Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

ARMAGEDDON

1. Bible students among us are sharply divided as to the nature of the Battle of Armageddon:
   1. One school of thought, toward which I lean, holds that "the Bible Armageddon" is both a physical as well as a spiritual battle.
   2. A relatively new theory holds that the Armageddon of the Bible will not be a physical but a spiritual battle.

1. Historically, the valley of Megiddo is noted because many historic battles have been fought there:
   1. The battle between Israel and her neighboring nations - Judg. 5:19; 2 Ki. 9:23-27; 2 Chron. 35:22, 2 Ki. 23:29
   2. It is this area to which the book of Revelation seems to have reference to - Rev. 16:12-16
2. It is the crossroad between the East and the West; the inevitable place of conflict between the nations. The vale of Kishon and the region of Megiddo are known in history as "The battlefield between nations":
3. It is my humble opinion that Joel 3:9-14 has a double application:
   1. It predicts a feverish preparation by the nations for the final conflict.
   2. And also the time when Satan will seek to exterminate the people of God.
   3. When we consider Rev. 16:12-16 in the light of Joel 3:9-14 we cannot come to any other conclusion.
4. Let us keep in mind these prophetic facts:
   1. Our Lord's prophecy of the closing events prior to His second coming - Matt. 24:6, 7; Luke 21:25, 26
   2. Joel's forecast of what the nations would do in the last days - Joel 3:9-14.
   3. Let us interpret these forecasts in the light of the feverish preparation of the nations for war today.
5. From the reading of our text, five facts seem to stand out:
   1. The battle of Armageddon takes place under the sixth plague. That is after probation closes.
   2. It must be a physical battle because the earth and all that is on the earth will be affected by it.
   3. That is the devastation the angel of Revelation 7 must have reference to - Rev. 7:1
   4. Satan is the instigator of this conflagration - Rev. 12:12; 1 Pet. 4:8
   5. All nations will be involved in this battle - Joel 3:9-14

1. If Armageddon is a spiritual battle and not a physical battle:
   1. Why does Satan stir up the nations to prepare for war? - Joel 3:9-14; Matt. 24:6, 7
   2. Why are the angels called upon to hold the winds of strife until the work of the gospel has been finished? - Rev. 7:1; Matt. 24:14
   3. Why does the Lord say that "nation shall rise against nation" - Matt. 24:6, 7
   4. Why does Satan lead the nations to the valley of Jehoshaphat? - Joel 3:12
2. We realize, however, that the details of the battle of Armageddon are not given in Bible prophecy:
   1. The prophets interpreted the battle in the light of the knowledge they had of methods of warfare of their own day.
   2. Methods have changed but the objectives of Satan have not changed; he still seeks to destroy the nations - Isa. 14:12-17
   3. It is true, also, that God's people are, in the end, the real target of Satan, and he will use the nations to destroy them - Dan. 12:1; Rev. 12:12-17
   4. The views of the Pioneers are correct, even if they did not know the details of the final conflict.