Rev. David Holwick
First Baptist Church
West Lafayette, Ohio
July 23, 1988 Revelation 16:16
Joel 3:9-17
THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
I. Mankind's propensity to war.
A. Peace between Iran/Iraq?
B. Peace in Afganistan?
II. Ultimate battle, Armageddon.
A. Jesus - wars and rumors of wars, up to the end.
B. Outline of events.
1) Antichrist gathers all armies of world against God.
2) Climactic battle.
3) Satan and armies defeated by the Lamb, Jesus.
a) Blood up to horse's bridle. Rev 14:20
C. Intriguing - President Reagan believes in it.
1) However, he also believes in astrology.
III. Symbol of final destruction. Literal? Rev 16:16
A. Meaning - "Mountain of Megiddo."
1) No mountain there.
2) Instead, valley of Jehoshaphat, ringed by Carmel range.
3) Historical importance.
a) Napoleon's comment -
"All the armies in the world could manuever here."
b) Many wars fought there.
1> Judge Deborah in OT.
2> British general Allenby (WWI).
c) But other prophets - Zechariah - have battle focus
on Jerusalem.
4) Options.
a) War is fought throughout Israel.
b) War is global, Palestine just provides background color.
B. Precedent in Revelation.
1) Armies from east. Sixth Trumpet, Rev 9:16
a) 200,000,000 strong.
1> Symbolic?
a> 100,000,000 is number of God's angels.
b> "Myriads of myriads." See Rev 5:11.
c> Twice number shows universality of armies.
d> Would be whole world's population in Jesus' time.
2> Literal?
a> 1965 - Red China claims a militia of 200,000,000.
(Time magazine, May 21, 1965.)
b> Never before could number be taken literally -
until today.
2) Sixth Bowl - Armageddon. Rev 16:12-16
a) Similar to Rev 9.
b) Timing.
1> If trumpets and bowls coincide, both are Armageddon.
a> Euphrates river dries up.
b> Armies from East.
c> Demonic element.
d> Just before seventh trumpet/bowl - climax.
2> If trumpets occur first, 200,000,000 from East may
be first campaign of global battle, concluded in
Rev. 16, 19.
3) The Coming of the King. Rev 19:19
a) Beast, kings, armies gathered.
b) War is against Lamb-Jesus.
c) Satan bound, others damned.
d) Army defeated by sword out of mouth (Word of God).
4) Gog and Magog? Rev 20:8 ?
a) Some feel armies of God and Magog (Ezek 38-39) precede
Armageddon.
b) Soviet attack on Israel?
c) But Revelation places them after Millennium.
IV. Imagery of Armageddon.
A. Global war against God portrayed in many prophetic books.
B. Common feature is fire from heaven.
1) Ezekiel 22:20
a) Gathered inside city.
b) Burned as in a furnace.
2) 2 Peter 3:10
a) Day comes as a thief.
b) Heavens disappear in a roar.
c) Elements destroyed by fire.
3) Rev 9:18
a) Three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur.
b) Ballistic missiles?
1> Tails like snakes.
2> Heads inflict injury.
V. Nuclear War or supernatural?
A. Demonic forces combined with natural causes. Rev 9:17-19
B. Does not demand human cause, but significant that our generation
is first to be able to destroy itself.
VI. "Valley of Decision." Joel 3
A. Reasons for war.
1) Class struggle, economics.
2) Nationalism, territory.
3) Inner human failure.
a) James 4 - wars come from lusts within us.
1> Not at peace with ourselves.
2> Take out on family.
b) In Bible, war is an extention of personal hostility.
B. Solution.
1) Be reconciled with God.
2) He must change us from the inside out.
C. Then we can be reconciled with each other.
1) OT promise - swords beat into plowshares.
2) Unfortunately, it cannot be done by laws or government.
a) Before swords become plows, plows will become swords.
b) Example in Africa, Asia.
VII. Applications from Armageddon.
A. War will be a continual feature of human experience.
B. Ultimate battle will not just be by human effort.
C. Christians will escape final battle.
D. Should be peacemakers, even right now.
1) On personal level.
2) On international level.
