Working on Some Issues Regarding Armageddon

I mentioned in my last article that I was preparing to work on at least one article about Armageddon. The preparation is still underway, but I thought it would be useful to discuss what I’m specifically looking at as a way to help me organize my thoughts and as a way to provide you some idea of what I’m thinking right now. Therefore, today I’ll share with you what I’m working on at the moment.

What I’m Working On
I am trying to figure out the sequence of events relating to Armageddon with a specific focus on Christ’s role in the events surrounding Armageddon. A good understand of this will help me properly place the timing of the End Times siege of Jerusalem and help me get closer to completing the series of articles relating to Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 that I’m working on.

Many people assume that Armageddon is just one battle since Revelation 16:14, 16 refer to Armageddon as the “battle of that great day of God Almighty”.

• 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.

…

• Rev 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

However, the Greek term for “battle” in Revelation 16:14 (polēmos) has a broad definition. The term can mean a single battle, a series of battles, or even a war. For instance, polēmos is used in Matthew 24:6 to denote “wars”.

• Mat 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Therefore, it’s possible that there could be a series of battles that culminate in a final clash between Christ and Antichrist in Revelation 19.

The main Bible prophecy passages I’m focused on at the moment concern Christ being in Edom, in Jerusalem, and Christ’s role as the one who treads the wine press of God’s wrath (treading the wine press implies that He acts to defeat His foes).

The chapters that concern Christ in Edom include Habakkuk 3, Isaiah 63, and Micah 2. The following table displays verses which suggest that Christ will visit Edom.

Isa 63:1  Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

Mic 2:12  I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men. Mic 2:13  The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.

Hab 3:3  God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. Hab 3:4  And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.

Meanwhile, Zechariah 14:4 suggests that Christ will visit Jerusalem and stand on the Mount Olives.

• Zec 14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

The primary chapters that relate to Christ treading the wine press are Isaiah 63, Revelation 14, and Revelation 19. The passages displayed in the table below are pertinent to Christ’s role as the One who treads the wine press:

Isa 63:1  Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Isa 63:2  Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? Isa 63:3  I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. Isa 63:4  For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.

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. Rev 14:20  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.

Rev 19:11  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 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. … 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.

It is a challenge to figure out where, when, and how many times Christ will tread the wine press because each passage seems to convey different information:

• Isaiah 63 suggests that Christ will have already trodden the wine press after He visits Edom.

• Revelation 14:20 mentions that the “winepress was trodden without the city”, which means that the wine press will be trodden outside the city of Jerusalem.

• Revelation 19:13 references Christ’s garment dipped in blood, which could be a reference to Isaiah 63. Meanwhile, Revelation 19:15 references Christ as the One who treads the “winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” just prior to the final confrontation between Christ and Antichrist.

Another complication is that Joel 3 mentions a place called the Valley of Jehoshaphat where the wicked will be gathered

• Joe 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.
  Joe 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.
  Joe 3:14  Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

Possible Scenarios
I’ve looked around the Internet the past several days to see what kind of ideas are out there.  I next present an outline of four scenarios that I have encountered over the past several days concerning Christ’s role in the events surrounding Armageddon.

Scenario 1:

• Christ begins in Edom to defeat the Edomites and/or the military forces gathered there. The military forces/Edomites may be seeking to eliminate the remnant of Israel hiding in the wilderness area. The defeat of the Edomites and/or the military forces gathered may be the reason why Christ’s garments are seen dyed in red in Isaiah 63 (and explain why His vesture is dipped in blood in Revelation 19).

• Christ then travels to Jerusalem where the siege of Jerusalem is already underway.  He stands on Mount Olives as the tide of battle turns in favor of the members of the tribe of Judah fighting there.

• After appearing in Jerusalem, Christ travels to the site of the final confrontation of Christ and Antichrist to defeat the military forces gathered there. The wine press of God’s wrath is trampled when Christ defeats the military forces.

Scenario 2:

• Christ begins on the top of Mount Olives and participates in defeating the nations besieging Jerusalem.

• Christ then travels to Edom to attack the military forces that are present there. The defeat of the military forces besieging Jerusalem and in Edom represents the trampling of the wine press of God’s wrath.

• Christ travels to the site of the final confrontation between Christ and Antichrist to defeat the Antichrist and his forces.

Scenario 3:

• Christ begins in Edom, and while in Edom He sends a plague to defeat Gog and his forces in Jerusalem. This represents the treading of the wine press of God’s wrath.

• Christ then travels to Jerusalem

• Finally, Christ confronts the Antichrist and his forces at the site of the final confrontation between Christ and Antichrist.  Christ defeats Antichrist and the military forces there

Scenario 4

• Christ begins in Edom to engage the Edomites and/or the military forces gathered there in battle.

• The battle continues at the Valley of Jehoshaphat where Christ defeats the Antichrist and his forces. This represents the treading of the wine press of God’s wrath.

• Christ travels to Mount Olives after His victory.

Some Questions to Consider
I think the key to figuring out which scenario is most likely to transpire requires answering at least these four questions:

Where does Christ begin after His return to Earth?

• Some argue that Christ’s first stop will be at Mount Olives. People who believe this cite Acts 1:11-12 and Zechariah 14:4:

Act 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Act 1:12  Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

Zec 14:4  And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

• Others argue that Christ’s first stop will be in Edom. Recall that Isaiah 63, Micah 2, and Habakkuk 3 indicate that Christ will visit Edom.

Do all references to the treading of the wine press relate to one event?

• Scenario 3 equates all references to the treading of the wine press to a single event. However, Scenario 1 equates the treading of the wine press to the defeat of military forces gathered at a given area (in other words, the phrase “treading of the wine press” can be applied to more than one event instead of a specific event).

Where is the site of the final confrontation between Christ and Antichrist?

• Some believe the confrontation will take place in the Kidron Valley, the site where tradition places the Valley of Jehoshaphat, while others believe that the confrontation will take place at the Jezreel Valley

When/Where is Gog defeated?

• Scenario 3 places the defeat of Gog at Jerusalem prior to the final confrontation between Christ and Antichrist. However, many people believe that Gog will be defeated during the final confrontation between Christ and Antichrist at the site of the confrontation.

I plan to continue working on finding answers to these questions and trying to figure out which scenario is most likely to transpire over the next several days.  Feel free to share any ideas about how events surrounding Armageddon will play out.