Now notice, again, where Satan wated to sit. he said, "I will sit upon
the mount of the gongregation, IN THE SIDES OF THE NORTH." Why did he say
that? This point is very important. The expression "mount of the
congregation" is undoubtedly referring to the holy mount of God's dwelling
place. Throughout the Bible it is spoken of as mount Zion. "Beautiful for
situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the SIDES OF THE
NORTH, the city of the great King." [ PSA 48:2 ]
The strinking thing is that God's place, mount Zion, is located in the
sides of the north. Now we understand why satan wanted to sit on the mount
of the congregation, in the sides of the north. That is where god will
gather His people, His congregation. Mouse Zion is a place of safety.
Satan wants to destroy the congregation and take them, along with the
throne of God. The psalmist said, "Sing praises to the Lord, WHICH
DEWLLETH IN ZION." [ PSA 9:11 ]
Originally, Zion was the designated spot where the temple was located, in
the north part of jerusalem. Later, it came to be known as a symbol of the
city of Jerusalem. It also is applied throughout scripture to the whole of
god's people. But after the jews rejected Jesus the term Zion became the
designation for the church. Thus in the New Testament it no longer
identifies an earthly location, but a people -- the peope of the church who
are scattered throughout the world, or else the spiritual place of God's
presence and protection.
All through the Bible God is described as drawing or gathering His people
to Zion where they can be safe with Him. "Blow the trumpet in Zion, ...call
a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation."
[ JOEL 2:15,16 ] "For in mount Zion ... shall be deliverance." [ JOEL 2:32 ]
In revelation 14:1 the redeemed are pictured as having been delivered from
the beast power of the previous chapter and are safe in mount Zion. "And I
looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred
fourty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their
foreheads."
But while God programs a gathering of His people to Himself in Zio, Satan
also has a gathering program. It is a gathering of his forces for Armageddon.
"For they are the spirits of devils ... to gather them to the battle of that
great day of God Almighty. ... And he gathered them together into a place
called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." [ REV 16:14,16 ] This gathering is
to counteract god's gathering His saints to mount Zion. Joel also speaks about
that same gathering; "Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and
gather yourselves together round about ... Let the heathen ... come up to the
valley of Jehoshaphat ... The Lord also shall roar out of Zion ... but the Lord
will be the hope of His people." [ JOEL 3:11,12,16 ]
This is another description of that final conflict called Armageddon. The
valley of Jehoshaphat is just another title for the place of battle. It will
involve every nation on earth. The "heathen" is a term to describe those who
are not God's people. Satan will marshall the kings of the earth and all the
wicked people to oppose the faithful saints of God. The Lord will be involved
in the battle ("The Lord shal raor out of Zion"), because He fights for His
people. In essence, it is a tremendous contest between Christ and Satan with
followers of both sides being involved.
Here is where we get to the heart of the subject. The verse calls attention
to the Hebrew word for Armageddon. Apparently, the word is rooted in the
Hebrew term "har moed," which means "mount of the congregation" or "mount of
the assembly." Do you see where this leads us? That same word (har moed)
was used by Satan when he said, "I will sit also upon the mount of the
congregation." This ties the battle of Armageddon to the original threat
of Satan to capture and destroy the congregation of God -- in mount Zion.
And the final attempt of the evil one to carry out his threat reaches down to
the very last events of this earth. John the revelator described it under the
sixth plague. He saw unclean spirits going out to the kings of the earth,
working miracles, and gathering them to Armageddon. These are religious
forces working on the political rulers and inclfuencing them to destroy God's
faithful ones.
If you want to read the thrilling account of God's part in Armageddon,
study Revelation 19. "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and
he that sat upon him was called faithful and True, and in righteousness he
doth judge and make war ... And the armies which were in heaven followed Him
upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean ... and he treadeth
the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." [ REV 19:11-15 ]
Several things stand out in this symbolic picture of Christ and His second
coming. The armies of heaven make war and "smite the nations." [ verse 15 ]
These are the nations which were stirred by evil spirits in Revelation 16:14.
Christ prevails in this armageddon clash. Notice that this war is described as
treading the winepress of the wrath of God. In revelation 15:1 the seven last
plagues are designated as "the wrath of God." Since the battle of Armageddon
is set up under the sixth plague, and the plagues are called the wrath of God;
and since Christ's army makes wrath, we must conclude that Revelation 19 is
a clear pciture of Armageddon.
Incidently, the vials of the wrath of God were poured on the whole earth.
"Go your ways, and pour the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth."
[ REV 16:1 ] This is why all the nations are involved in Armageddon. The good
and evil of all the world will be drawn into it. Since God's people are
scattered in every country, the entire earth is spoken of as being affected
by the plagues, one of which is Armageddon.