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ARMAGEDDON-the hill of
Megiddo-lies 55 miles nortb of
Jerusalem and overlooks the expansive
valley of Jezreel (map, lower left).
Here tbe world's armies will gatber.
From tbe billtop site of tbe ancient
city
~f
Megiddo one enjoys a
commanding view of tbe valley, also
called the plain of Esdraelon (center
pboto). Many visit tbe arcbaeological
excavations at Megiddo each year
(left photo). Sign at Megiddo (lower
right) details the long bistory of the
ancient site. The Kidron Valley (top
photo) at Jerusalem will be tbe site of
the climactic battle against tbe
returning Christ.
(Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:12-17;
Rev. 12:4). They will stir up th.is
world's leaders to prepare for war.
The world's armies will unknow–
ingly become their pawns.
The God of heaven will allow
these seducing demons to marshal
the armies of the kings of the east
and the whole world (the United
Nations, too!) at Armageddon, as we
June
1985
earlier saw in Revelation 16:16.
But the battle will not be fought
at Armageddon!
In the meantime, another great
military power and its allies will be
in force in the Middle East to oppose
the oncoming "kings of the east."
This power is referred to in the
Bible as the "beast"-a powerful
union of 1O European nations or
groups of nations to arise in the
closing days of this world's civiliza–
tions (Rev. 17: 12-14). This Euro–
pean power- led by a military
superdictator also re–
ferred to in prophecy as
the "beast"-will be the
final , end-time revival of
the medieval Holy Ro–
roan Empire.
Working with the beast
will be a great miracle–
working religious figure
called the false prophet
(Rev. 13:13-14; 16:13;
19:20; 11 Thess. 2:3-4).
This charismatic figure
will preside over a great
centuries-o1d false re1i–
gious system labeled by
the Bible "BABYLON THE
GREAT" (Rev. 17:5).
Earlier, the beast will
have conquered portions
of the Middle East and
established a foothold there (Dan.
11:40-43). The prophet Daniel
refers to the end-time beast as "the
king of the north."
"But," Daniel continues, "tid–
ings out of the east and out of the
north shall trouble him [the
beast] ..." (Dan. 11 :44). The beast
will be challenged by the might of
the communist East!
The result?
" ... therefore he [the beast]
shall go forth with great fury to
destroy, and utterly to make away
many" (end of verse 44).
The beast and his allies will
move to confront the oncoming
armies of the "kings of the east."
The stage will be set for a desperate
battle to determine who will rule
the world!
(For the answer to why the
armies of the United States or Brit–
ain will not be involved, write for
The United States and Britain in
Prophecy.)
The world will stand at the brink
of the most terrible battle in all of
history! Were the enormous power
of the world's armies actually to be
unleashed , global annihilation
would be the result!
No jlesh
would
be saved alive (Matt. 24:22)!
Satan's goal of erasing all life
from this earth would become real–
ity!
Battle of the Great Day
of God Almighty!
But no battle will be fought at
Armageddon!
The seventh trumpet sets the
stage for the confróntation at
Megiddo and announces the Second
Coming of Jesus Christ! He-Jesus
Christ-will descend from heaven to
the Mount of Olives at Jerusalem
(Zech. 14:4; Acts 1:11-12).
Notice Revelation 11:15: "And
the seventh angel sounded; and
there were great voices in heaven,
saying, The kingdoms of this world
are become the kingdoms of our
Lord, and of his Christ; and he
shall reign for ever and ever. "
This world's two great military
powers-ready to fight each other
for world domination- will be sud–
denly confronted by what they con-