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The word 'Armageddon' comes from a Hebrew word Har-Magedone, which means 'Mount Megiddo' and has become synonymous with the future battle in which God will intervene and destroy the armies of the A...
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Armageddon comes from the word Har Megiddo. This is a Tell or small Mountain in the Valley of Jezreel. This Valley has seen many battles from ancient times to today. Hittites, Egyptians, Persians, Babylonian, have all fought in this Valley. Battles were fought there in World War One and Two. Har Megiddo is a hill in this valley and contains many ancient cities as archaeologists dig deeper.
My opinion is contrary to the general interpretation of Rev 16:14,16. Here is my alternative viewpoint for those interested. Armageddon has been a place of many battles as Michael has indicated. Also, the god of the Beast is the god of forces (Dan 11:38), or battles. Verses 16:14,16 describe how all the kings of the earth and the world are gathered together in a miraculous way into one place called Armageddon. This is apparently done to coordinate strategy among the different kings in response to the threat posed by the kings of the east in Rev 16:12, and Dan 11: 44, or one last attempt at a false peace offer. This final battle is indicated in Isa 63:1-6, Rev 19:11-21, and Rev 9:13-20, and takes place to the south of Israel in the land of Edom, not in Israel. Note that Rev 19:19 mentions the armies of the kings of the earth, but Rev 16:14 only mentions kings, not armies. In short, there is no final battle of Armageddon located at Armageddon. If there were, it would be described in the Old Testament, since the New Testament contains no new battles for Israel not already found in the Old.
Demons seem to deceive the world's kings to assemble against the good. It's the evil against the good. Apparently, these unclean spirits come out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. (Revelation 16:14, 16). The kings gather there, at Mount Megiddo, or next to Mount Megiddo for "the war of the great day of God, the Almighty." Revelation 16:14 says, "They are demonic spirits that perform 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." That is, the kings of the east are deceived to march their armies westward across the Euphrates to prepare for Armageddon. Revelation 16:12 says, "The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east." Then the next verse, Revelation 16:13 adds, "Then I saw three impure 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." Yes, Michael was right in giving the history of the location: Armageddon is "the scene of the struggle of good and evil is suggested by that battle-field, the plain of Esdraelon, which was famous for two great victories, of Barak over the Canaanites and of Gideon over the Midianites; and for two great disasters, the deaths of Saul and Josiah. Hence it signifies in Revelation a place of great slaughter, the scene of a terrible retribution upon the wicked." [SMITH] How does this battle of good vs. Evil end? See Revelation 19: 17-20. 17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, "Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great." 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. You ask, "So what?" Notice Revelation 16:15's promised blessing to those who prepare their hearts for Christ's return: “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”
The word "Armageddon" derives from three words "arma" which means, "a heap of sheaves"- "gai" which means, "valley" - "don" which means "judgment". All together, the word means "heap of sheaves in a valley for judgment". We don't know of the exact location for the judgment, but an ideal location is Mount Sinai.
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