Revelation 16:16; He Gathered Them into Armageddon (2)

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

Because Armageddon will witness the bloodiest battle in history, we should briefly consider the historical and prophetic significance of the earth’s most terrible battlefield. Armageddon is situated at the foot of Mount Carmel, the scene of much past slaughter. Armageddon means “mountain of destruction” or “slaughter” and is well named. The name is from Har, meaning “mountain”, and “Mageddon or Megiddo, from a root word meaning “to cut off” or “to slaughter”. The limited area of Megiddo would forbid the presence of vast numbers of men, but the name can also stand for the larger vicinity of Israel, where satanic agency, the nations of the earth will be crushed.

Megiddo was the scene of the overthrow of the Canaanite kings by God’s miraculous interposition under Deborah and Barak.

Judges 5:19-20 The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money. They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. 

As an ally of Babylon, Josiah was defeated and slain at Megiddo.

2 Chronicles 35:22-25 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo. And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded. His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations. 

The mourning of the Jews at the time just before God shall interfere for them against all the nations ranged against them is compared to the mourning of Josiah at Megiddo.

Zechariah 12:11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 

But the question can be asked? Why is Armageddon chosen as the gathering place? Well, the nations assemble there to crush and exterminate Israel!

Psalm 83:3-5 They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from beinga nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: 

God, however, overrules and intervenes. Though the nations fling themselves with combined might against the Lord and His people, divine fury is unleashed, and destruction, overtakes the arrogant hordes. Israel is delivered and her cruel foes are slain. And in the complete overthrow of the nations, the sovereignty of the earth is decided, as well as Israel’s right to her own land.

Amen.

[Herbert Lockyer, Revelation – Drama of the Ages, Whitaker House, 2012, 253-254]