The Myth of Armageddon

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There is a big problem with our assumptions regarding "Armageddon". It's a term which has taken on epic connotations. Any use of this particular word immediately conjures up images of the most violent, bloody battles imaginable. It's the war to end all wars. But is the common understanding actually correct?

The English word "Armageddon" is found in only one place in the Bible. Revelation 16:16
[Rev 16:16 ESV] And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

I've quoted the ESV as an example of a very typical translation of this verse. Some translators have included footnotes which state: "Some mss read Armagedon ; other mss read Harmegedon ; other mss read Mageddon ; other mss read Magedon "

So there are variants of the spelling found in the Greek manuscripts. Let's start investigating why this could be. First, it's very important to keep in mind that this is stated to be from a Hebrew word – it's a Greek transliteration. This word did not exist in the Greek language. Next, notice that some manuscripts include "Ar" or "Har" and some don't. So whatever this term is in Hebrew it very likely is made up of two components which have been combined in the transliteration.

The "H" in Hebrew is a very breathy sound. The manuscripts which do not include the "H" recognize this fact and don't include it in their transliteration. In Hebrew, the word "har" does exist (Strong's H2022). It means mountain or hill.

The rest of the term is assumed to be "Megiddo" or "Megiddon" (Strong's H4023). The pronunciation of the "don" is actually "doh" – the 'n' is silent. Scholars have most often connected this with the city/place named Megiddo which is about 55 miles north of Jerusalem and about 11 miles from Nazareth.

The word itself also has a particular meaning. It's stated to mean "place of crowds" or "rendezvous". This will be particulary significant as we continue.

Megiddo is named several times in the Old Testament. It is the site of several battles. One of the most significant is that which pitted King Josiah against Pharoah Neco (II Chron 35, II Kings 23). Neco had warned Josiah not to get involved as the Egyptian army made their way to Carchemish to engage the Babylonians and to help their Assyrian ally. Josiah ignored this warning (said to be of God) and was killed at Megiddo.

This leads to the other place where Megiddo is mentioned – Zechariah 12:11
[Zec 12:11 LSB] 11 "In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo."
This place called Hadadrimmon occurs only in this verse and scholars have determined it is quite near to the Megiddo site itself. It is not said when this time of mourning occurred. However, after the death of Josiah there was an intense time of mourning for thier righteous king. Even Jeremiah composed a lament.

But notice the significant detail. It is in the "plain of Megiddo". This term also occurs in II Chron 35:22. No where does it say Megiddo was associated with a mountain. The nearest mountain is Mount Carmel. So this is a detail which suggests the common assumption might not be accurate.

Zechariah 12 is very significant for another related reason. It is God's prophecy about the battle that God has with the nations of the world....at Jerusalem. The text describes a siege against Jerusalem (Zech 12:2). Multiple times it is stated this battle happens during the Day of Yahweh – short hand "that day". This phrase occurs Zech 12:3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11. But the common assumption is that the battle to end all battles is at "Armageddon". Zech 12:9 specifically states that the armies of the world attack at Jerusalem.
[Zec 12:9 LSB] "And it will be in that day, [that] I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem."

Zechariah 14 also describes the same battle:
[Zec 14:3 LSB] Then Yahweh will go forth and fight against those nations, as the day when He fights on a day of battle."
Seven times the phrase "that day" occurs in the chapter.

Ezekiel 38 and 39 describes the same battle:
[Eze 38:21, 23 LSB] 21 "And I will call for a sword against him on all My mountains," declares Lord Yahweh. "Every man's sword will be against his brother. ... 23 "And I will magnify Myself, I will manifest Myself as holy, and I will make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am Yahweh."'

Daniel 11:45 describes this same battle at the Holy Mountain where Jerusalem is located:
[Dan 11:45 LSB] 45 "And he (King of the North) 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.

Revelation 14 describes this same battle:
[Rev 14:20 LSB] 20 And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses' bridles, for a distance of 1,600 stadia.

Revelation 19 describes this same battle:
[Rev 19:19 LSB] 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war with Him who sits on the horse and with His army.

Zechariah 14 gives the details about a massive earthquake which splits the Mount of Olives.
[Zec 14:4-5 LSB] 4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. ... Then Yahweh, my God, will come, [and] all the holy ones with Him!

Joel 3 also gives details about this final battle at the valley of Jehoshaphat. This is the Kidron Valley next to the Mount of Olives.
[Joe 3:12-16 LSB] 12 Let the nations be roused up And come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, For there I will sit to judge All the surrounding nations. 13 Send in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread, for the wine press is full; The vats overflow, for their evil is great. 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of Yahweh is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and moon grow dark, And the stars lose their brightness. 16 And Yahweh roars from Zion And gives forth His voice from Jerusalem, And the heavens and the earth quake. But Yahweh is a refuge for His people And a strong defense to the sons of Israel.

This is the valley which will contain the blood up to the height of the horse bridle. It will flow about 180 miles – which just happens to be the distance from Jerusalem to the Gulf of Aqaba. There is nothing significant 180 miles from Megiddo. And it's quite a different image to have a wide flat plain filled 5 feet deep with blood as opposed to a valley. But both thoughts are horrific none the less.

The fact is that there is no mention of a final battle happening at Megiddo. But...what about Revelation 16:16 – it says it right there. Does it though?

For this we have to take a deep dive into the Hebrew word that the transliteration is most likely from.
הַרמְגִדּוֹן

The Hebrew alphabet consists of consonants. The vowels are indicated by markings above and below. These vowel markings were invented by the Massoretes during the last centuries of the first millennium AD. During the Biblical era, there was no systematized indication of the vowels so pronunciation was memorized and handed down from generation to generation. There were also different dialects which also modified how people pronounced certain words.

So what the Greek transliterated, it is made up of the combination Hebrew letters:
"har" + m + g + d + 'oh' + n

The vowels between were not specified and it would have been according to how it sounded to the ear of the Greek author/scribe. It was tranliterated to:
"h" + "ah" + "r" + "m" + "eh" + "g" + "ee" + "d" + "oh" (+ "n")

The Peshitta, the New Testament in Aramaic/Syriac is also an important witness for this passage. The Aramaic language is extremely similar to Hebrew and can even be written with the same Hebrew block letters. Again no vowel markings existed during those early centuries. The Hebrew term in the Peshitta occurs as:
ܡܓܕܘ
m + g + d + w

The very same consonants. The "w" having the sound of a breathy "oo".

Video on youtube search ,

Revealed! Armageddon: The Battle Plan. Part 1 Har Moghaedoh​

Link removed by moderator , see TOS 1.10 here https://christianforums.net/pages/TOS/

 

[eclipseEventSigns]

Earlier, I mentioned that "megiddo" means "place of gathering, meeting or rendezvous". Add in the word "mountain" and the phrase is "the mountain of gathering". There is a very signifant passage in Isaiah that has this exact term.
[Isa 14:12-14 LSB] 12 "How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! 13 "But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 14 'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'

Here the term is "har moed"; pronounced "har" + "m" + "oh" + "ae" + "dh"

The word "moed" means "appointed place, time, meeting". It is often used to describe the prescribed times for the Feasts of Yahweh, seven altogether. Three times during the year God required the people of Israel to assemble themselves at Jerusalem for the specific Feasts of Passover/Unleavened Bread, Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Ingathering/Booths. It is significant that Messiah Jesus fulfilled the purposes of the Passover and Unleavened Bread during His first coming. The Church was initiated at the Feast of Weeks. The fall Feast of Ingathering has had no ultimate fulfillment yet.

This passage in Isaiah is very significant as it addresses the "star of the morning" who fell from heaven and decided to sit on the "mount of assembly" on the "side of the north". This describes the location of Jerusalem and specifically the temple which was located at the very north end of the City of David. As the Enemy desires to take the very place of God in His holy city during the last days.



A psalm also addresses this last battle event, which many do not appreciate.

[Psa 48:1-5 LSB] Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised, In the city of our God, His holy mountain. 2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion [in] the far north, The city of the great King. 3 God, in her palaces, Has made Himself known as a stronghold. 4 For, behold, the kings assembled themselves, They passed by together. 5 They saw [it], then they were astonished; They were dismayed, they fled in alarm.

So then how does the term "har moed" connect with "har megiddo"? Although modern Hebrew spells the word using consonants "m" and "d", there is a pronounciation recorded in the Hebrew dictionary that adds a "g".

https://archive.org/details/englishmanshebre0000wigr_u4w2
The Englishman's Hebrew and Chaldee concordance of the Old Testament
Wigram, George

There existed a time when it was pronounced with a gutteral "gh".
"m" + "oh" + "gh" + "ae" + "dh"

The very same consonants as recorded in the Peshitta and in the Greek transliteration. Therefore, this term very well would not be referring to the place of Megiddo in northern Israel at all. It most likely is referring to the "Mount of Assembly" – another term for Jerusalem itself. Where the people of Israel gathered and the location of the throne of God on earth in the temple.

Revelation 16:16 is then shown to match with the rest of Scripture for the location of the final battle of God against the assembled armies of the world.

Being transliterated properly in English as:
"Har moghaedoh"

 

[eclipseEventSigns]

How far is 1600 stadia? It's about 180 miles. What is about 180 miles going east and then south from Jerusalem? The Gulf of Aqaba. What is 180 miles from Megiddo - the commonly assumed location of Armageddon? Absolutely nothing significant.

 

[eclipseEventSigns]

Part II of the Battle Plan of Armageddon. Old Testament and New Testament passages woven together to reveal the series of events that mark the beginning of the Day of Yahweh.
Video on youtube search ,

Revealed! Armageddon: The Battle Plan. Part 2 - The Timeline​

Link removed by moderator , TOS 1.10

 

[Shilohsfoal]

Armegeddon is not the war to end all wars.
It's next to last.

Ezekiel 38:8
After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety.

In the above verse I have highlighted the part of the verse which is about the war of armegeddon .That is the war which the land of Israel recovers from .The war of Armegeddon takes place 1000 years before Gog and the nations outside of the kingdom come a calling.In fact if you read Ezekiel 37 ,you will find the resurrection of israel.takes place before Gog shows up in Ezekiel.38.This corresponds to revelation 20.

 

[for_his_glory]

Rev 16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
Rev 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Rev 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Rev 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

Armageddon, Harmageddon, Mageddon known in a few ways of different spellings, but being a city called Megiddo found in the Jezreel Valley between Nazareth and Jerusalem being a place of troops, or an assembly of troops, or a gathering of troops; or a mountain assembly of troops, or a mountain rendezvous of troops, or a mountain gathering of troops.
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog to gather them together to battle the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Rev 20:7-10.

Let's take a closer look at Rev 20:7-10.
1. After the 1000 years are expired Satan will be set loose, but doesn't say how long he is set loose before he is cast into the lake of fire.

2. Satan goes out immediately to deceive the nations.

3. These nations are in the four quarters of the earth, (N S E W) that Satan gathers together as the enemies of God are great as the numbering of the sand of the sea.

4. Four quarters of the earth are east, west, north and south as described in Ezekiel 38:1-6 in all who come against Israel in the final battle called Armageddon.

5. The breadth of the earth means the saints that are camped not only in Jerusalem the beloved city of God, but also throughout the breadth of the earth.

6. God sends fire down from heaven to devour/destroy the enemies of God and Satan is cast into the lake of fire where the beast and false prophet are.

Notice where it says the beast and false prophet are, as that happens when Christ returns in the air with His army of angels, Rev 19:11-21, before planting His feet on the Mt of Olives.


Rev 20:7-10 is the defeat of Satan after the battle of Armageddon where he calls all the nations to come against Israel one last time as prophesied in Ezekiel 38:1-6 that descibes these nations. In this battle, this Gog-Magog War, this Armageddon battle, is a different type of battle from any other ones found in scripture including the king of the north and south in Daniel 11 as this takes place after Satan is bound and then set loose for what I believe is a symbolic in it's numbering like that of a figurative number, not a literal number as in Deuteronomy 7:9; 1Chronicles 16:15; Psalms 50:10; 90:4; 105:8 Ecc 6:6; 7:28; Daniel 5:1; 2 Peter 3:8. 7:9;1Chronicles16:15; Psalms 50:10; 90:4; 105:8 Ecc 6:6; 7:28; Daniel 5:1; 2 Peter 3:8.

Those that have rejected Christ that still remain on earth after the beast, false prophet and all the ruling leaders from every nation that followed after the beast are destroyed, Rev 19:11-21 are those who are the numbering as the sand of the sea. These are the enemy of God that Satan uses to battle against the saints during the battle of Armageddon that are camped upon the breadth of the earth after Satan is released for a season. The saints are camped not only in Jerusalem the beloved city of God, but also throughout the breadth of the earth. It's only the 144,000 generational Jews that believe in Christ that have returned to Jerusalem. After the 1000 years are fulfilled Satan is set loosed for a season and goes out to deceive the nations as he gathers the enemies of Christ to battle against the saints as the numbering of unbelievers is like the sand of the sea. As the enemy surrounds the camp of the saints God sends fire down from heaven and destroys the enemy and Satan is cast into the lake of fire. Zechariah 14; Luke 21:20-22 and Rev 16:16 mentions the battle of Armageddon when Christ and His army of angels return as Christ plants His feet on the mount of Olives for the final battle as Gog and Magog found in Ezekiel Chapter 38 is the battle of Rev 20:7-9.

As I understand all of this it happens at the time of Christ return as I see everything happening very quickly as being the last day when Christ returns for at that time all evil will be destroyed by the brightness of His coming, this present heaven and earth will pass away and restored again before the New Jerusalem will be ushered down from heaven, Rev 21:1-8.

 

[for_his_glory]

 

[eclipseEventSigns]

As I understand all of this it happens at the time of Christ return as I see everything happening very quickly as being the last day when Christ returns for at that time all evil will be destroyed by the brightness of His coming, this present heaven and earth will pass away and restored again before the New Jerusalem will be ushered down from heaven, Rev 21:1-8.

If you can stay on the subject of the thread, that would be appreciated. Are you able to disprove any of the research that is in the OP?

 

[for_his_glory]

If you can stay on the subject of the thread, that would be appreciated. Are you able to disprove any of the research that is in the OP?

Is this thread not about the myth of Armageddon?

I was showing that it is not a myth in my post #6 and 7 by giving my understanding of the scriptures, but I will bow out and you have a good day.

 

[Josef]

Hey All,
I never put that much thought into the name eclipseEvntSigns. Perhaps Armageddon refers to the battle, and not a region or city.
It almost sounds like a peace conference that has broken down. From the passage, verse 15 stands out as Jesus speaks:

Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

It sounds like Jesus is coming to specifically take the elect out of harm's way. That has always been my focus.

The question is, who are the "them" referred to in verse 16?

Revelation 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

It sounds like the kings of the whole world. Antichrist, in his quest for power may have appointed men under his rule as kings of various regions of the world. Perhaps antichrist is calling them to crush the final holdout, Israel.

Revelation 16:13-14 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Something has to trigger this. Perhaps EV technology breaks down, and we are back to gas. Then Israel finds the biggest oil reserves on the planet. Do you think that might start a war? Especially, when Israel starts rebuilding the temple with the profits in defiance of antichrist.

Back to the OP's main topic, we have lost, if there ever was one, a place called Armageddon. But it is possible that a yet unnamed area could be called that in the future.

I still say focus on verse 15. If we don't have to be here, that would be fine with me.

Keep walking everybody.
May God bless,
Taz

 

[hawkman]

If you can stay on the subject of the thread, that would be appreciated.

Is this thread not about the myth of Armageddon?

I was showing that it is not a myth in my post #6 and 7 by giving my understanding of the scriptures, but I will bow out and you have a good day.

If there was an off topic post it is now deleted .

That said it is all on topic now .

for_his_glory , I see no problems with you staying in this thread .

 

[reddogs]

Armaggedon comes right before Christs Second Coming..
Revelation 16:12-17
12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

At this point you see the events which happen at the Second Coming...

18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. Revelation 16:18-21