Armageddon – When?
INDEX:
* Not Prophecy, Just Research
* What Precedes Armageddon?
* Is it a Literal Place?
* Who are Destroyed at Armageddon?
* The Valley of JehoShaphat
* Zechariah’s Prophecy
* The Sequence of Zephaniah’s Prophecy
* The Best Description
* Theory 1: Six Thousand Years
* Theory 2: The Inca and Aztec Calendars
* Theory 3: Daniel’s Prophecy About the Rebuilt Temple
* Theory 4: 2,520 Years
* Theory 5: The Ideas of Sir Isaac Newton
* Theory 6: 400 Years
* Can ‘the Day and Hour’ be Known?
* What Will the Battle of Armageddon Involve?
* Another False Prophecy?
* ‘Armageddon’ or ‘The Coming of the Lord?’
* Are You Hoping for Armageddon?
Not Prophecy, Just Research
Understand that the following are just the observations of individuals that have done much research. No claims of Divine Revelation are
being made here. Like the ‘Faithful and Sensible Slave,’ of Matthew 24, the ‘Doorkeeper’ of Mark 13, the ‘Faithful House Manager’ of Luke 12, and the ‘Wise
Virgins’ of Matthew 25, we are trying to remain awake and look for signs of the Lord’s coming.
Remember that we don’t sin by watching, hoping, and
anticipating. Rather, we sin when we stop doing that. For Jesus said (as recorded at Luke 12:37):
‘Blest are those slaves that are watching
When their master arrives!
For I tell you this as the truth:
He will then put on his apron
And make them recline at his table;
Then, he will come there and serve them!
What Precedes Armageddon?
We first read of ‘the battle of the great day of God Almighty’ at Revelation 16:14.
Then in verse 16, the name of that battle is
given as Har-Mageddon (or Armageddon). When may this be expected?
It is interesting that although this battle is named in Revelation the Sixteenth Chapter, the account seems to interrupt
itself there to talk about two events that happen first; the destruction of ‘The Great Babylon’ (Chapters 17 & 18) and ‘the marriage of the Lamb’
(Chapter 19).
Then the account of the battle appears to resume at Revelation 19:11.
So if we can accept this series of events in that order,
‘The Great Babylon’ will be destroyed first,
then the Lamb will take his bride, and that’s when the battle against ‘the kings of the earth’ (Armageddon) begins.
Is it a Literal Place?
The word that we call Armageddon was actually pronounced Har Mageddon in Greek. The H is often overlooked by translators
because it isn’t a letter, it’s just an apostrophe (’).
Har is a Hebrew word that means mountain, and Mageddon means a gathering place (for troops).
So the entire word means (and can be translated as) Mountain of the Gathering of Armies.
And because there was a literal Bible city called Megiddo,
which was the center of many IsraElite victories during Bible times, many have concluded that this great battle will be fought on that ancient plain,
which is located fifty-six miles north of JeruSalem and nineteen miles southeast of the modern city of Haifa.
Yet this doesn’t seem likely, because the ancient city of Megiddo
wasn’t located on a mountain; so the word Armageddon doesn’t really describe that particular location, since there was no such place as the ‘Mountain of Megiddo.’
Rather, it appears as though the single use of this term in the Revelation is symbolic, and it doesn’t refer to a geographical location, but to a worldwide ‘gathering of armies’
to fight against the Word of God.
(See Revelation 19:11-21).
Who are Destroyed at Armageddon?
Will only ‘the righteous’ survive Armageddon, as most religions teach?
If that were true, God will have broken His own oath.
For after the Downpour (or Flood) of Noah’s day He said (at Genesis 8:21):
‘I will never curse the ground again for the bad things that men do,
because the imagination of men is totally bent toward doing bad things from the time they are young; nor will I ever again [destroy] all living flesh as I have just done.’
So His point appears to be that He would never again bring such a total destruction on the earth.
Also notice that we are told about Armageddon and who the combatants are at Revelation 16: 13, 14:
‘And then I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs come out of the mouths of the Dragon, the wild animal, and the false prophet.
These were the unseen powers of demons that were to serve as signs.
They were sent to all the kings of the habitation of mankind in order to assemble them for the battle of the Great Day of the Almighty God.’
So notice that the battle is started by the kings of the earth, not by God or Jesus… and then the account in the Revelation goes on to tell of other plagues and destructions, showing that the wicked are still here.
But then, if we skip to Revelation 19:19-21, it looks like the description of the Battle of Armageddon is picked up there, for we read:
‘Then I noticed the wild animal along with the kings of the earth and their armies all gathering to wage war against the one that was sitting on the [white] horse and his army.
However, the wild animal was thereafter captured along with the false prophet that performed the signs in front of it that he had used to mislead those that received
the branding of the wild animal, as well as those that bowed low before its image.
Then, while they were all still alive, they were tossed into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.
And after that, the long sword that was in the mouth of the one that was riding the [white] horse killed off all the rest… then the birds came and ate their fill of flesh.’
As you can see; the description here and in Revelation 16 doesn’t really indicate the Armageddon is ‘the Judgment Day’ as most religions teach.
Rather, it is a battle against those who attack Jesus (the one riding the white horse), or possibly attack his faithful people.
So Armageddon doesn’t look like the destruction of all that are unfaithful. For later in the Revelation we still read about unfaithful and even wicked people that will still be here.
Hebrew Prophecies that May be Speaking of Armageddon
The Valley of JehoShaphat
Note that the entire Bible book of Joel seems to be a discussion of the last days and of the coming of the Battle of Armageddon.
However, if you read all three chapters, you can see that it starts out by discussing God’s judgment upon His own people (JeruSalem and Judah).
And it’s after those things happen
that we read of the destruction of the nations that surround them (Armageddon?).
Then notice some of the things that this prophecy tells us will happen:
1. Joel describes a period of desolation upon the land of Judah and the City of JeruSalem, which could well be the same as the destruction of The Great Babylon.
2. This is followed by what is called the Great Day of the Lord, which starts out with God’s Spirit or Breath being miraculously poured out on His people and great signs being seen in the skies and on the earth.
3. Thereafter, it says that God’s faithful people will be returned from among the nations where they have been taken and held as captives, and that’s when the great war against the offending nations begins. For we read at Joel 3:9-13:
‘So, proclaim these things to the nations!
Declare a holy war against them…
Yes, awaken the soldiers and shout:
[Attack and conquer], O men of war!
Cut your plows into broadswords
And beat your scythes into spears!
Let the weak among you say they are strong
And attack the nations that live roundabout!
Come assemble [your armies],
And let your meek become warriors!
‘Yes, awaken the gentiles and send them
To the Valley of JehoShaphat;
For there, I will separate nations
(Those that live round-about you),
And then I'll send for the scythes…
For the crops are now ready for harvest!
Climb in and tread, for the wine vat is full…
The vats overflow with their badness!’
Notice how this description of wine vats parallels what Revelation 19:15 tells us will happen at Armageddon, where Jesus is described as the one that ‘crushes
the grapes with his feet in the winepress of the anger of the Almighty God’s rage.’
So since the accounts are both very similar, we might therefore conclude that the events
described in the Prophecy of Joel provide us with a far more detailed look at the events that lead up to and happen at Armageddon.
Zechariah’s Prophecy
Zechariah Chapter Fourteen seems also to be talking about this same battle, so notice the similarities of the series of events that are described there:
· First, there is an attack on all that claim to be God’s people (verses 1 & 2).
‘Look; The Lord’s [Great] Day approaches
When they will divide up the loot.
To JeruSalem, I'll gather all nations,
And the city will thereafter be captured.’
· But notice that those who are truly faithful are not included among the unrighteous that are carried away, for verse 2 continues:
‘then, half of the city will be led away,
And the [third]… those who are My people
Will not be destroyed from the [land].’
· It is then that the battle begins against the nations that attacked His people, because we read in verses 5 through 7:
‘For, at that time, [your Lord] will arrive
And bring all his Holy Ones with him.
There'll be no light in that Day…
There'll be just coldness and ice.
But, it will last just one day,
And that Day will be known by the Lord.’
· Then verse twelve goes on to tell us:
‘But, there will be a great downfall
When Jehovah strikes down the peoples
Who against JeruSalem, marched.
Their flesh will melt as they stand on their feet;
Their eyes will flow from their sockets;
And their tongues will melt in their mouths.’
So the conclusion once again, is that the Battle of Armageddon will not come as a general destruction of the wicked, but upon those armies and kings that dare to march against the JeruSalem of God.
The Sequence of Zephaniah’s Prophecy
Zephaniah also appears to have received an account of the events that lead up to and follow the Battle of Armageddon.
We can conclude this because the words of his prophecies have not all been fulfilled upon Judah and IsraEl, and he also spoke of them (at Zephaniah 1:7) as coming
‘in the Day of the Lord.’
Note that:
· First there’s the destruction of the unfaithful among God’s people. Notice that Zephaniah 1:9 tells us:
‘When I take vengeance, you'll see it;
For, it will come to the gates in that day
Of those filling the House of Jehovah
With their treacherous, ungodly ways.
· Thereafter, God turns his attention to His faithful ones. For at Zephaniah 2:7 we read:
‘then the sons of Judah, Jehovah will visit,
And from captivity, return them.’
· This seems to be followed by the Battle of Armageddon, for we read at Zephaniah 3:8:
‘then, I'll pass judgment on the gathering of nations,
And I'll pour out My rage on their kings…
Yes, all of My anger and rage
And the fire of My zeal will consume them.’
· And finally; God’s people will be respected by the remaining peoples of the nations that will have started
worshiping God and will thus have survived the Battle of Armageddon… because verse 20 tells us:
‘Her enemies will all be disgraced in that time,
And I'll do whatever you think to be good;
Because, in that time, I'll take you back…
I'll make you famous and reasons to boast
Before the peoples of the whole earth;
When before their eyes, I return you
From your captive condition.’
The Best Description
Probably the best description of what the Battle of Armageddon will involve can be found in what is written in the
Thirteenth Chapter of Isaiah.
For though that entire prophecy specifically deals with the destruction that was to come upon
the ancient empire of Babylon (as the opening words clearly state); the destruction of JeruSalem by Babylon was followed by the destruction of Babylon…
and the description that follows is amazingly similar to the other prophecies of Armageddon.
Notice, for example, what we read at Isaiah 13:4-6:
‘There’s a voice like the sound of great crowds
That [you'll hear from the tops of] the mountains.
It’s the sound of a gathering of kings,
And a great assembly of troops.
‘For Jehovah of Armies has given the order
To a nation of warriors with weapons
Who are coming from a far away land…
From the pillars of the skies they'll arrive.
Yes, the Lord and His warriors are coming
To bring ruin to the place where you dwell.
’So shriek, for the day of the Lord has arrived,
And destruction from God will come quickly!
So, all of their hands will go limp
And the soul of each man will know fear.’
As you can see, this Chapter in Isaiah appears to be speaking of something far greater than just the destruction of some ancient city. And in this case, the foretold war was to be fought against the group of multi-national armies and those wicked ones that supported them, which had come against the people of God.
Theory 1: Six Thousand Years (FAILED)
Over the past 150 years, an Armageddon theory that several Adventist groups had adopted (and which has resulted in failed predictions
by several religions) is one that we could refer to as ‘the six-thousand year theory.’
It is based on the premise that each of God’s earthly creative days are
seven-thousand years long, and that after six-thousand years from Adam’s (or Eve’s) creation, Jesus will come to bring Armageddon and start his thousand-year reign.
To read an article that was written by one religious group back in the mid-1960s proposing the conclusion that Armageddon would come shortly after 1975
(and to check our calculations showing why they have proven to be wrong), see the linked document,
1975 –
A Marked Date?
One of the many problems with this chronology (as suggested in the article), is that their dates are based on the belief that IsraEl did not spend
four-hundred years as captives in Egypt.
This conclusion flies in the face of God’s promise to Abram (at Genesis 15:13, 15):
‘You must know this for a fact;
Your seed will have to live as aliens in a foreign land where they will be slaves that are treated badly and humbled for four hundred years.’
Rather, they claim that IsraEl was in Egypt for just a little over two-hundred years, which wasn’t enough time for the family to grow from less than a hundred people
to more than a million, as the Bible account says.
For more information, see the linked document, ‘Why Much of the
Popular Bible Chronology is WRONG!’
Our research shows that another of their chronological mistakes was caused when those that did the calculating used the periods of the
lifetimes and births of the patriarchs from AbraHam to Adam as they are found in the Masoretic (Hebrew) text. For there is strong evidence that most of these periods
were greatly shortened by later-day Jewish scribes.
The Septuagint text (which aligns better with outstanding events as recorded in secular history)
shows that almost all of these periods were really much longer.
Note for example, that the Septuagint adds 100 years to the dates of the births of every man
from Shelah to Terah in Genesis Chapter Eleven, making a difference of 700 years from Shelah’s birth down to Abraham’s leaving for the land of CanaAn!
And that’s not the only place where there are major differences in the texts.
Therefore, using the Septuagint, we can show that it has actually been more than 7,500 years since the creation of Adam…
and all of this lines up much better with the secular estimated dates of the reigns of the Egyptian kings!
For more information, see the subheading,
‘How the Corrected Dates Align With Egypt’s Historical Records’ in the linked document,
‘Why the Greek Septuagint?’
And since all of the proposed dates of the ‘7,000-year theory’ have come and gone with no ‘Battle of Armageddon,’
it is clear that this is just another failed idea.
Theory 2: The Inca and Aztec Calendars (FAILED)
Another theory that attracted considerable attention in recent years, was based on the idea that the ancient Mayan calendar came to an end on December 21st 2012. And many thought that this date (which was so close to other theoretical dates) was when Armageddon (or ‘the end of time') was coming.
Actually, the ancient Bible texts never spoke of an ‘end of time,’ although some Bibles have been translated to read that way.
Rather, it spoke of ‘the time of the end’ of certain eras. Since time is an integral part of the formula E=MC2; bringing an end to time would bring an end
to our universe… which the Bible wasn’t really foretelling.
However, it is interesting that in the mythology of the Mayans, Aztecs, and other ancient peoples of the Americas, there have been four ages or eras.
The first age of mankind ended with the animals devouring humans, the second age was finished by wind, the third age by fire, and the fourth age by water
(on August 12, 3113 BCE according to their calendars).
What we find interesting about this, is that the date their mythology gives for water destroying the earth is roughly
about the same time as when the Bible shows that the Downpour (or Flood) of Noah’s day happened, as we have determined in our estimates.
This date also coincides closely with that of the brothers McKenna in their The Invisible Landscape under ‘The End of History,’ as indicated by their computer analysis
of the ancient Chinese oracle-calendar, the I Ching.
So, regardless of other theories and the ideas of modern historians; there is a lot of evidence,
both Biblical and secular, which proves that man has been on the earth for a little over 7,500 years (yes, we know that ‘science’ doesn’t agree with this conclusion).
Theory 3: Daniel’s Prophecy About the Rebuilt Temple
In the Eighth Chapter of Daniel, the account tells us of something that the Prophet saw in a vision when BelShazzar,
the king of Babylon, was in power.
And this prophecy covers many of the things that would lead up to the coming of Jesus (the commander-in chief)
and of his mistreatment and death… which would thereafter be followed by the last days leading up to the destruction of JeruSalem.
Could this prophecy also be describing the last days that lead up to Armageddon?
In this prophecy we read (at Daniel 8:13, 14):
‘Then I heard the holy one speaking, and he asked:
‘How long will this vision stand,
When the sacrifices are taken away,
The sin of granting destruction’s allowed,
And the Holy Place and its power
Will continue to be trampled on?
And he said:
After two thousand, three hundred mornings and evenings,
The Holy Place will be cleansed.’
So notice that the two thousand, three hundred evenings and mornings is how long the Temple and JeruSalem would lie desolate
awaiting its cleansing… which doesn’t seem to have been fulfilled back in the First Century.
So, could this have had reference to a period of 2,300 years
of cleansing that started with the destruction of JeruSalem?
Not according to one religious group. They claim that this was just a period of six-and-a-third literal years, which started back in the 1930s
and led up the end of World War II.
Their logic eludes us, and it is highly unlikely that such a major prophecy would have such a minor and unheralded fulfillment.
Therefore, could the prophecy be speaking of the reestablishment of the true worship of God 2,300 years after the destruction of God’s Temple in JeruSalem in 70-CE (in the year 2370-CE)? Who knows?
Theory 4: 2,520 Years
The Days of Noah
At Matthew 24:33-39, it is recorded that Jesus said:
‘When you see all of these [things start to happen], recognize that it’s near… at the doors!
I tell you the truth; this generation will not pass away until all these things are fulfilled.
Though the skies and the lands may all pass away, my words will not pass away!
No one knows the day or the hour, not the angels in heaven or the Son… just the Father.
As it was in the days of Noah is how it will be at the arrival of the Son of Man.
For back in the days that led up to the downpour, the people were all eating and drinking, getting married and being taken in marriage, right up to the very day that Noah
entered the Chest.
Yes, they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away! And that’s how it will be when the Son of Man arrives.’
So the question here is: How long is a generation?
This has been debated among religious scholars for the past two centuries, and while some say it is only
forty years, many others say that in prophecies it can be a much longer time.
Of course, in the first fulfillment of Jesus’ words about the destruction of JeruSalem, it actually happened less than 40 years later.
So we must conclude that 40 years was in fact the period of one generation in Jesus’ time.
Yet, some whom we would call ‘Adventists,’ point to what God told Noah at Genesis 6:4, where He said:
‘There’s no way that My Breath will stay with these men.
They're [just] flesh, so their [lives] will last just one-hundred and twenty [more] years.’
And as their argument goes, this 120 years was the prophetic ‘generation’ of which
Jesus was speaking.
So does this period of 120 years help us to determine when Armageddon will arrive?
Well, 120 years is for a fact a very significant number in Bible prophecy,
and it will probably work into the period of ‘the last days’ somehow
(see the linked document, ‘Significance of 120 Years').
The Generation of Noah
Notice that at Genesis 6:9 we read:
‘This is the account of Noah’s generation:
Noah was a righteous man… perfect [when compared to]
that generation.’
And because these words appear just five verses after God mentioned the 120 years in verse 4, some have tied the length of the 120-year period
of Noah’s time to the prophecy of the generation about which Jesus spoke in Matthew 24. So can we assume that the ‘last days’ leading up to the battle of Armageddon might
possibly run on for 120 years?
Though this seems a stretch, let’s consider the rest of the argument.
The Seven Times of Daniel
Back in the 1880s, some serious ‘Adventist’ Bible students calculated what they thought to be the beginning of the Lord’s Day,
based on a prophecy found in Daniel the Fourth Chapter.
There the account speaks of a period of ‘seven times’ that would come upon the King of Babylon.
For DaniEl quotes the king (NebuChadNezzar) as telling about a prophetic dream that he had, which was later fulfilled upon that king when he lived ‘in the fields
like a wild animal’ for ‘seven times’ (which likely meant seven years).
And those 19th Century zealots felt that the prophecy of ‘seven times’ must surely
have a greater meaning and fulfillment than on just NebuChadNezzar, because the point of the prophecy (as God explained it to him at Daniel 4:25) was that,
‘Jehovah is higher than all the kingdoms of men, and He gives it to whomever He wishes.’
So since Babylon under NebuChadNezzar had overthrown
the ‘typical Kingdom of God’ on the earth (the Kingdom of JeruSalem) prior to that vision; they reasoned that this prophecy indicated how long God would allow
worldly nations to dominate God’s chosen people.
Therefore, they concluded that this prophecy in Daniel explains when God’s permission for worldly nations to rule over His people
(the ‘Gentile Times’ mentioned in Luke 21) would end and when the period of Jesus’ kingship (the Lord’s Day) would begin.
So, how long would these seven times last?
Well, as the argument goes: in prophecy, each day equals a year. Therefore it was concluded that
those ‘seven times’ equaled seven years, each day of which equaled a year.
They drew this calculation from another prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27, which speaks of
the ‘seventy weeks’ that led up to the coming of the Messiah (see the Note in Daniel,
‘Seventy Weeks’).
However, how long was each year back in DaniEl’s time?
Well, although there weren’t always the same number of days in each year of the Jewish lunar calendar, the basic rule is that most years were 360 days long.
Therefore,
using 360 years in each ‘time,’ it was deduced that the prophetic period of the symbolic ‘seven times’ (360 X 7) equals, two-thousand five-hundred and twenty years.
Then, when did they think that the 2,520-year period started?
Well, a great debate has raged about this, for although secular history sets that conquest
as happening somewhere around 586/587-BCE, those that buy into this theory have concluded that JeruSalem was destroyed by Babylon in the year 607-BCE.
Which was it? See the linked document, ‘The Problem With Setting Bible Historical Dates.’
And using their date; if you add two-thousand, five-hundred and twenty years to the year 607, you come up with the modern date of 1914-CE
(following the no zero-year rule).
120 Years from 1914
Then did anything significant happen in the year 1914? Well, World War I (’nation rising against nation?') started then, and it was followed by a terrible
famine in Europe, and thereafter by the great Spanish Influenza plague that killed a large portion mankind throughout the world in the years of 1918 and1919 (‘famines and plagues’).
History tells us that this series of events so bothered then U.S. President, Woodrow Wilson, that he ordered news of the Spanish Influenza to be withheld
from the public for fear that they would view this series of events as the ride of the ‘four horsemen of the Apocalypse.’
So although many argue against the accuracy of the above calculations – and whether the seven times in the prophecy of Daniel have any
significance at all – the striking events of 1914-1919 can’t be denied.
Therefore, this gave a lot of credibility to their teaching that we are now living in the period
leading up to Jesus’ arrival
Of course, you have to understand the era during which this conclusion was reached.
At the beginning of the 20th Century,
belief that Armageddon was just around the corner – and that it would possibly arrive in 1914 – was common among many Protestant religions.
If fact, during his last campaign bid for Presidential election in 1913, former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt repeatedly spoke of the world being
‘on the brink of Armageddon’ in his speeches.
However, since Armageddon didn’t arrive back then, some have speculated that 1914 was just the beginning of ‘the last days,’
which (using the period given to Noah) will last 120 years.
Therefore, adding 120 years to 1914 brings us to the future date of 2034, which is interesting,
because the previous year (2033) is thought to be exactly two-thousand years since the death of Jesus.
And this raises the questions:
· Could the calculation that brings us to 1914 be off by a year?
· Could the calculations that set Jesus’ death at 33-CE be off by a year?
· Does 2,000 years from Jesus’ death have any bearing on the matter at all?
· Is 2033, or 2034 the year when we can expect Armageddon?
We don’t know. This is just what some have speculated.
Theory 5: The Ideas of Sir Isaac Newton
It has always surprised us that while many people today think that believing in the teachings of the Bible and in God is ignorant and unscientific,
some of the greatest scientists that the world has ever known have been believers.
Men such as Leonardo DiVinci, Galileo, and Albert Einstein (to name just a few) even credited
the findings of their greatest laws, principles, and theories to their search for God and of how He created things.
Also, one of the greatest scientific theorists of the past couple
of hundred years, Sir Isaac Newton, was also a believer who through his Bible research came to the conclusion that Armageddon will happen in the year 2060.
To see his reasoning, go to the Wikipedia link, ‘The Religious Views of Isaac Newton.’
Theory 6: 400 Years
Something that most of us realize is that there are important similarities between the events that led up to and followed the Exodus and the events
that will lead the Battle of Armageddon. You can read about these similarities in the linked document,
‘Similarities Between the Exodus and the Events of Revelation.’
So this raises the question of whether the period of 400 years that IsraEl spent in Egypt has anything to do with the coming of Armageddon.
We don’t know, but we do see some one similarity that we would be remiss if we didn’t mention it in this consideration.
Notice that there is considerable disagreement between Bible scholars as to how long God’s people were actually in Egypt.
Some say it was 400 years, while others say it was around 230 years.
And our research seems to prove that it was 400 years.
So, is it possible that this 400-years could work into setting the time for Armageddon?
Well, Paul implied
at Galatians 3:17 that the 400 years in Egypt was preceded by a 30-year period…
and we do find a significant 30 years that affected modern Christian religions and changed history thereafter.
According to the Wikipedia topic
‘Protestant Reformation,’ under the last subheading, Conclusion and legacy, we read:
‘The Reformation led to a series of religious wars that culminated in the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648), which devastated much of Germany, killing between 24.9
and 40% of its population. From 1618 to 1648 the Roman Catholic House of Habsburg and its allies fought against the Protestant princes of Germany,
supported at various times by Denmark, Sweden and France.
The Habsburgs, who ruled Spain, Austria, the Spanish Netherlands and much of Germany and Italy,
were staunch defenders of the Roman Catholic Church.
Some historians believe that the era of the Reformation came to a close when Roman Catholic France
allied itself, first in secret and later on the battlefields, with Protestant states against the Habsburg dynasty. For the first time since the days of Luther,
political and national convictions again outweighed religious convictions in Europe.
‘The main tenets of the Peace of Westphalia, which ended the Thirty Years’ War, were:
· ‘All parties would now recognize the Peace of Augsburg of 1555, by which each prince would have the right to determine the religion of his own state, the options being Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism, and now Calvinism (the principle of cuius regio, eius religio)
· ‘Christians living in principalities where their denomination was not the established church were guaranteed the right to practice their faith in public during allotted hours and in private at their will.
· ‘The treaty also effectively ended the Pope’s pan-European political power. Fully aware of the loss, Pope Innocent X declared the treaty ‘null, void, invalid, iniquitous, unjust, damnable, reprobate, inane, empty of meaning and effect for all times.’ European sovereigns, Roman Catholic and Protestant alike, ignored his verdict.’
So, this was a major turning point in modern Christian beliefs.
Therefore, does this indicate the coming of Armageddon in the year 2048
(400 years after the 30-Year War), and will we then see the coming of the greater Moses (Jesus) and the start of the plagues spoken of in the Revelation?
We don’t know.
Once again, these are just suggestions.
However, notice that Christian religions came under state control after the 30-Year War.
Other Observations
Can ‘the Day and Hour’ be Known?
Can men actually determine the date when Armageddon will happen? After all, didn’t Jesus say that nobody (including himself) knows the date or hour?
Well, he did say those words some two-thousand years ago, and we are sure that the statement was true at the time, because until then, God had only provided clues to the date
of the return of Jesus, which would require time and future historical events to unravel.
But hasn’t God always told His servants what is going to happen ahead of time?
If you examine
the Bible, you'll find that the answer is yes!
For example:
· He gave Noah some idea of how long his ‘generation’ would last, 120 years
· He told Abraham the exact length of the IsraElite’s captivity in Egypt (see Genesis 15:13), 400 years.
· He told the IsraElites exactly how long they would have to wander in the desert before they would enter the Promised Land, 40 years.
... and note that each of these events seem to be prophetic of our time.
Also, notice what God Himself told us at Amos 3:7:
‘There’s nothing that God Jehovah will do
Unless it’s revealed to His servants the Prophets.’
Yet, while Jesus told us that we would be able to recognize the season when he is ‘near and at the doors,’ he clearly said that he would come at an unexpected day and hour… but unexpected by whom?
Notice what Paul wrote at 1 Thessalonians 5:3, 4:
‘Whenever they are saying Peace and security,
then destruction will come on them instantly as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they won’t escape.
However, brothers, you
aren’t in the dark. So, that day shouldn’t sneak up on you like thieves.’
Therefore, from Paul’s words we can conclude that:
Although the ‘day and hour’ wasn’t known when Jesus was on the earth, world conditions
(and specifically a world-wide cry of ‘peace and security’) will give us clear indications of an impending end to this age, so that true Christians that are awake
won’t be surprised at its coming.
What Will the Battle of Armageddon Involve?
What will happen at Armageddon?
We do know that the armies and leaders of this world are on one side of the battle, and that Jesus and God’s messengers
are on the other side, because Revelation 19:19 says:
‘At that I saw the wild animal along with the kings of the earth and their armies all gathered to war
against the one that was sitting on the [white] horse and with his army.’
Then, as Revelation 16:14 says, the war comes as the result of ‘inspirations of demons’ that go out ‘to all the kings of the earth to bring them together for the war of the Great Day of the Almighty God.’
What starts the war?
In the case of the IsraElites that were facing the armies of Pharaoh at the Red Sea; the battle began when the Egyptians attacked God’s people.
So, that may be what will happen then.
However, from some of the Hebrew prophecies (shown above), we could also assume that a war will first be fought against
the Great Babylon, during which God’s faithful servants will be taken captive, and the Battle could be fought to bring about their release.
(See Joel 2:28-3:21).
Another False Prophecy?
We recognize that many will likely seize on the speculations provided here and accuse us of providing just a few more false prophecies on the date
for Armageddon… which we aren’t.
As we stated in the beginning;
All we are trying to do is to keep watching for the Lord’s return and to show you why we believe that
the time is near.
There have certainly been numerous speculations as to the date of Armageddon in the past, all of which have been wrong. As the result,
most people have come to believe that any attempt to arrive at such a date is foolish… and it may be.
However, Jesus warned his faithful slaves
to stay awake! And that’s what we're trying to do.
So even if all of the above speculations about the possible dates for the coming of Armageddon should prove to be wrong,
we still firmly believe that we are living in the ‘season’ of its coming.
‘Armageddon’ or ‘The Coming of the Lord?’
One last thing to notice is that although the term ‘Armageddon’ has received a lot of press and is often used by politicians, book writers, and moving-picture
producers to describe total annihilation; it’s interesting that Jesus didn’t use the term when he was describing his ‘coming’ (as found at Matthew 24, Mark 13, or Luke 21),
nor does he describe such a battle there.
So he could have been talking about several steps that lead up to Armageddon… we just don’t know.
However, if the events from the time of Jesus’ first coming to the destruction of JeruSalem in 70-CE are a mini picture of the things that will lead up to Armageddon; then we might assume that there will be a prior brief work of preparing the way by a John the Baptist (or EliJah) class, followed by Jesus’ arrival.
Also, the description of the ‘feet of iron and baked clay’ that is described in Daniel 2 seems to indicate that the final event
is the destruction of the last great world empire by God’s Kingdom, which hasn’t happened yet.
(For more information, see the Note,
‘Image of Daniel Chapter Two’)
Are You Hoping for Armageddon?
Obviously, the thought of having to die is repulsive to most people; so it isn’t surprising that many have started serving God because they’ve been told
that Armageddon is coming any day now, and if they’re faithful, they won’t have to die.
As the result, they are literally living for and praying for the coming of Armageddon.
However, they are forgetting the words of Revelation 2:10, where we were told:
‘But be faithful to death and I'll give you the garland of life.'
Remember that Seth, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Daniel, and many other faithful ones knew that Armageddon wasn’t coming
in their lifetimes, so they understood that they would have to die. Therefore they served God not to survive Armageddon, but because they loved Him, and their goal was to
be counted among ‘the living’ by God, rather than to just stay alive.
So we urge all to stop worrying about when Armageddon will come and whether they will survive,
for the real prize is having a relationship with God and receiving that ‘garland’ (some Bibles read ‘crown') of being viewed by Him as the living.
Because,
‘He isn’t a God of the dead, but of the living.’