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miles north of Jerusalem, and
about 15 miles inland from the
Mediterranean Sea.
From the huge mound of Megid–
do that today marks the site of the
ancient city, one enjoys a com–
manding view of the valley of Jez–
reel stretching out to the northwest
far into the distance (see photos
and map). Jezreel is Israel's largest
and most fertile valley and is often
referred to simply as
Ha'emek,
"The Valley."
Ancient Battlefield
In ancient times, Megiddo was a
city of great importance. lt !ay at
the strategic crossing of important
military and caravan routes. The
Via Maris, the old coastal route
linking Egypt witb Damascus and
the east , traversed the Jezreel Val–
ley by Megiddo.
In view of the strategic nature of
the area, it comes as no surprise
that the valley of Megiddo has been
the scene of famous battles since
the dawn of history. It is one of
history's bloodiest battlefields.
Sorne historians believe that more
battles have been fought there
throughout time than at any other
place in the world!
Megiddo is first mentioned in
the Bible in Joshua 12:21.
lt
was
one of the cities of the Canaanite
kings defeated by Joshua and the
Israelites at the end of the 15th
century B.C.
Sorne two centuries later the
plain by Megiddo was the site of a
major engagement between the
Canaanite captain Sisera and Isra-
34
elite forces under Deborah and
Barak (Judges 4 and 5). This
ancient confrontation, which might
accurately be called a "battle of
Armageddon," ended with a total
rout of tbe Canaanites.
King Solomon fortified the city in
the 10th century B.C. as a military
center and chariot town
(1
Kings
9: 15). An estimated 450 horses
could be stabled there. Three centu–
ries later, King Josiah of ancient
Judah was slain in the valley of
Megiddo, unintentionally, at the
hands of the Egyptians
(II
Kings 23:29) .
These battles and others
mentioned both in the
Bi ble and in secular
sources gave the valley of
Megiddo an infamous rep–
utation. It became a very
symbol of war itself.
Even in post-bíblica!
times- including this
century- the strategic
expanse has been the
scene for large-scale con–
frontations. Near the end
of World War
1,
the Brit–
ish general Viscount Al–
lenby won a crucial victory over the
Turks at the Battle of Megiddo on
September 19, 1918. Journalist
Lowell Thomas, in bis book
With
A/lenby in the Ho/y Land,
referred
to the engagement as a "battle of
Armageddoh."
Seven Last Plagues
Now see what prophecy has in
store for this ancient battlefield.
The book of Revelation describes
Jordan
River
a dramatic series of cata–
strophic events to precede
the return of Jesus Christ
to this earth to restore the
government of God and to
bring world peace. (Re–
quest our free booklet
The
Book of Reve/ation Un–
vei/ed at Last
for full
details.)
Among these events is
the sounding of seven pro–
phetic trumpets (Rev. 8-
10), symbolizing God's
direct intervention in hu–
man affairs.
The seventh and last of
these trumpets will an–
nounce the Second Com–
ing of Jesus Christ to
establish bis rule on earth (Rev.
11:15; 1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thess. 4:16).
This trumpet will also initiate on a
rebellious world a series of divine
punishments known as the "seven
last plagues" (Rev. 15 and 16) .
These seven plagues, designed to
bring humanity to repentance, are
pictured symbolically as seven vials,
or small vessels holding liquids.
These vials are "poured out" upon a
corrupted earth by seven angels.
Tragically, mankind as a whole will
still refuse to repent of sin!
The sixth of these
vials or plagues is
described in Revelation
16:12 and introduces us
to Armageddon:
"And the sixth angel poured out
bis vial upon the great river Euphra–
tes; and the water thereof was dried
up, that the way of the kings of the
east might be prepared."
The Euphrates River rises in
Turkey and flows southeastward
for sorne 1,700 miles through Syria
and lraq, ultimately emptying into
the Ara-bian or Persian Gulf.
Across this riverbed will come the
"kings of the east" and their
armies- a prophesied communist–
dominated Eurasian confederacy.
This confederacy will have certain
geopolitical goals motivating their
military offensive. But an unper–
ceived, behind-the-scenes influence
will be the ultimate motivation
underlying their actions. Notice:
Revelation 16:14 reveals that it
will be demonic spirits that will
influence "the kings of the earth
and of the whole world" to gather
for battle. These spirits are fallen
angels who followed Lucifer (Sa–
tan) in bis rebellion against God
The PLAIN TRUTH