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Apocalypse
Definition
The
word ARMAGEDDON (also called apocalypse) is derived from the Greek word apokalupsis (Strong's Concordance #G602).
In many Bible translations (such as the
New King James Translation used for the above verse) this Greek word, which
means "disclosure, appearing,
manifestation, be revealed, etc." is translated as 'Revelation.'
Down
through history, however, Armageddon's meaning has be altered to refer to the
cataclysmic events soon to come upon the earth before the return of Christ that
are described in the book of Revelation.
The
words, therefore, are another way of referencing the prophetic last book of the
Bible.
The word
Apocalypse can also be used technically to apply to a particular kind of
Biblical prophecy.
Apocalyptic
verses in God's word are viewed as foretelling events that MUST come to pass,
and thus cannot be affected by the choices made by men.
ARMAGEDDON,
on the other hand, is frequently used as a term to label the entire time period
starting from when the armies of the world begin to gather together (along with
the beast and false prophet) to FIGHT Jesus to his actual return and victorious
war over the forces of evil.
It
is after this victory that Christ sets up His Millennial Kingdom on the earth.
The word Armageddon, which means "mount of Megiddo," occurs only once in the Bible.
Mount
Megiddo itself is a small hill, located in the northern part of modern-day
Israel, on which ancient forts were built that guarded the main highway, the
Via Maris, that connected Ancient Egypt with Mesopotamia.
In
the sixteenth chapter of Revelation Armageddon is used to designate the
location of a climactic battle between good (Jesus) and evil (the Antichrist),
which will occur when Jesus returns to earth (known as the Second Coming - Revelation 16:12-16).
The
valley and town of Megiddo belonged to Manasseh, one of the twelve tribes of
Israel.
Megiddo
had been originally one of the royal cities of the Canaanites.
“7 Joshua and the
people of Israel defeated all the kings in the territory west of the Jordan,
from Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak in the south near Edom . .
. 9 The people of
Israel defeated the kings of the following cities . . . 21 Taanach, Megiddo” (Joshua 12)
Megiddo,
where the term Armageddon is derived, was one of the cities the Israelites,
after entering the promised land of Palestine God gave them, were unable to
take possession of for a long time.
Megiddo
was eventually taken over and during the reign of King Solomon was rebuilt and
fortified (see 1Kings 4:12, 9:15).
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