ISRAEL - Biblical Battle of Armageddon Site
For the first time, a team of Israeli archaeologists has uncovered ancient artifacts at northern Israel’s “Armageddon” site that might offer proof of an epic battle documented in the books of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles between a king of Judah and an Egyptian pharaoh.
The Book of 2 Chronicles in chapters 34-35 and 2 Kings in chapters 22-23 narrate the vicissitudes of the 16th King of Judah, Josiah. As he rose to the throne, he was described as a God-fearing leader who brought the people of Israel back to a righteous path after centuries of idol-worshipping and sinful behaviors. Yet, his efforts did not placate God’s wrath against the people. As Egyptian Pharaoh Necho marched against the Assyrians, Josiah confronted him at Megiddo, and Necho killed him (2 Chronicles 35:20-22; 2 Kings 23:29). The Assyrians, one of several biblical foes of the people of Israel, were responsible for destroying the kingdom of Israel in the northern part of the land (where Megiddo is located) in the 8th century CE, a century before the Josiah-Necho battle.
“The Book of Revelations in the New Testament refers to an eschatological battle between the forces of God and the forces of evil at Armageddon—a corruption in Greek of Har Megiddo—the Mound/hill of Megiddo,” [Prof. Israel] Finkelstein noted. “Perhaps the theological idea behind it is that a savior from the lineage of David will return in the place where the last and most righteous Davidic King [Josiah] died.”
-www.timesofisrael.com, 30 March 2025
Arno's Commentary
Armageddon is a name associated with warfare, and is often used even in secular media.
What do we know from the Bible? In Revelation 16:14, we read: “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.”
We take note of the words, “that great day of God Almighty.” The question we are behooved to ask is: Who is the opposition? Who are the enemies? Chapter 17 explains: “These shall make war with the Lamb” (verse 14a). We immediately realize that no earthly army can do such. Why? Because “the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”
This is a diabolical confrontation of darkness against the light. The apostle Paul reveals the devil’s end: “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:8).
Additional details are found in Revelation 19:19: “And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.”
There is no report of a war event as we know it. Verse 20 simply declares: “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”
Interestingly, the beast and the false prophet do not appear before the Great White Throne Judgment, but are cast into the lake of fire. That is the battle of Armageddon.
Arno Froese is the executive director of Midnight Call Ministries and editor-in-chief of the acclaimed prophetic magazines Midnight Call and News From Israel. He has authored a number of well-received books, and has sponsored many prophecy conferences in the U.S., Canada, and Israel. His extensive travels have contributed to his keen insight into Bible prophecy, as he sees it from an international perspective.
