Armageddon – The Invasion By The Armies Of The East

I. Armageddon – The Invasion By The Armies Of The East.

II. Details.

A. Revelation 16:12 reveals that some supernatural event brings about the removal of that which kept the Asiatic powers from coming into the region of Israel to challenge the authority of the Beast. “The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.”

B. Dr. John Walvoord writes: “The drying-up of the Euphrates is a prelude to the final act of the drama, not the act itself. We must conclude, then, that the most probable interpretation of the drying-up of the Euphrates is that by an act of God its flow will be interrupted even as were the waters of the Red Sea and of Jordan. This time the way will open, not for Israel but, for those who are referred to as the Kings of the East. The evidence points, then, to a literal interpretation of Revelation 16:12 in relation to the Euphrates.

C. Just who these forces will be, represented as the Kings of the East, can not be determined. But their coming brings us to the final stage of the campaign of Armageddon. They are brought toward the plains of Esdraelon for the purpose of meeting the armies of the Beast in conflict.

D. The Bowl Judgments of Rev 16.

1. John revealed the outpouring of the bowls to enable his readers to understand the climactic judgments of the Great Tribulation. The setting of John’s vision in this chapter is the earth. 

2. These plagues are not the expression of God’s wrath against sin in general, nor are they punishments for individual wrongdoing. They are the outpouring of His wrath upon him who would frustrate the divine purpose in the world, the beast, and upon those who have given their loyalty to him. 

3. These plagues are God’s answer to Satan’s last and greatest effort to frustrate the divine rule.

E. The Commencement Of The Bowl Judgments of Rev 16. 

1. The voice John heard was evidently God’s (cf. Rev 15:8; 16:17). The fact that God told all seven angels to pour out their bowls seems to indicate that these judgments will follow each other in rapid succession. 

2. The frequent use of the Greek adjective megales in this chapter indicates the unusual severity and intensity of the bowl judgments. The NASB translators rendered this word “loud” here and in Rev 16:17; “fierce” in Rev 16:19; “great” in Rev 16:12, 16:14, 16:18 (twice), and 19 (twice); and “huge” and “severe” in Rev 16:21. The word also occurs nine times in chapter 18, which is an elaboration on the seventh bowl judgment introduced in Rev 16:17-21. 

3. The relationship in time of the bowl judgments to the trumpet judgments has been a matter of disagreement among futurist commentators. On the one hand there are some similarities between them, as a side by side comparison reveals. However the differences make it most difficult to conclude that they are identical judgments. 

F. Rev 16:12 In Summary. “The kings from the east.” I.e., the kings from the rising of the sun. The armies of the nations of the Orient will be aided in their march toward Armageddon by the supernatural drying up of the Euphrates River. 

G. In Context. This article must be read in view of the previous articles: The Campaign Of Armageddon; The Invasion By The Northern Confederation; The Invasion by The Armies Of The Beast; and the article which will follow this article; The Invasion By The Lord And His Armies. 

III. Study References. 

All of my study references can be found in my Page, About My References.

Armageddon – The Invasion By The Armies Of The Beast

I. Armageddon – The Invasion By The Armies Of The Beast.

II. Details.

A. The invasion of Israel by the northern confederacy will bring the Beast and his armies to the defense of Israel as her protector. This invasion is described by Daniel:

[Daniel 11:40b-45, “and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land (Israel), and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” (“between the seas in the glorious holy mountain,” best understood as being a reference to Jerusalem situated between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea.)] 

B. It is difficult to determine the activities of the nations involved in this chapter (Daniel 11). Many have felt that the above invasion records that of the King of the North (Syria) and of the South (African army). However, in verse 36 the “wilful king,” previously identified as the Beast (Antichrist), is introduced to us and his activities seem to be outlined in what follows. Verses 40-45 can hardly describe the activities of the combined forces of the Kings of the North and the South, for the pronoun “they” would have been used. Since “he” is used, the passage must describe further the activities of the Wilful King. [Dan 11:36, “Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done. (King=wilful king = Beast=Antichrist).]

C. “And he shall enter into the countries” (Dan 11:40); this is perhaps the clause which has caused the greatest difficulty to critics, owing to the sudden transition from one person to another. If we were to confine ourselves to this prophecy, it would be impossible from the language to decide what king this was that is to enter into the countries; whether the King of the North, or of the South, or of the Roman Empire, but we are not left to conjecture upon this point. The king who is thus victorious at the time of the end we find in Dan 2 and 7 and Rev 17 to be identified with the fourth beast, the Roman power. Taking other prophecies as interpreters, it refers to the Roman power under its last head, who shall invade other countries, thus implying that the King of the South and the King of the North have been unsuccessful against him. 

D. From the above passage several features concerning the movement of this invasion are to be seen.

1. The movement of the campaign begins when the King of the South moves against the Beast-False Prophet coalition, which, takes place “at the time of the end.”  (Dan 11:40, “At the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through.”)

2. The King of the South is joined by the northern confederacy, who attacks the Wilful King by a great force over land and sea (Dan 11:40). Jerusalem is destroyed as a result of this attack (Zech. 12:2), and, in turn, the armies of the northern confederacy are destroyed (Ezek. 39; Zech. 12:4).

3. The full armies of the Beast move into Israel (Dan 11:41) and shall conquer all that territory (Dan 11:41-42). Edom, Moab, and Ammon alone escape. It is evidently at this time that the coalition of Revelation 17:13 is formed (Rev 17:12. “ten kings.”  The 10-nation federation that will form in the West, and will be headed by Antichrist (Rev 13:1; Dan 7:24). “one hour.” For one purpose (as in Lk 22:53). (Rev 17:13) These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast (Antichrist). (Dan 11:41 He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon.) (Dan 11:42, “Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape.”) (Israel is “that Beautiful Land.”)

4. While he is extending his dominion into Egypt, a report that causes alarm is brought to the Beast (Dan 11:44 “But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many”). It may be the report of the approach of the Kings of the East (Rev 16:12), who have assembled because of the destruction of the northern confederacy to challenge the authority of the beast. (See next article).(Dan 11:43,  “Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape.”) (Dan 11:44, ” But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many.”)

5. The Beast moves his headquarters into the land of Israel and assembles his armies there: (Dan 11:45, ^“He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.”)

6. It is there that his destruction will come (11:45).Taken as a whole, Dan 11:36-56 is a description of the closing days of the times of the Gentiles, specifically, the great tribulation with its world ruler, world religion, and materialistic philosophy. In spite of its satanic support, the world government fragmentizes into sectional disputes and a great world war which climaxes with the second advent of Christ. This brings the time of the Gentiles to a close with the destruction of the wicked rulers who led it.

III. Study References.

All of my study references can be found in my Page “About My References.”

Armageddon – The Invasion By The Northern Confederacy

I. Armageddon – The Invasion By The Northern Confederacy.

II. Details.

A. The “kings of the earth and of the whole world” are to be gathered together through the activity of the trinity from hell to what is called “the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Rev. 16:14). This confluence of the nations of the earth is in a place called Armageddon (Rev. 16:16). There God deals in judgment with the nations because of their persecution of Israel (Joel 3:2), because of their sinfulness (Rev. 19:15), and because of their godlessness (Rev. 16:9).

B.  It has been held commonly that the battle of Armageddon is an isolated event transpiring just prior to the second advent of Christ to the earth. The extent of this great movement in which God deals with “the kings of the earth and of the whole world” (Rev. 16:14) will not be seen unless it is realized that the “battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Rev. 16:14) is not an isolated battle, but rather a campaign that extends over the last half of the tribulation period. The Greek word polemos, translated “battle” in Revelation 16:14, signifies a war or campaign, while macheē signifies a battle, and sometimes even single combat. The use of the word polemos (campaign) in Revelation 16:14 would signify that the events that culminate in the gathering at Armageddon at the second advent are viewed by God as one connected campaign.

1. The location of the campaign. The hill of Megiddo, located west of the Jordan River in north central Israel, some ten miles south of Nazareth and fifteen miles inland from the Mediterranean seacoast, was an extended plain on which many of Israel’s battles had been fought. There Deborah and Barak defeated the Canaanites (Judges 4 and 5). There Gideon triumphed over the Midianites (Judges 7). There Saul was slain in the battle with the Philistines (1 Sam. 31:8). There Ahaziah was slain by Jehu (2 Kings 9:27). And there Josiah was slain in the invasion by the Egyptians (2 Kings 23:29-30; 2 Chron. 35:22).

2. Megiddo was in the plain of Esdraelon, “which has been a chosen place for encampment in every contest carried on in Israel from the Days of Nabuchodonozor, king of Assyria, unto the disastrous march of Napoleon Bonaparte from Egypt into Syria. Jews, Gentiles, Saracens, Christian crusaders, and antiChristian Frenchmen; Egyptians, Persians, Druses, Turks, and Arabs, warriors of every nation that is under heaven, have pitched their tents on the plains of Esdraelon, and have beheld the banners of their nation wet with the dews of Tabor and Hermon.” 

3. There are several other geographical locations involved in this campaign.

a. Joel 3:2, 13 speaks of events taking place in “the valley of Jehoshaphat,” which seems to be an extended area east of Jerusalem.

b. Ezekiel 39:11 speaks of the “valley of the passengers,” which may refer to the same area as the valley of Jehoshaphat inasmuch as that area was the travelled route going away from Jerusalem.

c. Isaiah 34 and 63 picture the Lord coming from Edom or Idumea, south of Jerusalem, when He returns from the judgment.

d. Jerusalem itself is seen to be the center of conflict (Zech. 12:2- 11; 14:2). Thus the campaign is pictured as extending from the plains of Esdraelon on the north, down through Jerusalem, extending out to the valley of Jehoshaphat on the east and to Edom on the south. This wide area would cover the entire land of Israel, and this campaign, with all its parts, would confirm what Ezekiel pictures when he says the invaders will “cover the land” (Ezek. 38:9, 16). This area would conform to the extent pictured by John in Revelation 14:20.

4. Scripture shows that this last great battle of that great day of God Almighty will reach far beyond Armageddon, or the Valley of Megiddo.

a. Armageddon appears to be mainly the place where the troops will gather together from the four corners of the earth, and from Armageddon the battle will spread out over the entire land of Israel.

b. Joel speaks of the last battle being fought in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, which is close by Jerusalem, and Isaiah shows Christ coming with bloodstained garments “from Edom;” Edom is south of Israel. So the battle of Armageddon, it seems, will stretch from the Valley of Megiddo in the north of Israel, through the Valley of Jehoshaphat, near Jerusalem, and on down to Edom at the extreme southern part of Israel. And to this agree the words of the prophet Ezekiel that the armies of this great battle will “cover the land.”

c. The Book of Revelation also says the blood will flow to the bits of the horse bridles for 1,600 furlongs, and it has been pointed out that 1,600 furlongs covers the entire length of Israel. But Jerusalem will no doubt be the center of interest during the battle of Armageddon, for God’s Word says: “I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle.

C.  The participants in the campaign. The alignment of nations during the tribulation period has already been discussed. It was seen that there will be four great world powers:

1. The ten kingdom federation of nations under the Beast that constitutes the final form of the fourth great world empire.

2. The northern federation, Russia and her allies.

3. The Kings of the East, the Asiatic peoples from beyond the Euphrates.

4. The King of the South, a north African power or powers.

5. Another great power must be added, because of His active participation in the campaign: “The Lord and His armies from heaven.” While the animosity of the first four is vented against each other and against Israel (Zech. 12:2-3; 14:2), it is particularly against the God of Israel that they fight (Ps. 2:2; Isa. 34:2; Zech. 14:3; Rev. 16:14; 17:14; 19:11, 14- 15, 19, 21).

III. My References.

All of my references are shown in my Page, “About My References.”

Armageddon – The Campaign Of Armageddon

I. Armageddon – The Campaign Of Armageddon.

II Details.

A. The “kings of the earth and of the whole world” are to be gathered together through the activity of the trinity from hell to what is called “the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Rev. 16:14). This confluence of the nations of the earth is in a place called Armageddon (Rev. 16:16). There God deals in judgment with the nations because of their persecution of Israel (Joel 3:2), because of their sinfulness (Rev. 19:15), and because of their godlessness (Rev. 16:9).

B. It has been held commonly that the battle of Armageddon is an isolated event transpiring just prior to the second advent of Christ to the earth. The extent of this great movement in which God deals with “the kings of the earth and of the whole world” (Rev. 16:14) will not be seen unless it is realized that the “battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Rev. 16:14) is not an isolated battle, but rather a campaign that extends over the last half of the tribulation period. The Greek word polemos, translated “battle” in Revelation 16:14, signifies a war or campaign, while macheē signifies a battle, and sometimes even single combat. The use of the word polemos (campaign) in Revelation 16:14 would signify that the events that culminate in the gathering at Armageddon at the second advent are viewed by God as one connected campaign. 

1. The location of the campaign. The hill of Megiddo, located west of the Jordan River in north central Palestine, some ten miles south of Nazareth and fifteen miles inland from the Mediterranean seacoast, was an extended plain on which many of Israel’s battles had been fought. There Deborah and Barak defeated the Canaanites (Judges 4 and 5). There Gideon triumphed over the Midianites (Judges 7). There Saul was slain in the battle with the Philistines (1 Sam. 31:8). There Ahaziah was slain by Jehu (2 Kings 9:27). And there Josiah was slain in the invasion by the Egyptians (2 Kings 23:29-30; 2 Chron. 35:22). Megiddo was in the plain of Esdraelon,  Megiddo was in the plain of Esdraelon, “which has been a chosen place for encampment in every contest carried on in Palestine from the Days of Nabuchodonozor, king of Assyria, unto the disastrous march of Napoleon Bonaparte from Egypt into Syria. Jews, Gentiles, Saracens, Christian crusaders, and anti-Christian Frenchmen; Egyptians, Persians, Druses, Turks, and Arabs, warriors of every nation that is under heaven, have pitched their tents on the plains of Esdraelon, and have beheld the banners of their nation wet with the dews of Tabor and Hermon.” 

a. There are several other geographical locations involved in this campaign.

(1) Joel 3:2, 13 speaks of events taking place in “the valley of Jehoshaphat,” which seems to be an extended area east of Jerusalem. Ezekiel 39:11 speaks of the “valley of the passengers,” which may refer to the same area as the valley of Jehoshaphat inasmuch as that area was the travelled route going away from Jerusalem.

(2) Isaiah 34 and 63 picture the Lord coming from Edom or Idumea, south of Jerusalem, when He returns from the judgment.

(3) Jerusalem itself is seen to be the center of conflict (Zech. 12:2- 11; 14:2). Thus the campaign is pictured as extending from the plains of Esdraelon on the north, down through Jerusalem, extending out to the valley of Jehoshaphat on the east and to Edom on the south.

b. This wide area would cover the entire land of Palestine and this campaign, with all its parts, would confirm what Ezekiel pictures when he says the invaders will “cover the land” (Ezek. 38:9, 16).

c. This area would conform to the extent pictured by John in Revelation 14:20. It appears from Scripture that this last great battle of that great day of God Almighty will reach far beyond Armageddon, or the Valley of Megiddo.

d. Armageddon appears to be mainly the place where the troops will gather together from the four corners of the earth, and from Armageddon the battle will spread out over the entire land of Palestine. Joel speaks of the last battle being fought in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, which is close by Jerusalem, and Isaiah shows Christ coming with bloodstained garments “from Edom,” and Edom is south of Palestine. So the battle of Armageddon, it seems, will stretch from the Valley of Megiddo in the north of Palestine, through the Valley of Jehoshaphat, near Jerusalem, and on down to Edom at the extreme southern part of Palestine.

e. And to this agree the words of the prophet Ezekiel that the armies of this great battle will “cover the land.” The Book of Revelation also says the blood will flow to the bits of the horse bridles for 1,600 furlongs, and it has been pointed out that 1,600 furlongs covers the entire length of Palestine. But Jerusalem will no doubt be the center of interest during the battle of Armageddon, for God’s Word says: “I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle.”

2. The participants in the campaign. The alignment of nations during the tribulation period has already been discussed. It was seen that there will be four great world powers:

(a) the ten kingdom federation of nations under the Beast that constitutes the final form of the fourth great world empire;

(b) the northern federation, Russia and her allies;

(c) the Kings of the East, the Asiatic peoples from beyond the Euphrates; and

(d) the King of the South, a north African power or powers.

(e)Another great power must be added, because of His active participation in the campaign; the Lord and His armies from heaven. While the animosity of the first four is vented against each other and against Israel (Zech. 12:2-3; 14:2), it is particularly against the God of Israel that they fight (Ps. 2:2; Isa. 34:2; Zech. 14:3; Rev. 16:14; 17:14; 19:11, 14- 15, 19, 21). 

III. Study References.

All references for my articles can be found in my Page, About My References.

The Relationship Of Antichrist To The Two Beasts

I. The Relation Of Antichrist To The Two Beasts.

II. Details. 

A. The word antichrist appears only in the Epistles of John. It is used in 1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; and 2 John 7. A study of these references will reveal that John is principally concerned with an immediate doctrinal error, “the denial of the person of Christ.” The emphasis is not on a future revelation of an individual, but rather on the present manifestation of false doctrine. To John antichrist was already present. The question arises then as to the relation between the “antichrist” of John’s epistles and the beasts of Revelation. The prefix “anti” may be used either in the sense of “instead of” or “against.” 

1. The solution of the problem of the identification of Antichrist would seem to depend upon whether light can be thrown on the question of whether he is primarily the great enemy of Christ or whether he is a false Christ. 

2. The preposition has two primary usages: first, over against or opposite to; and second indicating an exchange, instead of or in place of. A study of the five usages of antichrist in John’s epistles seems clearly to indicate the idea of opposition rather than exchange. John’s words seem decisive that resistance to Christ, and defiance of Him, this, and not any treacherous assumption of his character and offices, is the essential mark of the AntiChrist; is that which, therefore, we should expect to find embodied in his name, and in this sense, if not all, yet many of the Fathers have understood the word. 

3. The word antichrist seems to be contrasted with “false Christ” in Scripture. This word is used in Matthew 24:24 and Mark 13:22. On the contrast between the words: the [Pseudochristos, false Christ] does not deny the being of a Christ; on the contrary, he builds on the world’s expectations of such a person; only he appropriates these to himself, and blasphemously affirms that he is the foretold One, in whom God’s promises and men’s expectations are fulfilled. The distinction, then, is plain [antichristos, antichrist] denies that there is a Christ] [Pseudochristos, false Christ] affirms himself to be Christ.

B. It would seem that John has the idea of opposition in mind rather than the idea of exchange. This idea of direct opposition to Christ seems to be the particular characterization of the first Beast, for he sets his kingdom against the kingdom of the Son of God. If antichrist must be identified with one of the two Beasts it would seem to be identified with the first. It may be, however, that John is not referring to either of the two Beasts, but rather to the lawless system that will characterize them (2 Thess. 2:7). Since he is emphasizing the danger of a present doctrinal defection, he is reminding them that such teaching is the teaching of the antichrist philosophy of Satan that Paul held was already working (2 Thess. 2:7). Without doubt this antichrist philosophy of Satan, referred to by John, will culminate in the Beasts in their corporate ministries, where the first Beast will be in direct opposition to Christ as one who falsely fulfills the covenant to give Israel their land and, the second Beast will assume the place of leadership in the religious realm which rightly belongs to Christ. But John is not trying to identify either of these Beasts as antichrist, but to warn any who would deny the person of Christ that they are walking in that system which eventually would culminate in the manifestation of the lawless system in the activities of both Beasts. They, in their corporate unity, culminate lawlessness.  

III: Study References.

Study References for all my articles can be found in my Page, “About My References.”

IV. Correction Of Previous Article.

In my previous Article, “The Person And Ministry Of the False Prophet, The Religious Leader,” I have made a correction in the words of Section II, Details. Please go down to A., and scroll down to subparagraph (10), and notice below it  “(11), (12), and (13”) for my correction of the text. 

The Person And Ministry Of The False Prophet, The Religious Leader

I. The Person And Ministry Of The Beast, The Religious Leader

II. Details.

A.  In close association with the Beast, the head of the federated empire, is another individual known as the “False Prophet” (Rev. 19:20; 20:10), called “the second beast” in Revelation 13:11-17, where his fullest description is given. In that passage of Scripture there are some important factors concerning him to be observed: (1) This individual is evidently a Jew, since he arises out of the earth, or land, that is Israel (13:11); (2) he is influential in religious affairs (13:11, “two horns like a lamb”); (3) he is motivated by Satan as the first beast is (13:11); (4) he has a delegated authority (13:12, “the power of the first beast”); (5) he promotes the worship of the first beast and compels the earth to worship the first beast as God (13:12); (6) his ministry is authenticated by the signs and miracles which he does, evidently proving that he is Elijah that was to come (13:13-14); (7) he is successful in deceiving the unbelieving world (13:14); (8) the worship promoted is an idolatrous worship (13:14-15); (9) he has the power of death to compel men to worship the beast (13:15); (10) he has authority in the economic realm to control all commerce (13:16-17); (11) he causes all to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead (13:16); (12) he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name (13:17); (13) the number of the antichrist is six hundred and sixty-six (13:18).

B.  It will be observed that the Revelation, in relating the second beast to the first, presents him as subservient to the first. He is called “the false prophet” (Rev. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10), who ministers in connection with the first beast as his prophet or spokesman. We are presented, then, with a Satanic trinity, the unholy trinity, or the trinity of hell: the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet (Rev. 16:13). That place occupied by God in His program is assumed by Satan, that place of Christ is assumed by the first Beast, that ministry of the Holy Spirit is discharged by the False Prophet.

III. Study References.

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