Battle of Armageddon – marks the return of Christ …
Jesus returns…
The Battle of Armageddon which is found in Revelation 16:16, brings an end to the brutal rule of the Antichrist and the devastation of the Great Tribulation. (to read my post about the the Great Tribulation – click here ). In this post we will be discussing the events surrounding; The End of the Great Tribulation – The Antichrist -his rise & fall, Armageddon, Return of Christ, Judgment of Sheep and Goats, and the start of Millennium.
The Antichrist
During the 7 years of the great tribulation the Antichrist will rise to power. After the rapture of the church the world will be in chaos politically, morally, and economically. The Antichrist will present himself as having the solution to the world’s problems and promises to bring peace and financial prosperity. The peoples of the world will embrace him as a godsend. He will become the leader of a coalition of European countries. This will some form of a revived Roman Empire. He will enter in to a peace treaty with Israel. He will grow into power like a horn growing out of the head of an animal (Daniel 7:7-8). Ultimately he becomes the world’s dictator.( Revelation 13:7)
Revelation 13:2 says, “The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority”. The dragon is Satan, who is the real power behind the work of the Antichrist. He will deceive many and become extremely popular. People will worship him (Revelation 13:4). He will take total control of the economic systems in the world using the mark of the beast to gain control. (Revelation 13:16-17). At the mid-point of the Tribulation he will move the capital of his one world government from Europe to Jerusalem. (Daniel 11:4) He will break his covenant with Israel and attack the people of God.
Battle of Armageddon – World War
The Bible prophesies several significant wars that lead to and set the stage for the one final battle – the Battle of Armageddon. Nations will initially rebel against the demonic rule of the Antichrist. However, they will all be quickly defeated by the armies of the Antichrist. These battles will be centered mostly in the Middle East. Ultimately nations will align with the Antichrist.
They all will gather in Jerusalem to finally wipe out Israel as prophesied by Zechariah 14:2-3. “For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle“
The Valley of Decision
The Apostle John in Revelation 16:12-16 describes it this way:
“Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great Euphrates River, and it dried up so that the kings from the east could march their armies toward the west without hindrance. And I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs leap from the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. They are demonic spirits who work miracles and go out to all the rulers of the world to gather them for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God the Almighty. Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.” And the demonic spirits gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place with the Hebrew name Armageddon.”
This is the valley of decision spoken of by the prophet Joel.
As the armies of the Earth gather to destroy Israel, Israel will finally see Jesus as the rejected Messiah of Isaiah 53 and Daniel 9:26, and realize Jesus Christ is their only hope. As Israel faces this impossible situation and their total destruction they call out to Jesus Christ with a heart of repentance and worship. Jesus warned Israel in Matthew 23:39, they would not see Him again until they acknowledged Him as their Messiah.
Return of Christ
The Battle of Armageddon set the stage for the second coming of Christ. It is referred to many times throughout the Bible in fact over 300 times in the New Testament alone. It will be a spectacular and glorious event witnessed by all the world as the heavens will be ablaze with the glory of God. Jesus won’t be coming alone, He will be accompanied by millions of angels and all of the church, who are moving from heaven to the Mount of Olives in preparation for the millennial kingdom. The church as been in heaven with Jesus during the great tribulation and has gone through the Judgment Seat of Christ, and attended the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. (these were explained in earlier newsletters)
Satan and the unsaved alike will realize that this is the second coming of Christ, but it is too late for them to change. After seven years of God’s judgments and incredible turmoil, suffering, famine, natural and supernatural disasters, and the tyrannical rule of the Antichrist the Great Tribulation comes to a dramatic close. The outcome of Armageddon is not quite what the Antichrist and his cohorts had planned.
Destruction of Satan
The book of Revelation describes their total destruction at the hands of Jesus Christ. “Then I saw the beast gathering the kings of the earth and their armies in order to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast – miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshipped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came out of the mouth of the one riding the white horse.And all the vultures of the sky gorged themselves on the dead bodies” (Revelation 19:19-21)
This will not be a prolonged battle as Jesus instantly brings it all to an end simply with the “sword” of His mouth. (Revelation 19:15) Jesus will deliver Israel from destruction by the Antichrist. Nations will be punished for their sins. Those who have received the Mark of the Beast will be judged. Then Jesus will take authority over the earth and remove the rule and reign of the Antichrist.
The End of the Antichrist, the Great Tribulation and Satan Imprisoned
It will be a devastating and bloody event. Thousands of dead bodies will be strung throughout the valley as a feast for the birds of the world. The blood will run several feet deep, up to the horses bridles. (Revelation 14:20). The beast and the false prophet will be captured. Both will be thrown into the lake of fire where they will experience everlasting torment. (Revelation 19:19-21)
Revelation 20:2 tells us that Satan will be bound with a great chain after the battle of Armageddon is finished. It says He will be locked away in the Bottomless Pit for 1,000 years during the Millennial Reign of Christ. (we’ll cover this in another post soon – be watching for it). It is also at this time that Jesus judges the nations. It is known as the “Judgment of the Sheep and Goats”. (we will discuss this in another post month). Thus we see the “The Great Tribulation Come to End”.
Be Encouraged
None of these events should cause us to fear or worry, but instead they should motivate us. We live in the Church age a time of God’s amazing grace. You and I are alive at a critical time. It is a time of harvest. It is a time to bring people into the kingdom of God to escape the days of great tribulation. Be blessed.
