I’ll never forget the first time I stood on the Mount of Olives and looked out over the old city of Jerusalem, and I wondered why on earth someone would ever fight over the place. I wonder if so much blood has ever been shed over any comparable piece of real estate. Because it has gone on for so long, and so often. It was on that same hill where Jesus spoke further about what Jerusalem could expect.

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that you be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

I marvel over that, because so many people think that these are signs of the end. But Jesus said, the end is not yet. Nevertheless, I expect you have heard of something called Armageddon. It is a word that has entered our language. It means the site or time of a final and conclusive battle between the forces of good and evil, or the battle taking place at Armageddon. I have been there and stood on the hill of Meggido and looked out across the valley. The place called Armageddon. And, just like with Jerusalem, I wondered, Why here? What for? There are no natural resources to fight over. Not even a strategic location. So I looked in the Bible to see what I could find. Let’s begin in Revelation, chapter 16…