What is the Battle of Armageddon?
The Battle of Armageddon is referred to many times in scripture. However, the term "Armageddon" is only used once in the entire Bible. It is found in Revelation 16:12-16.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. 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. 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. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.In this passage, it states that the "kings of the east" will invade Israel at Armageddon. Zechariah 14:2-4 says that "all nations" will be gathered against Jerusalem at Armageddon. Both of these prophecies are correct. There are approximately 192 nations on earth. For each of them to have troops in the land of Israel for the Battle of Armageddon is not even feasible. But a world community force representing all the nations of the world would fulfill both passages. When President George H.W. Bush went against Iraq in 1991, he assembled a coalition of twenty-nine nations to fight against Iraq under the UN flag. He said at the time that the war was not the U.S. against Iraq. It was Saddam Hussein against the world. The coalition forces were there to enforce a UN resolution and thus were there as the forces of the world community.It will be the same at Armageddon. A coalition of nations from the east will volunteer to invade Israel under the authority of a UN resolution. Some of those nations are named in Ezekiel 38. Among them are Russia, Iran, Turkey, Libya and Ethiopia.Other accounts of Armageddon are found in Revelation 17:14, 19:11-21 and Ezekiel 38-39.
Prophecy #1
The final seven years will begin when the Antichrist and the international community give their support to Israel's right to exist in the land promised to Abraham by God. This is called the confirmation of the covenant. Suffice it to say; Ehud Olmert has openly stated that Israel will withdraw to final borders with the support of the international community by the end of 2008. If that happens or whenever it happens, it appears that will be the confirmation of the covenant and the beginning of the final seven years to Armageddon.
Prophecy #2:
A massive war will begin from the vicinity of the Euphrates River resulting in the killing of one-third part of men. The prophecy is found in Revelation 9:13-16.And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.The ominous dimensions of this prophecy hit you right in the face"to slay the third part of men." Could it literally mean what it says? Is this a prophecy foretelling a war that will kill one-third of the human race? That would be two billion people!Some have wondered if this could refer to one-third of a particular army or one-third of a region of the earth. Checking the original Greek text, it appears to mean just what it saysone-third of mankind. Whatever the case, Revelation 9 prophesies a war of horrific proportions.The scripture says that this war will emanate from the Euphrates River. The Euphrates River was unfamiliar to many of us until the U.S. invaded Iraq in March of 2003. Suddenly, news reports were filled with pictures of battles raging up and down the Euphrates. A majority of the Euphrates River is in the nation of Iraq where the U.S. has 140,000 troops stationed at this moment. The entirety of the Euphrates flows through Muslim territory. Could the present War on Terrorism, more recently labeled by President Bush as the war with Islamic Fundamentalism, be the beginning of this Euphrates River War that will kill one-third part of men? It certainly looks that way.If the present conflict against Islamic Fundamentalism is the war that will kill one-third of mankind, then things are going to get much worse before they get better. Situations with Iran, North Korea, Syria and the Taiwan-China dispute will spin out of control, resulting in World War III.According to scripture, this Euphrates River War will occur before the beginning of the three and one-half year great tribulation. It will create such global devastation that the world will welcome with open arms the Antichrist and his prophesied system of world government.
Prophecy #3:
The West Bank in Israel will become a place of great tribulation three and one-half years before Armageddon. Jesus gave this prophecy in his famous Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24:15-21.When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.The abomination of desolation takes place three and one-half years before the Battle of Armageddon. We know this because Daniel 9:27 says that it will occur in the middle of the final seven-year period known as Daniel's 70th week. Furthermore, Jesus said the abomination of desolation would mark the beginning of the great tribulation. The tribulation is three and one-half years long, ending at Armageddon.The prophecy states that those living in the West Bank, which is biblical Judea, must immediately run for their lives when they see the abomination of desolation because it will signal the beginning of tribulation such as never has been before.Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has openly stated that he intends to withdraw from the West Bank, leaving behind any Jews that don't want to move. He said they could live under the Palestinian government if they wanted to. Some will foolishly choose this option. The result will be a horrible slaughter at the hands of the Palestinians.
Prophecy #4
The Temple Mount in Jerusalem will be placed under a sharing arrangement between Jew and Gentile.The two remaining issues still pending between Israelis and Palestinians are the status of the West Bank and control of Jerusalem. Israel says she will never surrender Jerusalem. The Palestinians contend that there will never be peace until a Palestinian state is established with Jerusalem as its capital. When negotiations between Ehud Barak and Yasser Arafat at Camp David in July of 2000 appeared to be close to success, they couldn't agree on who would control the Temple Mount. Finally, President Clinton suggested that it could be sharedthat everyone could worship there together. Most Middle East experts now agree that sharing the Temple Mount is the only arrangement that could possibly be accepted by both parties.This is exactly what Revelation 11:1-2 prophesies will happen.And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.John was told to measure the Jewish temple but to not measure the outer court because it would be under Gentile control for 42 months. This portrays a Temple Mount being shared between Muslim and Jew during the three and one-half years of the great tribulation.
Prophecy #5
Israel's temple will be built on the Temple Mount. Both Revelation 11 and 2 Thessalonians 2 explicitly say that a temple will be standing on the Temple Mount during the 42 months of the great tribulation. In Revelation 11:1-2 (see text above), John is told to measure the temple. Obviously, you can't measure a temple that doesn't exist.Notice 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.From this passage we see that the man of sin (the Antichrist) will sit in the temple of God claiming to be God. He can't sit in a temple if there is no temple.There have only been two temples in all Jewish history. The First Temple was built in 968 BC and stood until 586 BC. The Second Temple was built in 516 BC and was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. The Jews have not had a temple since that time. Yet here are these two prophecies declaring that a temple will be standing on the Temple Mount three and one-half years before Armageddon.In preparation for the coming temple, the Temple Institute was founded in Jerusalem in 1987. The Institute has now recreated all of the furniture and the utensils needed for the resumption of temple ministry. The Institute is also actively training young rabbis in all of the ceremonies of the temple service. As of September of 2006, the Temple Institute is working with architects to complete the blueprints for building the Third Temple.Once the blueprints are completed, it has been decided to prefabricate the Third Temple offsite, just as Solomon built the First Temple offsite. When the political situation allows, the temple will then be quickly assembled on the Temple Mount itself.
Prophecy #6
The Temple Mount will be placed under the supervision of the world community and the leader of the world community, the Antichrist.In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 (see text above), it states that the international leader of the world, the Antichrist, will stand on the Temple Mount claiming to be the ultimate authority there. How could such a scenario unfold? When President Clinton suggested in the year 2000 placing the Temple Mount under a sharing arrangement, Arafat felt it would produce nothing but continual conflict. Israel's Ehud Barak suggested that the Temple Mount could be placed under the supervision of a United Nations peacekeeping force. It appears that this will be the eventual arrangement as Israel, the Palestinians and the world community attempt to solve the Middle East conflict. This explains why the Antichrist as leader of the world community will stand on the Temple Mount claiming to be the ultimate authority there.
Prophecy #7
A world government will dominate the world for three and one-half years prior to Armageddon.After the war that kills one-third of mankind, the clamor for a world government with teeth will become deafening. Daniel 7:23 refers to that world government.Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.The beast in this passage refers to the Antichrist himself. Notice that he will devour the whole earth. In verse 25 of Daniel 7, we are told that his reign will continue for a time, times and the dividing of time. This is prophetic terminology for three and one-half years. We know this because the same prophecy is given in Revelation 13:5 & 7.And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two monthsAnd it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.Here we told that the Antichrist's reign will last for 42 months, and that he will reign over all the earth. We have to ask: Are there any signs that we are moving into a system of world government right now? Have you heard of the World Trade Organization? The World Bank? The International Monetary Fund? The World Health Organization? The World Court? International law?Why do we need a World Court if there is not a world government and world law for that world court to adjudicate?The fact is that we are not fully in world government today, but we are much farther into it than most of us understand. Terms such as international community, world community and globalization roll off of our tongues effortlessly. Yet we don't even comprehend the full import of what they mean. All of these terms are referring to world government that is presently in formation. And it is the world government over which the Antichrist will soon rule.
Prophecy #8
Each person on earth will be required to have a mark or a number in order to buy or sell. Each individual will have to pledge allegiance in some way to the Antichrist and his one-world government in order to be allowed to receive that number. The famous mark of the beast prophecy is found in Revelation 13:15-18.And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.The United Nations' favorite method of enforcing its will on nations is economic sanctions. We've seen them used repeatedly to force obedience to the UN's edicts. This prophecy portrays a time when economic sanctions will be placed on individuals, not just on nations. Not until the invention of the computer and the birth of the Internet has the fulfillment of this prophecy been possible. Now it is not only possible, but we are watching the mark of the beast program being set up in our world right now!On May 11, 2005, President Bush signed into law the Real ID Act. This law requires every American to receive a national ID card. Without this card, you will not be able to hold a job or open a bank account. Without a job and a bank account, how much buying and selling will you be able to do? What do you have to do to receive your national ID? Give legal proof of your identity; give a biometric identifiereither your fingerprint (from your hand) or your iris scan (from your forehead). A little too close to the prophecy for comfort, isn't it? Oh, by the way, you also have to give your number, and your social security number. No number? No buying or selling. The law passed on May 11, 2005 requires all Americans to have this national ID by May 11, 2008.
Prophecy #9
The world community, led by Russia and Iran, will invade the nation of Israel. This will be the world's last battle called Armageddon.Zechariah 14:2-4 describes the Battle of Armageddon this way:For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.Israel has been the country that nations love to hate. Resolutions against Israel have passed in the UN General Assembly by such ridiculous margins as 152 to 2 (Israel and the U.S. against the world) or 151 to 3 (Israel, the U.S. and Micronesia against the world). In many instances, only the U.S. veto power at the UN Security Council has saved Israel from United Nations sanctions or possibly even military invasion by international forces.One of the greatest inequities of all times is the United Nations' steadfast refusal to recognize Israel's chosen capitalJerusalem. There are 192 member nations at the UN. Each of their capitals is recognized by the international body, except oneJerusalem. The Bible prophesies repeatedly that some day the nations of the world will launch an invasion against Israel.The government of Israel is foolishly setting the stage for this future invasion by the United Nations right now. Ehud Olmert specifically requested a robust international force along Israel's border with Lebanon. This is the same United Nations that will invade Israel at the time of Armageddon.Ezekiel 38 specifically names Russia, Iran, Turkey, Libya and Ethiopia as nations that will contribute troops to the world government force that will invade at Armageddon. Already, we can see Iran calling for the eradication of Israel from the map. As the U.S. attempts to censure Iran for these provocative statements and to block her access to nuclear weapons, Russia protects Iran with its veto power at the Security Council. Revelation 16:12 foretells that the Euphrates River will be dried up to facilitate the invasion of Israel by the kings of the east (Iran, Russia, Turkey). On January 13, 1990, the headline in the Indianapolis Star read, "Turkey Will Cut Off Flow of Euphrates for One Month" Turkey had just completed its huge Ataturk Dam. They raised the dam, stopping the Euphrates while they filled up their new reservoir. Turkey now has the mechanism in place to stop the flow of the Euphrates whenever they choose. They will be able to use that power at the time of Armageddon to assist armies in their rapid invasion of Israel. The stage is set for the Euphrates to be dried up, just like the 2,000-year-old prophecy says.Now that you have examined nine prophecies that will all come to pass within the seven years preceding Armageddon, do you believe we are approaching the Battle of Armageddon?
I certainly do. ļ®
craig@endtime.com©2008 Craig Treadwell, all rights reserved. You must have written permission from the author in order to republish this work.
Published: Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Last modified: Tuesday, March 4, 2008
The views expressed in this article are those of Craig Treadwell only and do not represent the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Craig Treadwell is solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
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Reader Comments:
Posted By: DX10
Date: 2008-03-04 21:11:38
Revelation was completely fulfilled during the lives of the first Christians. For the nearly last two thousand years these have been the days of the new covenant.
Posted By: goat
Date: 2008-03-06 06:28:55
Revelation was completely fulfilled during the lives of the first Christians. For the nearly last two thousand years these have been the days of the new covenant.So are you suggesting that God had a plan and informed early Christians about dangerous times in their lives but didn't feel it important to warn us (Christians) about dangerous times in our lives? Or that He felt it unnecessary to mention things like WW1, WW2, the rebirth of Israel as a nation...God is not a respecter of persons. He holds all of time in His hands and He shows us what is about to be so that we will believe Him.
Posted By: DX10
Date: 2008-03-06 11:11:22
"So are you suggesting ............."
He emptied Himself, took on the form of a servant, came to us and paid a terrible price for our redemption, ushered in a new covenant of grace, ended the old covenant at the destruction of Jerusalem and all of the Judean fortifications with divine finality, and is now seated and ruling at the right hand of God ever interceding for us.
What else do you want, egg in your beer?
Posted By: Jimmy Fraser
Date: 2009-05-25 15:35:44
Brilliant article..very inspiring and very true. If you are out there and not worshipping the one true god, that being the god of Abraham, of Israel, King David and King Solomon, also the father of my lord and savior Jesus Christ...you had better get right and get right now! If god is not at the forefront of your thoughts every day, you are missing out on so many spiritual gifts. If anything comes before god, including your spouse,children,job,finances or any other object, you have made that object your idol and have placed that idol before god.Ask Jesus to come into your life as your lord and savior , repent of your dark ways that you know are wrong but are entertaining enough not to make you want to let them go, and start going to a sound,bible-based church.God loves you more than any human ever could.God bless you.