Popular culture enjoys different scenarios of the Armageddon catastrophe and there are many movies, songs and books written on the subject. People just love to speculate about how the world will end. Throughout the ages and even today there are all kinds of theories as to when it will happen.
The bible has been subjected to many different interpretations in this regard. More so than any other issue, the end of times greatly disputed even within the same denominations.
In Matthew chapter 25 Christ says that no one knows the hour or the day but the Father. While most still keep predicting in light of this verse all attempts to pinpoint the exact time and place are futile.
There are many theories of global holocaust and many interesting ones claiming that this Armageddon will originate in the Middle East.
It’s worrying but the current political climate in the Middle East does look like it could escalate into something far worse in the future.
But is there any evidence that the Bible has predicted this chain of events?
The New Testament mentions Armageddon in Revelation 16:16. It is the final battle between the Antichrist and the King of Kings. The Armageddon is the symbol of the final victory of Christ.
The word Armageddon is metaphorical. Its varying uses and interpretations give many fictional accounts of how this Armageddon might eventually happen.
What about the much publicized fear of terrorist attacks in America? And how does the political climate in the Middle East
If the political unrest continues as it is now things could very well escalate into this predicted Armageddon scenario but not “the Armageddon” as people have taken out of context.
Is the Middle East the battleground where the end of times is going to play out? It’s entirely possible say some analysts. It’s a chilling thought to say the least but when you try to put an “end times,” twist from the Bible you have to refer back to the verse that says, no one knows of the time or hour.
The Old Testament does speak to the issue of Armageddon too. In fact there is a wealth of information that can be gleaned from re-reading the Old Testament in light of these ideas.
The word Armageddon comes from the word Harmageddon which refers to the hill of Megiddo. This hill is famous for the bloody conflicts that took place their. Many scholars have devoted time to the study of this hill and its history.
The hill of Megiddo is where the Canaanites were defeated by Deborah and Barak as mentioned in Judges 5:19. There are many less positive images that are associated with the hill of Megiddo. The actual location of Megiddo is said to be in Palestine. This area has been the scene of many battles since these biblical confrontations.
The hill of Megiddo for many symbolizes hope for Christians in the first century who were suffering persecution under the hands of the Roman Empire. Hope that God would handle the enemies and do it quickly. To place a 21st century emphasis would demean what the entire book meant to the first century Christians.
Know one can say assuredly what every symbol in the book of Revelation means. However we do know who it was written to and for what purpose. We can be safe in that Armageddon has nothing to do with a physical battle in the 21st century.
