Armageddon

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology

A name occurring only once in the Bible and designating the place where the last great battle of the ages will take place ( Revelation 16:16 ). It will coincide with the second coming of Christ ( Revelation 16:15 ) and there all of the hosts of evil will be defeated ( Revelation 19:11-21 ).

Armageddon is a Hebrew word, although it does not occur in the Old Testament. Its meaning is not exactly clear, but it is best taken to mean Mount Megiddo, since "Har" in Hebrew means mountain and "Mageddon" is the place-name of Megiddo.

In Old Testament history Megiddo was a place of numerous decisive battles because of the broad plain that stood before it. Deborah and Barak defeated Sisera and his Canaanite army there ( Judges 4-5 ), Gideon drove off the Midianites and Amalekites ( Judges 6 ), Saul and the army of Israel were defeated because of their failure to trust in God ( 1 Samuel 31 ), and the Egyptian army under Pharaoh Neco killed Josiah, king of Judah ( 2 Kings 23:29 ). Although these decisive battles were fought before Megiddo, the place-name never became fixed in Jewish tradition as designating the place of decisive battle. However, given the fact that it was such a place, it is natural that John should use it to locate the final great battle on earth.

Some interpreters take John's designation literally, expecting the armies of the earth to gather against God in the endtimes below the remains of Old Testament Megiddo; others see in it a more figurative element. They point out that Megiddo was not really a mountain at all and that the battle will take place in the plain. Perhaps John designated it Mount Megiddo as a clue to its symbolic meaning, drawing together the historic place of conflict in Israel's history with the prophecies of Ezekiel that speak of the great eschatological conflict taking place in the mountains of Israel ( Ezekiel 39:2,4,17 ).

In any case, John sees the final triumph of God at Armageddon and offers that to the persecuted Christians as a word of comfort and hope that evil will not win, but is doomed to ultimate destruction.

Walter A. Elwell

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("Mount of Megiddo": from a root Gadad , "to cut off," i.e. "slaughter" ( Revelation 16:16)). The plain of Esdraelon, the great Old Testament battle field between Israel and the various enemies of Jehovah's people: the scene of Barak's victory over Canaan, and Gideon's over Midian (Judges 4; 5; 7), the scene also of Saul's death and Israel's defeat before the Philistines (1 Samuel 31), and of Josiah's death in battle with Pharaoh Necho ( 2 Kings 23:29-30). Both this and "the valley of Jehoshaphat" (the scene of his great victory,  2 Chronicles 20:26, compare  Zechariah 14:2-4) may be figurative phrases for the scene of the final conflict of Christ and Antichrist. But they may also be literal.

The mourning at Josiah's death in the valley of Megiddo became proverbial for the most poignant grief. As he and his army represent the professing church, so Pharaoh Necho and the Egyptians the God-opposed world. The triumph of Pharaoh then shall be utterly reversed in the last conflict of the ten confederate kings under Antichrist against the Lamb and His hosts (not merely professors, but "called, chosen, and faithful") ( Revelation 17:12-14;  Revelation 19:11-21). The last Antichrist is developed after executing judgment on the whore, the apostate church; he then, with his ten confederate kings and the false prophet, opposes Christ Himself, and perishes.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Revelation 16:16 har megiddo

The location of Armageddon indicates that the Middle East has historical importance in the last days. Armageddon, or the Mount of Megiddo, is located in the plain of Esdraelon or Jezreel, a valley fourteen by twenty miles in size. The location is near the ancient city of Megiddo. Here ran the ancient highway between Egypt and Damascus.

Many decisive battles had been fought here. It would be natural to think of it as the site of the last and greatest battle of all. One of the most stunning and decisive defeats for God's people took place here when King Josiah perished in battle with Pharaoh-nechoh ( 2 Kings 23:29-30 ). This defeat burned deeply in the Jewish mind. The final battle of history, discussed in  Revelation 19:17-21 , will be one of victory.

Even the secular world has popularized Armageddon, especially since the coming of the Atomic Age, as that catastrophic event in history that would destroy the human race. The reality that God will bring defeat on the forces of evil at Armageddon should lead all people to examine themselves, their plans, and their actions to see if they might be part of the evil forces rather than part of the work of God's kingdom.

Ken Hubbard

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Armageddon ( Är-Ma-Gĕd'Don ), The Hill, or, perhaps, The City Of Megiddo. A symbolical name for the place where a final struggle between the hosts of good and evil must take place.  Revelation 16:16. Spelled Har-Magedon in R. V. For an exposition of the apostle's meaning, the reader must be referred to commentaries; it will be sufficient here to say that there is an allusion to that great battle-field where Barak and Gideon conquered,  Judges 4:1-24;  Judges 5:19;  Judges 6:33;  Judges 7:1-25; where Saul and Josiah fell,  1 Samuel 29:1;  1 Samuel 31:1-13;  2 Samuel 4:4;  2 Chronicles 35:20-24; the plain of Esdraelon, on the southern border of which Megiddo stood.

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

a place spoken of,  Revelation 16:16 , which literally signifies "the mountain of Mageddon," or "Megiddo," a city situated in the great plain at the foot of Mount Carmel, where the good prince Josiah received his mortal wound, in the battle against Necho, king of Egypt. At Armageddon, the three unclean spirits coming out of the dragon's mouth shall gather together the kings of the earth, to the battle of the great day of God Almighty,  Revelation 16:13-14; where the word Armageddon, according to Mr. Pool, does not signify any particular place, but is used in allusion to Megiddo, mentioned  Judges 5:19 , where Barak overcame Sisera with his great army, and where Josiah was slain,  2 Kings 23:30 . If so, the term must have been a proverbial one for a place of destruction and mourning.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Armaged'don. (The Hill Of Megiddo or The City Of Megiddo ).  Revelation 16:16. The scene of the struggle of good and evil is suggested by that battle-field, the plain of Esdraelon, which was famous for two great victories, of Barak, over the Canaanites and of Gideon, over the Midianites; and for two great disasters, the deaths of Saul and Josiah.

Hence, it signifies in Revelation, a place of great slaughter, the scene of a terrible retribution upon the wicked. (The Revised Version gives the name as Har-Magedon , that is, The Hill (as Ar is The City ) Of Megiddo . - Editor).

Morrish Bible Dictionary

The Hebrew name of the place where the kings of the earth and of the whole world will be gathered together to make war against the Lord Jesus in the great day of Almighty God.  Revelation 16:16 . There seems to be an allusion to the great battle field of Palestine in the Esdraelon, and to the Megiddo mentioned in  Judges 5:19;  1 Kings 4:12;  2 Kings 23:29,30 .The word itself is translated 'the mountain of slaughter,' and may be used symbolically for the destruction that will surely fall upon the enemies of the Lord Jesus.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Mountain of Megiddo,

A place mentioned,  Revelation 16:16 . Megiddo is a city in the great plain at the foot of Mount Carmel, which had been the scene of much slaughter. Under this character it is referred to in the above text as the place in which God will collect together his enemies for destruction.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Revelation 16:16

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

ARMAGEDDON . See Har-Magedon.

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

See Har-Magedon.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

( Ἀρμαγεδδών ,  Revelation 16:16), properly " the mountain of Megiddo" (Heb. הִר מְגִדּוֹ ), a city on the west of the river Jordan, rebuilt by Solomon ( 1 Kings 9:15). (See Megiddo). In the mystical language of prophecy, the word mountain represents the Church, and the events which took place at Megiddo are supposed to have had a typical reference to the sorrows and triumphs of the people of God under the Gospel. "In that day," says Zechariah ( Zechariah 12:11), "shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon;" referring to the death of Josiah (q.v.). "He gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon," is the language of the Apocalypse; and the word has been translated by some as "the mountain of destruction," by others as "the mountain of the gospel"-a passage that probably has reference to the symbolical use of the name in Zechariah. Into a valley ominous of slaughter the unclean spirits (representing the heathen influence of the Roman empire), under the special guidance of Providence ( Revelation 17:17), conduct the assembled forces of the beast and his allies; and there in due time they come to an overthrow through an almighty conqueror (Stuart, Comment. in loc.). The passage is best illustrated by comparing a similar one in the book of Joel ( Joel 3:2;  Joel 3:12), where the scene of the divine judgments is spoken of in the prophetic imagery as the "valley of Jehoshaphat," the fact underlying the image being Jehoshaphat's great victory ( 2 Chronicles 20:26; see  Zechariah 14:2;  Zechariah 14:4). So here the scene of the struggle of good and evil is suggested by that battlefield, the plain of Esdraelon, which was famous for two great victories-of Barak over the Canaanites (Judges 4, 5), and Gideon over the Midianites (Judges 7); and for two great disasters, the death of Saul in the invasion of the Philistines ( 1 Samuel 31:8), and the death of Josiah in the invasion of the Egyptians ( 2 Kings 23:29-30;  2 Chronicles 35:22). With the first and fourth of these events, Megiddo ( Μαγεδδώ in the Sept. and Josephus) is especially connected. Hence Ἀρ - Μαγεδών , "the hill of Megiddo." (See Bihr's Excursus on Herod. ii, 159.) As regards the Apocalypse, it is remarked by Stanley (Sinai And Palestine, p. 330) that this imagery would be peculiarly natural to a Galilaan, to whom the scene of these battles was familiar. (See Esdraelon).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Armaged´don, properly 'the mountain of Megiddo,' a city on the west of the river Jordan, rebuilt by Solomon ( 1 Kings 9:15). Both Ahaziah and Josias died there. In the mystical language of prophecy, the word mountain represents the Church, and the events which took place at Megiddo are supposed to have had a typical reference to the sorrows and triumphs of the people of God under the Gospel. 'In that day,' says  Zechariah 12:11, 'shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon;' referring to the death of Josias. But the same spot witnessed, at an earlier period, the greatest triumph of Israel, when 'fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo' ( Judges 5:19). 'He gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon,' is the language of the Apocalypse; and the word has been translated by some as 'the mountain of destruction,' by others as 'the mountain of the gospel;' many ingenious speculations having been employed on the passage in which it occurs, but with little satisfaction to the more sober readers of divine revelation.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ar - ma - ged´on Ἀρμαγεδδών , Armageddō̇n ̌ :  Revelation 16:16; the Revised Version (British and American) "HAR-MAGEDON") (which see).

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

A name given in Apocalypse to the final battlefield between the powers of good and evil, or Christ and Antichrist.