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Signs of the Times Australia / NZ edition — lifestyle, health, relationships, culture, spirituality, people — published since 1886 |
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Signs of the Times Australia / NZ edition — lifestyle, health, relationships, culture, spirituality, people — published since 1886 |
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The Bible pictures the battle of Armageddon as the last clash between good and evil, just before Jesus returns at the end of time (Revelation 16:12-16). Armageddon means “mountain of Megiddo,” a place in northern Palestine. But is the biblical picture one of a conventional, literal war?
The worship of the pagan gods Baal and Asherah was rife in Israel during the reign of Ahab (874-853 BC). Baal was the chief god of the Canaanites and involved nature worship, with Asherah the female counterpart. Canaanites believed Baal dwelt in trees, springs, mountain tops and rocks. Ahab married Jezebel, daughter of a Baal priest, and began to worship Baal and Asherah. Ahab led Israel away from a true worship of the Creator into the worship of things the Creator had made (see 1 Kings 16:29-34).
A contest took place on Mount Carmel (near Megiddo) between Elijah the prophet of God and 950 prophets of Baal and Asherah that gives insight into the final contest (see 1 Kings 18:16-39).
1 What did Elijah say Ahab had done?
(1 Kings 18:18) “You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals.”
2 What challenge did Elijah present to the people of Israel?
(v 21) “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”
3 Two sacrifices were prepared—one by the false prophets and one by Elijah. What challenge did Elijah give the false prophets?
(v 24) “You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”
4 In his prayer, what did Elijah make known?
(v 36) “O Lord . . . let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.”
5 What happened to Elijah’s sacrifice and how did the people respond?
(vv 38, 39) “Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. . . . The people . . . cried, ‘The Lord—he is God!’”
final conflict
Revelation 13, which explains the issues in the last conflict, alludes to this battle, mentioning fire coming from heaven. It also portrays two beasts—one from the sea and one from the land—symbols of Satan’s henchmen, who assist him in his final attack. They are a counterfeit trinity, symbolised as “Babylon,” a worldwide religious coalition that combines with secular and political powers to enforce its religious system around the world.
This land beast is pictured “causing fire to come down from heaven to earth” (verse 13).
6 What is the purpose of the fire?
(Revelation 13:12, 14) “He . . . made the . . . inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. . . . Because of the signs he was given power to do . . . he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honour of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.”
In the final conflict it’s Satan who brings down fire, deceiving the world into false worship. The final conflict is over obedience to God in worship of the Creator versus false worship of the creature.
7 What threat is made concerning those who refuse to bow to false worship?
(Revelation 13:15-17) “He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. He also forced everyone . . . to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no-one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.”
8 What song do those who refuse to follow false worship in this conflict sing?
(Revelation 15:2-4) “Those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name . . . sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: ‘Great and marvellous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.’”
9 How do the people of God overcome Satan?
(Revelation 12:11) “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
Olivia Harrison, in an interview in The Age (“The life and death of a Beatle,” November 28, 2002), on the release of George Harrison’s posthumus album, Brainwashed, said her husband of 23 years “never felt in control during his lengthy battle with the disease.” She said that “he had spent years trying to achieve self-realisation and peace with God. He aspired to a higher kind of consciousness, a higher life.”
But what a waste of time. The good news is that Jesus has conquered Satan, sin and death on the cross, and the weakest believer is now an overcomer. For those who accept Jesus as Saviour, a “higher life and peace with God” are theirs, and heaven is guaranteed.
Extract from Signs of the Times, May 2003.
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