ARMAGEDDON WORLD’S LAST CONFLICT
George Burnside
ARMAGEDDON WORLD’S LAST CONFLICT
Will it be LITERAL or merely SPIRITUAL?
Are We Driving toward ARMAGEDDON?
WHAT IS ARMAGEDDON?
Revelation 16:16, This is the only place where the word “Armageddon” is found in Scripture.
NOBODY KNOWS MUCH ABOUT ARMAGEDDON.
With so little information we should not be dogmatic. I am often asked “What is your opinion regarding Armageddon?” My answer is “I do not have any”. We need to check carefully and find God’s opinion. On this subject, like all other subjects we need to surrender our opinions to Inspiration.
Deuteronomy 29:29 Only the things that are revealed are for us.
THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY MAKES THESE SIGNIFICANT STATEMENTS.
“John writes: ‘I beheld and heard the voices of the angel s round about the throne.’ Angels were united in the work of Him who had broken the seals and taken the book. Four mighty angels are holding back the powers of this earth till the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads. The nations of the world are eager for conflict; but they are held in check by the angels. When this restraining power is removed, there will come a time of trouble and anguish. Deadly instruments of warfare will be invented. Vessels, with their living cargo, will be entombed in the great deep. All who have not the spirit of truth will unite under the leadership of Satanic agencies. But they are to be kept under control till the time shall come for the great battle of Armageddon. Angels are belting the world, refusing Satan his claim to supremacy, made because of the vast multitude of his adherents. We hear not the voices, we see not with the natural sight the work of these angels, but their hands are linked about the world, and with sleepless vigilance they are keeping the armies of Satan at bay till the sealing of God’s people shall be accomplished.” – Ellen G. White letter 79, 1900 (May, 10, 1900).
This significant statement indicates that Armageddon will be fought with “deadly instruments of warfare”. These “instruments of warfare” are to be “invented” but they “will be kept under control till the time shall come for the great battle of Armageddon”.
“The powers of evil will not yield up the conflict without a struggle. But Providence has a part to ac in the battle of Armageddon. When the earth is tightened with the glory of the angel of Revelation eighteen, the religious elements, good and evil, will awake from slumber, and the armies of the living God will take the field.” – Ellen G. White Manuscript 175, 1899.
“As the angels of God cease to hold in check the fierce winds of human passion, all the elements of strife will be let loose. The whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon Jerusalem of old.” The Great Controversy, page 614
“PREPARE WAR” IN BIBLE PROPHECY.
Joel 3:9 “Prepare war”. “Let all the men of war draw near
Joel 3:10-16 “Let the heathen be awakened.” “The harvest is ripe.”
“The harvest is the end of the world.”
“PREPARE WAR” TODAY.
60 Million people are engaged full time in war preparation. Nuclear weapons equal 50,000,000,000 tons of T. N. T. Australia currently spends 9% of its total budget on war preparation. “One dollar in six of all expenditure is for the Arms race. “Deadly instruments of warfare invented declares the prophecy. Are death-rays, H. bombs, rockets, germ warfare, being held till Armageddon?”
PLACE CALLED ARMAGEDDON
Mount Megiddo guards the vital pass through, Carmel Is mountains, and overlooks the plain of Esdralon. Today on this plain is the great Israel fighter air base.
“THE MOST MILITARIZED REGION IN THE WORLD.”
“More than half the total arms supplied in 1975 went to the Middle East”. Three times as much as to the NATO nations of Europe.
NOTE!
“Deadly instruments of warfare will be invented. Kept for the great battle of Armageddon” It certainly appears that Armageddon will be more than a mere spiritual conflict.
Matthew 2:23 Jesus “dwelt in the city of Nazareth”.
I stood on the hill of Nazareth and looked over the plain of Esdralon, a plain of about 20 miles by 8 to 10 miles. Mount Armageddon is on the far side. The Prince of Peace must have often looked over the plain of war. Today Israel is main Air Force base is at the foot of Mount Armageddon. Armageddon is a hate-filled spot today.
The fortress of Mount Megiddo guarded, the only pass through the Carmel Mountains, which stretch from the coast to the giant rift of the Jordan Valley. It guarded Jerusalem from invasion from the north. “Mount Megiddo, that is Carmel.” Dr. Adam Clarke, Volume 6, page 1035.
“The mountain of Megiddo, that is Mount Carmel.” Pulpit Commentary, Volume 22, page 400.
“The term Armageddon - the mountain of Megiddo seems to have been used because Megiddo was in a mountainous region”. Dr. Albert Barnes, Volume 1, page 406.
“Armageddon is the mountain of Megiddo. It is the table land surrounded by hills which was the great battle field of the holy land”. C. J. Ellicott, “The Revelation”, page 198.
The Scriptures plainly teach that literal nations will be involved in Armageddon. Take first of all the expression “The Kings of the East” as found in Revelation 16:12 -
“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the ways of the kings of the east might be prepared.” From this verse it is very apparent that the ‘Kings of the East’ will be involved in Armageddon. In Revelation 17:12 we read: “And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but received power as kings one hour with the beast.” These ten kings are agreed by all to be literal, political powers. This fact, I do not think, is questioned by any. Therefore, as “the kings of Revelation 17” are literal, political powers. The Kings of the East of Revelation 16 must also be literal political powers. We must be consistent in our interpretation of prophecy.
It should also be noticed that the angels of God are never called Kings in the Scriptures. Some have maintained the Kings of the East are Christ and the angels. However, there is no text anywhere in the Old or the New Testament where the angels of God are called Kings. Where in the Scriptures do we find even a promise that the angels will become kings? The angels are messengers whereas Kings in the book of Revelation are literal powers.
The claim that the Kings of the East are Christ and His angels, places Christ on a level with the angels. Angels are mere created beings and to place them on a level with Christ is a position which must appear foreign to every child of God. We dare not take such a position.
Some have quoted Revelation 5:10 as support. However, it should be noticed that the beings of this verse are redeemed men. That is apparent in verse 9. The human beings referred to here as translated in the authorized version as “kings and priests” are usually translated “a kingdom of priests”. This will be found by a consideration of other translations. They are as follows:
“A kingdom of priests.” A.S.U. translation
“A kingdom, even priests.” Alfred’s
“A kingdom of priests.” Weymouth
“A realm of priests.” Moffats
“A royal race of priests.” Knox
“A royal house to serve as priests.” New English
Thus it is apparent that the redeemed are not kings, but belong to God’s “Kingdom of Priests”. Further, it should be clearly noted that nowhere in the Scriptures are we told the redeemed will accompany Christ and His angels at His Second Advent.
EAST
“The Kings of the East.” East of what? This is a question that must have an answer. Geographically all things in the Bible hinge from Palestine. For instance the King of the North is fixed geographically in the early verses of Daniel 11 has the power to the north of Palestine.
The King of the South was the power to the south of Palestine. From time immemorial Jerusalem has been looked on as the center of the earth. The old crusader maps on the castle walls of Europe still show Jerusalem as the center of the world. Jerusalem is in the midst, or the center, of the world. Jerusalem is in the midst, or the center, of the Nations. Ezekiel 5:5. There our God has brought salvation to the sons of men for has he not wrought salvation in the midst (or the center) of the earth. Psalm 74:12.
This fact is recognized as the following authorities testify: “Palestine became spiritually what the facts of geography had made it physically. The focal point of the world, with Jerusalem its central city, and Jordan, the world’s central stream. Palestine’s blessing and curse be in its geographical position, which makes it the bridge between the nations, it is the cross-road on the deathless trade route between the east and the west. With regard to Palestine, the great geopolitical pathfinder Alfred J. MacHinder writes as follows.
In a monkish map contemporary with the crusades which still hangs in Hereford Cathedral, Jerusalem is marked as the geometrical center of the world and on the floor of the church of the holy sepulcher in Jerusalem they will show you to this day the precise spot which is the center.” “The River Jordan”, page 217, 218 by Nelson Brook. “Jerusalem is regarded in God’s point of view as the center of the whole earth.” Jamieson Fausset & Brown’s Bible Commentary, Volume 4, page 216.
The well known prophecy of Joel 3:9 is familiar to us all. There we have the cry of the nations in the latter days which will be “Prepare War”. Now this is clearly no mere spiritual conflict. It is literal. It is literal nations preparing for a literal war. They are referred to as “men of war”. They prepare literal weapons, as literal scrap iron is prepared for literal weapons for a literal conflict. To limit this prophecy to a more figurative spiritual conflict certainly boarders on wresting the Scriptures. In Revelation 11:18 we read, “The Nations were angry”. They have reached the place where they can literally “destroy the earth.” This is the time “The heathen” will be awakened.” Joel 3:12. The heathen are worshippers of other gods. We do not find professed followers of Jehovah called heathen. “The heathen” immediately make us think of a great conglomeration of peoples in the east. For the eastern nations are heathen. They are the great heathen nations of the world. Thus the expression “the Kings of the East” of Revelation 16 can consistently only refer to these eastern powers. These eastern giants, such as Russia, Japan, China, India, Pakistan and Indonesia certainly are powers to be reckoned with today. They have awakened. In fact probably the most significant event of the last century, as far as political powers are concerned is the amazing awakening of these heathen nations. They are not only awakening but they are preparing.
They are about to march. They are one of the great signs of the end of all things. Let us not fail in using this tremendous sign of our Lord’s return. It is worthy of note that mankind began in the middle east and there they will end. Here the standard of Heaven, the Ten Commandments were spoken and written on stone by God Himself. There the priesthood of God began. There we were redeemed. There Christ broke the seal of the tomb and opened Heaven to men. From there He ascended and to the same spot will He return. Referring to the Mount of Olives we read:
“From this Mountain He was to ascend to Heaven. Upon its summit His feet will rest when He shall come again.” Desire of Ages, page 830. It is impossible to consistently separate the middle east from the plan of God in view of its outstanding place in Bible history and also in prophecy. Armageddon is “a place” Revelation 16.
The Bible definitely states it is “a place”. Every time the word “place” is mentioned in the New Testament it always refers to a literal definite place. For instance Christ has gone to prepare “a place” for us. John 14:1-3. That place is real. It is literal. It is not merely a condition, a symbol or a figurative spiritual state of mind, as Mrs Baker Eddy would have us believe. Heaven is a place. Christ is real. His return will be real. Likewise Armageddon is “a place”, a real place. “A place called in the Hebrew Tongue, Armageddon.”
The Seven last Plaques are real and literal and not mere symbols or figurative. The plagues on Egypt were real plagues. The plagues of frogs, lice, water to blood, flies, boils, hail, locusts, darkness and the death of the first born were all literal. Tragically literal. So literal, in fact, that we read, “The plagues upon Egypt were similar in character to those more terrible and extensive judgments.” (The Seven Last Plagues) Great Controversy, page 627,628. “They will be the most awful scourges that have been ever known to mortal s.” Great Controversy, page 628, 629.
SPIRITUAL OR LITERAL
The Scriptures never contrast spiritual with literal, but “spiritual” is contrasted with “natural”. 1 Corinthians 2:14 “The natural (unconverted) man.
1 Corinthians 2:15 “He that is spiritual”. Both “natural” and “spiritual” are literal. The Scripture of Truth never uses “spiritual” in the sense of being figurative. “Spiritual” is never used as merely mythical or unreal. “Spiritual” is literal.
Always remember that Armageddon is not a doctrine. It is a field for study. Do not be dogmatic. It is unfulfilled prophecy, and there is much that is not revealed. We do well to tread lightly.