The War of Armageddon
(Rev. 16:13-21)

I. What Does Armageddon Mean?
A. Armageddon is made up of two Hebrew words Har (hill or mountain) and Megiddo (a hilltop town in Northern Israel which is about 60 miles north of Jerusalem). It overlooks the Plain of Esdraelon, which is also known as the Jezreel Valley.
a. It was the site of Barak’s battle with the Canaanites (Judges 4)
b. It was the site of Gideon’s victory over the Midianites (Judges 7)
c. It was the site of King Josiah’s defeat from the Egyptian army (2 Chron. 35:22)

II. What is Armageddon?
A. Armageddon is the climactic war of the Great Tribulation. All of the major armies of the earth will gather at Megiddo to fight against the Jewish people and Lord Jesus Christ.
B. John records that demonic spirits will influence the world’s armies to assemble here. (Rev. 16:12).
a. The Euphrates River
1. This river figures prominently in the Old Testament and in Revelation (16:12-16).
2. The first great sins were all committed near this river. (Gen. 2:14, 4:8, 11:2)
3. The drying up of these rivers allows for the invasion from the armies of the East.

III. What is Armageddon’s Scope?
A. The war of Armageddon will be spread out over approximately 20,000 square miles.
B. The armies of the earth will be gathered together for two apparent purposes.
a. To initially fight against the world ruler (Antichrist). (Mt. 12:25-26)
b. To fight against the returning Lord Jesus Christ

IV. What are the Phases of Armageddon?
A. There appears to be 8 phases of the War of Armageddon.
a. The Eastern kings cross the dried up Euphrates River. (16:12)
b. The Antichrist’s allies assemble to annihilate the Jews once and for all (16:12-16).
c. Commercial Babylon is rebuilt and destroyed (17-18)
d. The Antichrist’s armies attack and defeat Jerusalem (Zech. 14:1-3)
e. Jesus will personally and physically return to the Mt. of Olives (Zech. 14:4)
f. Jesus will destroy the armies gathered at Jerusalem (Joel 3:14-16; Zech. 12:8-9, 14:3)
g. Jesus will rescue the remnant surrounded at Petra. (Is. 63:1-2)
h. Jesus will destroy the armies gathered at Megiddo (Rev. 19:19-21)

V. What are the Results of Armageddon?
A. Complete and total victory for Jesus Christ.
B. Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years.


John F. MacArthur Jr., Revelation 12–22, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 2000), 147.
Arnold Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of the Messiah (San Antonio: Ariel Ministries, 2003), n.p.
John F. Walvoord, “Revelation,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 968.
Ron Rhodes, The End Times in Chronological Order: A Complete Overview to Understanding Bible Prophecy (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2012).
John Phillips, Exploring Revelation, rev. ed. (Chicago: Moody, 1987), 236.
MacArthur, MNTC, 153-54.