The Bible uses warfare phrasing to describe the spiritual conflict between the forces of good and evil (Christ and Satan) that can affect world events—and the lives of every person. According to Revelation 16, this ongoing spiritual controversy culminates in a final battle at a place called “Armageddon” right before Jesus Christ returns.
Ephesians 6:12 tells us how this continual conflict is “not against flesh and blood” but against “spiritual forces” (CSB). Similarly, the final battle in Revelation is spiritual and not physical. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t significant. It will require us to stand firmly in faith and loyalty to God in the face of temptation and opposition.
And this can sound a little frightening. What if we make a mistake, or fall for some sort of deception? What if we’re not strong enough?
But the Bible encourages us not to fear. While it matters which side we’ve chosen to stand on, it’s not our own human strength or resolve that determines the outcome of this war.
It’s good to keep in mind that the book of Revelation, more than talking about Armageddon, shows us that Jesus, the Lamb, wins. Ultimately, Christ will demonstrate decisive victory over sin and everything it has set in motion.
And if we’re on His side, we get to share in this victory (Revelation 17:14).
We’ll see all of this unfold in the Word of God as we cover:
- What the Bible says about the Battle of Armageddon
- How Armageddon is related to other end-time events
- How to prepare for this “battle”
Let’s start with an overview.
What the Bible says about the Battle of Armageddon
The apostle John, who wrote Revelation, describes the Battle of Armageddon as happening just before the end of the world. It’s the climax of an eons-long war between God and Satan that became part of our earth’s history since the fall of humans into sin. And by the time of Armageddon, everyone on earth will have taken a stand on whichever side they’ve chosen—standing with God or not. So this event reveals where each person’s ultimate loyalty truly lies.
Before we dig into this further, let’s read through the passage of Scripture that refers to Armageddon:
“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty…. And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon” (Revelation 16:13-14, 16, NKJV).
Armageddon comes from the Hebrew word Har-Magedon. Har means “mount” or “hill,” and Megiddo was a city in Israel surrounded by the valley of Megiddo. Armageddon, then, means “Mount Megiddo” or “mountain of Megiddo.”1
Megiddo was the site of many bloody battles in the Old Testament. Two major ones were the battle between Canaanite general Sisera and Israelite leaders Barak and Deborah (Judges 4), and the battle between King Josiah of Judah and Pharaoh Necho of Egypt (2 Kings 23).
According to Adventist pastor and evangelist Chris Holland, DMin, scholars also believe the ancient city of Megiddo was located in the valley of Jezreel at the foot of the Mount Carmel ridge.
Mount Carmel was where Elijah and the prophets of the false god Baal witnessed that Yahweh was the true God—when He sent down fire from heaven to consume and validate Elijah’s sacrifice (1 Kings 18:17-46).
Right before this confrontation, Elijah called the people to make a decision:
“How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him” (1 Kings 18:21, NKJV).
Like this encounter between Elijah and the false prophets, the Battle of Armageddon will not be a physical, military battle.
Armageddon will be a worldwide spiritual contest of sorts, where Jesus Christ confronts Satan and all his forces. We don’t know what that might look like exactly, but the outcome will be similar to that experience at Mount Carmel. God will decisively triumph, and the whole world will witness it.2
Let’s break this down a bit.
Revelation is full of symbols. Holland explains that “real people or places are often used to illustrate spiritual battles.” John often used well-known names and places to represent things with a similar nature.
For example, when John was writing to the seven churches in Revelation 2, he told the church of Thyatira that it had allowed Jezebel to influence them toward evil.
Jezebel was a wicked queen during the time of Israel who worshiped false gods and persuaded the Israelites to do so as well (1 Kings 18:4). Just because John was naming Jezebel to the church of Thyatira doesn’t mean Jezebel was resurrected. He was using her name to symbolize the spiritual corruption that had entered the church.
It’s the same with Armageddon.
John used the background of Megiddo to symbolize the final spiritual battle of God and His followers against Satan and his allies.
Revelation 13 and 14 make it clear that worship will be at the heart of the conflict in the last days. Deceptive religious powers will try to force everyone to worship what humans have set up instead of worshipping God (Revelation 13:4-7). This will likely be enforced in the name of unity, safety, one-mindedness, etc.
And at Armageddon—the climax of this worship crisis—each person’s choice will be made clear. Holland points out that these choices have to do with two questions:
- Who is God?
- Who will we worship, or regard as sovereign?
Now let’s look at who will be involved in this crisis.
Curious about other end-time events in Revelation? Learn what the Bible says about the seven last plagues.
Who the battle will involve
The Battle of Armageddon is ultimately between God and Satan, but it will also involve those who align themselves with either side. There is no third option and no way for anyone to remain neutral.
At first, it will seem like Satan has the upper hand. The very last verse of Revelation 12 tells us that the devil is angry with God’s people and will go to make war with them. Then, Revelation 13 shows us the religious and political entities (represented as beasts) that Satan will use to accomplish his purposes.
John writes that one of those religious powers will “make war with the saints and…overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation” (Revelation 13:7, NKJV).
Revelation 16:14, when speaking about Armageddon, again mentions the dragon (Satan, per Revelation 12:7) and his allies: the beast and the false prophet.
A study of Revelation 13 reminds us that the beast, also called the Antichrist, symbolizes a religious power that will attempt to force everyone to worship in its way instead of God’s way (Revelation 13:3-8).
The false prophet is symbolic of another religiopolitical power, which is parallel to the second beast in Revelation 13 that performs great signs (Revelation 13:13; 19:20).
Revelation 16:13 continues on to mention that “three unclean spirits like frogs” will come out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. They will perform signs to try to deceive the people on the earth.
At the end of Armageddon, however, God will be victorious. John records,
“Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Those two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone” (Revelation 19:20, NKJV).
Jesus will defeat Satan’s allies with His truth.
How Armageddon is related to other end-time events
The Battle of Armageddon will be one of the last events of earth’s history. The preparation for this ultimate, global, spiritual confrontation leads up to Christ’s Second Coming, when He will demonstrate His decisive victory.
Prior to all this, God’s followers will spread the three angels’ messages—the everlasting Gospel—throughout the earth (Revelation 14:6-11). This includes a call for all the world to come out of the spiritual confusion symbolized by Babylon, and to follow God instead of the beast.
Meanwhile, the “three frogs”—symbolizing the deceptions of Satan3 —will attempt to force the world into following the beast and receiving its mark (Revelation 13:13-16; 16:13-14).
Then the world will have reached a point of culmination. When the fullness of the Gospel has reached everyone, they will either accept it and side with Jesus, or reject it once and for all and receive the mark of the beast.
Then, the seven last plagues are directed at sin and the oppressive forces of evil (Revelation 15:1), and they will impact those who have opposed God and oppressed His followers.
Armageddon is mentioned right after the verses that discuss the sixth plague, so these things may be happening all around the same time.
“Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared” (Revelation 16:12, NKJV).
What does the drying of the Euphrates mean?
Keep in mind that Revelation often uses historical events from the Old Testament as symbols of end-time events. That’s the case here. The Euphrates had dried up before.
Daniel 5:30-31 in the Old Testament speaks about the conquest of Babylon by the Medo-Persians. When writing Revelation, John saw fit to use this very familiar story about the way the Medo-Persians conquered Babylon: by diverting the Euphrates River and then marching into the city by the riverbed while the Babylonians were caught ignorant and unaware, partying.4
This story shows how Babylon, a system of spiritual confusion in the last days, will begin to lose the support of the people. They will turn against it, and it will fall (Revelation 17:15-17).
In response, Satan’s preparation for the battle of Armageddon will include the gathering together of whoever will fight against Christ and His followers. This is all happening near the end of the plagues, and as what many call the “Time of Trouble” nears its end.
And Satan will not be successful. His efforts will be cut short as Jesus, the King of kings, returns to save His people from the destruction on earth. Satan will be completely unable to overpower Him.
How to prepare for the battle
Because Armageddon is a spiritual battle, it requires spiritual preparation—of the heart and mind. Through a growing relationship with Jesus, we can be sure that we’ll stand with Him when He is victorious.
That hope can keep us from feeling scared or anxious about Armageddon. We won’t have to rely on our own strength or abilities. We will be placing our complete trust in our Savior, Jesus Christ. Our role is to cooperate with Him.
The “weapons” we’ll have to protect us will be like Paul wrote about Ephesians 6. He encouraged:
“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6:14-16, NKJV).
One of the “weapons” mentioned in this passage is truth. As we fix our minds on the truth about Jesus and all that He is, we’ll be able to deflect the “fiery darts” of opposition and deception.
It all starts with what we choose to consistently fill our minds with. Here’s some more advice from Paul:
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things (Philippians 4:8, CSB).
Rather than fixating on future events, we can live with our hearts fixed on the truth, deepening our relationship with Jesus daily.
Armageddon is about choice
Even though it won’t be a physical battle, Armageddon will be a real battle.
It will actually happen at the end of time, just before Jesus returns. So while we won’t all end up in the Middle East watching God and Satan visibly face off in a final duel, we can be aware that this will be the crux of the invisible, spiritual warfare over the fate of our hearts and minds.
God wants to save us and restore us. Satan wants us to reject God, which would deeply hurt Him and also lead to our destruction.
And we will each play an active role in deciding the outcome of our part in the battle.
It all comes back to choice. At the climax of Revelation’s worship crisis, we’ll have to decide: Who will we worship? Where does our allegiance truly lie?
It helps to remember that each day involves a smaller choice that points us toward the ultimate choice we’ll make. Joshua 24:15 invites us:
“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…” (Joshua 24:15, NKJV).
And as we fix our eyes on Jesus, we can say with Joshua:
“…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15, NKJV).
Want to better understand the central issue of the End Times?
- “The Etymology of Har-Magedon (Rev. 16:16)” Andrews University Seminary Studies, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 69-73 [↩]
- “The Book of Revelation,” Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, Teachers’ Edition, 1Q 2019, p. 142 [↩]
- Andrews Bible Commentary, New Testament, p. 1987 [↩]
- MacDonald, Brad, “The Inspiring History Behind One of Iran’s Greatest Kings,” Armstrong Institute of Biblical Archaeology. [↩]