Pastor Charles Cooley
10/01/06

Armageddon, in Hebrew  har Megiddo or hill of Megiddo,  is the name given to the final battle between the kings of earth and the King of Heaven, the Messiah. It is named that because this is the place where the book of Revelation reveals it begins.

"Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon." - Revelation 16:16

However, I believe the full story cannot be understood without the prophet Daniel's revelations. In chapter nine of Daniel, he is given a divine time table for the nation of Israel. They were allotted seventy 'sevens' (or weeks) of years to finish all transgression, thus bringing in everlasting righteousness. After sixty-nine of the weeks, Messiah would come but would not be received and would be killed. Then Daniel was told "the people of the ruler that will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed." (Daniel 9:26). He then goes on to describe what the ruler will do when he finally comes, but, there is a large gap of time between when the Temple and the city are destroyed and when the 'ruler' finally comes. In other words, there is a large gap of time between the 69th and 70th weeks of Daniels revelation. When the 70th week finally begins, there will be one week until the end, or one seven year period. Having the advantage of history, we can easily see how these things were fulfilled exactly. Four hundred eighty-three years (69 weeks of years) after King Artaxerxes issued the decree for the Jews to leave Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem, Jesus the Messiah came, was rejected and crucified for our transgressions. Within a short time Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed and Israel ceased being a nation. Desolations did indeed continue for the Jews until 1948, when they became a nation again. However the phrase "war will continue till the end" is certainly still in effect.

We know several things from this revelation: 1) Jesus came right on time and was rejected. 2) The city and the sanctuary were destroyed. 3) The Romans were the people who destroyed the city and sanctuary. 4) Desolations came for the Jewish people and wars have continued, even after God has brought them back to their ancestral land.

All that is left of Daniel's divine time table is the last week of years. It is made clear to us what will begin those years:

"He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven'. In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to the sacrifice and the offering. And on the wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him." - Daniel 9:27

When a great leader, who is connected with ancient Rome, confirms a seven year treaty with Israel, we will know that the last seven years of Daniel's time table have begun. Who is this leader? How is he connected to Rome? We shall have to look elsewhere to answer these questions. However, there is another question I want to answer first; can we know the time these things will happen? Jesus said, 'No man knew the hour of His return, only His Father in heaven.' Many have used this verse to say we cannot know when these things will happen, but is that true? It was certainly true at the time Jesus said it and for the people to whom Jesus said it but, that does not mean it is true for all time. When Noah was told by God that it was going to rain, flooding the earth, he was not given the time it would begin until seven days before it began. Noah preached for 120 years then, seven days before the flood began, God said, "Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights," (Genesis 7:3). Jesus said, 'As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be when the Son of Man comes'. I believe as the last seven years begin and we see the seven year covenant made with Israel, we will know. If there is any doubt, we will certainly know when after three and a half years he breaks the covenant and desecrates the Temple?

Are there any other Scriptures that give clues as to the identity of the 'ruler'? Yes. Let us begin in Daniel 11 which chronicles the conflicts between two kingdoms called the king of the north and the king of the south. Verses 1 through 35 have been historically fulfilled, which can be accurately shown. They were two of the four parts into which Alexander the Great's kingdom divided after his death, specifically those that ruled greater Syria and Egypt. Verse 35 then introduces an undetermined time gap:

"Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time." - Daniel 11:35

However, beginning in verse 36 a new king arrives on the scene. The King James Version calls him 'The Willful King' whereas the New International Version calls him 'The King Who Exalts Himself'. He is not a king of the north nor is he a king of the south because both of them wage war with him. And he appears at the end of time.

"At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him ..." - Daniel 11:40.

He sweeps through many countries, including Egypt, Lybia, and the Nubians (Ethiopia). In other words, northern Africa is subdued and he also invades the Beautiful Land, which is Israel. Hearing reports from the east and the north (God is said to reside on "the sides of the North" and the Lord is said to come from the East) will alarm him and he sets out to annihilate many. He pitches his royal tents between the sea and the beautiful holy mountain, that is between the Mediterranean Sea and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. But, he comes to his end with no one able to help him. In chapter 12, Daniel is further told that at that time, the angel 'Michael, the great prince who protects your people,' will arise to battle. Some believe this is describing the Romans as they defeated Egypt and began their rule of Israel but, there are significant parts that never happened then , such as their defeat by the angel Michael. This part of chapter 11and 12 has never happened and therefore remains to be fulfilled.

Daniel describes this willful king for us:

"The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what is determined must take place. He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all." - Daniel 11:36-38

He reminds me of other megalomaniac leaders such as Hitler and Stalin. The phrase 'gods of his fathers' is a clear Semitic phrase and 'the desire of women' phrase is a Jewish reference to Messiah. Every Jewish woman desired to be the mother that would bear Messiah. This king seems to have a Jewish connection of some sort. This ruler knows about these things but he has no regard for them. He is the man also described by Paul in 2 Thessalonians chapter two:

"Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day (the day Jesus Christ comes again) will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." - 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

We can now begin to develop a clear picture of this man. 1) He comes at the end of time. 2) He comes out of Rome. 3) He over powers many countries, none seem to be able to defeat him. 4) He has Jewish and messianic roots but denies them. 5) He comes into influence when there is a time of falling away and rebellion against truth. 6) He gathers his armies for battle at Jerusalem in the last days.

Recently, the Devinci Code, which claims Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had children which became the heads of State of many European countries, has had a resurgence of popularity. Will he claim to be the inheritor of the Devinci Code who rises to be the leader of the European Union? Daniel reveals his mode of operation; during a seven-year treaty he will make a false peace with Israel by 'dividing the land' for a price' (Dan. 11:39). The 'land for peace' formula has been fully developed by the last three American Presidents, even though the prophet Joel warns clearly the consequences of such plans:

"I will gather all nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land." - Joel 3:2

He takes credit for this political maneuvering that allows for the rebuilding of the Jewish temple and the beginning of the sacrificial system again, only to be broken in three and one half years. There is not much opposition from the Islamic nations as their power has been destroyed by God in the war described by Ezekiel, which takes place shortly before  this time. It is to the Jewish people's dishonor that, after God so clearly recently delivered them from Russian and radical Islamic forces, they enter into this 'covenant of death' with this Roman ruler, whom I believe is the antichrist. But, God will use him to purify His people, just as He used Pharaoh of Egypt to prepare them for the promised land.

There is a second interpretation that is viable as well. Revelation 13 describes two evil leaders that arise, the antichrist (1st beast) and his false prophet (2nd beast). Paul's description of the "man of lawlessness" in 2 Thessalonians 2 could be a description of the false prophet. Paul does seem to associate him with all kinds of signs and wonders:

"The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing." - 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10

Revelation 13 says of the false prophet:

"Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth."
- Revelation 13:14

It is clear that these two beasts are working together and it is possible that Daniel and Paul are describing both of them working as one. If this is true, then the 'willful king' of Daniel and the 'man of lawlessness' of Paul would be the false prophet, or 2nd beast of Revelation. The 1st beast of Revelation would be the 'ruler that will come' of Daniel 9. Regardless of which of these interpretations is true, they both will be active in leading the world into the final battle for Jerusalem - Armageddon.

The conclusion of this final battle is described in the Book of Revelation chapters 16 and 19.

"The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are the spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. ...Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon." - Rev. 16:12-16

In the spiritual imagery of Revelation, the dragon, beast, and false prophet are the unholy trinity of Satan. The dragon is Satan himself, the beast is the antichrist, and the false prophet is the spiritual spokesman for the beast (see chapter 12 and 13 of Revelation for more detail on this). At the end of the false seven year treaty the antichrist made with Israel, something makes him gather the armies against Israel. Possibly Israel revolts against him for breaking the treaty and desecrating the Temple, as they did so many years ago under the Maccabbees. The call goes out against them, probably through the United Nations, and the armies of the world gather on the plain of Megiddo (Armageddon) because it is a large flat valley, whereas most of Israel is mountainous. Once gathered, they proceed to Jerusalem where the army of antichrist is already encamped.

For the previous 3 1/2 years this unholy three have brought hell to earth. They have "made war against the saints and conquered them" (Rev. 13:7) and established their unholy authority over every tribe and people of the earth. They have been used by God to test the loyalty of every person on earth as they forced them to choose between death and accepting their mark (Rev. 13:16). Now, their time is finished and the Son of God is coming to rescue His faithful that remain and meet out judgment to the wicked.

"And I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS....Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and His army. But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshipped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh." - Revelation 19:11-21

This is the conclusion of the battle of Armageddon when Christ comes to rescue His own and judge the wicked. The great dragon, Satan, is locked in the Abyss while Jesus begins His 1000 year reign. Those who have died in the Lord will be resurrected and those in the Lord who remain alive will be changed and caught up to meet Him in the air and return with Him. As Paul wrote:

"But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. . . . For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words." - 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18