[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]
Armageddon IS Coming
Our planet and all our nations are faced with natural disasters, famine, earthquakes, wars, and total destruction. We even see the word “Armageddon” appearing in news headlines. Will we soon experience World War III? Will the world soon experience Armageddon?
The 1998 popular movie “Armageddon” portrayed an incoming asteroid the size of Texas that would destroy all life on earth. NASA recruits a team of oil drillers to save the world. Perhaps you’ve seen that sobering movie.
Are we today in danger of incoming earth-destroying asteroids?
Astronomy.com describes the meteor that exploded over Siberia in 2013:
On February 15, 2013, a small asteroid, perhaps measuring 20 meters across, came down over the southern Urals of Russia, barreling in at about 19 km/s, and exploded over Chelyabinsk Oblast, near the town of Chelyabinsk. With a mass greater than that of the Eiffel Tower, the asteroid exploded in an airburst, unleashing energy equal to about 500 kilotons of TNT, some 20 or 30 times the energy released in the Hiroshima atomic explosion (“Why the asteroid threat should be taken seriously,” Astronomy.com).
Continuing the report, author David J. Eicher describes the dangers we face today:
The risk from asteroids impacting Earth and causing widespread damage, death, and catastrophe is real, and is present every day of our lives. But it is to a degree a counterintuitive threat, which makes it hard for some people to take seriously. The risk at any given moment is almost nonexistent, but given enough time, a catastrophic event will happen again. Do we need to worry about an asteroid strike during our next foray out to lunch? Probably not. But someday a large enough asteroid with Earth’s name on it will enter the picture, causing horror and mayhem for humanity. Unless we do something about it, that is (ibid.).
Your Bible reveals future astronomical events as well as major military conflicts. Revelation the sixth chapter describes cosmic disturbances: “And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place” (Revelation 6:13–14).
The movie “Armageddon” used the title to depict the cataclysmic end-of-the world danger described in your Bible. Bible scholars describe Armageddon as the final battle between good and evil. Who will win that battle? Will the world survive Armageddon? And will you be able to escape “Armageddon”?
Stay tuned!
Where Will Armageddon Take Place?
Warm greetings to all our friends around the world!
The word “Armageddon” has come to symbolize the final battle between good and evil. Will Armageddon trigger ultimate destruction of planet Earth? Or will divine intervention from outer space save us all? We’ll answer that question on today’s program.
Armageddon warns us of a World War III. World War II ended in 1945, more than 75 years ago. Younger generations today may know little of its history, the suffering, global trauma and the loss of scores of millions of lives. To many at the time, the devastating conflict between nations appeared as if the end of the world was near. But the Allied nations prevailed against Nazi Germany and fascist Italy, and VE day, Victory in Europe Day, was proclaimed on May 8, 1945. The war in the Pacific continued with Japan’s military forces striving to control more and more territory. U.S. President Harry Truman approved the dramatic strategy to shorten the war with the newly invented weapon of mass destruction.
On August 6 and August 9 of 1945, the United States dropped the first ever atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan killing more than 150,000 (“Hiroshima and Nagasaki Death Toll,” Children of the Atomic Bomb, aasc.ucla.edu, October 10, 2007). The nation of Japan surrendered unconditionally on September 2, 1945, ending World War II. In his victory broadcast from the USS Missouri battleship, General Douglas MacArthur summarized the historic lesson of war. Gen. MacArthur repeated these words in his farewell address to Congress on April 19, 1951: “Military alliances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn failed, leaving the only path to be by way of the crucible of war. The utter destructiveness of war now blocks out this alternative. We have had our last chance. If we will not devise some greater and more equitable system, Armageddon will be at our door.”
Yes, our Armageddon WILL be at our door. Or as General MacArthur pronounced it: “Har Maggadon will be at our door.” Turn to Revelation 16:16, “And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.” The original Hebrew is Har Magadon, or the Mount of Megiddo. The armies of the world will gather in northern Israel at Megiddo before marching south to Jerusalem. Megiddo is located about 55 miles north of Jerusalem in Israel. In ancient times it guarded the main trade routes between Egypt and Damascus. It also overlooks the biggest plain in Israel, the Valley of Jezreel (as it’s called in the Bible) or the Plain of Esdraelon. The kings of the east cross westward across the Euphrates River. They meet up with other superpower armies at Megiddo.
The book of Revelation describes this gathering as the sixth of the seven last plagues. They gather at the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon, then move southward to Jerusalem to fight Christ there. Notice Joel 3:1, “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather ALL nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there” (Joel 3:1–2).
The Valley of Jehoshaphat is between the Mount of Olives and the city of Jerusalem. It’s also known as the Kidron Valley, which extends southward for some distance. Yes, the Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty will take place at Jerusalem. Jehoshaphat means “judgment of the Eternal.” God will judge the nations in this climactic battle.
Your Bible reveals the sequence of events leading up to Armageddon. The Savior, Jesus Christ, revealed major prophetic signs leading up to the great climax and the end of this age. He also proclaimed a new age to come; we call it Tomorrow’s World. Jesus preached the gospel, the good news of a coming world-ruling government called the Kingdom of God. You can read about that in Mark 1:14–15! Jesus answered His disciples’ question concerning the end of the world or the end of the age. Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
What signs should we watch for? And what sequence of prophetic events should we expect? Our revealing free booklet we’re offering today features a chart showing the sequence of major prophetic events: Bible prophecy reveals the three and one-half year period leading up to the end of the age. And what signals the END of this sad world of failed human governments? Turn in your Bible to Revelation 11:15, “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’”
The Real “War to End All Wars”
We saw that the world’s armies will gather at Megiddo, in northern Israel, ready to oppose the returning Jesus Christ. Will that battle affect you? Nations will at first reject the returned Savior. Revelation 11:18: “The nations were angry….” They will resist the divine world-ruling kingdom and even go to war against it! The end-time superpower, the last revival of the Roman Empire, called the “Beast” in the book of Revelation, supported by ten worldly kings or kingdoms, will fight a futile war against the coming King of kings. Revelation 17:12, “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:12–14).
The book of Revelation reveals a sequence of major battles of World War III. Just read Revelation the ninth chapter. Armies east of the Euphrates River move westward using powerful weapons to destroy one third of earth’s population. The Apostle John records this prophetic vision in Revelation 9:17–18, “And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths.”
Are military forces even now preparing for World War III? Our Tomorrow’s World magazine subscribers are aware of major military developments. The April–May 2023 edition featured this question: “Has World War III Already Begun?” Editor in chief Gerald Weston cites several individuals, including Pope Francis, who state that World War III has already begun: “‘The world is at war,’ he said. ‘For me, today, World War III has been declared. This is something that should give us pause for thought. What is happening to humanity that we have had three world wars in a century?’” (“Pope Francis: ‘World War III has been declared,’” America: The Jesuit Review, June 14, 2022) (Tomorrow’s World magazine, p. 6).
Today’s nations are increasing their nuclear capabilities. Nine nations around the world are confirmed to have nuclear weapons. The combined power from these weapons could destroy all human life on earth several times over. On page 5 of the Armageddon booklet, this chart shows the estimated number of nuclear warheads each possesses. They are Russia, the United States, France, China, the United Kingdom, Israel, India, Pakistan, and North Korea.
October, 2022 marked the 60th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis. That was a time when the whole world was facing a potential Armageddon. On that anniversary, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists made this sobering announcement: “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its nuclear saber-rattling have roused the nuclear war genie, with the word ‘Armageddon’ creeping into general discussion during the 60th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis. That 35-day crisis (Oct. 16-Nov. 20, 1962) remains a definitive moment in United States national security history and was the general public’s first up-close-and-personal introduction to the real possibility of nuclear war” (“Déjà vu and nuclear roulette: The Bulletin’s initial reactions to the Cuban Missile Crisis,” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, TheBulletin.org, October 26, 2022).
Unsealing the Dramatic Events of Revelation
My friends, many of you experienced the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. You faced the frightening reality of what seemed to be a real Armageddon. Evangelist Gerald Weston described those dangers in a Tomorrow’s World magazine article titled “Cold War Secrets, Broken Arrows, and the Fate of Humanity.”
The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 nearly brought the world to the unthinkable: a nuclear exchange between the United States and the Soviet Union—in popular parlance, ‘Armageddon.’ Although it was understood to be a close call during those 13 tense days in October, few would learn just how close it was until decades later—and most people still do not know (March–April 2020, p. 5).
The magazine cover featured this sobering summary: “Cold War Secrets Revealed! How one man’s decision prevented global Armageddon.”
My friends, we need to face reality! Billions of human beings on earth will die—as war, hunger, and disease expand over the planet. Yes, we will face the extreme danger of human annihilation.
The fourth seal of Revelation pictures the four horsemen combining their powers. The world will suffer massive deaths of men, women, and children. Turn to Revelation the sixth chapter. The Apostle John, who wrote the book of Revelation under God’s inspiration, sees in vision the famous four horsemen of the Apocalypse. They symbolize, in order, false christs and false religion, war and its devastating effects, famines that normally follow on the heels of war, and pestilence and disease that follow after famine. The Apostle John writes in Revelation 6:8, “So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a FOURTH of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”
The fifth seal, as we read in Revelation 6:9, reveals a martyrdom of Christians during the tribulation period of about two and one-half years. Then we read about the SIXTH SEAL, which introduces the time of God’s wrath and judgment on the nations. The Sixth SEAL is referred to as the heavenly signs. Revelation 6:12, “I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place” (Revelation 6:12–14).
These heavenly signs, as they are called, introduce the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord is the time of God’s wrath and judgment on an unthankful, rebellious world. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, will be WRATHFUL. He’ll execute God’s righteous judgments. The Day of the Lord, here in Revelation 6:17, is called “the great Day of His wrath!”
The Day of the Lord will bring God’s judgments on the nations. Let’s understand. There are three prophetic milestones leading up to Christ’s return. They are: 1. The Great Tribulation; 2. The Heavenly Signs; and 3. The Day of the Lord. These three events cover a period of about three and one-half years. There are over thirty prophecies in your Bible referring to the Day of the Lord. Isaiah 34:8 and Isaiah 63:4 show that the Day of the Lord in end-time prophecy, the time preceding the Second Coming, is a period of one year! You might want to write down those references: Isaiah 34:8 and Isaiah 63:4!
Revelation the nineteenth chapter describes Christ’s great heavenly army descending to the earthly Armageddon battleground. Revelation 19:11,
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:11–16).
My friends, what side will you choose when judgment day comes? Will you choose to be on the side of the King who will rule the earth and bring it lasting peace? As we just saw in Revelation 17, faithful Christians will follow Christ. Revelation 17:14, “and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
Will You Be Among the Saints At Christ’s Side?
We all need to watch for prophetic signs leading to Armageddon. The kings of the earth and their armies will gather in northern Israel to fight against the Savior, Jesus Christ, at His coming. Again be sure to read that in Revelation 19:19. The King of kings will conquer these rebellious, oppressive nations. But how can you personally prepare for the challenging times ahead? My friends, will you escape Armageddon?
Notice the admonition by the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 21:36, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Perhaps you have not been praying. Now is the time to get down on your knees and cry out to God for a change in your life. Isaiah 55:6–7 tells you how to draw close to God. “Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”
God promises to bless you and forgive you, IF you seek Him with your whole heart. The solution to the world’s problems lies in the future change in human nature. Beyond Armageddon, the new world government, comprised of Christ and the saints, will teach the way to peace. Yes, during the millennium, there will be a renewal of human character and the human spirit. The Kingdom of God will rule over all nations for a thousand years. Pray for that Kingdom to come. We look forward to the time beyond Armageddon when the prophecy of Zechariah 14:9 will be fulfilled: “And the LORD shall be King over all the earth.”
Yes, the Prince of Peace will govern the world’s nations with love and justice, guaranteeing a world of prosperity and abundant living for all peoples.
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