“On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.” Zech 12:11
“Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.”
Rev 16:16 (NIV)
Apocalyptic visions of Zechariah are like those from the books of Daniel and Revelation, and because they are visions, interpretations are needed, to keep a literal view from stagnating the allegory. My opening scripture, concerning a future happening in Jerusalem, is one of those visions. The plain of Megiddo mentioned here was also the place of reference of Rev 16:16, concerning Armageddon. One mention of the word Armageddon, yet assumptions concerning that gathering of kings prevail in the Christian world. Assumptions are carnality being expressed. What gruesome scenarios are laid out for us by doomsday prognosticators concerning that battle! Myriads of people in battle, death, carnage, blood flowing like a river up to the bridles of horses, and all of the specifics were gathered from various chapters of Revelation and thrown together like ingredients in a tossed salad. Literal interpretations perhaps speak justly of literal happenings, but we must be sure we have spiritual clarity even on these things. All prophetic words from God speak of happenings in three "levels"--and never just one--for the power of any happening is based in God’s domain of Spirit, expressing through the soul realm (our minds and emotions) and manifesting in the visible. The religious mind is always blocking the view of the pure Word, and the home of this interfering stronghold is a six-inch space between our ears. Ironically, this is also the place where the FINAL battle (of Armageddon) wages!
This article will not be a synopsis about the Revelation, but I must make some assertions to establish the book for what it truly is, and not as it has been represented--or more appropriately--misrepresented. I learned a long time ago that if we were not invited by the Holy Spirit to receive discernment in the Revelation, then we should STAY OUT of it! While all scriptures have secret meanings not meant for the natural mind, this book is highly esoteric. And the selection process for entrance into this private club comes from our Creator, and not from man. Yet none of us are less important in God’s eyes according to our ability to ascertain and decipher the mysteries and secrets of any scriptures, for the understandings are given for His purpose and not for ours!
The unveiling of Jesus Christ is the true subject matter of Revelation. I even have a Concordant Literal New Testament that names the last book of the bible “The Unveiling of Jesus Christ”. A revelation is an “unveiling”, and Strong’s 602 states the word as “an unveiling, uncovering, revealing”. The Greek is apokalupsis, where we get our word “apocalypse”. An apocalypse is a revealing, and what is being revealed is the key--or WHOM is being revealed. The unveiling of Jesus could not be portrayed in a horror story! But many do view God as a monster, because they don’t KNOW Him! The god of religion is indeed expressed through condemnation, death and destruction--expressing a hateful deity, and that god does indeed fit into the dark, sci-fi interpretations of Revelation. From such mind sets come the belief in a great battle that we all should be watching for and dreading. But it’s just some more of the manipulation (witchcraft) coming from Babylon. Sensational stories draw good crowds and keep people fearful, controlled and dependent.
I can’t help but wonder, though, what all of the great “end-of-the-world” big shots would be saying about this book had the true expression been listed as the title in the King James version of the bible (popular and dominant, but greatly flawed). “The Unveiling of Jesus Christ” vs “Revelation”. The approach would probably have been softer. But another problem is that Revelation is all too often thought of or spoken of as “Revelations” (plural). And the revelations are supposedly about beasts and dragons and terrible judgments. What a contrast from the true subject matter: Jesus Christ!
The Revelation is a book of visions and signs (v 1). Revelation 1:3 says that reading the book (or knowing again: Strong’s 314) is also supposed to make us HAPPY (blessed, happy: Strong’s 3107). What happiness can be derived from the dark depictions presented by the end-time prophets of doom? No happiness, so we must be reading something wrong. Actually, a literal reading of this cryptic book will leave you roaming in a nightmare. Scenes change drastically, and the narrative seems to ramble with no rhyme or reason. And there is no rhyme or reason for the carnal mind. I even heard Pat Robertson (The 700 Club) state just a few months ago that he didn’t even know what Revelation was about. At least he’s being honest.
Had Jesus wanted to be the military head of a flesh and blood army, he could have done that when he walked the earth. The apostles thought he would conquer Rome in the natural with his own “divine” military and set up a literal kingdom, but that wasn’t the case then, and it certainly isn’t the case now! When Peter took a sword and cut off the ear of a man threatening their space, our Lord rebuked him, reminding them all of His mission of a higher order (even though they didn’t understand yet). He was about to be crucified. Would our Savior assent to the literal death of any one of the multitudes he would die for? Could the Jesus who rebuked Peter be the future leader of a bloody showdown in a little valley in the Middle East? (Never mind that the area is too small to hold all of the persons who are rumored to meet there in battle {Rev 20:8}.)
Sorry to have to dispel the rumors (old as they are), but the unveiling of Jesus shown to John was an ascended understanding given of all that the Lord accomplished IN us--to say the least. It is a supreme view that cannot be spoken of here except in fragments, for each line in the book contains spiritual insight. However, there in the visions that John was shown came clarity of the destruction of the old order that had happened all around them. The literal fulfillment of what Jesus spoke of in Matthew, chapter 24, came to pass in their generation--in John’s generation. There was a literal battle--a war--that took place between the Jews and Rome (66-73 A.D.), during which Jerusalem was destroyed (in 70 A.D.). After that catastrophic event, the war continued for a few more years until there was no more resistance, for most of those who had fled to the mountains to fight or hide, died.
One of the places that the Roman army gathered in (outside of Jerusalem) was the valley of Megiddo, and this wouldn’t have been a strange occurrence. That location was an important military strong-hold for the Roman army, a much traveled route from the plains of Israel to mountain areas. The root word in Megiddo is the Hebrew “gadad” (Strong’s 1413), meaning to penetrate, cut. The NAS Exhaustive Concordance uses “troops” in its explanation. One narrative states “to cut off” and “slaughter”. There was no doubt a literal cutting off of not only many lives, but a whole world order. While a literal battle happened, we must now experience the spiritual expression of that consequence. What was “killed” was the religious man.
By the time John wrote the view of his apocalypse, all had happened. Visions can be about past, present or future things. It was appropriate that he got this “happy” understanding after all of the destruction of the former way of life, of the former way of approaching God. In my perspective, Revelation is 100% fulfilled, as is the whole Bible! Yet spiritual application is always needful and available, and many treasures of truth still lie beyond earthly views. Secrets and mysteries of God’s wonderful Kingdom are buried in the whole of the 66 books. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” Romans 11:33 (Webster’s)
Religious minds concocted a great battle from literal interpretations of many mysterious scenes spoken of in Revelation. And I concur that there is a battle raging right now, Armageddon--if you will. Greek: Har-Magedon,= a mountain of uncertain location. Its home base is the soul of mankind, or the corporate soul, where our individual expressions reach out from, forming a mountain in the visible realm. We meet God on that mountain and find that we are not the king of it. We find that we came from Him, and He owns the mountain. The kings of the earth in Revelation, chapter 16, are all concepts devoid of God that we allow to rule in us (our earth). They form from the old kingdom of “self”, and they set up their thrones in the Holy of Holies where only Jesus can rule and reign. This is an abomination of desolation, just like the literal troops of the Roman army entering into Jerusalem, as spoken by Daniel & referred to by Jesus. The reference was to knowing that the “end” had come (Matt 24:14).
Even though the battle is raging now, it was won at Calvary. It was fought and won in the spiritual realm. There was a literal, visible fulfillment in 70 A.D. of the old religious system being destroyed, and individual victories must also show themselves. These victories have been being expressed in generations past, but the expressions were not of full fruit. The continual unfolding of Father’s structure and progression has been gradual and purposeful. But the 21st Century has manifested a full term pregnancy and delivery of the New Creation Man, the 2nd Adam. He lives inside of each of us in different degrees of maturity, ready to burst forth on the scene of our world, but he has already manifested in some as I write. This is happening! And since so many bodies with 6-inch battlefields cover the earth, we have a lot of individual Armageddons being fought right now. And it is obvious to those who have eyes to see.
Old, dead Adam, staying alive (to death) in his sleepy state, struggles with the great awakening that has overtaken the land. Armageddon, a battle in our minds, has our conqueror, Jesus Christ, defeating all the kings in our earth. Just like an army in the natural, our God has rank and order in his arrangement of the out-called. There have been the first to awaken, or the “first-fruits”. But the next group--of bigger numbers--are being stirred greatly to awaken from the slumber of the death realm (hades, hell). What is this awakening and where will it leave us? How is this showing in our world?
The awakening causes us to know that we are in Heaven NOW, and that we don’t have to go anywhere or “die”, for He is heaven, and He is HERE! Man and God have been reconciled and all we have to do is accept it. We become aware of our God and Savior right here in our space, and available through the Holy Spirit 24/7. It is simply knowing that God is with us, abiding in us, and causing us to be transformed by the Love that is His essence. As we awaken, we will not disappear from all that is around us, nor will we be separated from those we know and love. The inner surges of Divine energy from the tree of life will cause our focus to be adjusted to the only true reality: spirit. Inclinations and motivations will be channeled and resurrected with His Divine life and Love. All will be affected in this way, in their order, so the state of our world will ascend from death and darkness to the Garden of God.
Our world is experiencing many monumental and record-breaking events in the weather and in all of the elements of our existence. Religious orders are crumbling, and losing “faithful” followers. Men are turning away from belief in God, for the god being represented is hostile and unapproachable. (This is a good sign, for God doesn’t dwell in religion. God can only make himself seen and known when the veil of religion has been removed!) “Men of god” do not know the real God, so therefore cannot speak for Him or represent Him. Pastors and clergymen of all degrees are questioning their beliefs and experiencing true, deep dissatisfaction with their lives as is. Sermons and teachings have nothing new to say, and no fruit is produced. The younger generation is seeing that dead men’s words have not changed our world--for the better, and neither will religion. It never has!
Who would know that the small space between our ears is the site of an invisible, passionate battle! The carnal mind--God’s enemy (Romans 8:7), is fighting to hold on to its lost domain. Even the rebellious and lovers of pleasure will have to awaken, for nothing can stop the happening. All resistance is a strong force pushing against the spiritual atmosphere right now, and though futile, is the reason we are having giant outbreaks of tornadoes and other calamities. This is the proof of the war being fought! Phantoms of the 1st Adam (who died on the cross) and his religiosity are embedded in the soul of mankind. But phantoms are illusions and all will be dissolved by the brightness of His coming (in us). That is the meaning of 2 Thessalonians 2:8. These wake-up calls are turning up the heat in the battle zone, for unveilings of the Christ in our earth are causing expressions of Armageddon to cover planet earth.
