Armageddon

The article "End-Time Kings" discusses who is prophesied to attack Israel. If you have not yet read that article you should read it before reading this one.

Here we will look at how that attack might take place, geographically.

Starting in the south, Israel's long southwest border is with Egypt along the Sinai Peninsula. Daniel 11:42, 43 shows that Egypt, the king of the south (Da 11:8, 9), is attacked by the King of the north, and therefore is a very unlikely ally in his attack on Israel.

East of that is Israel's border with Jordan, which is the lands of Moab and Amon(E3). Daniel 11:41 says that Moab and the Ammonites "will escape" out of the hand of the king of the north. Which, according to the Insight book, refers to "those that the king of the north does not succeed in bringing under his control." [it-1 p. 95; it-2 p. 422] So Jordan is also very unlikely to do the bidding of the king of the north and join in on the attack of Israel.

That leaves just the northern area of Israel to be the most likely point of entry when attacked, which aligns with the prophecies of the attack by the king of the north and his allies. (see my article "End-Time Kings")

An invasion from the north would put the attackers in and among the Jewish population that live along the northern border causing the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to restrain their defensive actions so as not to harm their own civilians with collateral damage.

So what happens when an invading army crosses into a country and that country can't immediately repel the attacking forces? They retreat to a fallback position where they can make a stand and attempt to stop the incursion there.

With a sudden invasion from the north and north-east, where would be the best place, geographically, for the IDF to fall back to? Since high ground overlooking your enemy below you is the ideal position to defend from the answer seems obvious when you look at the terrain of Israel. (See the map on the next page.)

The map shows a low green valley plain, with high land in yellow along its south-west edge which is only about 30 miles (48km) from Israel's northern border. That high land is a string of hills that run from the Mediterranean coast south-east past the large, relatively flat, low plain. If northern Israel was over-run that high ground seems to be the most logical place, topographically, for the IDF to retreat to as a fallback position (and join up with other IDF moving north to assist them) to make a stand against invading troops from the north, to stop their push further south into Israel. The hills act like a natural barrier crossing Israel to impede the southerly movement of the invading forces and the height gives the IDF strategic advantage.

And what is the name of that green valley? (See the maps on the next page from our See The Good Land brochure.)

Yes, you guessed it. That valley is the Plain of Megiddo, known in Bible prophecy as Armageddon.

In ancient history armies met and fought on the plain itself, but modern warfare allows for armies to attack from a distance. So the IDF could dig-in up on the hills and fire down into the valley in their efforts to stop the on-coming forces.

During the invasion many Israeli citizens in northern Israel would no doubt be killed, with the survivors evacuating south-west past the valley and further into Israel ahead of the invading forces.

Uprisings in support of the invasion would also very likely occur from Gaza and possibly even from the West Bank forcing Israel to spread out the IDF, reducing its ability to repel the northern incursion, which may be why the fall-back line southwest of the Megiddo valley is their best, and possibly only, viable option.

The Gaza strip and the West Bank do not have the equipment for major warfare such as tanks and large artillery guns, so they would be easily repelled by Israel's superior firepower, if that firepower could be brought to bear on them.

Scriptures

How do the scriptures describe this attack?

(Ezekiel 38:9) You will come against them like a storm, and you will cover the land like clouds, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.”’

(Ezekiel 38:16) Like clouds covering the land, you will come against my people Israel. In the final part of the days I will bring you against my land so that the nations may know me when I sanctify myself through you before their eyes, O Gog.”

[Ezekiel 38:18-19, 21-23] ¹⁸ “‘On that day, the day when Gog invades the land of Israel,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, ‘my great rage will flare up. ¹⁹ In my zeal, in the fire of my fury, I will speak; and in that day there will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. ²¹ “‘I will call for a sword against him on all my mountains,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ‘Every man’s sword will be against his own brother. ²² I will bring my judgment against him with pestilence and bloodshed; and I will rain down a torrential downpour and hailstones and fire and sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many peoples with him. ²³ And I will certainly magnify myself and sanctify myself and make myself known before the eyes of many nations; and they will have to know that I am Jehovah.’

A rain of hailstones, fire, and sulfur would not likely be used if the troops were within the city walls of the heavily populated Jerusalem. Nor does it seem likely that Jehovah would want to destroy the city of Jerusalem.

Mountains and Valley

[Ezekiel 39:1-5] “And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and tell him, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: “I am against you, Gog, head chieftain of Meʹshech and Tuʹbal. ² I will turn you around and lead you and make you come up from the remotest parts of the north and bring you in upon the mountains of Israel. ³ I will knock your bow out of your left hand and make your arrows fall from your right hand. ⁴ On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the peoples who will be with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of birds of prey and the wild beasts of the field.”’ ⁵ “‘You will fall on the open field, for I myself have spoken,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah.

[Ezekiel 39:11] ¹¹ “‘On that day I will give Gog a burial place there in Israel, in the valley of those who travel east of the sea, and it will block the path of those passing through. That is where they will bury Gog and all his hordes, and they will call it the Valley of Hamon-Gog.

So the invaders fall upon the mountains and in the valley. Perhaps this is describing them being killed both in the Plain of Megiddo, and as they launch assaults against the IDF in the mountains, like waves breaking on the sea shore.

It also says that the nations that are warring against Israel will be quashed "in the valley". What valley? The "Valley of Hamon-Gog." That name means "the Valley of Gog’s Crowd". (it-1 p. 980) And where is Gog's crowd said to gather? In the Plain of Megiddo.

Gathered

[Ezekiel 39:17] ¹⁷ “As for you, son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘Say to every sort of bird and to all the wild beasts of the field, “Gather yourselves together and come. Gather all around my sacrifice that I am preparing for you, a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel. You will eat flesh and drink blood.

(Revelation 16:16) And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon.

(Revelation 19:19) And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the one seated on the horse and against his army.

It says they are gathered together, not scattered throughout Israel.

Royal Tents

(Daniel 11:44, 45) “But reports out of the east and out of the north will disturb him, and he will go out in a great rage to annihilate and to devote many to destruction. ⁴⁵ And he will plant his royal tents between the grand sea and the holy mountain of Decoration; and he will come all the way to his end, and there will be no helper for him.

[dp p. 282 par. 25] In Daniel’s time the grand sea was the Mediterranean and the holy mountain was Zion, once the site of God’s temple.

The "grand sea" is the Mediterranean Sea and "the holy mountain of Decoration" refers to Jerusalem. Though the Plain of Megiddo(B5a) is not directly west of Jerusalem, it is east of the Mediterranean Sea(A) and west of the north end of the "Hill Country of Judah"(C5). That mountain range which surrounds Jerusalem runs from Negeb(C7) in the south to the eastern side of the Low Plain of Jezreel(B5b), which is the eastern end of the Central East West Valley(5). (see chart on page 3 for references)

Valley of Jehoshaphat

Joel says the invading nations will be gathered to "the Valley of Jehoshʹaphat".

(Joel 3:2)  I will also gather together all the nations And bring them down to the Valley of Je·hoshʹa·phat. I will enter into judgment with them there In behalf of my people and my inheritance Israel, For they scattered them among the nations, And they divided up my land among themselves.

(Joel 3:12) “Let the nations be roused and come up to the Valley of Je·hoshʹa·phat; For there I will sit in order to judge all the surrounding nations.

(Joel 3:14) Crowds, crowds are in the valley of the decision, For the day of Jehovah is near in the valley of the decision.

The Valley of Jehoshaphat is "evidently a symbolic place, also called the “low plain of the decision.” (Joe 3:2, 14) Since it relates to God’s execution of judgment, it is appropriately designated as “the low plain of Jehoshaphat,” for the name Jehoshaphat means “Jehovah Is Judge." [it-1 p. 1272]

Jerusalem Captured

What about Zechariah?

(Zechariah 14:2) I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for the war; and the city will be captured and the houses plundered and the women raped. And half of the city will go into exile, but the remaining ones of the people will not be cut off from the city. (Zec 14:12, 14, 15)

There it says that Jerusalem itself will be captured. Yes, but it says "all the nations" will be gathered against Jerusalem "for the war." What war? The war of Armageddon. The other Bible writers tell us that gathering place is in the Plain of Megiddo. The large population of Muslims that already live in and around Jerusalem will most likely rise up in support of the Muslim troops invading the country and attack their Jewish neighbors. With most of the IDF off defending Israel from invaders it would leave Jerusalem vulnerable to an attack from within, especially so with Israel's tight gun laws that keep most of its law-abiding population unarmed. So an attack by the resident Muslims could be what Zechariah is referring to, otherwise Zechariah 14:2 would be in contradiction to the other prophecies, because it is in the Plain of Megiddo that the invading forces are prophesied to be stopped and destroyed in their attempt to reach Jerusalem.

Jehovah's involvement may happen quickly, or the surrounding nations may gather there in the valley and fight against the dug-in IDF for a time until they are about to break through their lines before Jehovah steps in and saves them. (Eze 38:18) Battling a large invasion force from the north, a Gaza Strip uprising, and the resident Muslims attacking from within would be a staggering crisis to deal with. Add to that the brutal and abhorrent manner in which Islamic forces treat their enemies (Zech 14:2; Mt 24:19) and you would have a very severe situation for the nation of Israel to endure.

It could be that it is the imminent failure of their defenses, when they have given all they have to try and hold the line at the Plain of Megiddo, and their demise at the hands of the Muslims is before them, that the remaining Jewish people finally repent and call out to Jehovah for help.—Joel 2:32

When will all this happen?

(Mt 24:32-44) ³² “Now learn this illustration from the fig tree: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and sprouts its leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³ Likewise also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near at the doors. ³⁴ Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen. ³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.

³⁶ “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father. ³⁷ For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. ³⁸ For as they were in those days before the Flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, ³⁹ and they took no note until the Flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be. ⁴⁰ Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken along and the other abandoned. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding at the hand mill; one will be taken along and the other abandoned. ⁴² Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

⁴³ “But know one thing: If the householder had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴ On this account, you too prove yourselves ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour that you do not think to be it.

(Mark 13:24-37) ²⁸ “Now learn this illustration from the fig tree: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and sprouts its leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹ Likewise also you, when you see these things happening, know that he is near at the doors. ³⁰ Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen. ³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.

³² “Concerning that day or the hour nobody knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but the Father. ³³ Keep looking, keep awake, for you do not know when the appointed time is. ³⁴ It is like a man traveling abroad who left his house and gave the authority to his slaves, to each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to keep on the watch. ³⁵ Keep on the watch, therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether late in the day or at midnight or before dawn or early in the morning, ³⁶ in order that when he comes suddenly, he does not find you sleeping. ³⁷ But what I say to you, I say to all: Keep on the watch.”

(Luke 21:25-33) ²⁹ With that he told them an illustration: “Notice the fig tree and all the other trees. ³⁰ When they are budding, you see it for yourselves and know that now the summer is near. ³¹ Likewise also you, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. ³² Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all things happen. ³³ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.

What Next?

So what happens next on the world scene?

I think the next major prophetic fulfillment will be related to the United Nations and the destruction of Babylon the Great. (see my article "Babylon the Great")

Then the Great Tribulation will stop, that is to say, the ride of the final horseman will come to an end (Re 7:14), meaning that war will cease in the middle east around the Euphrates River. (see my article "The Great Tribulation")

Then Israel will claim to be at peace and no longer threatened by its neighbors. (see my article "Peace and Security v2")

Then the king of the north will attack Israel. (see my article "End-Time Kings")

Then the celestial phenomena will occur. (Mt 24:29) (see my article "The Great Tribulation")

And the remnant will be taken to heaven. (see my article "The Great Tribulation")

Then Armageddon will occur. (see my article "The Sign of the Son of man")

What do you think of this hypothesis?

:^)
Dave
da.getmyip@gmail.com Last edited 10-20-2021 (Date created 05-04-2019)