Armagedon

Many wars have been fought in our world since the beginning. Nation has been against nation; bloodshed and destruction have continued, but the greatest battle of all is still before us, the battle of Armageddon.

Men have never learned how to live in peace with one another. Small children fight over toys, later they learn to fight for their rights and even for things that do not belong to them. Fighting is in the nature of man. When Cain killed his brother, Abel, it showed how quickly man could learn this satanic characteristic.

The battle of Armageddon is called the battle of that great day of God Almighty. While the armies are fighting the great war, the Lord enters into it and finally puts a stop to all evil. Man has proven himself incapable of ruling and maintaining the world. The world does not know how to provide peaceful living to its inhabitants.

During the sixth plague, the armies of the nations are gathering to the place called Armageddon. What is the interest in that area that the kings of the earth would fight over it? One reason could be the oil that is so important to all nations.
Turkey has been called the bridge to the east. Its location along the River Euphrates divides the east from the west. One time it was a great nation. Its territory included also the Balkan states. Since then it has been shrinking or drying up as prophesy has foretold. Eventually it will dry up completely to prepare the way for the kings of the east to come to the battle. The Prophet Daniel saw the king of the north “come to his end, and none shall help him.” Dan. 11:45.

As so often before, again it is false religions which influence the kings of the earth to come to the battle. The unclean spirits of the devils came from the beast, the papacy, from the false prophet, Protestantism, the dragon, and the pagan religions, and went forth to the kings of the earth to gather them to the battle.

“Destroying angels are taking up the work of vengeance; for the spirit of God is gradually withdrawing from the world. Satan is also mustering his forces of evil, ‘going forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world,’ to gather them under his banner, to be trained for the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” 7 BC, p. 983.

Satan would begin the war now but the angels are holding back until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads.
“Four mighty angels hold back the powers of this earth till the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads. 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. Vessels with their living cargo will be entombed in the great deep. All who have not the spirit of truth will unite under the leadership of satanic agencies, but they are kept under control till the time shall come for the great battle of Armageddon.” 7 BC, p. 967.

“Angels are now restraining the winds of strife that they may not blow until the world shall be warned of its coming doom. But a storm is gathering, ready to burst upon the earth, and when God shall bid His angels loose the winds there will be such a scene of strife as no pen can picture.” ED, 179, 180,

Where are God’s people at that time?
“As the decree issued by the various rulers of Christendom against commandment keepers shall withdraw the protection of government, and abandon them to those who desire their destruction, the people of God will flee from the cities and villages and associate together in companies, dwelling in the most desolate and solitary places. Many will find refuge in the strongholds of the mountains… But many of all nations and of all classes, high and low, rich and poor, black and white, will be cast into the most unjust and cruel bondage. The beloved of God pass weary days bound in chains, shut in by prison bars, sentenced to be slain, some apparently left to die of starvation in dark, loathsome dungeons.” GC 626.

“It is not safe to ask for unconditional healing… He knows whether or not those for whom petitions are offered would be able to endure the trial and test that would come upon them if they lived. He knows the end from the beginning. Many will be laid away to sleep before the fiery ordeal of the time of trouble shall come upon our world.” CH 375.
“The Lord has often instructed me that many little ones are to be laid away before the time of trouble. We shall see our children again. We shall meet them and know them in the heavenly courts.” 2 SM 259.

It is not only the kings of the earth and their armies fighting the war, but also the Lord of Heaven will enter the battlefield.
“But Providence has a part to act in the battle of Armageddon. When the earth is lighted with the glory of the angel of Revelation Eighteen, the religious elements, good and evil, will awake from slumber, and the armies of the living God will take the field.” 7BC, p. 983.
While the battle is raging on the earth suddenly the Lord will appear and the war stops. “The derisive jests have ceased. Lying lips are hushed into silence. The clash of arms, the tumult of battle, ‘with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood,’ (Isa. 9:5) is stilled.” GC 642.

“Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones come down, O Lord. 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 3:11-12.

“And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 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,” Rev, 19:14-15.

“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. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs (about 200 miles). Rev. 14:20.

“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.” Jer. 25:33.
The great earthquake destroyed the cities and towns. Hail that weighed about 100 Ibs. each stone, caused the earth to be a wilderness and then a silence for 1000 years.

Today we must decide on which side we will belong. All who have not made a firm decision on the Lord’s side will be deceived by Satan.
May the Lord help each one of us to wake up from the sleep before it is too late, and make the necessary preparations for the coming time of trouble.
AMEN