Our Present Age

and how it will end

 

Chapter 21 – The Battle of Armageddon

Prior to the Battle of Armageddon, evil spirits will go out into the world from the dragon (Satan), the beast (which are Satan’s rulers on Earth), and the false prophet.

Rev 16:13-14 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet; for they are spirits of demons, performing miracles, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

The passage above tells us that the 3 unclean spirits are spirits of devils that are going to be performing supernatural activities for the purpose of gathering together the kings of the earth for that last battle that will occur on the Last Day, which is Judgment Day. We can also know that this battle will begin at the return of Christ because it occurs when Christ comes “as a thief in the night”.

Rev 16:15-16 "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walks naked and they see his shame." And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.

Prior to this day, we know that the two witnesses, who represent the tribulation saints, were prophesying for 42 months. In the passage below, the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there are the bride of Christ who have already been Raptured. The court which is outside the temple, which has been given to the Gentiles to tread for 42 months, represents the world and those who were left behind to endure 42 months of the final tribulation period. The Bible is very clear that the final tribulation is going to last for 42 months, not 7 years.

Rev 11:1-4 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.

It is during these 42 months when the evil spirits that come out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet are going to go out into the world to “gather” the unsaved for that final battle. The reason these 3 evil spirits are coming out of their mouths is because it has to do with the “words” that they are going to be speaking. They are going to tell the world things that are going to completely deceive them because their ultimate agenda is to eradicate Christianity and to destroy as many souls as they possibly can, as they know they will have little time left. In Rev 12, we see that after Christ catches up his bride (which he keeps in a safe place for 42 months), the dragon becomes enraged and goes out to make war with the tribulation saints, as the passage states, “rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time."

Rev12:12-17 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time." Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle; that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman; that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The two witnesses, or the tribulation saints, are "the rest of her offspring who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” And after a time and times and half a time, which is 42 months, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will be victorious in eradicating Christianity by killing the last Christians left in the world, which is represented by the death of God’s witnesses.

Rev 11:7-12 When they [the 2 witnesses] finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.

The reason God’s witnesses tormented those who dwell on the Earth is because they were condemning the unsaved of their sins against God. After the last tribulations saints are killed, a period of 3.5 days will go by during which the unsaved will celebrate what they believe was their victory over Christianity, but then at the end of 3.5 days, the tribulations saints will be resurrected and Raptured (“caught up” or “gathered”) into the clouds. This is the day that Christ spoke about when he will return in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. When the unsaved see this event occur, “great fear fell on those who saw" God's witnesses who were being resurrected and taken up into the clouds. The Bible is clear that there will be 2 Raptures: the first one will be the catching up of the bride when Satan and his angels are cast out of heaven to the Earth, and the second Rapture will occur after the resurrection of the tribulation saints on the Last Day. The first Rapture is described in Matthew 24 as being like in the days of Noah, when they entered into the ark (with the exception that in Matthew 24 one is taken and the other left), and then the flood came and took them all away.

Matthew 24:37-42 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

Notice in Rev 12 that it is the dragon that spews out a flood in his attempt to kill the male Child that is getting ready to be born, and in both Rev 12 and Matthew 24, the bride is taken to a safe place out of harm’s way from the flood that comes “to take them all away”. In the first Rapture, one is taken and the other one left, which is parallel to the parable of the wise virgins, where the 5 wise virgins are taken, and the 5 foolish virgins are left. In the second Rapture, 3.5 days after the last Christians have been killed, they are resurrected from the dead, and then caught up into the clouds. After this, the “third woe”, which is the last woe, will come quickly.

Rev 11:13-14 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

The third woe is the Battle of Armageddon, which is also Judgment Day, and the day of the marriage supper, when Christ will return with his bride and enjoy the wedding supper along with the friends of the bride. This event is described in Joel chapter 1, when God’s army arrives to destroy the unsaved.

Joel 1:1-11 Blow the trumpet in Zion and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord is coming, for it is at hand: A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong; the like of whom has never been, nor will there ever be any such after them; even for many successive generations. A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns; the land is like the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; surely nothing shall escape them. Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like swift steeds, so they run. With a noise like chariots over mountain tops they leap, like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, Like a strong people set in battle array. Before them the people writhe in pain; all faces are drained of color. They run like mighty men, they climb the wall like men of war; every one marches in formation, and they do not break ranks. They do not push one another; every one marches in his own column. Though they lunge between the weapons, they are not cut down. They run to and fro in the city, they run on the wall; they climb into the houses, they enter at the windows like a thief. The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble; the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness. The Lord gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great; for strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; who can endure it?

This is also the same event described in Revelation chapter 19.

Rev 19:7-18 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.  And he said unto me, Write, “Blessed are they who are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

This is when “the sickle” is used to harvest the ripe grapes in “the valley of decision” in Joel 3.

Joel 3:13-15 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow-- For their wickedness is great." Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will diminish their brightness.

In the passage below of Revelation 14, notice there are 3 entities who are working together in the reaping of the Earth. One is Christ, who is doing the actual reaping of the Earth; the second is described as another angel that comes out of the temple in heaven who is “gathering” the clusters of the vine of the earth, and the third is another angel that comes out from the altar, who has power over fire.

Rev 14:14-20 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe." So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.

Some people teach that the army of Joel chapter 1 is describing a demonic locust army, however it is clear that this is God’s army, it is "His camp", as it states, “The Lord gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great”. The Bible also gives us a time frame as to when this battle occur by telling us it will occur “on that great day of God Almighty, which is Judgment Day, the day when Christ returns with ten thousands of his saints to “judge and make war”. The armies of heaven are seen following Christ, riding upon white horses, as they “tread the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God.”

The Battle of Armageddon is also described in the Book of Esther, and it is interesting to note that when describing the feast of Purim in chapter 9, it converges the 3 days of Purim into one day, beginning with the thirteenth day. It describes a battle that is going to occur between the Jews and the enemies of the Jews. On the thirteen day, the enemies of the Jews, who were numbered to be 75,000 men, were hoping to overpower and win over the Jews, but the opposite occurred.

Esther 9:1-5 Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, the time came for the king's command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them. The Jews gathered together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could withstand them, because fear of them fell upon all people.  And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and all those doing the king's work, helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. For Mordecai was great in the king's palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for this man Mordecai became increasingly prominent. Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, with slaughter and destruction, and did what they pleased with those who hated them.

Thus on the thirteenth day, we are told that the Jews “defeated all their enemies with the stroke of the sword.” Defeating them with the stroke of the sword parallels the battle described in Rev 19 where a sharp sword is seen coming out of the mouth of Christ with which he will “smite the nations”. We are also told that on the thirteenth day the Jews killed 500 men in Shushan the citadel, as well as the ten sons of Haman.

Esther 9:6-10 And in Shushan the citadel the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. Also Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vajezatha-- the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews--they killed; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

Then on the fourteenth day, a report of those that were killed is brought before the king, and the king asks Esther to give him a petition, or a further request, which he wishes to grant her, and Esther requests the king that it all be done again on the fourteenth day.

Esther 9:11-17 On that day the number of those who were killed in Shushan the citadel was brought to the king. And the king said to Queen Esther, "The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the citadel, and the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? Now what is your petition? It shall be granted to you. Or what is your further request? It shall be done." Then Esther said, "If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do again tomorrow according to today's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged on the gallows." So the king commanded this to be done; the decree was issued in Shushan, and they hanged Haman's ten sons. And the Jews who were in Shushan gathered together again on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed three hundred men at Shushan; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. The remainder of the Jews in the king's provinces gathered together and protected their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. And on the fourteenth day of the month they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

Thus we see that the enemies of the Jews were killed on the thirteenth day, and then again on the fourteenth day. This could represent the second death that is described in Rev 20.

Rev 20:13-15 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Thanatos and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Thanatos and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

The purpose of the Battle of Armageddon is to utterly and finally destroy the House of Satan on Judgment Day. This is also the day when Satan and all the fallen angels who were reserved under chains of darkness will be cast into the lake of fire.

Jude 6:5-6 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.  And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.

Thus, it is during this last battle against the enemies of Christ that the wedding supper takes place, and also when the feast of Purim takes place. In Rev 19, we read:

Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Rev 19:17-18 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

In Esther 9 we read that during the 3 days of Purim, which are the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth days of Adar, they assembled together for feasting and gladness, and for sending presents to one another.

Esther 9:18-22 But the Jews who were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day, as well as on the fourteenth; and on the fifteenth of the month they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. Therefore the Jews of the villages who dwelt in the unwalled towns celebrated the fourteenth day of the month of Adar with gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and for sending presents to one another. And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews, near and far, who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, to establish among them that they should celebrate yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar, as the days on which the Jews had rest from their enemies, as the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of sending presents to one another and gifts to the poor.

Thus we see that the Battle of Armageddon has a three-fold purpose: one is to kill all the enemies of Christ, the second is for the partaking of the marriage “supper of the great God”, and the third is the second death of the dragon, the beast, the false prophet, and all those whose names are not found written in the Book of Life, as they are all cast into the lake of fire.

Rev 19:19-21 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.