Before we try to determine the identity of the "kings of the east" and
what it means to "dry up the river Euphrates," we must understand more
clearly what armageddon really involves. The scriptures picture it as the
final decisive struggle which climaxes the age-long war between Christ and
Satan. The entire world is involved because good and evil people are
scattered among all nations of the earth. Armageddon represents the all-out
effort of Satan to destroy the people who dare to obey God in the face of
threatened torture and death.
Armageddon is but the climax of a 6,000-year program by Satan to keep
god's people from being saved. As the adversary, whose self-seeking caused
him to be cast out of heaven, Satan declared his purpose to overthrow God
and take over His universal government. Listen to his boast: "I will
ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will
sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I
will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."
[ ISA 14:13,14 ] ...I will ...I will ...I will.
This incredible claim of Satan exposes the heart of his plan to set
himself up in place of God. To subvert the worship of God's subjects to
himself it would seem both natural and necessary for Satan to build his
appeal around religion. Working in the guise of counterfeit religious
systems and false worship, he has woven a clever composite of truth and
error down through the ages. His masterpiece of deception will occur at the
end-time when he works through the beast power to enforce a mark of loyalty
on every person. Those who refuse the mark will be sentenced to death, and
thus, the final obstacle will be removed for Satan to claim all creation as
his followers. So reads the blueprint of Satan's strategy.