November 26: POSITION YOURSELVES
And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. Revelation 16:16
The name Armageddon, translated from the Hebrew, means the mountain of Megiddo. There never was an actual mountain named Megiddo, but the renowned fortress city by that name was located at the northern end of Israel on a plain at the foothill of Mount Carmel. Just northwest of the city’s site was the ridge of Carmel. This mountain ridge, located between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea, was the site of the most decisive confrontation in the history of Israel. It was the battleground where Elijah confronted the 850 false prophets in Israel. The LORD sent His fire and consumed the sacrifice of Elijah, showing that He is the only true God (1 Kings 18:38). He is worthy of all worship!
Israel’s King Ahab had married a pagan queen named Jezebel. The event that took place on Mount Carmel has come to symbolize the face-off between good and evil, Christ and Satan, true worship and false worship. Jezebel’s influence is still alive and well on the earth today. Jesus referenced it in His letter to Thyatira (Revelation 2:20) equating it with the depths of Satan (v.24).
The marriage between Ahab, king of Israel, and Jezebel, a pagan queen, foreshadows the “marriage” that is forming today between apostate Protestantism and Jezebel’s church. Jesus gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality (a symbol of unfaithfulness to Him), and she did not repent (2:21). And in addressing the Protestants who exited Jezebel’s church, Jesus declared their works incomplete (3:2) because they came only part of the way out: “You have a [reputation] that you are alive, but you are dead.” (v.1) They based their faith on sons of men and not the Son of Man.
Notice that the false prophet, introduced as the beast from the earth, will be enabled by the dragon to counterfeit the miracle in 1 Kings 18:38: He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men (Revelation 13:13). Such signs are performed for the sole purpose of deceiving people. God’s people are reminded: For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) and faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not [yet] seen (Hebrews 11:1).
And they gathered them together… In today’s opening verse, who is doing the gathering? The answer is two verses back: spirits of demons (v.14). In the great war for the minds, hearts, and allegiance (see 2 Thessalonians 2:4) of people that has been raging between Christ and Satan, those who have not chosen to be built up in Christ (Colossians 2:7; 1 Peter 2:5) as His dwelling place, become subject — by default — to the overmastering delusions rampant in our fallen world as described in 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12. The place to which the spirits of demons are at work to gather the people is not a physical location but rather a posture of agreement against God; a position of homage and obedience to that which contradicts His word.
Be sure to make the connection between the false prophet’s miracle described in Revelation 13:13 and the secret ambition of Lucifer: to sit on the mount of the congregation (Isaiah 14:13). Satan wants to occupy the throne of your heart. These two verses reveal his desire to divert worship towards himself.
You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you. 2 Chronicles 20:17a
For further study: 2 Chronicles 16:9; Matthew 28:20