"WORLD WAR III"
TEXT: Rev. 16:12-16
THESIS: To give some details concerning the coming World War at the close of the Tribulation commonly referred to as "The Battle of Armageddon."
INTRO:
A. WORLD WAR II was really the prelude to the Time of Jacob's Trouble when Jews are again persecuted en masse. This persecution will reach its climax at the close of the Tribulation Period and the battle (lit. "campaign") is usually referred to as Armageddon. It will be "WORLD WAR III"!
B. But just as WWII backfired on Hitler, WWIII will backfire on the Antichrist and his forces. And just as Hitler was successful in roasting 6 million Jews and as WWII was responsible for 16 million deaths, so Antichrist will slaughter millions more Jews and 10's of millions of Gentiles will die in the bloodiest battles in the history of earth. No wonder even the most hardened military men speak in awe of Armageddon! Though the climactic battle of this war will take place at Armageddon, biblically it is called "the battle of that great day of God Almighty." v.14b
I. ARMAGEDDON: THE PLACE
A. God's Winepress:
Rev. 14:19-20
19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
1. This piece of geography runs about 200 miles long (1600 furlongs).
2. It extends from the Valley of Jehoshaphat in the north to the plains of Megiddo in the south...the length of Palestine!
SCRIPT: Joel 3:10ff
a. The "wine" being pressed in this "winepress" is blood... the blood of the enemies of our Savior.
b. It is the bloodiest campaign in all history and when the blood runs 3 ft. deep in the river bed and down the trench the length of Israel!
ILLUS: This picture is definitely not for the squeamish. But the Bible is only "good news" for the believer; it is "BAD NEWS" for the unbeliever. Our Savior is directing the culmination of this bloodbath and he and His angel thrust in their sickles into this giant winepress and harvest the hordes of troops gathered there.
TRANS: But we are getting ahead of the story...
II. ARMAGEDDON: THE PREPARATION
A. The Players:
1. The 10 Kingdom Federation of European Nations (European Community). - the Revived Roman Empire under the Antichrist.
NOTE: This is that 7 headed beast with ten horns and crowns mentioned in Rev. 13:1. One of those heads turns out to be the Antichrist, and after his deadly wound is healed he is not only respected but worshipped (v.3) and all submit to his great power and ask "who is able to make war with him?" (v.4)
2. The King of the South (a North African federation - Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia?)
3. The King of the North (Russia and her allies).
4. The Kings of the East (Asiatic/Oriental Powers).
SCRIPT: Read Dan. 11:36-45 here.
5. The Lord and His armies from heaven.
B. The Powers:
1. The power of Satan, the Dragon.
Rev. 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
2. The power of demons:
Rev. 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
ILLUS: Satan knows that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming to reign on the earth over the seed of Abraham and the seed of David. If Jesus reigns, it is evident that Satan is no longer a world ruler. Satan's "final solution to the Jewish problem" will be stopped. If he can exterminate the Jews the Savior will have no Kingdom. If that is so Satan could continue as the world ruler! 💥💥This is the real purpose of WORLD WAR III - Armageddon!
3. The power of Christ:
a. Christ has "all power" not just delegated power, like Satan.
b. Christ will destroy the Antichrist with the "bright-ness of His coming" after Armageddon.
III. ARMAGEDDON: THE PINNACLE
A. The Assembling of the Nations: TEXT
1. Jerusalem is the focal point: v.19
ILLUS: When Russia and Egypt meet at Jerusalem the city is completely destroyed. Apparently this is when the rebuilt Temple of Antichrist is also destroyed (making room for the Millennial Temple when Christ reigns).
2. Judgment is the final product: v.19-21
ILLUS: The Lord has even the forces of nature working for Him. The Antichrist trusted in the "God of forces" ("The Force be with you"!), but the real God of the forces of nature is the Lord Himself. "Mother Nature" turns out to be Father God!!!
B. The Appearance of the King: Rev.19
1. He comes with the armies of heaven: v.11 and 14
2. He comes with a "sharp sword" destroying His enemies: v.15,16
ILLUS: The Antichrist, False Prophet and Satan himself will ultimately burn forever in the lake of fire. But not just yet. Other events must occur before Christ can return and reign...
CONCL: WORLD WAR III is on its way! Nothing can stop it. It might be delayed, but it cannot be prevented. It is written in God's Word. "The Scriptures cannot be broken." What is the purpose of prophecy since we will already be up in heaven?
1. It should have a cleansing effect upon the believer toward his life.
2. It should have a compelling effect upon the bel. toward the lost.
3. It should have a consecrating effect upon the bel. toward the Lord.
TEXT: Rev. 16:12-16
THESIS: To give some details concerning the coming World War at the close of the Tribulation commonly referred to as "The Battle of Armageddon."
INTRO:
A. WORLD WAR II was really the prelude to the Time of Jacob's Trouble when Jews are again persecuted en masse. This persecution will reach its climax at the close of the Tribulation Period and the battle (lit. "campaign") is usually referred to as Armageddon. It will be "WORLD WAR III"!
B. But just as WWII backfired on Hitler, WWIII will backfire on the Antichrist and his forces. And just as Hitler was successful in roasting 6 million Jews and as WWII was responsible for 16 million deaths, so Antichrist will slaughter millions more Jews and 10's of millions of Gentiles will die in the bloodiest battles in the history of earth. No wonder even the most hardened military men speak in awe of Armageddon! Though the climactic battle of this war will take place at Armageddon, biblically it is called "the battle of that great day of God Almighty." v.14b
I. ARMAGEDDON: THE PLACE
A. God's Winepress:
Rev. 14:19-20
19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
1. This piece of geography runs about 200 miles long (1600 furlongs).
2. It extends from the Valley of Jehoshaphat in the north to the plains of Megiddo in the south...the length of Palestine!
SCRIPT: Joel 3:10ff
a. The "wine" being pressed in this "winepress" is blood... the blood of the enemies of our Savior.
b. It is the bloodiest campaign in all history and when the blood runs 3 ft. deep in the river bed and down the trench the length of Israel!
ILLUS: This picture is definitely not for the squeamish. But the Bible is only "good news" for the believer; it is "BAD NEWS" for the unbeliever. Our Savior is directing the culmination of this bloodbath and he and His angel thrust in their sickles into this giant winepress and harvest the hordes of troops gathered there.
TRANS: But we are getting ahead of the story...
II. ARMAGEDDON: THE PREPARATION
A. The Players:
1. The 10 Kingdom Federation of European Nations (European Community). - the Revived Roman Empire under the Antichrist.
NOTE: This is that 7 headed beast with ten horns and crowns mentioned in Rev. 13:1. One of those heads turns out to be the Antichrist, and after his deadly wound is healed he is not only respected but worshipped (v.3) and all submit to his great power and ask "who is able to make war with him?" (v.4)
2. The King of the South (a North African federation - Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia?)
3. The King of the North (Russia and her allies).
4. The Kings of the East (Asiatic/Oriental Powers).
SCRIPT: Read Dan. 11:36-45 here.
5. The Lord and His armies from heaven.
B. The Powers:
1. The power of Satan, the Dragon.
Rev. 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
2. The power of demons:
Rev. 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
ILLUS: Satan knows that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming to reign on the earth over the seed of Abraham and the seed of David. If Jesus reigns, it is evident that Satan is no longer a world ruler. Satan's "final solution to the Jewish problem" will be stopped. If he can exterminate the Jews the Savior will have no Kingdom. If that is so Satan could continue as the world ruler! 💥💥This is the real purpose of WORLD WAR III - Armageddon!
3. The power of Christ:
a. Christ has "all power" not just delegated power, like Satan.
b. Christ will destroy the Antichrist with the "bright-ness of His coming" after Armageddon.
III. ARMAGEDDON: THE PINNACLE
A. The Assembling of the Nations: TEXT
1. Jerusalem is the focal point: v.19
ILLUS: When Russia and Egypt meet at Jerusalem the city is completely destroyed. Apparently this is when the rebuilt Temple of Antichrist is also destroyed (making room for the Millennial Temple when Christ reigns).
2. Judgment is the final product: v.19-21
ILLUS: The Lord has even the forces of nature working for Him. The Antichrist trusted in the "God of forces" ("The Force be with you"!), but the real God of the forces of nature is the Lord Himself. "Mother Nature" turns out to be Father God!!!
B. The Appearance of the King: Rev.19
1. He comes with the armies of heaven: v.11 and 14
2. He comes with a "sharp sword" destroying His enemies: v.15,16
ILLUS: The Antichrist, False Prophet and Satan himself will ultimately burn forever in the lake of fire. But not just yet. Other events must occur before Christ can return and reign...
CONCL: WORLD WAR III is on its way! Nothing can stop it. It might be delayed, but it cannot be prevented. It is written in God's Word. "The Scriptures cannot be broken." What is the purpose of prophecy since we will already be up in heaven?
1. It should have a cleansing effect upon the believer toward his life.
2. It should have a compelling effect upon the bel. toward the lost.
3. It should have a consecrating effect upon the bel. toward the Lord.
