Title: 
Will War in the Middle East Eventually Begin the Battle of Armageddon?

Word Count:
616

Summary:
Will  history  eventually  disintegrate  into  a  global  holocaust  of  devastating  chaos  like  many  religious people say?  Is  the  present  situation  in the  Middle  East  that  religious folks say are  pointing  at  to  give  their  claims  weight?  They  are  insisting  that  these  events  have  been  arranged  specifically  to  forecast  the  day  that  Christ  will  rise  up  and  walk  the  earth again at  judgment.  What  makes  this  claim  different  then what they have  asserted  repeatedly  in  the  passed?


Keywords:
armageddon, future world war, battle of armageddon, middle east will begin armageddon


Article Body:
Will  history  eventually  disintegrate  into  a  global  holocaust  of  devastating  chaos  like  many  religious people say?  Is  the  present  situation  in the  Middle  East  that  religious folks say are  pointing  at  to  give  their  claims  weight?  They  are  insisting  that  these  events  have  been  arranged  specifically  to  forecast  the  day  that  Christ  will  rise  up  and  walk  the  earth again at  judgment.  What  makes  this  claim  different  then what they have  asserted  repeatedly  in  the  passed?

It  all  goes  back  to  what  the  Bible  says  about  Armageddon.  Armageddon  is  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament  once,  and  that  is  in  Revelation  16:16.  The  phrase  ''Armageddon''  is  often  used  metaphorically.  This  is  in  keeping  with  fictional  stories  that  focuses  on  apocalyptic  themes  of  the  world  ending.  However,  Revelation  16:16  is  covered with  allusions  concerning  the  Old  Testament.  This  is  because  the  New  Testament  is  largely  rooted  in  the  ideas  and  descriptions  of  Hebrew  sacred  writings.

Yet,  writers  have  rewritten,  tailored,  and  combined  thought  instead  of  quoting  directly  from  the  Old  Testament.  Why?  It  was  necessary  for  writers  to  do  this  because  they  wanted  to  relate  to  an  environment  which  would  enable  them  to  address  themselves  as  they  existed  at  that  time.  In  taking  liberally  from  the  Old  Testament  imagery  they  were  able  to  place  a  New  Testament,  first  century  relevance,  viewpoint  on  them.  

Many  Asia  Minor  Christians  are  familiar  with  the  Old  Testament,  but  those  of  us  who  are  not  some  explanations  are  in  order.  The word Armageddon comes from the word  ''Harmageddon''  which means  mountain  or  hill  of  Megiddo.  Megiddo  was  a  hill  where  many  gory  conflicts  took  place.  A  lot  of  Jewish  scholars  and  interested  persons  of  Hebrew  history  may  know  that  the  Megiddo  and  its  surrounding  area  was  a  well-known  field  of  war  where  quite  a  few  unsuccessful  military  battles  occurred.  On  this  famous  hill,  Deborah  and  Barak  defeated  the Cannaanites,  this  is  mentioned  in  Judges  5:19.  Then  there  was  Judges  7,  where  Gideon  defeated  the  Midianites.  Although,  these  battles  are  seen  as  accomplishments  there  are  less  positive  images  that  center  around  Megiddo  that  have  imprinted  themselves  on  Israelite consciousness.  An  example,  is  in  2  Kings  9:27  where  Ahaziah  died  on  Megiddo  after  being  pierced  by  Jehu’s  arrow,  and  in  2  Kings  23:29  where  tragically  good  King  Josiah  was  brought  down  at  the  hands  of  Pharaoh  Necho.  King  Josiah  death  brought  on  an  upsurge  of  communal  grief  by  his  fellow  Jews  that  was  recorded  in  Zechariah  12:11.

Megiddo,  due  to  its  far  reaching  past,  has  occupied  a  revered  place  in  the  minds  of  true  believers.  Megiddo  holds  a  place  of  such  importance in the minds of first century Jews and Christians.  Consequently,  near  the  end  of  the  first  century,  ill-treated  Christians  of  Asia  Minor  and  their  desire  to  overcome  and  endure  painful  persecutions  was  shown  in  the  course  of  the  battle  being  waged  between  Satan  in  the  form  of  Imperial  Rome  and  the  power  of  God,  the  Messiah  and  the  saints.  In  an  earlier  period,  Christians  needed hope of victory over their enemies.   During our day and age  Christians  for the same thing but it won't be fulfilled in an end time battle of Armageddon but rather  a spiritual battle.   Encouragement  was  what  Christians  needed  to  remain  sound  in  their  faith,  even  while  they  were  being  battered  by  their  fellow  human  beings.

Harmageddon in the book of Revelation added  to  their  assurance as a reminder which symbolized  victory.  The book of Revelation being the message communicated that God will win.   The assurance that they were looking for  "must shortly come to pass,"  not two thousand years later. Revelation 1:1.  Rest  assured,  there  will  be  no  ''Armageddon''  because  the  phrase  is  simply  symbolic,  and  has  no  connection  to the fantasy  of  a  future  world  war.