What is "Armageddon?"

Today, the wisdom of man has applied "Armageddon" to every under the sun. Some say it is a Nuclear war, some say it is some natural disaster. Some are even speculating now (March, 20011 AD) that the trouble in the world today is the beginning of "Armageddon."
         
What is "Armageddon?

Armageddon is when John, "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. 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. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." (Rev.16:13-17)

1.  Armageddon is when Jesus returns to this earth
     "Behold I come as a thief in the night." (Rev.16:13-17) "But know this, that if the goodman of the  
     house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not  
     have suffered his house to be broken Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think  
     not the Son of man cometh." (Matt.24:43-45, 2Peter.3:10-11)
     a.  Notice the cast of players
          (1)  The "whole world." (This includes every country, "all kindreds, and tongues, and 
                 nations." Rev.13:7 A restoring of "Babel" Gen.11:1-9)
                 (a)  Their fight was NOT with each other. (There will be "wars and rumors of wars" 
                        (Matt.24:6) but none of these are "Armageddon.
                 (b)  They were united in one purpose (like "Babel"- Gen.11:1-9) to make war with Jesus 
                        when He returns. (Rev.13:4; 17:7-14)
          (2)  The dragon. (Satan, The Devil. That old Serpent, Lucifer - Rev.12:9., Isa.14:11-14)
          (3)  The beast. (The anitchrist, man of sin, son of perdition - 2Thes.2:3-4, Rev.11:7; 13:1-10;
                 Rev.14:9-11; 16:13-17; 17:1-8)
          (4)  The false prophet. ("another beast"- Rev.13:11-14; 16:13-17; 19:20)
          (5)  The battle is the great day of God Almighty. (Zeph.1:14, Jude.1:6, Rev.6:17; 16:14)
          (6)  Jesus coming as a thief in the night. (Matt.24:43-45, 2Peter.3:10-11)

                                                                 (Click here for explanation of these order of events)

              
                                                   (Review: Phase.12 for why are we protected from Armageddon)

     b.  The promise to us! "That that day should NOT overtake you as a thief!"
          For "yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
          For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as 
          travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in
          darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the 
          children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness." (1Thes.5:2-6)
          (1)  As it was in the days of Noah
                 (a)  So shall it be also in the days of the son of man. (Luke.17:26-30, 2Peter.3:1-9)
                 (b)  Noah found "grace." (Gen.6:8) We have found "grace" in Jesus Christ. (Eph.2:8)
                 (c)  God gave him the pattern to preserve himself from the destruction that was to come.  
                        (Gen.6:9-22) God has given us His Word also, with the pattern to build with to     
                        preserve us in the last day.
                 (d)  Noah did not know the "day and hour" of the flood, but he did know when to enter 
                        the Ark! (Gen.7:1) We don't know the "day and hour" of the return of Jesus and the 
                        destruction of the world, but we can know God's appointed times. All you need  
                        is "grace" (Gen.6:8, Eph.2:7-8) and a "hearing ear." (Matt.13:10-17, John.10:27) 
                        and build according to the pattern that God has given us in His Word.
          (2)  Don't lose focus like Lot!
                 Lot was "seeing" and "hearing" the wrong things" (Luke.17:28-29, 2Peter.2:8-9) and it
                 "vexed his righteous soul from day to day" because he had separated (Gen.13:1-13)
                 himself from the purpose of God. (Gen.12:1-2, Heb.11:8-10, Prov.29:18)                 
                 (a)  God still considered Lot,"righteous" (2Peter.2:8-9) and saved him "so as by fire."
                        (1Cor.3:1-15) God delivered him, yet he lost everything. (Gen.19:1-38)

                        Note: Lot saved his life (did what he wanted) which resulted in suffering "loss" 
                        (1Cor.3:1-15) Jesus said, "He that loveth his (Rom.12:1-2, Luke.14:25-33) life 
                        shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 
                        If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: 
                        if any man serve me, him will my Father honour." (John.12:25-26)

                 (b)  Many of God's (righteous people 2Cor.5:21) people are being "vexed" like Lot by
                        "seeing" and "hearing" the "unlawful" things of this world. They subjecting themselves
                        to the wisdom and speculation of what man thinks about "Armageddon" and it is 
                        vexing them "daily."

2.  This world is "reserved" for God to destroy it. No man can take that way from Him!
     Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
     And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things 
     continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of,   
     that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in   
     the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, (the flood) perished:
       But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store,    
        RESERVED!!!!!!
                                 UNTO FIRE

      against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." (2 Peter 3:3-7) Man is not  
      going to destroy this earth, God will destroy this earth! Man will not cause "Armageddon!" 

      "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." (Rom.12:19-20)