THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON

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The Battle of Armageddon is a significant war that will happen on Earth. It is a war between the forces of good and evil, between the army of Satan on earth and the Army of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not just a physical battle, but spiritual one, involving divine powers and spiritual authorities.

The Battle of Armageddon is a clash in which many people will be killed. It’s crucial to understand how angels, as divine beings, engage in warfare. Angels are spiritual beings; they cannot be killed or injured like physical beings. In our battles, we are fighting not against flesh but against the spiritual authorities that aim to subdue us—namely, Satan and his demons.

In Revelation 14:14-20, the judgment of the world begins:

“I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, ‘Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, ‘Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.’ The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.”

In John 18:1-6, we get a preview of this authority when the Lord Jesus, merely by speaking, causes a band of 300 to 500 men to fall to the ground by just declaring He is the “I AM”:

“When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, ‘Who is it you want?’ ‘Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied. ‘I am he,’ Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.”

When the Lord declares that He is the I AM (I am He is originally “I AM”), all of those soldiers who came to arrest Him fell down to the ground. The same will happen in the Great Tribulation. The Lord will just speak the Word and all the armies of Satan will fell.

In Joel 3:13, the grapes are gathered into the winepress for trampling:

“Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow—so great is their wickedness!”

The angels gather the people, and the Earth is harvested with one swing of the sickle—indicating how swiftly and powerfully God’s judgment is executed. In the battle of Armageddon, countless individuals will perish as God gathers the overripe clusters of people for judgment.

The imagery in Revelation 14:20 shows the great winepress or battlefield being outside Jerusalem, and the depth of blood reaching up to the horse bridles over a distance of 200 miles. This paints a picture of the devastating loss of life as millions of men are involved in this great conflict (Joel 3:9-14):

“Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, ‘I am strong!’ Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, Lord! Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow—so great is their wickedness! Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.”

This immense judgment aligns with Revelation 19, where God’s wrath is poured out against evil.

In the end times, many will be deceived by false unity. People will unite to make war against the Lord, but we must be careful not to be deceived by a unity that is not founded on the truth. True unity comes from Christ and is a product of embracing the truth. It is not something we can manufacture or organize ourselves.

Truth, by its very nature, cannot be changed—even God cannot contradict Himself, for He is one with the truth (Hebrews 6:18):

“God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.”

In a world where everything seems subjective, we hold on to the truth as an absolute standard (John 17:17):

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”

The idea that truth depends on one’s point of view or that no one can claim to have it is dangerous. Satan aims to make people doubt that any truth exists, leading to confusion. This is why Ephesians 6:14 emphasizes standing firm with the belt of truth around our waists:

“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.”

The Battle of Armageddon is the judgment of the world. The harvest, using the sharp sickle, represents the wrath of God. In John 18, the Lord Jesus shows His authority by simply stating “I AM,” and in Revelation 14:14-20, the earth is harvested, and the world is gathered for the battle of Armageddon.

Angels will gather people into the great winepress for judgment, and God’s vengeance will be executed. The battlefield will be soaked with blood, and many will perish. In these times, we must be careful not to be deceived by false unity. True unity is achieved only by embracing the truth, and our concern must always be to follow the truth above all else. Truth is unchanging, and we must make it our absolute standard. As spiritual warriors, we must stand firm, put on the armor of God, and be prepared for the spiritual battle that lies ahead. Whether we face loneliness or rejection, we must remain steadfast in the truth, trusting that in the end, God’s purpose will be fulfilled.