Where and what is Armageddon? Study Revelation 16 with context, apologetic analysis, and cross-references.
Dr. Lucas D. Shallua Commentary · REVELATION 16 — THE SEVEN BOWLS OF GOD'S WRATH
The name comes from the Hebrew for "mountain of Megiddo," a strategic site overlooking the plain of Jezreel in northern Israel. It is the place where the kings of the earth are gathered for the final battle. Some see a literal battle in that region, and others a symbolic reference to the final conflict of the world's forces against God. The battle itself is described in 19:19–21.
Because their hearts are hardened by sin and idolatry, and they prefer rebellion to submission. This shows that judgment alone does not change the heart, and that people are fully responsible for their sin. It shows the justice of God, who gave them many opportunities.
It is a warning that Christ's return will be sudden, and a call for readiness. For the church, which this commentary holds will have been taken up before the tribulation, it is a reminder of the importance of watchfulness. For those living in the tribulation, it is a call to stay faithful and alert, and those who do will be blessed.
They are parallel in their imagery, but they are more severe and universal. Some interpreters see them as a recapitulation of the same events from a different angle, and others, such as this commentary, as a progression, in which the bowls come after the trumpets and seals, in the final period of the tribulation.
The seven bowls are the third and last series of judgments, and they are the most severe. They are poured out in quick succession, with no interludes, and they affect the whole earth, in contrast with the trumpets, which affected a third. They resemble the plagues of Egypt, and they are the final expression of God's wrath before the return of Christ. The recipients are those who have taken the mark of the beast and persecuted the saints. The most striking feature is the persistent refusal of people to repent, even though they recognize the source of the plagues. The chapter prepares for the fall of Babylon (chapters 17–18) and the return of Christ (chapter 19).
The bowls draw heavily on the Exodus plagues, which were historical judgments on Egypt, the great empire of the day. The patterns of the plagues, sores, water turned to blood, darkness, frogs, hail, are all found in Exodus, and John's use of them shows that God judges oppressors in the same way. The location of Armageddon is geographically accurate: Megiddo was a fortress city guarding a pass through the Carmel range, and its remains have been extensively excavated, with evidence of many layers of occupation and destruction, including a great stable complex and a water system. It was the scene of many major battles in antiquity, such as Thutmose III's victory in about 1457 BC, recorded in Egyptian annals, which is among the earliest well-documented battles in history. The use of Megiddo as a name for the final battle draws on this long history. The Euphrates as the border with Parthia, the great rival of Rome, would have been significant for John's readers, who feared an invasion from the East.
This study preserves the hard questions, explanations, context, apologetic note, and references from Dr. Shallua's Commentary.