Today, Thursday June 23
“The Battle of that Great Day”
Revelation 16:12-16
“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. 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. "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.”
Five angels have poured out their bowls of God’s wrath on the earth. There have been “loathsome sores”, the water turned to blood, great heat and great darkness. Now right at the end of Seven-year Tribulation, the sixth angel pours out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and it dries up.
This famous river was mentioned earlier in Revelation, when the sixth trumpet sounded (Rev. 9:13-21) and four demonic angels were loosed who were bound there. At that time, they then lead an army of demonic horsemen of two-hundred million that are also released, and they proceed to kill a third of mankind on the earth.
Unlike the previous five bowls, the sixth, like the fifth seal (Rev. 6:9-11), has no specific assault on humanity but prepares for what is to come. From the mouth (symbolizing the source of influence) of each member of the unholy trinity (the dragon [Satan], the beast [Antichrist], and the false prophet) came a foul, unclean spirit resembling a frog. Frogs were unclean animals (Lev. 11:10, 41), but these are not literal frogs as in the plague in Egypt (Ex. 8:5; Ps. 78:45). John identified the froglike apparitions as spirits of demons. This graphic, revolting, and disgusting illustration pictures the slimy, cold-blooded vileness of these demons, who seduce the kings from the east into making the difficult journey to their doom at Armageddon under their deluding influence (Read 1 Kings 22:19-22). As part of their deception, the demons will no doubt perform supernatural signs.
Now, an army from the nations of the world gathers for the great battle at Armageddon. The drying up of the river will make it possible for the army of the "kings of the East" to come to Palestine and invade the Holy Land.
We often speak of "the battle of Armageddon," but nowhere does the Bible use that phrase.
The name Armageddon comes from two Hebrew words, har Megiddo, the hill of Megiddo. The word Megiddo means "place of troops" or "place of slaughter." It is also called the Plain of Esdraelon and the Valley of Jezreel. The area is about fourteen miles wide and twenty miles long, and forms what Napoleon called "the most natural battlefield of the whole earth." Standing on Mount Carmel and overlooking that great plain, you can well understand why it would be used for gathering the armies of the nations.
It was on this plain that Barak defeated the armies of Canaan (Judges 5:19). Gideon met the Midianites there (Judges 7) and it was there that King Saul lost his life (1 Sam. 31). Titus and the Roman army used this natural corridor, as did the Crusaders in the Middle Ages. British General Allenby used it when he defeated the Turkish armies in 1917.
From a human viewpoint, it appears that the armies of the nations are gathering on their own; but John makes it clear that the military movement is according to God's plan. The satanic trinity, through demonic powers, will influence the nations and cause the rulers to assemble their armies. But all this will merely fulfill the will of God and accomplish His purposes (see Rev. 17:17). Years ago, I heard someone say that Satan is God’s disobedient servant. The Gentile nations will look on Armageddon as a battle, but to God, it will be only a "supper" for the fowls of the air (Rev. 19:17-21).
These final two bowls of God’s wrath are preparing the earth for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth to set up His Kingdom! My friend, even now God is at work as we enter these last days!
God bless!