GETTING THE MESSAGE/Armageddon: We win with Christ!
The word Armageddon gets our attention. I heard a news story recently about a device that would be launched into space by 2027 that would be capable of splitting any asteroid that was heading toward the earth. They claimed that it would prevent Armageddon, a name used for the ultimate battle or disaster.
That name is mentioned in Revelation 16:16. It is connected to the 6th bowl of the wrath of God poured out on the earth. In Revelation 16:12, “The 6th 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.”
East of the Euphrates signifies evil kingdoms, and in verse 14 demonic powers influence all the kings of the world to assemble for battle on the great day of the Lord Almighty. It is close to the coming of Christ, and the powers of evil are assembling the kingdoms of men against the remnant of Christians on the earth. We will see more details of this in Chapter 19.
They assembled them at the place called Armageddon. A battle at Megiddo is referenced a couple of times in the Old Testament. In book of Judges, the Canaanite general Sisera had a great army with 900 iron chariots. In Israel there was scarcely a spear or a shield. Nevertheless, the prophetess Deborah told Barak, the Israelite commander to meet Sisera in battle. The Lord had drawn out Sisera and his army, and the Lord promised victory.
In Judges chapter 5, we read that the kings of Canaan came and fought by the waters of Megiddo. The Lord routed the Canaanite kings, and in Deborah’s song she said, “from heaven the stars fought against Sisera.” Sisera was not killed by a soldier. He hid in a tent and a woman named Jael crushed his head. The Lord was sovereign over the battle.
Revelation 16 shows something similar when all the kings of the earth are assembled for battle against the people of God. The Lord has drawn all the kings to assemble against his people. He had the Euphrates dried up to include them all. The Lord Jesus will ultimately intervene, and as God promised, the seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent. No evil will ultimately prevail over the people of God.
The coming of the Lord will demonstrate the great gulf there is between his people and the world. In verse 13, out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet came three unclean spirits like frogs. Frogs were the 2nd plague against the Egyptians in Exodus. The Egyptians had a goddess with a frog’s head and a woman’s body, who was the goddess of life, even resurrected life, and immorality, with sorcery mixed in.
The Lord brought a plague of frogs that covered Egypt, even in the beds and mixing bowls of the Egyptians. They eventually died and the land stank. In Revelation, the frogs that come out of the mouths of evil beings signify lies that lead to death. The lies are reinforced by deceptive signs. Evil deceives men by flattery, vanity, and fear. It leads all the kings of the earth astray, and all those who refuse to obey the gospel of Jesus.
In verse 15, there is a dispatch from the Lord to warn and encourage his people who will be confronted with this evil deception. He says, “I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he might not go about naked and be seen exposed.”
To be naked means you do not have any covering for sin. You are naked and exposed before God. The gospel states that Jesus was naked on the cross, signifying he was taking on the sins of his people. The truth keeps one from being deceived by lies. Why did Jesus bear the cross on his back? For my sins. Why was the crown of thorns upon his head? For my sins. Why were the nails in his right hand and left hand? For my sins.
If I am looking to Christ and my boast is in him, there is no need to fear Armageddon. The Lord makes the way for Armageddon to judge the dragon and all that follow after lies. Armageddon reminds the Christian that God is sovereign over all, that it is certain Christ will reign, and that those who have Christ will know blessed life with their Savior, and the end of evil.
The Rev. Chris Shelton is pastor of Union’s First Presbyterian Church.