____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ January 27, 1991 ____________________________________________________ "The Battle of Armageddon" by Tom Edwards Much talk is made, especially currently, of the great ``Battle of Armageddon'' which is purported to be the climactic war of the world. It is described as being a conflict in which the nations shall meet in the ``valley of Armageddon'' in order to engage in the most devastating combat ever fought. According to Hal Lindsey, an advocate for premillennialism, the ``Orientals'' will ``move a 200 million man army'' to the scene, and so many will be slaughtered that their ``blood will stand to the horses' bridles for a total distance of 200 miles northward and southward of Jerusalem'' (literally!, T.E.). Is this, however, what we should expect? Is it literally possible for this much blood to be spilt? And is the ``Battle of Armageddon'' an actual warfare that will precede the second coming of Jesus Christ? The Bible student must first realize that much of what is recorded in the Revelation letter is highly figurative, and it pertains to things that were to ``shortly take place'' (Rev. 1:1). If the bulk of these revelations have not yet found fulfillment, then the meaning of the term ``shortly'' has been terribly exaggerated. Surely, you would not want to loan something to me, if what I meant by paying you back ``shortly'' implied a duration of nearly 2,000 years. The word ``Armageddon'' is found just once in the entire Bible (Rev. 16:16). It is rendered as ``Har-Magedon'' in the ASV and NASV; and the beginning of it, ``Har,'' signifies "hill of," "mount of," or "mountain of." According to the Layman's Bible Commentary, there was ``no literal mountain of this name''; rather, it is a probable reference ``to the mountains that were near the town of Megiddo.'' The Bible does refer to ``Megiddo and its...three heights'' (Josh. 17:11), ``Megiddo and its towns'' (Judg. 1:27), ``the waters of Megiddo'' (Judg. 5:19), and ``the valley of Megiddo'' (2 Chron. 35:22), but no mention is made of a ``Mount of Megiddo.'' It was in this area (the Plain of Esdraelon) that many famous battles were fought; some which pertain to religious history, and others, to secular. Deborah and Barak had defeated Sisera and his army here (Judg. 5:19). King Saul, along with his son Jonathan, was slain in this region by the Philistines (1 Sam. 31:1-6). Josiah was put to death in Megiddo by Pharaoh Neco (2 Kings 23:29,30). It was also in this same area where Gideon's three hundred men defeated the Midianites (Judg. 7). According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, this region has ``witnessed perhaps a greater number of bloody encounters than have ever stained a like area of the world's surface.'' A similar remark is made in Halley's Bible Handbook: ``More blood has been shed around this hill than any other spot on earth....'' ``Armageddon'' in Revelation 16:16 is not used with reference to an ultimate physical battle; rather, it stands for any conflict that exists between good and evil. As Jimmy Thomas writes, ``Armageddon is a symbol of great victory by the Lord over the enemies of His people...This battle is now raging with the final and decisive blow to be delivered at the second coming of Christ.'' Similarly, we use the word ``Waterloo'' to refer to an ``overwhelming defeat.'' When using this term, we are not necessarily implying, however, that the battle we are speaking of is the one that was in this village of Waterloo in central Belgium where Napoleon was defeated on June 18, 1815; but as the dictionary also defines, it can refer, as well, to anywhere in which there has been ``a decisive or crushing defeat.'' We are, therefore, using the idea of ``Waterloo'' to pertain to other conflicts also that have occurred even outside the region of Waterloo itself. Prior to there having been a Waterloo, there was a Megiddo; and, according to the Layman's Bible Commentary, ``All down through history this region has been known as a bloody battleground...Megiddo had come to stand, in Jewish and therefore in Christian thought, for great and decisive struggle. John uses it here only (Rev. 16:16, T.E.), and he does not have in mind any thought that at some particular date in time the forces of evil and the powers of good will literally fight it out at this spot.'' We often use words today in a figurative sense, and how true this is to many Bible passages as well. Jesus referred to Herod as a ``fox'' (Luke 13:32). John the baptist spoke of Christ as being the ``Lamb'' of God (John 1:29), and Jesus Himself testified toward being the ``Bread'' of life (John 6:48). Undoubtedly, Herod was not a literal fox, nor was Jesus a literal lamb nor a literal loaf of bread, but these concepts help to illustrate an explicit meaning. The term ``Gehenna'' is translated as "hell" in the Bible and is used to stand for the eternal abode of the wicked. It is a transliteration from the Aramaic word ``gehinnom'' which is also rendered as ``valley of Hinnom.'' This term was used to refer to a valley which was on the outskirts of Jerusalem that at one time had been horribly used as a place in which the Jews had offered their children to Molech (a heathen false deity) by burning them in the fire (Jer. 7:31,32). Years later, this same place became Jerusalem's garbage dump and from which its refuse was kept continually burning and smoldering. Is there any wonder why this site took upon itself the symbolic meaning of ``torment and lamentation''? When the Lord speaks of those who would spend an eternity in Gehenna, however, He is not referring to this garbage dump, but rather to that lake of fire that will forever be, even after this world and the universe around it is destroyed. In like manner, the ``Battle of Armageddon'' in Revelation 16:16 represents much more than a mere physical battle in a small geographical location. As Homer Hailey writes: ''...we conclude that John used the word symbolically to describe a great decisive spiritual battle between the army of Satan and the forces of God, which would determine the fate of each. This battle was fought and won by the Lord in the complete defeat of the Roman Empire and paganism behind which Rome threw its total power (see 19:11-21). To look for a physical military battle between human armies to be found in northern Palestine at some future date is completely without scriptural support and foreign to the spirit and purpose of Revelation.'' Ray Summers also includes: ``The place was burned into the minds of the Jewish people, and the mourning for Josiah in the valley of Megiddo was long afterward quoted as a typical example of national grief. Thus Megiddo fitly symbolized the worldwide distress of righteousness and evil engaged in deadly combat. This is not an actual sword and spear battle.'' Though the Bible shows the need for the Christian to be ``a good soldier of Christ Jesus'' and that he is to ``fight the good fight of faith'' (2 Tim. 2:3,4; 1 Tim. 6:12), this, too, must be realized in the spiritual realm and not the physical. The Christian's battle is not to be with carnal weapons, for his fight is not against ``flesh and blood'' (2 Cor. 10:3-5; Eph. 6:10-18). When Peter attempted to defend his Lord by cutting off the ear of the high priest's servant at the time the Roman soldiers, who were led by Judas, had come out to take the Savior, Jesus said, ``Put the sword into the sheath'' (John 18:11) and then went ahead and healed the servant by restoring his lopped off ear. The sword that the Christian is to wield today is the ``sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God'' (Eph. 6:17). To fight physically in defense of Christianity is contrary to the teaching of Jesus Christ. The Lord had never commanded His apostles to SLAY those who were unwilling to listen to the gospel, but rather to shake the dust off their feet and try to convert lost souls elsewhere. Neither were they instructed to put to death the false teachers, but rather to expose their errors with the light of God's word. Armageddon does not require a specific geographical location. It can occur anywhere there is a conflict between good and evil. Ultimately, this will be when Jesus returns, and then He will personally separate ``the sheep from the goats'' (Matt. 25:31-46). According to this passage, all the nations shall be gathered to Him at this time, which will include the enemies of God as well as the friends of God -- the righteous and the unrighteous. Let us also note, however, that there is no mention of any literal fighting going on at this time. The most important question concerning the ``Battle of Armageddon'' is not where or when, but rather, ``On whose side are you?'' Are you one who is on the side of evil and fighting against God or one who has become a soldier for Jesus Christ? Does not the thought of anyone trying to literally fight against God seem ridiculous to you? An ant would have better odds in wrestling with an elephant. What great assurance we can have, though, if we are part of the Lord's army. As Paul states, ''...If God is for us, who is against us?...For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus'' (Rom. 8:31,38,39). The Battle of Armageddon is spiritual in nature, and only through the Lord of hosts can one attain to the crown of triumph. The Revelation letter continually shows that the faithful Christian will ultimately overcome and be more than a conqueror through the Lord Jesus. God will avenge the faithful, and their enemies will be defeated, while His spiritual army will prevail and become the victors through Christ because ``of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony'' and because ``they did not love their life even to death'' (Rev. 12:11). As we consider the heavy persecution and martyrdom that was inflicted upon the early church by tyrants such as Nero and Domitian, how comforting the thought of ultimate "victory in Jesus" must have been to those who were suffering so cruelly and unjustly at the hands of these wicked rulers. And how applicable to them is the phrase: "they did not love their life even to death." Though they willingly yielded to torture and execution, the hope of God within their hearts could not be eradicated; their reward awaited them in glory. As Revelation 2:10 encourages: "...Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." Down through the years, the Lord has had many enemies, but they, too, will remain defeated by His invincible, omnipotent power. The only victors to stand triumphantly in the "Battle of Armageddon" are those who are on the side of the Lord of hosts. In view of this, we must respond to that timeless exhortation given so long ago by that valiant leader, Joshua: "Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Josh. 24:15). ___________________________________________ "Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of Glory may come in! Who is the King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle...The Lord of hosts, He is the King of Glory" (Psa. 24:7-10). ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 713 13th Street, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________