Armageddon

Many people have often bizarre misconceptions about the prophecies surrounding Armageddon as they do about all the prophecies of the Book of Revelation. But Armageddon is in reality the prophecy which gives rise to the most terrifying images when misinterpreted, as it often is. It is often said to be the final conflict which will result in the end of the world. A nuclear holocaust is the typical definition of Armageddon. But that holocaust can never be because that can only be defined as final victory for Satan. Revelation is about victory for God.

Some historians believe that more battles were fought at the place known as Armageddon than at any other place in the world, presumably because it was a hillside pass where conflict often arose. It is therefore said to be the most appropriate place for the final struggle between good and evil. Yet good can only win when there are no casualties of war and no violence. Therefore, a battle, if it takes place at all and human beings are hurt, signifies victory for evil.

The Book of Revelation is all about the victory of good so the final conflict does not result in a great many tragic deaths. It can only result in a battle that never takes places.

The major battle in our sphere here in Northern Ireland that ended in a damp squib was the Battle of Drumcree, in county Armagh, where Orange and Catholic forces were in conflict over the right of an Orange march to go through a Catholic area in early July each year from 1995 onwards. Each July this battle threatened to escalate and involve the 12^th July Orange parades, causing civil war on our streets. But common sense prevailed and the matter is all but settled now.

Was it the battle of Armageddon? Is the “Armag(h)” significant in Armageddon? Certainly “three evil spirits” (Rev 16:13), emanating from the Antichrist, the false prophet, and the dragon, were present at Drumcree in that Adams, Paisley and Britain/Babylon were all represented in the triangular conflict. Of course, none of them represented good, or were doing the good thing. All were only interested in their own selfish strategic interests. But nothing happened and the dispute fizzled out because good was brought to bear on all the protagonists in the form of compromise and dialogue elsewhere.

But Armagh was important. “The kings of the whole world” (Rev 16:14), as they are almost mockingly referred to, gathered there in the midst of this divisive and potentially dangerous crisis. Those undisputed kings of the whole world, Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President Bill Clinton, held a public meeting in Armagh in the late 1990’s.

After the Cold War these two leaders had become the undisputed “kings of the whole world”, and shortly after leaving Armagh they restated their supremacy over Russia and China. This was done over Kosovo when US and UK forces were used to attack the friend of Russia, Slobodan Milosevic, PM of Serbia. In the process of dislodging Milosevic, US fighter pilots managed to “accidentally” destroy the Chinese embassy in the Serbian capital. This was a clear act of provocation and Russia and China decided that discretion is the better part of valour. Armageddon turned out to be just another damp squib despite the best efforts of the Babylonian British and American armies.

Go Back