Armageddon

Jesus foretold the experience to his disciples in their time about how He would be arrested and they would be ashamed of Him.

Matthew 16:21. “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.”

Mat 20:17-19. “And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death, And shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify [Him]: and the third day He shall rise again.”

Matthew 26:31-35 “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto Him, Though all [men] shall be offended because of thee, [yet] will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.”

Matthew 26:40-41 “And He cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.”

They denied this and claimed that they would stand by Him and be ready for whatever was to come to pass. He urged them to watch and pray lest they be caught unawares.

They failed and we must learn from their example. What happened in the time of the disciples? Why did they become ashamed of Jesus? They were not prepared for what was to come to pass and were found ashamed. The same can happen to us now in the time we are living in with the things shortly to come to pass.

We are living in the time of the last generation. We must be prepared for what is to come. How? By understanding what Jesus is saying and understanding the messages for our time.

Mark 13:28-33. “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, [even] at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and [that] hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.”

One of the warnings of today if we do not want to be destroyed is to heed the warning and not to receive the mark of the beast. Otherwise we will be caught up in the wrath of God.

Revelation 14:9, 10. “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:”

The wicked will destroy themselves.
Psalms 9:16 “The LORD is known [by] the judgment [which] he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.”

The same thing that happened to the disciples applies for us today. We can be found with shame.
Revelation 16:15. “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed [is] he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.”

It directly relates to the time of Armageddon, being found ashamed.
Revelation 16:12-14. “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.” Rev 16:13 “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs [come] out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.” Rev 16:14 “For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, [which] go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”

The aim of the three unclean spirits in all their activity is war. Satan is aiming toward that end.
Revelation 13:12-14. “And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” Rev 13:13 “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,” Rev 13:14 “And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.”

War is an issue of the last days. If we don’t watch and live up to what we believe, we will be deceived and caught up in this war. God’s people are to be separate from war.

Isaiah 26:20,21. “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.”

Zephaniah 2:1-3. “Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;” Zep 2:2 “Before the decree bring forth, [before] the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you.” Zep 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.”

We are to fully understand what the sixth plague is about otherwise we will be caught out.
Revelation 16:12 & 16. “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.” Rev 16:16 “And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”

One of the vials of the seven last plagues to be poured out is war. What is war a result of? Political strife.
TM page 444. “We hear now of earthquakes in divers places, of fires, of tempests, of disasters by sea and land, of pestilence, of famine. What weight do these signs have upon you? This is only the beginning of what shall be. If such scenes as this are to come, such tremendous judgments on a guilty world, where will be the refuge for God’s people? How will they be sheltered until the indignation be overpast? John sees the elements of nature–earthquake, tempest, and political strife– represented as being held by four angels. These winds are under control until God gives the word to let them go. There is the safety of God’s church. The angels of God do His bidding, holding back the winds of the earth, that the winds should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree, until the servants of God should be sealed in their foreheads.”

Jeremiah 25:15-16. “For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.”

Jer 25:16 “And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.”
Jeremiah 25:30-33. “Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread [the grapes], against all the inhabitants of the earth.” Jer 25:31 “A noise shall come [even] to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them [that are] wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.” Jer 25:32 “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.” Jer 25:33 “And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from [one] end of the earth even unto the [other] end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.”

The three unclean spirits work to this end. The three unclean spirits are the dragon, the beast and the false prophet. Dragon = pagan religions, Beast = Papacy, False Prophet = Apostate Protestantism.

7 BC page 967. “The nations of the world are eager for conflict; but they are held in check by the angels. When this restraining power is removed, there will come a time of trouble and anguish. Deadly instruments of warfare will be invented. Angels are belting the world, refusing Satan his claims to supremacy, made because of the vast multitude of his adherents. We hear not the voices, we see not with the natural sight the work of these angels, but their hands are linked about the world, and with sleepless vigilance they are keeping the armies of Satan at bay till the sealing of God’s people shall be accomplished. The ministers of Jehovah, angels have skill and power and great strength, being commissioned to go forth from heaven to earth to minister to His people. They are given the work of keeping back the raging power of him who has come down like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. The Lord is a refuge for all who put their trust in Him. He bids them hide in Him for a little moment, until the indignation shall be overpast. He is soon to come out of His place to punish the world for its iniquity. Then the earth shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain.”

The river Euphrates.

Revelation 9:14-15. “ Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.” Rev 9:15 “And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.”

The angels that were holding back strife in the river Euphrates loosened their hold and we see the fall of the east – Turkey.

Who is the river Euphrates? What do rivers and waters in the Bible represent? Peoples and Nations. But here the Bible is talking about one specific river. What does this mean? It is talking about those nations surrounding it.

Isaiah 8:7. “Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, [even] the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks.”

When the Bible speaks about a specific river, it means the nations surrounding it. In this case, the Arab world. They will be dried up in the sixth plague.

None shall come to the help of the Mohammedan empire when they fall during the plagues.

Daniel 11:41-45. “But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.” Dan 11:45 “And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.”

Another example of the Arab world coming to his end.
Isaiah 21:16. “For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:”

Kedar shall fail. Who is Kedar?
Genesis 25:13. “And these [are] the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam.”

Kedar is a son of Ishmael – the father of the Arabs. David always had trouble with the Arabs [Kedar] and it pained him.

Psalms 120:5-7. “Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, [that] I dwell in the tents of Kedar!” Psa 120:6 “My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.” Psa 120:7 “I [am for] peace: but when I speak, they [are] for war.”
Revelation 16:16. “And he gathered them into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”

Brother will fight against brother.
Haggai 2:21-22. “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;” Hag 2:22 “And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.”

Zechariah 14:13. “And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.”

Welfare Ministry page 136. “Soon grievous troubles will arise among the nations –trouble that will not cease until Jesus comes. As never before we need to press together, serving Him who has prepared His throne in the heavens and whose kingdom ruleth over all. God has not forsaken His people, and our strength lies in not forsaking Him. The judgments of God are in the land. The wars and rumors of wars, the destruction by fire and flood, say clearly that the time of trouble, which is to increase until the end, is very near at hand. We have no time to lose. The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecies of the eleventh of Daniel have almost reached their final fulfillment.” Ibid., Nov. 24, 1904. {WM 136.5}

Joel 3:9-17. “Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:” Joel 3:10 “Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I [am] strong.” Joel 3:11 “Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD.” Joel 3:12 “Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.” Joel 3:13 “Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness [is] great.” Joel 3:14 “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD [is] near in the valley of decision.” Joel 3:15 “The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.” Joel 3:16 “The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD [will be] the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.” Joel 3:17 “So shall ye know that I [am] the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.”

Revelation 14:17-19. “And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.” Rev 14:18 “And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.” Rev 14:19 “And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast [it] into the great winepress of the wrath of God.”

Ezekiel 38:3-7. “And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:” Eze 38:4 “And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts [of armour, even] a great company [with] bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:” Eze 38:5 “Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:” Eze 38:6 “Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: [and] many people with thee.” Eze 38:7 “Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.”

Jeremiah 25:18-33. “[To wit], Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as [it is] this day;” Jer 25:26 “And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which [are] upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.” Jer 25:27 “Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.” Jer 25:30 “Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread [the grapes], against all the inhabitants of the earth.” Jer 25:31 “A noise shall come [even] to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them [that are] wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.”

Revelation 19:11-18. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.” Rev 19:15 “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”

What is that sword? The Word of God. Everything the Word of God has said will come to pass.
Revelation 16:16-21. “And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”
Joshua 10:6. “And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.”

Josh. 10:8 “And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.” Josh. 10:10 “And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.” Josh 10:11 “And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, [and] were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: [they were] more which died with hailstones than [they] whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.” Josh 10:12 “Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.”

P&P page 509. “At His own will God summons the forces of nature to overthrow the might of His enemies–fire, and hail; snow, and vapor; stormy wind fulfilling His word.” Psalm 148:8. When the heathen Amorites had set themselves to resist His purposes, God interposed, casting down “great stones from heaven” upon the enemies of Israel. We are told of a greater battle to take place in the closing scenes of earth’s history, when “Jehovah hath opened His armory, and hath brought forth the weapons of His indignation.” Jeremiah 50:25. “Hast thou,” he inquires, “entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?” Job 38:22, 23. The revelator describes the destruction that is to take place when the “great voice out of the temple of heaven” announces, “It is done.” He says, “There fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent.” Revelation 16:17, 21. {PP 509.4}
We are to watch and pray that we do not become involved.
AMEN

John Thiel
Sabbath afternoon study