The Battle of Armageddon The Battle of Armageddon
The following is a fantastic appraisal of the legendary battle of Armageddon written by Paul R Phelps. By and large, the analysis by this Bible teacher and writer fits neatly into the scenario developed in Through the Prophet's Eye.
AN EXPLANATION OF THE WORD ARMAGEDDON
The Greek word Armageddon has a different basis in Hebrew grammar than is
usually explained, and the prophetic meaning is affected. As a place name, Megiddo always refers to the Jezre'el valley fortress, but this
name is without a final 'n' letter. Megiddon with a final 'n' is only found in one text: Zech. 12:11. This spelling distinction is erased in
many Bible versions but King James has it:
In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem,
as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
The root word is Gad ('troop'); Gen. 30:11; 49:19. Megiddo is 'gathering
of troops,' and the final 'n' means 'the place of...' Hence Megiddon is not a name but
a generic term for a battlefield, 'the place of the gathering of troops.'
The view that Arm- is transliterated from 'har' (mountain) is not likely;
in the Megiddo texts there is no mention of a mountain (har). The Megiddo fort is not on a mountain. The true explanation has been
overlooked although the clue is in the Zechariah text. Hadad and Rimmon are two gods of ancient Syria, which were never known in Israel at any
time. Thus the mourning of Hadad-Rimmon could only be in Syria. In Hebrew, Syria is Aram. It becomes Arm- if joined in compound to another
word. The Greek word Armageddon is a transliteration of Aram + megiddon, and means 'the place in Syria of the gathering of troops.'
Zechariah 12:11 mentions a 'valley' or 'plain': this is the north-eastern
Syrian plain alongside the Euphrates River. This could be where troops from the East will be crossing the river; Rev. 16:12. This
interpretation removes the scene of Armageddon from Israel and puts it in Syria. The mourning of Hadad-Rimmon may be prophetic of the mourning for
the dead after Armageddon. This battle must be near the Euphrates because that is where the antichrist will try to stop the Eastern army
from reaching Jerusalem and any occupied regional nations.
Roman claims of ruling the whole world (Luke 2:1) were never true and
will never be true despite claims; the empires in Nebuchadnezzar's dream did not rule the whole world (but their significance was in bearing rule
over the Jews). (Other empires always existed besides those four in Nebuchadnezzar's dream.)
Armageddon does not involve Israel at all, for Israel is nowhere
mentioned. It rather has to do with the conflict between the Western antichrist empire, and the kingdoms of the East. This is confirmed
(about antichrist) in Daniel 11:44,
But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore
he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many.
(note from Marshall Best: The prophecies taken from Daniel are all, without
exception, fulfilled in the past and do not apply to our future.
Through
the Prophet's Eye shows this in depth.)
But the war will result in the annihilation of antichrist forces in
Syria, battling the eastern armies northeast of Jerusalem (v 45). The forces then called by the 'three frogs' (evil spirits) are a last attempt
by antichrist to confront the eastern forces at the Euphrates River. Hence the eastern forces are not coming against Israel but are coming
against antichrist forces based in west Asia; that may be the reason God opens the river before them, for they are serving His purpose. God's act
of opening the Euphrates River giving entry to the kings of the East might relate to
Isaiah 11:11,15b-16; 41:2-3,8-9,25; 46:11; 51:10-11 and Joel 2:11.
The following is my email response to the research by Paul R. Phelps.
Paul,
I am greatly intrigued by your recent Megiddon email. Your conclusions fit
in very nicely with the scenario I have described in my book
Through
the Prophet's Eye (available through www.armageddonbooks.com).
I see that the future conflict will be comprised of the bad guys (predominantly being the
Muslim world - with the Revelation's false prophet being a false Islamic "Madhi" or Muslim messiah rather than a universal religious figure or
false Christian/Jewish figure) and the good guys (who will be predominantly Northern Europe/USA/Israel... explanations for this are not the typical
explanations and are also found in my book). While this war is going on,
an alliance is formed between the good guys and China in that we desire China to enter the war when the bad guys have over-extended themselves. At the
time China enters the war, ( "let loose the angels at the Euphrates river who have been prepared for an hour and day and a month and a year" or
something like that) the Muslims will be taken completely off guard, and the Muslims will be suddenly faced with a two front war - a war they cannot win.
The Chinese move all the way in to Syria and slaughter the Muslims. That
is the great battle of Armageddon.
One thing to note is that the Chinese are not coming to attack Jerusalem.
Every one of the 7 vials, 7 thunders, 7 seals, and 7 trumps, are things that God does (frequently through his "good guy" armies) to defeat the
armies of the bad guys. The Chinese are coming to destroy the armies of
the Muslims and their allies.
note: everyone has a chance to change their mind upon further evaluation. My current opinion is that a biblical role for the Chinese being involved in the end times was in error. The important point in this entire discussion is simply being that the location of the battle of Armageddon should be in Syria, not the valley of Megiddo.