Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan has predicted, “World War 3 is a guerrilla information war with no division between military and civilian participation.” I think we have seen this in Russia and Ukraine. I know many Americans have prepared for that potential time.
1. What are your thoughts concerning a World War III?
Albert Einstein made an interesting point, “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”
2. What do you think Einstein meant by his statement?
Scripture lets us know that there will be at least one more World War. It is the Battle of Armageddon. Billy Graham said, “The Bible plainly forecasts the coming of yet another great war. It will be a war to eclipse anything the world has ever seen. It will embrace most of the nations of the world; and its focal point will be in the Middle East, where the armies of the world will some day deploy themselves, centering at Mount Megiddo. This great war has been called the battle of Armageddon. In the midst of this terrifying war that could destroy civilization the Lord Jesus Christ will return to this earth in glory and power to judge the nations of the world and set up His own glorious kingdom.”
3. What do you know about the Battle of Armageddon?
Revelation 16:12-16 sets the stage for this big battle – war to end all wars, “The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. (‘Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!’) And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.”
Although the enemy forces initiate a war with God, it is God who takes the first step. He will have the Euphrates River dried up (which was previously turned to blood). This is no small feat. Paige Patterson points out that this great river divided the East from the West running for approximately 1,728 miles (the vertical length of the continental United States is 1,582 miles).
4. What enemies of God are listed here?
Armageddon encompasses hills, fields, and plains. Warren Wiersbe wrote, “The area is about fourteen miles wide and twenty miles long, and forms what Napoleon called ‘the most natural battlefield of the whole earth.’ Standing on Mount Carmel and overlooking that great plain, you can well understand why it would be used for gathering the armies of the nations.” He also points out that it was on this plain that Barak defeated the armies of Canaan (Judges 5:19), Gideon met the Midianites (Judges 7), and King Saul lost his life (1 Samuel 31).
The passage references “coming like a thief.” We see this elsewhere in Scripture:
• “But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.” 1 Thessalonians 5:4
• “Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.” Revelation 3:3
5. What is meant by this reference to “coming like a thief”?
Revelation chapter 19 also describes this amazing battle. Verses 11-16 say, “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
6. Who is riding on the “white horse”? How is He described?
7. What does the “sharp sword” refer to? Can you think of a verse in Hebrews that states this?
Revelation 19:17-21 continues, “Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, ‘Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.’ And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.”
8. How long does it seem the battle will last?
9. What happens to the beast and the false prophet?
Revelation 20:7-10 also speaks of a battle, “And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
10. What happens to the Devil?
11. How long do occupants remain in the “Lake of Fire”?
“I would rather go to heaven alone than go to hell in company.” R.A. Torrey
“I cannot preach on hell unless I preach with tears.” Dwight L. Moody