Revelation 16:16; He Gathered Them into Armageddon

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Revelation 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. 

The admonition is that the people of God be ready, spiritually ready to do the will of God awaiting His return and be not caught off guard.

Do you know what is the time in the prophetic clock for the ages? I submit to you that the Lord is returning soon and a time is coming when we shall work no more. We are in that final phase in this last, last hour of human history. The church will be taken to glory and Great Tribulation will begin.

Armageddon is the place where the kings of the earth and of the whole world will gather to battle against God Almighty (Revelation 16:14-16). It is the culmination of man’s rebellion against the rule of their Creator God (Revelation 16:17) and God’s emphatic intervention to restore His sovereignty over His created earth through His Son Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:11-21; Daniel 2:44-45; Zechariah 12-14; Joel 2:11; 3:2). It is history’s final war! 

The objective of the world’s army (Revelation 9:13-16; 16:13-16) against Israel in this final war is to occupy Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:2- 11; 14:2), the capital of the world. This will complete man’s ambition to be the master of God’s vineyard. The evil one behind man’s rebellion is none other than Satan himself, energizing the Antichrist and the false prophet, exerting control over the kings of the earth (Revelation 16:13-14). The first rebellion against God occurred in heaven by the archangel Lucifer who is Satan himself (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:14-19). The first rebellion on earth was by Adam and Eve who fell at Satan’s temptation (Genesis 3:1-7), plunging mankind into total depravity. The depraved nature in man, motivated by the prince of this world – Satan, will be dealt a fatal blow in this final battle. 

The word “Armageddon” in Revelation 16:16 is the Greek word “harmageddon”, which in Hebrew “Har Megiddo” is literally translated “Mount of Megiddo” which means “the Hill of Slaughter”. Megiddo is located on the southern edge of the plain of Jezreel where the Way of the Sea (via Maris) leaves the plain and passes through a long and narrow passage into the plain of Sharon by the coast (adapted from The Holy Land by Sami Awwad, The Mount Scopus Hotel, Jerusalem). 

Megiddo is a strategic point at the opening of this passage because it is the great highway connecting the land of Egypt and the south, with Syria and the north. It is the place where many historic battles took place throughout Israel’s history. Coming from the north, armies marching past Megiddo will directly reach Jerusalem. 

For this last battle of Armageddon, the great river Euphrates will be dried up to make way for the kings of the east to march through – down the plain of Megiddo and finally to Jerusalem (Revelation 16:12). Their purpose is to destroy Israel, God’s chosen people.