” – my affliction – “and granted me good fortune. I am happy, because with great wrestling, I have wrestled ad prevailed. Thus, God has made me forget my toil because the Lord had heard that I am not loved. He is joined” – or married – “to me. God has given me my hire by dwelling with me.

the Lord shall add to me The Son of his right hand.” It’s a beautiful statement that talks about the plan of salvation, when you put it together – the names. So now we’ve talked about Revelation 7. If you go to Revelation chapter 14 you’ll read verse 1, “i looked, and behold, a lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000, having his father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.

They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the 144,000 who were redeemed from the earth. These are the ones who are not defiled with women, for they are virgins…” that’s odd. It says they’re virgins – that’s feminine – they’re not defiled with women. What does that mean? What does a woman represent? Church. When you talk about Babylon and her daughters, in Revelation, and it says in her forehead ‘mother of harlots,’ is that good or bad? Bad.

Bad. She’s a bad woman. You have another woman who is pure – in Revelation 12 – she’s clothed with the sun, moon, and stars. It’s saying the 144,000 are not defiled with the false teachings of Babylon and her daughters for they are pure. And it says they follow the lamb wherever he goes.

They sing a song that no one can sing except those who are redeemed from the earth. You know, everything it says about the 144,000 – first of all, how many were there? 12 Times 12,000. Where do you find the number 12 in the new testament? The apostles, for one thing, right? Did the apostles follow Jesus wherever he went? Did the apostles sing a song with Jesus? Only time recorded that Jesus sang is with the apostles at the last supper. It says they’re without guile. Didn’t Jesus say to one of the apostles, ‘behold, an Israelite in whom there is no guile.

And you start looking at the description, they have a special relationship. My opinion is the 144,000 are, to the second coming, what the 12 apostles were when Jesus came the first time. They are last-day apostles that do a special work. Are there only 144,000 saved? No, that’d be pretty bad. I did the math and that means that, like, 1 out of 40,000 would make – be saved.

That’d be depressing. Statistically, that’s just a little better than the lottery. You’re still better off trying to be one of the 144,000 than buying a lotto ticket. Did you get that? But there’s going to be many more because it said there was a great multitude that no man could number, who would wash their robes and come out of great tribulation. Just like on the day of pentecost when God pours out his spirit.

The twelve apostles are in the upper room, they had replaced Judas, there’s 120 altogether and then they preach and a great multitude is baptized as a result. 3,000 One time, 5,000 another, so I think the 144,000 are special, spirit-filled people that are ready during the sealing time when the Holy Spirit is poured out to do a great evangelistic work and bring in a great multitude. So – but it says before the plagues come, the angels are holding back those winds of strife until everyone is sealed in the forehead. Don’t go anywhere, friends, in just a moment we’ll return for the completion of today’s presentation. Either directly or indirectly, virtually every Bible writer refers to the great judgment day.

Paul says, ‘we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.’ In light of our countless sins, the thought of facing our life’s record before a holy God can strike terror into the heart of every man. But Jesus tells us there’s a way to face the judgment with complete peace. We’d like to share this beautifully illustrated resource with you that explains, through Scripture, who presides at this judgment, who’s the defense attorney, the accuser, the supreme judge, and, most importantly, how to escape being condemned. To get your free copy, call the phone number on your screen and ask for offer #132, or visit the web address. And, after you read this incredible resource, make sure and share it with a friend.

Let’s get back to today’s presentation and learn some more Amazing Facts about the Word of God. The key to unlock the mysteries in the new testament is found in the old testament. Go to the book of Ezekiel. I’ve mentioned this before but, in Revelation, there are 404 verses – 278 of the 404 verses in Revelation can be found, almost verbatim, in the old testament. Go to Ezekiel 9.

Read verse 4 – this is a sobering prophecy, but it’s something you need to know in the context of what we’re studying. “And the Lord said, ‘go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a Mark on the foreheads” – alright, right away, if you were to stop reading – if you hadn’t read this before – Mark on the forehead. You’re thinking, ‘hoo hoo, don’t let them do that. That’s bad.’ Because we always think of a Mark on the forehead as associated with what? The beast. Mark of the beast.

But we forget that everybody’s Marked in Revelation. You either have the Mark of God or the Mark of the devil. Look at this Mark – you want this Mark in Ezekiel 9. It says, “put a Mark on the foreheads of those who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” These are the ones who are grieved about the sin and apostacy in Israel. They’re longing for a holiness.

They’re sorry for the way that the truth has been compromised and the temple abused. Ezekiel talks about them praying to idols in the temple in other passages. And then he says to the others, these other six angels – you’ve got the seventh angel has a writer’s inkhorn and there’s six others, “go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women;” this is talking about a judgment that’s like the flood – it takes out everybody – “but do not come near anyone on whom is the Mark;” – so you want that Mark, don’t you? And he says, “begin at my sanctuary.” That means among God’s people. Have you read in the new testament where Peter says, ‘judgment must begin at the house of God’? Peter’s quoting Ezekiel 9.

Well, you’d start with ‘to whom much is given, much is required. How many of you remember the story where – John chapter 8 – a woman is brought into the temple? The priests are standing around accusing her. These are the ones who don’t follow Jesus. They’re trying to get rid of Jesus. They’re just using this woman to attack Jesus and they want her stoned.

And Jesus said, ‘he that is without sin, let him cast the first stone.’ And it says, ‘they went out one by one beginning at the eldest.’ There was a judgment in the sanctuary and it says, ‘beginning at the eldest’. Know what it says here? It says ‘they began with the elders who were before the temple.’ And so, this judgment – if you’re going to judge people, who would you bein with? The children who haven’t had much opportunity, or the oldest who have had more opportunity? When the sealing is complete, those – the Bible tells us in Matthew 24, “the Gospel of this kingdom will be preached in all the world for a witness…and then the end will come.” Under the influence of the Holy Spirit the Gospel’s going to go in great power, the way it did in the way of the apostles. And we’re trying to have a part of that but, i’ll tell you something, friends, it’s not because of media the Gospel’s going to go. There’s a place for the tools, but what God needs more than better media or machines – he needs better men and women. Amen.

It’s going to be the individuals that are spirit-filled that’s going to make the Gospel go so fast. How did the disciples take the Gospel to the roman empire without printing presses? How did they do it without the internet? How did they do it without satellite? It’s mind-boggling, isn’t it? They had power in their lives that people saw, and it took off. We need that power. Can you say, ‘amen’? Amen. But the Gospel’s going to go - not everyone will believe - Jesus said, ‘as a witness’ and then he says, ‘then the end will come.

’ When he says the end will come, he means the beginning of the end will hit. That’s where you’ve got the close of probation and the plagues begin to fall. When the plagues begin to fall, that’s the end. Because, at that point, probation is closed. The saved are saved, the lost are lost, and there’s no changing teams anymore.

You know, Jesus said when you go out preaching, “whoever will not receive or hear you, when you depart from there shake off the dust of your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly I say, ‘it will be more tolerable for sodom and gomorrah in that day of judgment than that city.” So people reject the Gospel. We always think about the patience of God. Is there a limit to the patience? We hate to think about it, but there is. And God says it’ll be more tolerable for sodom and gomorah than those who reject the message of Jesus.

So you’ve got the message of God, three angels of heaven – they’re sounding forth with the loud power of the truth – at the same time you’ve got on earth, frog messages. Three unclean spirits – they’re not just spirits, they’re unclean spirits – “like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon…the mouth of the beast, and…the mouth of the false prophet.” What’s the biggest part of a frog’s body? Not his legs, it’s his mouth. You know, one frog can swallow another frog of almost the same size because their mouths are so big. And what does a frog use to attack? Tongue. His tongue.

It’s going to be a message coming out of the mouth of the beast. What typically comes out of the mouth? It’s the words. So, these false messages – these froggy messages – do you know the most poisonous animal in the world is a frog? Have you ever heard of the poison-dart frog they have in south America? Indians down there – it gets its name because they take these frogs and they put them above a fire. They don’t cook them or burn them, they keep them alive, but they put them above a fire where they get hot and they sweat and that sweat is so toxic that a year after they put it on a dart or an arrow, it’s still lethal. And – so it’s a poison message.

I remember hearing in the news about people being poisoned and poison gas and there’s going to be poison words that are going to be going out. Have you heard of doctrines of devils? What is that poison message? “For they are the 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.” They’re trying to assemble everybody to make a law to completely anihilate God’s people and they’re using toxic messages to do this. How many times have you turned on the tv and some preacher says, ‘the Holy Spirit has told me’ – ‘i talked to God just today and I got this message from the Lord.’ Any of you ever heard that before? They play the God card – ‘God told me’ – I think you better be very careful. I believe God still speaks but you’ve got to be very careful to say that God told you something. So they are the Spirits of devils performing miracles.

You’ve got the beast, the dragon, and the false prophet. When they all gather the Kings of the earth together for this battle, then you come into where the battle of armageddon comes. You look and the seventh plague is now poured out. And what is that? the Lord comes. It talks about – go to Revelation chapter 16.

In Revelation chapter 16 you read in verse 17, “then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, ‘it is done!’” – It’s over – “and there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations” – it’s talking about the fall of Babylon. You read in chapter 18, “was remembered before God and the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. Every island fled away and the mountains were not found. A great hail fell from God upon man.

Each hailstone about the wieght of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.” So here you’ve got the way that it’s set, this great earthquake, this great plague, and then you’ve got the writer coming on his white horse. Now, I want to close with the red letters. We’ve talked about the seven plagues, but remember what it says in Revelation 16, verse 15? “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments, lest he wallk naked and they see his shame.

” Jesus, in the midst of all this, is telling us, ‘i’m coming.’ Why does he tell us that? He’s saying, ‘i want you to come’ – he’s saying, ‘i want you to be blessed. I want you to be ready,’ because when he comes like a thief it’s going to be too late for most. Everyone thinks we’ve got forever. You could read in Matthew 24, “therefore,” – verse 44 – “be ready for The Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Look in 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 2, “for you, yourselves, know perfectly the day of the Lord is coming as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘peace and safety!’ Then sudden destruction comes on them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman.

And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” We want to have our garments on. Revelation 3:3, Jesus says, “remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.” the Lord is looking for a world of peace – and we all want peace – and unfortunately, sometimes to have peace, you need to be willing to face war. And the Lord is going to create a new world where there’s peace.

Amen. But it’s going to take a mighty battle, in the end, to bring about that peace. Don’t forget to request today’s life-changing free resource. Not only can you receive this free gift in the mail, you can download a digital copy straight to your computer or mobile device. To get your digital copy of today’s free gift, simply text the key word on your screen to 40544 or visit the web address shown on your screen.

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