As we continue studying Armageddon, it is tremendously important to keep
this great rule of interpretation before us. The vast confusion on prophecy
today stems from ignorance of this principle. Once more, the prophecies
given by Isaiah, Jeremiah, Exekiel, etc., have a double application -- one
to be fulfilled locally; the other to be fulfilled on a worldwise scale in
the last days. And the church takes the place of the nation as God's true
choosen people. With this background we are prepared to study the subject
of Armageddon. That world-ending conflict is tied closely to the things we
have just stated about spiritual Israel and a secondary application of
prophecy. A most amazing parallel exists between what happened to ancient
Israel and the events concerning spiritual israel in the book of Revelation.
Ancient Israel Spiritual Israel
JER 50:33,34 Persecuted by Babylon REV 17:6
DAN 3:13 Forced to worship image REV 13:15
DAN 3:30 Called "Babylon the Great" REV 17:5
JER 51:13,14 Babylon sits on many waters REV 17:1
ISA 44:27,28 Rescued -- dried Euphrates REV 16:12
JER 51:6-8 Called out of Babylon REV 18:4
ISA 45:1 Rescuer called the anointed DAN 9:25
ISA 41:2,25 Both rescuers from east MAT 24:27; REV 7:2
Notice that God's people had almost the same experience in the Old
Testament and the New Testament. They were forced to worship an image and
rescued by someone from the east who dried up the river Euphrates to set
them free. Within this broad outline there are scores of other astonishing
similarities between the two Israels -- one literal and the other spiritual.
It is obvious that the church -- God's people of the last days -- will be
persecuted and threatened with death just like ancient Israel. In the book
of revelation they are delivered from spiritual babylon in connection with
the battle of Armageddon. "And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the
great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of
the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits
like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the
beast, and out of the mouse of the false prophet. For they are the spirits
of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and
of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God
Almighty. ... And he gathered them together in a place called in the Hebrew
tongue Armageddon." [ REV 16:12-16 ]
These verses are filled with great meaning. They reveal that three
powerful forces will be utilized by Satan in preparing the way for
Armageddon. Those three -- the beast, dragon, and false prophet -- stir
up the political powers of the earth to take part in that war. It is
apparent hat those three are religious powers, at least in their claims,
because they work miracles to impress the governments of the earth.
Miracles are only operative within the realm of religion.
These three symbols incorporate all the modern forms of counterfeit
religion. Rejecting the authority of God's law and choosing the easy
tradtions of pagan worship patterns, these combined ecclesiastical systems
will weild a mighty influece in drawing all the world into the battle of
Armageddon.