Will history eventually disintegrate into a global holocaust of devastating chaos like many religious people say? Is the present situation in the Middle East that religious folks say are pointing at to give their claims weight? They are insisting that these events have been arranged specifically to forecast the day that Christ will rise up and walk the earth again at judgment. What makes this claim different then what they have asserted repeatedly in the passed?
It all goes back to what the Bible says about Armageddon. Armageddon is mentioned in the New Testament once, and that is in Revelation 16:16. The phrase ”Armageddon” is often used metaphorically. This is in keeping with fictional stories that focuses on apocalyptic themes of the world ending. However, Revelation 16:16 is covered with allusions concerning the Old Testament. This is because the New Testament is largely rooted in the ideas and descriptions of Hebrew sacred writings.
Yet, writers have rewritten, tailored, and combined thought instead of quoting directly from the Old Testament. Why? It was necessary for writers to do this because they wanted to relate to an environment which would enable them to address themselves as they existed at that time. In taking liberally from the Old Testament imagery they were able to place a New Testament, first century relevance, viewpoint on them.
Many Asia Minor Christians are familiar with the Old Testament, but those of us who are not some explanations are in order. The word Armageddon comes from the word ”Harmageddon” which means mountain or hill of Megiddo. Megiddo was a hill where many gory conflicts took place. A lot of Jewish scholars and interested persons of Hebrew history may know that the Megiddo and its surrounding area was a well-known field of war where quite a few unsuccessful military battles occurred. On this famous hill, Deborah and Barak defeated the Cannaanites, this is mentioned in Judges 5:19. Then there was Judges 7, where Gideon defeated the Midianites. Although, these battles are seen as accomplishments there are less positive images that center around Megiddo that have imprinted themselves on Israelite consciousness. An example, is in 2 Kings 9:27 where Ahaziah died on Megiddo after being pierced by Jehu’s arrow, and in 2 Kings 23:29 where tragically good King Josiah was brought down at the hands of Pharaoh Necho. King Josiah death brought on an upsurge of communal grief by his fellow Jews that was recorded in Zechariah 12:11.
Megiddo, due to its far reaching past, has occupied a revered place in the minds of true believers. Megiddo holds a place of such importance in the minds of first century Jews and Christians. Consequently, near the end of the first century, ill-treated Christians of Asia Minor and their desire to overcome and endure painful persecutions was shown in the course of the battle being waged between Satan in the form of Imperial Rome and the power of God, the Messiah and the saints. In an earlier period, Christians needed hope of victory over their enemies. During our day and age Christians for the same thing but it won’t be fulfilled in an end time battle of Armageddon but rather a spiritual battle. Encouragement was what Christians needed to remain sound in their faith, even while they were being battered by their fellow human beings.
Harmageddon in the book of Revelation added to their assurance as a reminder which symbolized victory. The book of Revelation being the message communicated that God will win. The assurance that they were looking for “must shortly come to pass,” not two thousand years later. Revelation 1:1. Rest assured, there will be no ”Armageddon” because the phrase is simply symbolic, and has no connection to the fantasy of a future world war.
Word count: 625