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Pl ease Not e:

Thi s paper was pr esent ed t o the

Dani el and Revel at i on Comm t t ee of

t he General Conf erence of Sevent h-

day Advent i st s.

I t shoul d be

consi der ed a wor ki ng paper or dr af t

posi t i on.

Ther ef ore t he

r esear cher shoul d bear i n m nd t hat

posi t i ons expr essed i n t hi s paper

may not necessar i l y ref l ect what

t he aut hor woul d w sh to be i n an

edi t ed publ i shed paper .

Pl ease r ef er t o t he book. Symposi um

on Revel at i on publ i shed by t he

Bi bl i cal Resear ch I nst i t ut e 1992.

Advent i st Her i t age Cent er

DVENTIST

H E R I T GE C E NTE R

Ja m e s Wh i t e L ib ra ry

NDR E WS UNI V E R S ITY



DVENTIST

H E R I T GE C E NTE R

J a me s W h i t e L ib r a r y

NDREWS UNIVERSITY

DARCOM

(Darmstadt, Germany)

March 1987

ARMAGEDDON IN THE BIBLE AND IN ADVENTIST HISTORY

Hans K. LaRondelle, Th.D.

The purpose of this study is:

) to set forth concisely the

essent ials of the biblical theology of Armageddon as the Day of universal

judgment and deliverance; 2) to present a brief survey of its interpretation

in Adventist histor y; 3) to review the basic position of Ellen G. White.

I. An Outline of Its Biblical Theology

Expositors seem to agree that the once-occurring term Armageddon

(Rev 16:16) must be interpreted from its biblical perspective. This means

that both the immediate context in Revelation and the wider biblical

context--the Old Testament in particular--should be brought to bear on the

exposition of this apocalyptic symbol. We may hope to avoid the pitfall of

speculation and false prophetic interpretation only if we apply the

Protestant hermeneutical principle of Sola Scriptura carefully and

consistently without any normative influence from extra-biblical

authorities or private opinions.

Peter has cautioned us against Scripture twisting by saying:

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private



i nt er pr et at i on ( 2 P et 1: 20; • c f 3: 16 NKJ V) .

A. St r uc t ur a l Co nn ec t i o ns wi t h t he I mme di a t e Co nt e xt :

Re ve l a t i o n 16: 16 r e a ds i n t he NI V:

Then t hey [ t he s pi r i t s of

de mo ns , vs 1 4] ga t he r e d t he k i n gs t o ge t he r t o t he pl a c e t ha t i n He br e w i s

c a l l e d Ar ma ge ddo n [ l i t e r a l l y: Ha r Ma ge do n] ( un l e s s i n di c a t e d o t he r wi s e , t he

NI V i s quo t e d) .

Our f i r st obser vat i on must be that t hi s pr edi ct i on f or ms t he

c onc l udi ng s t a t e me nt o f a pa r t i c ul a r vi s i o n:

Then I s aw t hr e e e vi l s pi r i t s t ha t l o oke d l i k e f r o gs ; t he y c ame out o f

t he mo ut h of t he dr a go n, o ut o f t he mOut h of t he be a s t a nd out o f t he

mout h of t he f al se pr ophet . They ar e spi r i t s of demons per f or m ng

m r a c ul o us s i gn s , a nd t he y go out t o t he ki n gs o f t he who l e wo r l d, t o

ga t he r t he m f o r t he ba t t l e on t he gr e at da y o f Go d Al m ght y ( Re v 1 6: 1 3-

14) .

Fr om t hi s l i t e r a r y c ont ext i t appear s t h at t he uni ver s al p r epar a t i ons f o r

t he ba t t l e o f Ar ma ge ddo n ar e i n s t i ga t e d a nd adva nc e d by de mo ni c s p i r i t s who

o pe r a t e t hr o ugh t hr e e r e l i gi o us bo di e s , s ymbo l i c a l l y r e pr e s en t e d a s t he

dr a go n, t he be as t a nd t h e f a l s e pr o phe t . The r i s e of t he s e a nt i - Go d a nd

a nt i - Chr i s t po we r s i s de sc r i be d i n t he e ar l i e r c ha pt e r s 1 2 a nd 1 3. The i r

j udgme nt a nd f i na l de st i ny i s di s c l o s ed wi t h i nc r e as i ng c l a r i t y i n c ha pt e r s

14- 19. Thi s s t r uc t ur a l r e l a t i o ns hi p o f Ar ma ge ddo n ( i n Re v 16 ) wi t h t he

p r e vi o us a nd s u bs e q ue n t c h a pt e r s i n di c a t e s t h at t he t he me o f Ar ma ge ddo n

w l l be cl ar i f i ed by i t s i mmedi at e cont ext of t he chapt er s 12 19.

Ar ma ge ddo n i s embe dde d o r ga ni c a l l y a nd i n di s s o l ubl y wi t hi n t he s t r uc t ur a l

a nd t he ol o gi c a l un i t o f Re v 12- 19.

Ar mageddon i s pr esent ed as t he cl i mact i c bat t l e of t he gr eat

c o nt r o ve r s y be t we en t he f o r c e s o f go o d a nd evi l , whi c h s t a r t e d i n he ave n a nd



will end on earth (Rev 12:7-9, 12). Armageddon is characterized as the

battle f9 the great day of God Almighty (16:14). It coincides therefore

with the universal Judgment Day of God.

The Armageddon prophecy is located in the unit of the seven last

Plagues (Rev 16), after the description of the sixth plague (16:12). The

actual battle is not described in 16:16 and will consequently take place

during the seventh plague. Surprisingly, the final plague describes the

terrifying events in nature that will accompany the second advent of Christ,

with this clarification: God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the

cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath (16:19). The battle of

Armageddon and the destruction of universal Babylon therefore coincide.

These may not be divorced from each other. Armageddon i s explained within

Revelation 16 as the divine judgment and destruction of Babylon.

The fall of Babylon the Great (the seventh plague) follows

immediately after the judgment on the great river Euphrates (the sixth

/plague) with the result that its water was dried up to prepare the way for

the kings from the East (16:12). Apparently the drying up of the great

Euphrates' River (as the sixth plague) will prepare the way for the kings

from the East under the seventh plague.

This apocalyptic sequence of the drying up of the great river

Euphrates followed by the subsequent fall of Babylon and the coming of the

kings from the East will remind the Bible reader of the OT prophecies about

the fall of ancient Babylon

see

Isa 13; 41; 44-47; and Jer 50-51).

The connections between these OT predictions and those of Revelation

16-19 are manifold and impressive (see the comparative lists in Seventh-day

Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4:272, 523-524; and vol. 7:867-869). These



l i t er ar y and t heol ogi c al t i es ar e not ac c i dent al but obv i ous l y i nt ent i onal .

T he y e s t a bl i s h t he pr e s enc e o f a ge nui ne bi bl i c a l t y po l o gy ( s e e L aRo nde l l e ,

The I s r ael of God i n Pr ophec y. Pr i nc i pl es o f Pr ophet i c I nt er pr et at i on.

Be r r i en Spr i ngs , Mi c h: Andr ews Uni v er s i t y Pr e s s , 1983, Ch. 4) .

F i r s t , f ur t he r c ons i de r a t i o n mus t be gi v en t o t he i mme di a t e c o nt e xt

o f t he Ar mage ddon v i s i on ( 16: 13- 16) , es p ec i a l l y t o t he c ha pt er s 17- 19.

T he be gi nni ng o f R ev 17 i s pr e gna nt wi t h s i gni f i c a nc e : One o f t h e s e v en

angel s who had t he seven bowl s [ of t he p l agues] came and sai d t o me, Come,

I wi l l s h ow y ou t he p uni s h me nt [ k r i ma , j u dgme nt ] o f t he gr e at pr o s t i t ut e ,

who si t s on many wat er s ( 17: 1) . Thi s i nt r oduct i on pr ovi des at once a

l i t e r a r y and a t h eo l o gi c a l l i nk be t we en t he l a s t pl a gue s of Re v 16 a nd t he

a nge l i c di s c o ur s e of Re v 17: a ) a n a nge l f r o m Re v 16 r e t u r n s t o ex pl a i n t he

me ani ng of t he f i na l t wo pl a gue s o n Ba by l o n; b) bo t h c ha pt e r s de al wi t h t he

s a me j udgme nt o n Ba by l o n. T he ne w e l e me nt i n t he ange l ' s c l a r i f i c at i o n i s

f i r s t t hat Baby l on i s a c ompos i t e uni t t hat c ons i s t s of t wo di s t i nc t p ar t s ,

e ac h o f whi c h i s n ow po r t r a ye d by a d i f f e r e nt s y mbo l . Ba by l o n i s p i c t ur e d

a s a pr o s t i t ut e who s i t s o n ma ny wa t e r s ( 17: 1, r e f e r r i ng ba ck t o J e r

51: 13) , wi t h who m t he k i ngs of t he e ar t h ha ve c o mm t t e d a dul t e r y ( o r :

f or ni cat i on) , t hat i s, have ent er t ai ned i mmor al i nt er cour se. From t he

w ne of her i mmor al i t y t he i nhabi t ant s of t he ear t h have become

i nt ox i c at ed, or b ef uddl ed ( 17: 2) .

I n t h e ne xt v i s i o n t he wo ma n Ba by l o n i s s e at e d o n a s c a r l e t

bea s t t ha t h ad wr i t t en bl as p he mo us na mes i ns ul t i ng t o God, a l l ov er i t .

T ha t b ea s t h as t he s i gni f i c ant f e at ur e s of s e ve n he ads a nd t e n ho r n s ( 17: 3) ,

c onnec t i ng i t i nt i ma t e l y wi t h t he r e d dr agon of c hapt er 12 ( v s 3) . The

pr o s t i t ut e ha s wr i t t e n o n he r f o r e h ea d a na me o f my s t e r y ( v s 5 RS V) , t ha t

4



is, a name that has a secret meaning (TEV): Babylon the Great (vs 5).

She is, as it were, boasting: I am Mighty Babylon (R. G. Bratcher, A

Translator s Guide to the Revelation of John. U. B. Society, London, New

York, 1984). This Babylon is drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood

of those who bore testimony to Jesus (vs 6).

Revelation 17 thus differentiates within Babylon between the city

and its waters, between Babylon and its waters of the Euphrates, between the

harlot and the beast on which she is seated.

tated without symbolic

terminology:

evelation begins to distinguish between the religious

leadership and the political forces of Babylon. Yet, more is disclosed than

merely the distinction of two constitutive parts of Babylon. Because of its

outrageous blasphemies and murderous totalitarianism, Christ will summon all

His heavenly armies to be ready for Holy War (17:14).

By His sovereign decree the two constitutive bodies of Babylon will

rsuddenly hate each other and mutually destroy one another. The beast will

start to overthrow the harlot. The kings who had become one with the harlot

by means of fornication will bring total ruin on her. The angel speaks of a

radical reversal of their relationship:

The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute.

They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat

her flesh and burn her with fire (Rev 17:16).

The basic theological nature of Armageddon becomes unmistakably

clear: it denotes the exercise of God's covenantal wrath in His holy war,

in retaliation for Babylon s unholy war against the saints of God and of

Christ. It is appropriate, therefore, that the symbolic imagery of Christ

as the Lamb shifts now to His role as the King of kings and Lord of

lords (17:14; 19:11-14). He returns as the Divine Warrior to judge and



e xe c ut e Hi s j us t i c e o n Ba by l o n ( Re v 19: 14, 19- 21) .

W t ho ut e xc ept i on, a l l ex po s i t or s a gr e e t ha t Re v 19: 11- 21 pr es e nt s

t he most el abor at e symbol i c descr i pt i on of Ar mageddon Revel at i on 18

de s c r i be s t he un i v er s a l i mpa c t o f di s ma y a bo ut Ba by l o n' s s u dde n de s t r uc t i o n.

I t i s t he di v i ne j udgment o f r e t a l i a t i on i n r e t u r n f or Baby l on' s f a l s e

v er di c t o f c ond emni ng an d e xe cut i ng t h e s ai nt s , e xpr e s s ed i n t he ange l ' s

f i na l de c l a r a t i o n: " I n he r wa s f o und t h e bl o od of Go d' s p r o phe t s a nd of t he

s a i nt s , a nd o f a l l who ha ve be en k i l l e d o n t he ea r t h" ( 18: 24; s e e K. A.

S t r and , " Two as p ec t s o f Baby l on' s J u dgme nt P or t r ay ed i n Re v el a t i on 1 8, " AUS S

20: 1, 1982, pp. 53- 60) . T he pr a c t i c al a ppe al f o r t he I s r a el o f Go d i s t he

cal l t o f l ee f r om Babyl on bef or e t he j udgment s f al l on her 18: 4) . I n

Re ve l a t i o n 1 9 c o s m c j o y an d pr a i s e a r i s e whe n Ba by l o n ha s b ee n j u dge d: " He

ha s av enge d o n he r t he bl o od o f hi s s e r v ant s " ( v s 2) . T he f a l l o f Ba by l o n

i s a di v i ne j udgment t ha t e xpr es s es Go d' s c o vena nt a l f a i t hf ul nes s .

B. T he T heol o gy o f Ar ma geddon i n J o hn ' s Apo c a l y pse

I t i s a n i nc ont r o ver t i bl e f ac t t hat t he book of Rev el at i on pl ac es

3

d ' s f a i t hf u l pe opl e a t t he v er y c ent e r o f t he b at t l e o f Ar ma ge dd on . T he y

ar e s pec i f i c al l y addr es s ed i n t hi s s e t t i ng by Chr i s t ' s a ppeal t o be r ea dy

f o r Hi s i mm nent c om ng: " Beho l d, I c ome l i ke a t hi ef Bl e s s ed i s he who

s t a y s a wa ke a nd keeps hi s c l o t h es wi t h hi m so t ha t he ma y no t go naked a nd

b e s h ame f u l l y ex pos e d" ( 1 6: 1 5) .

T he ap oc a l y ps e u r g es u po n t h e c h ur c h t h e a r r e s t i n g me s s a g e t h at

Ar ma ge dd on wi l l b e t he f i n al c o nt e s t b et we en t h e c omb i n ed f o r c e s o f S at a n,

o n t he one ha nd , a nd Chr i s t wi t h Hi s c ho s en a nd f a i t hf u l f o l l o we r s , o n t he

o t he r h and. T wo pa ssa ges ex pl a i n t h i s a l i gnment o f Ar ma geddon wi t h c l a r i t y :



They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them

because He is Lord of lords and King of kings - and with him will be hi

called, chosen and faithful followers (17:14).

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse whose

rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war

. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses

and dressed in fine lines, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a

sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them

with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath

of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS . . . Then I saw the beast and the kings

of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the

rider on the horse and his army (Rev 19:11, 14-16, 19).

This progressive revelation not only intends to prevent the church

from confusion and fear, but also to reassure her that Christ is in supreme

control and will lead His people to certain victory.

The apocalypse explains that Armageddon will be the final showdown

between end-time Babylon and Israel's Messiah. This dynamic symbolism

should not overlook the concrete reality that the kings or political powers

will wage war on the Lamb by persecuting and ultimately outlawing

th

faithful followers of Christ here on earth. The climax of this unholy war

in human history is the prelude to God's Holy War of the seven last plagues.

John's Apocalypse intends to reveal the full background for this

awesome final Judgment. All salvation history is basically a warfare

between God and Satan (Rev 12). Although it is a thoroughly spiritual and

religious controversy, historically the war erupts periodically in bloody

persecutions of the saints 2:10, 13; 6:9; 12:11). Chapter 12 informs us

that Satan, as the apocalyptic dragon-serpent, is the same deceiver and

murderer at the end of history as when he deceived Adam and Eve in Paradise

(Rev 12:9). Satan's specific aim was to destroy Christ, the Messiah of

Israel (Rev 12:4). When his plan was defeated and Christ arose from the

dead as Victor and was enthroned in heaven as the Ruler of all nations (vs



5), the dragon began to intensify his warfare against the Messianic

community, the remnant people of God: Then the dragon was enraged at the

woman and went to make war with the rest of her offspring--those who obey

God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus (12:17).

This satanic battle against the faithful remnant church and Christ's

triumphal faithfulness to His new-covenant people form the central theme of

Rev 12-19. Although the evil warfare against the living body of Christ

continues unrelentingly since the first coming of the Lord, the Apocalypse

focuses increasingly on the final crisis of the church (see 12:17; 13:15-17;

14:6, 12; 17:12-14; 18:4, 5; 19:11-21. Revelation finally dwells on the

seven last plagues as originating in the throne room of God (15:1, 6-7).

In these plagues the holy wrath of God is poured out without divine

mercy. These supernatural judgments are reminiscent of the plagues God sent

down on a rebellious Egypt that held His covenant people in bondage (Exod 7-

12). In addition, Revelation pictures the divine wrath of the last plagues l2

-

as Cod's direct response to the wrath of Babylon. Babylon had made (or

forced) all nations to drink the wine of the wrath of her fornication

(14:8 NKJV).

n the midst of this universal apostasy from God, the

Apocalypse summons each individual to worship the Creator according to the

revealed truth, bolstered by this ultimatum:

If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his

forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the

wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His

indignation (14:9, 10 NKJV; cf 16:19).

The metaphor of the cup of the wrath of God is the familiar OT

symbol for divine judgment and retribution (cf Ps 75:7, 8; Jer 25:15, 16,

28; Isa 51:17; Ezek 23:31-33). The proclamation of this ultimatum 14:6-

11), in the face of fierce opposition of the antichrist, creates a



universal, faithful remnant, a church of those who keep the commandments of

God and the faith of Jesus (14:12 NKJV). This very Scripture passage

'reveals the basic religious-moral issue at stake in the final test of

Ultimate loyalty to God and Jesus Christ. If Babylon symbolizes the

united enemies of God and Christ (dragon, beast, and false prophet; 14:8;

17:5; 18:2), then by the same kind of imagery the faithful Christians may be

viewed as the Israel of God (cf Gal 3:29; 6:16). The dramatic outcome of

this mortal combat between this Babylon and this Israel is called

symbolically Armageddon (16:16), because it denotes the total destruction

of Babylon (16:19).

C. Armageddon: the Antitype of Israel's Holy Wars

The imagery in Rev 19:11-15 depicting Christ's coming from heaven as

Judge and Warrior King, seated triumphally on a white battle horse, needs to

be interpreted in fundamental harmony with the OT theology of Israel's holy

,wars.\ The same covenant God who fought victoriously on behalf of Israel of

old, will fight again for the rescue of His faithful new-covenant people.

The OT kingdom prophecies and Messianic promises which predict the

triumph of Yahweh or His Messiah over all rebellious opponents, all of which

have found in Israel's history no more than initial or partial fulfillments,

will be gloriously consummated by the coming of Christ according to John's

Apocalypse (for example, compare Rev 1:7 with Isa 40:5; Dan 7:13; Zech

12:10; also Rev 14:14-20 with Joel 3:1, 2, 9-16; Isa 63:1-6; Jer 25:30; Mic

4:11-13; also Rev 22:16 with Num 24:17).

Because the Armageddon prophecy of Revelation 6 is the dramatic

culmination of the seven last plagues, it is fitting to consider the



t ypo l ogi cal connec t i on o f t hese pl agues wi t h t he pl ague- j udgment s on Egypt

i n t he book of Exodus. The ten pl agues on Egypt cul mnat ed i n t he

destr uct i on of al l t he f i r stborn of the Egypt i ans and thei r l i vestock,

because Yahweh woul d br i ng j udgment on t he l and of Egypt and al l her gods

( Exod 12: 13) . I s r ael woul d be exempt ed f r om des t r uc t i on onl y when t hey had

appl i ed t he bl ood o f t he Passove r l amb as a s i gn on t he i r door pos t s ( Exod

12: 13) . T he f ac t t hat Rev el at i on pr es ent s t he gl or i f i ed Chr i s t t went y - s ev en

t i mes as t he Lamb becomes mor e meani ngf u l t o t he chur ch i f t h i s symbol i c

name i s under st ood as a r ef er ence t o t he Passover l amb of Exodus 12. The NT

gos pel pr oc l ai ms t hat Chr i s t di ed o n t he cr os s a s t he per f ec t Ant i t y pe of

I s r a el ' s P as s o ver l amb ( c f J o hn 19: 36; Ex od 12: 46; 1 Cor 5: 8; 1 P et 1: 19) .

The bl ood appl i cat i on of t he Passover l amb not onl y redeemed I sr ael f r om

God' s j udgment , i t a l so opened up her exodus t o t he pr om sed l and.

Egypt ' s f i nal t hr eat t o I s r a el oc cur r ed, however , af t er her ex odus ,

a t t he Red Sea. Here Yahweh i nt e rvened f o r I s r ael a s he r d i v i ne War r i o r by

c as t i ng Phar aoh' s c ha r i o t s and hi s a r my i nt o t he t ur bul ent s ea ( Ex od 14) .

Then Moses sang wi t h I s r ael t hese f amous wor ds of pr om se: The LORD i s a

man of war . The LORD [ Yahweh] i s Hi s name ( Exod 15: 3; cf Ps 24: 8- 10) . The

Exodus r edempt i on as a whol e i s seen i n t he OT t heol ogy as an act of

Yahweh

War , usual l y cal l ed hol y war i n the Chr i st i an t r adi t i on. J ust as t he

hi s t o r i c t r i umph of Yahweh over Egypt ' s a r my at t he Red Sea f i na l i zed God' s

pl ague- j udgments on I sr ael ' s archenemy, so Ar mageddon i s pr esented i n

Reve l at i on as the f i na l p l ague- j udgment o f God and as t he l as t War o f Chr i s t

aga i ns t Hi s e nem es . Rev el a t i o n f ur t her mo r e env i s i o ns t ha t a f t er t he s e ven

pl agues and Ar mageddon ar e compl et ed, t he v i c t ors over t he beast wi l l s t and

besi de the sea of gl ass w t h har ps of God i n t hei r hands. And t hey si ng



t he song o f Moses , t he ser vant o f God, and t he song o f t he Lamb ( 15: 2, 3

RSV) . I n shor t , t he Apocal ypse est abl i shes t he bi bl i cal t ypol ogy t hat '

' I sr ael ' s anci ent exodus r edempt i on f r om Egypt pr ovi des t he f undament al

paradi gm and t heol ogi cal t ype o f t he f i na l r edempt i on o f t he t r ue r emnant

peopl e by Chr i s t as Di v i ne J udge and Ki ng.

Recent OT scho l arsh i p r ecogni zes t hat t he Song of Moses i t se l f v i ews

Yahweh' s vi ct or y at t he Red Sea as t he ar chet ype that basi cal l y wi l l be

r epeat ed i n t he l at er war s o f Y ahweh, unt i l t he God of I s r ael wi l l dwel l at

peace among Hi s peopl e ( Exod 15: 14- 18) . One schol ar ext ensi vel y ar gues t hat

t he l i t e ra l meani ng o f t he Song o f Moses i n Exodus 15 r equi r es a t ypo l ogi ca l

appl i cat i on because God r eveal s here by i t s s t r uc t ur e (especi al l y 15: 14- 16)

t hat He want s t o act i n t hi s way f or I sr ael al ways and ever ywhere ( N.

L ohf i nk ,

The Chr i st i an Meani ng of t he Ol d Test ament .

Tr . by R. A. W l s on.

T he Br uc e P ubl . Co. , Mi l waukee, 1968. Ch. 4, p. 84; c f . M. C. L i nd,

Yahweh

i s a War r i or .

Scot t dal e: Her al d, 1980,

p

50 . )

I s ai ah emphas i z ed t he c er t ai nt y of I s r ael ' s r edempt i on f r om

abylon

- by r ef er r i ng r epeat edl y t o I s r ael ' s f i r s t ex odus f r om Egy pt as t he pr ot ot y pe

f or t he f ut ur e l i ber at i on f r om t he new oppr es s or , Baby l on ( I s a 11: 10 - 12;

43: 16- 19; 51: 10 - 11; 52: 1- 12; 63: 11- 19) . Here can be f ound t he t heol ogi ca l

r at i onal e why J ohn s Apocal ypse combi nes al l usi ons t o both t he def eat of

Egy pt a nd t he f al l of anc i ent Ba by l on i n i t s s t r uc t ur a l c ompos i t i on o f t he

seven l as t pl agues i n Revel at i on 16.

T he f i r s t f i v e apoc al ypt i c pl agues a r e appar ent l y bor r owed f r om t he

book of Exodus, but t he si xt h and sevent h pl agues are qui t e evi dent l y

bo r r o wed f r o m t he pr ophec i e s o f I s a i a h a nd J e r em a h c onc er ni ng t he f al l of

Babyl on ( I s a 13: 44- 47; J er 50 : 51) .



The f usi on of t he def eat of Egypt and t he f al l of Babyl on i n t he

des c r i pt i on of t he f ut ur e pl agues on a wor l d i n r ebe l l i on agai ns t God and

Hi s covenant peopl e t hus doubl y ass ures t he chur ch of t he end- t i me t hat her

exodus r edempt i on i s absol utel y secur e. The same Lor d who def eat ed bot h

Egypt and Baby l on to se t Hi s peopl e f r ee so that t hei r wor sh i p may gl o r i f y

Hi s name, wi l l act on a cosm c- uni ver sal scal e t o l i ber at e Hi s r emnant

peopl e at t he second com ng of Chr i s t .

I f t he t wo ex odi of I s r ael f r om Egy pt and f r om Baby l on c ons t i t ut e

t he or dai ned t ypes of God' s r edempt i ve act s and Yahweh war s f or t he end- t i me

of sa l vat i on hi s t or y , t hen t hei r essent i al f eat ur es shoul d be compl et ed and

consummat ed i n Ar mageddon, t he gr eat Day of God Al m ght y. I n t h i s r espect

one v i t a l aspect mus t be s t r essed: t hat t he Day o f Yahweh wi l l al so

e

t he

war of Yahweh agai nst an apost at e and i mpeni t ent I sr ael whose cul t i c wors hi p

i s no l onger ac c ept abl e t o God ( Am 5: 18- 27; Zec h 14: 1- 4) . Thi s r el i gi ous -

s pi r i t ual di s cr i m nat i on wi t hi n I s r ael af f i r ms t he bas i c pr e m s e t hat t he

Day of t he L or d i s t he day of sal v at i on sol el y f or t he f ai t hf ul r emnant of

I sr ael ( see J oel 2: 32; Hab 2: 4; Zeph 3: 8- 13; Zech 12: 10- 12; Dan 12: 1- 2) .

The pr ophet s a l r eady i nt ent i onal l y ex tended thei r eschat ol ogi cal per spect i ve

of t he Day of t he Lor d t o cos m c - uni ver s al di mens i ons ( I s ai ah 13; 24; 34;

63; Zeph 1: 2- 3; Zech 14: 9 ; Pss 2; 24; 46 ) .

The War of Yahweh agai nst t he Canaani t e Si ser a

The bat t l e of Ar mageddon by i t s ver y symbol i c name seems t o al l ude

t o I sr ael s hol y war agai nst Si ser a, t he army commander of t he Canaani t e

ki ngs, and t o her vi ct ory near t he water s of Megi ddo J udg 5: 19) . When

Si ser a at t ack ed I s r ael wi t h 900 i r on war char i ot s , t he s t ar s f r om heav en

12



al l i ed t hems el v es t o I s r ael ' s ar my wi t h t he r es ul t t hat a s udden r ai nf al l

wat er l ogged al l char i ots. Yahweh t hus r eveal ed Hi s pr esence as Di vi ne

War r i o r . He went o ut b ef or e I s r ael a nd r out ed Si s e r a ( J udg 4: 14, 15) . As

a resul t , t he ar my of S i se ra f e l l by t he edge of t he sword , no t a man was

l ef t ( J udg 4: 16; c f 5: 19- 21) .

The Song of Debor ah pr ai ses t h i s hol y act of God near Megi ddo as an

act of " t he r i ght eousness of Yahweh" [ si dgot YHWH] on behal f of I sr ael ,

essent i al t o be recount ed and remember ed ( J udg 5: 10, 11) . I t ends

s i gni f i c ant l y wi t h t hi s apoc al ypt i c per s pec t i ve: Thus l et a l l Your enem es

peri sh, 0 LORD " ( vs 31 NKJ V) . The apocal ypt i c t erm( Har) Magedon ( Rev

16:16) can be seen as a Gr eek t r anscr i pt i on of Megi ddo ( as gi ven i n t he

Sept uagi nt Ver s i on) .

I nt er est i ngl y, on one occasi on i n Zech 12: 11) t he

Sept uagi nt even seems t o t r ansl at e "Megi ddo" i nt o:

"bei ng cut down"

[ ekkopt omenou] . Thi s i ndi cat es that t he symbol i c t erm Mar Magedon i n Rev

16: 16 etymol ogi cal l y seems t o be der i ved f r om t he st em qadad, ( t o

sl aught er ) , so t hat t he l i t er al meani ng i s: Mount ai n of Sl aught er .

( Des t r uc t i on) .

I n t he Apoca l ypse of J ohn t he books o f t he OT ar e conf l a ted i nt o a

new, Chr i s t oc ent r i c e s c hat ol ogi c al per s pec t i v e. Es pec i al l y t he exodus a nd

hol y war mot i f s a re b l ended by J ohn i nt o a c r eat i ve apocal ypt i c out l ook t ha t

has i t s uni f y i ng and t r ans f o rm ng cent er i n Chr i s t as t he Lamb o f God. The

key to t hi s gospe l i nt er pr et at i on o f t he OT types and pr ophec i es l i es i n t he

i naugur al vi si on of t he r i sen Chr i st . Thi s pr esent s Chr i st as our r oyal

Hi gh Pr i es t who i s m ni s t e r i ng among t he seven l amps t ands o f t he heavenl y

t empl e , wh i ch ar e sai d t o be t he seven chur ches ( Rev 1: 13, 20) .

ere i s

of f ered t he cl ue to underst and t he Hebrew i magery of t he whol e

book

of

13



Revel at i on as f ul f i l l ed i n Chr i st and i n hi s uni ver sal Chur ch.

The

pr e s cr i pt a l r e ady s t at e s t h at Ch r i s t h as f r e e d us f r om our s i ns and h as

ma de us t o be a k i ngdo m and pr i e s t s t o s e r v e h i s Go d a nd F at h e r ( 1: 6; c f .

E xod 19: 6) .

The hi st or y of t he Chur ch of Chr i st i s meant t o be the

f ul f i l l me nt and c ons ummat i on of I s r ae l ' s h i s t or y of r e de mpt i on.

T hi s

f orb i ds any e f f or t t o app l y t he NT sense of t he Hebrew names and geogr aph i c

pl ac e s agai n ac cor di ng t o t h e i r o l d- c ov enant e t h ni c and l oc al r e s t r i c t i ons .

T h e day of Y ah we h wi l l be f ul f i l l e d as t h e day of t h e Son of Man.

T h e ho l y war o f Yah we h i s t r ans f o r me d i nt o t h e war o f Ch r i s t as Ki ng of

k i ng s . T h e wr a t h o f Y ah we h ma ni f e s t s i t s e l f a s t h e wr a t h o f t h e L amb ( Re v

6: 14- 17; 14: 14- 20; 19 : 11- 21) . T h e s ong of Mo s es wi l l be s ung a ga i n, but i n

t h e h i gh e r k e y o f t h e s ong o f t h e L amb ( Re v 15: 2- 3) . T h e

us e o f t y po l o gy i n t he Apo c al y ps e c a n b e c har a ct e r i z e d as

of t h e NT Ch r i s t o l ogi c al and e cc l e s i ol ogi c al appl i c at i ons

T he I s r ae l of God i n P r oph ec y. Ch . 4) .

T h e l a s t B i bl e boo k by i t s f us i on of t h e OT Wa r

nat ur e of J oh n' s

t he consummat i on

( s e e L aRonde l l e ,

or ac l e s r e ve al s t h at

b y di v i ne de s i g n t he OT Yahwe h wa r s a s t y pe s a r e a dv anc e pr e s e nt a t i o ns o f

t he cosm c uni ver sal bat t l e of Ar mageddon. The Apocal ypse has a cl ear

k e r y gmat i c ( pr oc l amat i on of go od ne ws ) i nt e nt i on: t o as s ur e t h e f ai t h f ul

Me s s i ani c pe opl e t h at t h e God of I s r a e l wi l l dr amat i c al l y i nt e r v e ne i n

s al v at i on h i s t or y onc e mor e i n be h al f of h i s c ov enant pe opl e wi t h a f i nal

exodus r edempt i on. On t hat day of God Al m ght y, Chr i st w l l mani f est

h i ms e l f i n a t h e oph any as t h e hol y War r i or - Ki ng and J udge be f or e al l t h e

nat i ons . T h en He wi l l v i ndi c at e Hi s Me s s i ani c r e mnant , wh i l e t h e be as t and

t he f al se pr ophet and t hei r f ol l ower s wi l l per i sh by Hi s t r i umphal

Chr i s t ophany ( Rev 19: 11- 21) .

14



T he Fa l l o f Ba by l o n i n Ty pe and Ant i t y pe

The symbol i c i mager y of t he f al l of Babyl on, r esul t i ng f r om t he

s udd en dr y i ng up of i t s Euph r a t e s wa t e r s i n Re v 16: 12, 19 i s b ot h a l i t e r a r y

and a theol ogi cal al l usi on t o a maj or hi st or i c war of Yahweh i n I sr ael s

h i s t o r y . T he ne o- Ba by l o ni a n e mp i r e , a s de s cr i b ed i n t h e b oo ks o f Da ni e l a nd

J e r e m a h, wa s t he ol o gi c al l y a n ar c he ne my o f I s r a el a s Go d' s c o ve na nt pe opl e .

J ohn i nt r oduces Babyl on i nt o hi s apocal ypt i c out l ook because of her

opposi t i on t o J er usal em t he ci t y of God.

Babyl on can be def i ned

t h eo l ogi c a l l y by i t s r e l a t i on: 1) t o the God of I sr ael and Hi s way of

sal vat i on i n t he sanct uar y: and 2) t o Hi s covenant peopl e.

I n t h e OT ,

t a by l o n de st r o ye d t he t e mpl e of Go d i n J e r us al e m t r a mpl e d o n i t s r e l i gi ous

t r ut h , b l a s p he me d t h e na me o f Y ah we h, a nd op pr e s s e d un t o d ea t h t h e I s r a e l o f

God ( Dani e l 1- 5) : T he se t heo l ogi c al es s ent i a l s , c ha r ac t e r i s t i c of Baby l on,

r emai n unchanged i n i t s apocal ypt i c ant i t ype ( Rev 14: 8; 17: 1- 6; 18: 1- 8) .

Babyl on' s r ebel l i on agai nst God' s aut hor i t y operat ed i n t wo di mensi ons:

l i e r t i o a l l y ,

agai nst Yahweh' s sover ei gn and savi ng w l l , and

hor i z ont a l l y,

agai nst Yahweh' s covenant peopl e and t hei r sacr ed sanct uar y worshi p.

Babyl on was at war on a doubl e f r ont : agai nst t he God of I sr ael , and

a ga i ns t t he I s r a e l o f Go d.

T he ha t r e d t ha t i ns pi r e d Ba by l o n o f o l d wi l l mo t i va t e apo ca l y pt i c

Ba by l o n i n a mo r e i n t e n s i f i e d me as ur e . No w Go d i s i n s ep ar a bl y un i t e d wi t h

the r i s en

Ch r i s t . Mo de r n Ba by l o n mus t t h er e f o r e be d ef i n ed Ch r i s t o l o gi c al l y

a nd ec cl es i o l o gi c al l y ( S ee La Ro ndel l e,

T he I s r a el o f Go d i n Pr o ph ec y .

Chs.

5, 7) . The New J er usal em i s expl i ci t l y cal l ed t he br i de or w f e of t he

Lamb ( Re v 21: 9) , wh i l e t h e Lo r d Go d Al m gh t y and t h e Lamb a r e i t s t e mp l e .

( Onl y those may ent er i t whose names ar e wr i t t en i n t he Lamb' s book of

15



Thi s t ook pl ac e i n l i t er al f ul f i l l ment of pr ophec y ( I s a 44: 27- 28; J ey 51: 13,

36; 50: 38) . Yahwe h woul d e ve n ope n door s be f o r e h i m s o t hat t he ga t e s wi l l

not be shut ( I sa 45: 2) . Bot h t he r edempt i ve mot i vat i on of i t al l was

s t r e s s ed, f o r t h e s a ke o f J a co b my s e r v a nt , o f I s r a el my c ho s en ( 45: 4) ,

a nd t h e di v i ne p ur p os e : He [ Cy r us ] wi l l r e bui l d my c i t y a nd s e t my e xi l e s

f r ee ( 45: 13) and r est ore t he t empl e ( 44: 28) . God best owed on Cyrus

t h er e f o r e t h e h on or a bl e t i t l e s o f a no i n t e d o ne a nd my s h eph er d ( 45: 1;

44: 28) , t i t l es t hat el evat e Cyr us' act s of j udgment on Babyl on and of

r edempt i on f or I sr ael ( see Ezra 1: 1- 4) t o become a dr amat i c t ype of t he

Me s s i ah' s h ol y wa r a ga i ns t apo c al y pt i c Baby l o n. Al r e ady i n t he t y pe i t was

Yahwe h h i ms e l f who s poke t o t he Euph r a t e s : Be dr y , a nd I wi l l d r y up your

st r eam ( I sa 44: 27) . Cyrus was onl y Yahweh' s agent i n God' s j udgment on

Baby l on. J us t as Yahweh and h i s covenant p eop l e wer e at t he cent e r o f t he

f al l of Baby l on, s o Chr i s t and Hi s c ov enant peopl e- - t he f ai t hf ul Chur c h- -

s t a nd a t t he c ent er o f t he f al l o f mo de r n Ba by l o n and o f t he l as t ho l y wa r ,

Ar mageddon. I t i s essent i al t o def i ne pr eci sel y t he t heol ogi cal

char act er i st i c of each par t i ci pant i n t he anci ent f al l of Babyl on i n

connect i on wi t h Yahweh, bef or e we can responsi bl y determ ne t he

cor r espondi ng f unct i on of each par t i ci pant i n t he apocal ypt i c f al l of

Baby l on ( Ar mageddon) i n connec t i on wi t h Chr i s t .

Baby l on f unct i oned as t he enemy of t he Lor d and as t he oppr essor o f

I s r ael .

The Euphr a t e s wa s an i n te gr a l pa r t o f Ba by l on, s uppor t i ng a nd p r o t e c t i ng

i t as a wal l , t h us l i kewi s e hos t i l e t o I s r ael .

The dr y i ng up of t he Euphr a t es i ndi ca t ed Cod' s j udgment on Baby l on,

c aus i ng i t s s udden downf al l . I t s t o od t her ef o r e f o r t he pr epar at i on of

17



I s r ael ' s del i ver a nc e.

Cy r u s a nd hi s a l l i e d k i n gs o f t he Me de s an d t he Pe r s i a ns ( J e r 5 0: 41;

51: 11, 28) c a me as t he pr e di c t e d k i n gs f r o m t he ea s t t o Ba by l o n t o

f ul f i l l Go d' s p ur po s e. The y we r e t he ene m e s of Ba by l o n a nd t h e

de l i v er e r s of I s r a el . Cyr us i s a noi nt e d by t he L or d t o de f ea t Ba by l on

and t o s et I s r a el f r e e.

Da ni e l a nd t h e I s r ae l of God i n Ba by l on c ons t i t ut e t he r epe nt a nt ,

f a i t hf ul c ove na nt pe opl e of God ( s e e Da n 9) .

The s e t he ol ogi c al c ha r a c t e r i z at i ons c an be c al l ed t he e s s ent i a l s of

t he f a l l o f Ba by l o n. I n t h e Apo c al y ps e , Ba by l o n r e pr e s en t s t he ar c he ne my of

Chr i s t a nd of Hi s c hur c h. No w bot h Ba by l o n a nd I s r a el a r e uni v er s a l , t he i r

t er r i t or i al s c ope i s wor l dwi de. The gos pel i s expl i c i t l y s ent o ut t o ev er y

nat i on, t r i be, l anguage and peopl e ( Rev 14: 6) . The f our f ol d emphasi s

s t r e s s e s i t s u ni v er s a l r a di us . The s u bs e que nt a nn oun c eme nt t ha t Ba by l o n t he

gr e at i s f al l en, i s f ounde d on t he f a ct t hat s he ha s ma de a l l na t i ons dr i nk

t he ma dde ni n g wi ne o f h er a dul t e r i e s ( 14: 8) . The who l e wo r l d ha s f i n al l y

c ome unde r h er s pe l l ( 13: 3- 4, 7) .

I n har mo ny wi t h t h i s wo r l dwi de r a nge of Ba by l o n, I ns pi r a t i o n gi v es

al s o t o Babyl on' s r i v er Euphr at es an expl i c i t l y uni v er s al appl i c at i on: The

wa t e r s y ou s a w, whe r e t he pr os t i t ut e s i t s , a r e peopl e s , mul t i t ude s , na t i ons

and l anguages ( 17: 15) . Those who i nsi st t hat t he Euphr ates r epr esent s

onl y t he peopl e t hat l i ve i n t he act ual geogr aphi c l ocat i on of t he

Euphr at es, ar e bound t o f ol l ow t he same i nt er pr et at i on w t h Babyl on,

I s r ael , Mount Zi on, et c . Suc h f ai l , howev er , t o gr as p t he Chr i s t oc en-

t r i c of bi bl i c al t ypol ogy. The gos pel of J es us Chr i s t d el i ver s us f r om t he

r es t r i c t i ons of et hni c and geogr aphi c l i t er al i s m f or t he Mes s i ani c er a. The

18



a ngel ' s i nt er pr et a t i o n o f t he Euphr a t e s i n Rev el a t i o n 17 s e r v es t o gua r d us

agai nst a r el apse i nt o t he M ddl e East appl i cat i on of Babyl on s r i ver .

Whenev er God dr i ed up a l i t er al r i v er or a f l ood of e nem es i n I s r ael ' s

hi st or y- - l i ke t he Red Sea or t he J or dan Ri ver , or t he f l ood of i nvadi ng

Euphr at es ' peo pl e ( I s a 8: 7- 8) - - i t al way s s i gni f i ed a pr ov i dent i a l j udgment

on t he enemes of God s peopl e. The dr yi ng up of Babyl on s great r i ver

dur i ng t h e f ut ur e s i x t h pl ague ( Rev 16: 12) wi l l be no ex c ept i on.

Thi s j udgment i s set i n mot i on when t he pol i t i cal r ul er s and

mul t i t udes of al l nat i ons wi l l s uddenl y r eal i z e God' s ver di c t on r el i gi ous

Babyl on and uni t edl y w t hdr aw t hei r suppor t f r om Babyl on. They w l l even

dr amat i cal l y r ever se t hei r l oyal suppor t i nt o act i ve hat e, i nt o such a

host i l i t y t hat t hey w l l compl et el y dest r oy Babyl on. Thi s i s t he sudden

di s s o l ut i o n o f Ba by l o n t ha t i n Go d' s p r o v i de nc e de s t r o ys Ba by l o n. I t s e ems

be t he bur de n o f Re ve l a t i on 17, a chapt e r des i gne d e spec i a l l y t o expl a i n

t he si xt h and sevent h pl agues, t o r eveal t hat t hi s sur pr i si ng shi f t f r om

l oyal suppor t t o hat e bet ween t he pol i t i cal suppor t of Babyl on and her

r el i gi ous l eader shi p i s God s own ver di ct ( 17: 17) . The sur pr i se w l l be

t ha t God wi l l b r i ng about t he se l f - de s t r uc t i on o f Baby l on by way o f he r own

suppor t er s. The Euphr at es wat er s, t he per secut i ng mul t i t udes, ( 17: 15) ,

w l l suddenl y be caused t o dr y up, t o w t hdr aw t hei r suppor t . The beast

w t h t en hor ns w l l suddenl y become t he har l ot s hat er , i nst ead of her

i l l i ci t l over , and w l l destr oy her compl et el y 17: 16) . But t hi s i nst ant

r ev er s a l o f t he unho l y uni o n wi l l o c c ur o nl y a t t he ho ur when t he a t t a c k

i s made by a uni t ed Baby l on on t he f a i t hf u l Mess i ani c r emnant ( see 17: 14;

12: 17; 18: 15 ) .

When Cyr us had dr i ed up t he wat ers of t he Euphr at es, t he way was

19



pr epar e d f or al l t he k i ngs f r om t he eas t t o e nt er t he c api t al and t o t ak e

over her wor l d gover nment . Thus , t he handwr i t i ng on Be l shazzar ' s banquet

hal l was f ul f i l l ed: Your k i ngdom i s di v i ded and gi v en t o t he Medes and

Per s i ans ( Dan 5 : 28) . P r ophecy di d no t yet f i nd i t s compl e t e and exhaus t i ve

consummat i on when Cyrus over t hrew anci ent Babyl on and w t h I sr ael s

s ubs equent r et ur n t o J er us al em ( Ez r a 1: 1 - 5) .

The a poc al y pt i c f eat ur es o f t he c os m c s i gns a nd t he ev er l as t i ng

des t r uc t i on o f Baby l on wi l l be f ul f i l l ed onl y when t he Mess i ah hi mse l f comes

i n hi s d i v i ne gl or y as t he hol y War r i or t o ov er t hr ow t he l as t Baby l on o n

ear t h , when her c r i mes agai ns t t he I s r ael o f God have p i l ed up t o heaven

( s ee Rev 18: 5) . The f a c t t hat Chr i s t wi l l br i ng di v i ne j udgment f r om t he

heavenl y t emp l e on moder n wor l d Baby l on ( Reve l a t i on 15- 19) i s not j us t a

s t r i k i ng a na l ogy wi t h Cy r us ' v i c t or i o us ov er t hr o w of anc i e nt Ba by l o n. Mor e

t han a c or r e s pondenc e o f r e dempt i v e wo r k , Chr i s t ' s f i nal m s s i o n i s t o

f ul f i l l I sr ael s t ypes and pr opheci es of r edempt i on f r om Babyl on on a

uni ver s al s c al e and i n c os m c gl or y . Hi s c om ng wi l l no l onger b e f r om any

ear t hl y pl ac e, but s t r ai ght f r om t he heavenl y t h r o ne of God, t hat i s , f r om

t he as t r onom c al or c os m c E as t . Thi s wi l l be t h e gr eat es t t heophani c gl or y

t he wo r l d ha s ev er s e en, t he mo s t s p l endi d l i be r a t i o n o f t he I s r a el o f God

ever exper i enced.

I saw heaven st andi ng open and t her e bef or e me was a whi t e hor se, whose

r i der i s c al l ed F ai t hf ul and Tr ue. W t h j us t i c e he j udges a nd mak es

war . . .

T he ar m e s of he av en we r e f o l l o wi ng hi m r i di ng o n whi t e ho r s e s and

dr es s ed i n f i ne l i nen, whi t e and c l ean ( Rev 19: 1 1, 1 4) .

P r e - Mi l l enni al and Pos t - Mi l l enni al Ar mageddon

T he s e c t i o ns Rey 19: 1 7- 2 1 and 2 0: 7- 9 r e qui r e s p ec i a l a t t e nt i o n,

•because bot h

passages bor r owf r om t he same pr ophecy of Yahweh War i n Ezeki e l '

2 0



73 8- 3 9.

Yet , t hey appl y t hi s OT pr edi ct i on i n di f f er ent t ways.

I n

Revel at i on 19 t he war of Yahweh i s appl i ed t o Ar mageddon at t he second

adven t of Chr i s t ; whi l e Revel at i on 20 appl i es i t t o t he pos t - m l l en ni al .

s i ege of t he New J er usal em

A n u mbe r o f exege t e s o f J o hn ' s Apo c al yps e agr ee t ha t t he pr e f i x

Har ( Mount ai n) i n Har Magedon ( 16: 16) may be consi der ed as a r ef er ence t o

t he mou n t a i n s of I s r ael t hat wi l l wi t n es s t h e def eat of t he ar m es of Gog

because they at t ack t he I sr ael of God:

On t he mou nt ai n s of I s r ael y ou wi l l f al l , y ou an d al l y ou r t r oops an d

t he n at i on s wi t h you . I wi l l gi ve you as f ood t o al l k i n ds of c ar r i on

bi r ds an d t o t he wi l d an i mal s ( E z ek 3 9 : 4 ) .

I n addi t i on , t he c el es t i al c al l t o t he c ar r i on bi r ds i n Rev 19 : 17, 18 t o

gat he r f or t he suppe r of God, t o gorge t he mse l ves wi t h t he s l a i n bodi e s of

Ba by l o n ' s a r m es a n d pe opl es , i s e s s en t i a l l y t he s ame as t he s u mmo n s Of

; Yahweh t o Gog and hi s a l l i es t o pr epar e f or Hi s hol y war on t he mount ai ns Of

I s r ael i n Ez ek 3 9: 17- 20. Ez ek i el ' s es chat ol ogi c al out l ook i n chs 3 8- 3 9

n ev er bec ame f u l l y r e al i z e d i n I s r ael ' s s u bs equ en t hi s t or y , al t hou gh s ome

Pr ot est ant i nt er pr et er s have seen i n t he st ar t l i ng vi ct or i es of t he

Mac c abees ov er t he Sy r i an k i n g An t i oc hu s I V i n t he c ou n t r y of I s r a el ( 16 5

B. C. ) an i n i t i al an d par t i al f ul f i l l men t ( s ee J . G. Aal der s , Cog en Magog i n

E z ec hi el , Kampen : J . H. Kok , 19 51 [ Su mmar y i n E n gl i s h, pp. 16 6- 172] ; T .

Boer s ma, I s t he Bi bl e a J i gs aw P uz z l e? St . Cat har i n es , On t . Can . : P ai dei a

P r es s , 19 78 . Ch 8 ) .

T he book o f Revel at i on , however , r eveal s a u t hor i t at i vel y i n what way

- Ez ek 3 8- 3 9 shal l r e cei ve t hei r apoc al ypt i c f ul f i l l men t i n s al vat i on hi s t or y :

i n t he u l t i mat e u pr i s i n g of a u ni v er s al Baby l on agai n s t Chr i s t an d Hi s

Messi ani c I sr ael , at t he end of t he Chr i st i an er a. J ohn s Apocal ypse

21



pr oc l ai ms i n o ne ha r mo ni ous s y mpho ny t h e Chr i s t ol ogi c al f ul f i l l me nt of a l l

t he OT t ypes and pr ophec i es ( see H. LaRondel l e ,

Char i ot s of Sal v at i on. The

Bi bl i cal Dr ama of Ar mageddon.

Revi ew & Her al d Publ . Assn. , Wash. , D. C.

1987.

Ch. 8 ) .

Rev el at i on 1 9 : 1 8 del i ber at el y ex pands Ez ek i el ' s l oc al mount ai ns of

I s r ael t o a wor l dwi de ex t e ns i on by dec l a r i ng t hat t he c ar r i o n bi r ds mus t

eat t he f l es h

of al l peopl e,

f r ee and s l a ve , s ma l l and gr e at , a uni v er s a l

enl a rgement o f t he l i s t o f na t i ons o f Ezek 38 . Ar mageddon i s God' s r eac t i on

t o a pl anet i n r ebel l i on agai nst Chr i st and Hi s f ai t hf ul f ol l ower s. The

r eal i ssue of t he gr eat cont r over sy i s br ought i nt o shar p f ocus by t he

f ol l owi ng al i gnment of t wo apoc al y pt i c par t i es :

Then I saw t he beast and t he ki ngs of t he ear t h and t hei r ar m es

g t her ed t oget her t o m ke w r g i nst t he r i der on t he horse nd hi s

army ( Rev 19 : 19 ) .

Thi s p rogr ess i ve r eve l a t i on o f t he OT pr ophecy of Cog' s war aga i ns t

Yahweh and Hi s f ai t hf ul I s r ael i s ex pl ai ned her e as bei ng f ul f i l l ed i n t he

end- t i me by t he war of t he beas t and i t s ant i c hr i s t i an al l i es , t he f al s e

pr ophet and t he k i ngs of t he ear t h ( Rev 1 9 : 1 9 , 20) , a gai ns t Chr i s t J es us

and Hi s a r my . Whi l e no ac t ua l b at t l e be twe en Chr i s t and t he ant i c hr i s t i s

descr i bed i n Rev 19 ( see Rev 6 : 15- 17 ) , t he r esul t of t he f i na l c l a sh bet ween

heaven and ear t h i s s ummed up i n t he br i ef st at ement t hat bot h t he beast and

t he f al se pr ophet wer e capt ured and cast al i ve i nt o t he l ake of f i r e

bur ni ng wi t h br i ms t one ( 1 9 : 20) . T hi s j udgment s t ands i n obv i ous c ont i nui t y

w t h t hat on Gog and hi s al l i es i n Ezek 38: 22. Revel at i on 19 does not

des c r i be, ho wev er , any di v i ne ac t i o n agai ns t t he dr ago n o r Sa tan hi ms e l f .

Hi s j udgment i s por t r ay ed i n t he f ol l owi ng v i s i o n o f Rev el a t i o n 20. Sa t a n

i s b ound' f o r a t ho us a nd y ear s t o t he uni v er s a l g r a v ey ar d of a de s ol at e

22



ear t h, awai t i ng hi s a r r ai gnment bef or e t he f i nal t r i bunal , i n conj unc t i on

wi t h t hat of al l t he wi c ked. Af t er t he r e sur r ec t i on of t he i mpeni t ent at

t he end of t he m l l enni um S at an i s s et f r ee f or a s hor t t i me t o dec ei v e

t he na t i ons i n t he f our co rner s o f t he ea r t h, Cog and Magog, t o ga ther t hem

f o r ba t t l e ( 20 : 8) . These OT names a re an expl i c i t r e f e rence t o t he Yahweh

War of Ezeki el 38- 39. Revel at i on 20 t eaches her eby that Ezeki el s

es c hat ol ogi c al war wi l l f i nd al s o a pos t - m l l enni al f ul f i l l ment . Onc e agai n

t he gl obal s c al e of t hi s c ons ummat i o n of Ez e ki el ' s war i s s t r es s ed.

Cog and Magog no l onger come f r om t he f a r nor t h ( Ezek 38: 6 , 15;

3 9: 2 ) t o a t t a c k my l a nd a nd my pe opl e I s r a el ( E z ek 3 8: 1 4, 1 6; 39: 7) .

They wi l l come f r om t he f our co r ne r s o f t he ear t h, t o l ay s i ege t o t he New

J e r u s al e m t ha t h as des c ende d f r o m hea ven t o e ar t h. Thi s he av enl y c i t y i s

ca l l ed t he Ho l y Ci t y , because God and t he Lamb and t he sa i nts ar e dwel l i ng

t her e ( 20: 9; 21: 1- 3) .

Thi s pos t - m l l enni al war of demoni c r e bel l i on of t he wi c ked f r om al l

t i mes , i s c l ear l y di r ec t ed agai ns t t he Hol y One. The end r es ul t of t hi s

f i nal demons t r a t i on o f undy i ng ha t e agai ns t t he Cr eat o r , t he Redeemer , and

t he s ai nt s , wi l l be t he l ak e of b ur ni ng s ul f ur ( 20: 10, 15) . Et er nal deat h

i s t he des t i ny o f t hose whose names a re no t f ound wr i t t en i n t he book o f

l i f e of t he Lamb ( 20: 15; 21: 27) .

I n summar y, we concl ude t hat t he Apocal ypse t eaches t hat t he war of

Re v 20: 8 af t er t he m l l enni um i s t heol ogi c al l y of t he s ame nat ur e as t he war

o f A r mage ddon be f o r e t h e m l l enni um Be f o r e t h e m l l enni um Sa t a n at t a ck s

Chr i s t i n Hi s uni v er s al c hur c h r epr es ent ed s y mbol i c al l y as t he hol y c i t y

( c f . Rev 11: 2; 14: 20) ; af t er t he m l l enni um he at t ac ks Chr i s t and Hi s c hur c h

wi t hi n t he Ho l y Ci t y t ha t ha s de s c ende d f r o m he ave n a s t he Ne w J e r u s a l e m

23



(21:2, 10). These pre- and post-millennial applications of Ezekiel s final

war of Yahweh in Rev 19 and 20 imply some definite principles of Scripture;

interpretations. Adherence to these inspired guidelines will protect us

:against unfounded expectations and idle speculations about the future.

The first principle of prophetic interpretation is that God and His

essiah constitute the inalienable center of the battle between good and

;evil. War predictions of a purely secular nature, detached from Christ and

the divine plan of salvation, are no part of the OT covenant prophecies or

of the NT Armageddon war. Yahweh War never was a secular political struggle

between nations. In both the OT and NT God s judgment on His sworn enemies

is usually portrayed as God s just and holy war, characterized by the

awesome phenomena of

a dramatic theophany (God-appearance); see e.g. Exod

15; Judg 5; Isa 34; 63; Ezek 38-39; Joel 3; Zech 12, 14; Rev 1:7; 6:12-17;

19:11-21; 20:7-10.

The Yahweh War and its theophany in type and prophecy is transformed

by the NT into a dramatic Christophany (Christ-appearance) in its final

historical consummation. This Christological fulfillment implies inevitably

the ecclesiological (church) fulfillment of the prophetic war oracles.

Christ as the head can never be separated from the church as His

body (Eph 5:23). John s Apocalypse applies Ezekiel s oracle of Yahweh War

against Gog and the other national enemies of Israel twice to the universal

enemies of Christ and His faithful church (Rev 19:17-20; 20:8). This

Christological-ecclesiological fulfillment principle is the essence of the

gospel hermeneutic of the NT.

Daniel s Last Prophecy and Armageddon

24



Christ mentioned the book of Daniel as one of vital importance for

His church (Matt 24:15). The last Bible book, The Apocalypse of Jesus

Christ (Rev 1:1), confirms the increasing timeliness of Daniel's prophetic

outlook. For instance, Revelation, chapter 13, is creatively modeled on

Daniel 7 (see G. K. Beale, The Use of Daniel in Jewish Apocalyptic

Literature and in the Revelation of St. John [Lanham, New York, London:

Univ. Pr. of America, 1984], pp. 229-248). This unique connection b etween

Daniel and Revelation implies the fundamental hermeneutical principle that

'Daniel's eschatological prophecies are unsealed and applied to the Messianic

era as Christ-centered fulfillments in the book of Revelation.

The kingdom of God or Yahweh in Daniel (2:44; 7:27) is progressively

unfolded in Revelation as the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ (Rev

11:15). While the book of Daniel exalts the God of Israel as the God of

gods and the Lord of kings (2:47), Revelation attributes to Christ the

title King of kings and Lord of lords (19:16).

1n the light of Revelation the outline prophecies of Daniel (2; 7,

8; 11:1--12:2) cover the period of time from ancient Babylon and Medo-Persia

until the establishment of the glorious kingdom of Christ. This observation

itplies the recognition that somewhere in each unfolding series of Daniel,

;the first advent of the Messiah, His Cross and Resurrection, is necessarily

passed.; This fact is highly relevant for the Christian expositor when he

reaches those passages in Daniel that deal specifically with the Messianic

era, the time period after the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The

consistent application of the gospel hermeneutic of the NT to Daniel's

eschatological sections is therefore of crucial importance. This means that

all the OT covenant names and places that refer to the Christian era must be

25



appl i ed t o t he uni v er s al peopl e of Chr i s t and t o t hei r wor l dwi de enem es .

The Chr i s t ol ogi c al i nt er pr et at i on of t he es c hat ol ogi c al s ec t i on of

Dani el 7 l ed t he Pr ot est ant r ef or mer s t o t he convi ct i on t hat t he l i t t l e

hor n s i gni f i ed t he papac y wi t h i t s per s ec ut i o n of t he s ai nt s ( s ee F r o om PF

2: 245- 247; 254- 256; 433- 439) . The Chr i st ol ogi cal i nt er pr et at i on of t he

ant i c hr i s t a nd t he c l ea ns i ng of t he s a nc t ua r y at t he t i me o f t he end i n

Da ni e l 8 ga ve r i s e t o t he Seve nt h - day Adve nt i s t Chur ch a nd t o he r s e ns e o f

m s s i o n ( s e e F r o om P F 4: 877- 905; a nd Mo ve me nt o f De s t i n y, c h. 36) . I f we

al so appl y t he Chr i st ol ogi cal i nt er pr et at i on consi st ent l y t o t he

es c hat ol ogi c al s ec t i on of Dani el 11, we s hal l avoi d t he pi t f a l l of t aki ng

cur r ent event s or pol i t i cal M ddl e East specul at i ons as our gui di ng

pr i nci pl e of i nt er p r et at i on.

The ar gument has been advanced t hat Dani el 11 shoul d be appl i ed

l i t er al l y i n i t s et hni c and geogr aphi c des c r i pt i ons bec aus e t hi s c hapt er i s

not symbol i c i n natur e as chapt er s 7 and 8 are. Thi s argument i s i nval i d

a nd c an no t b e s u s t a i ne d be ca us e i t e xe mpt s a r b i t r a r i l y one es c ha t o l o gi c al

out l i ne ser i es f r om t he ef f i cacy of t he cross and r esur r ect i on of Chr i st

whi l e i t c over s t h e t i me of t he Chr i s t i an age. The pr i nc i pl e of l i t er al i s m

f o r Dani el 11 i s di r ec t l y r e f ut ed, mor eo ver , by Paul ' s t eac hi ng t hat t he

ant i c hr i s t wi l l t ake hi s s eat wi t hi n t he t empl e of God and s hal l exal t ( s )

hi msel f above al l t hat i s cal l ed God or t hat i s wor shi ped ( 2 Thess 2: 4

NKJ V) . These words al l ude undeni abl y t o Dan 8 and 11. I t i s general l y

a gr e ed t h at Da ni e l 8 i s r e pe at e d wi t h mo r e d et a i l i n c ha pt e r 11 ( 4 BC 753;

f or a det ai l ed s t udy ,

s

A Sy mpo s i um o f Bi bl i c al He r me ne ut i c s . G M. Hyde,

ed. RH 1974, pp. 241- 246) .

Dani el 11 des c r i bes t he ki ng o f t h e no r t h a s f ol l ows : He s hal l

26



exa l t and magn i f y hi mse l f above ever y God, shal l speak bl asphem es aga i ns t

t he God of gods, and shal l pr osper ( vs 36 NKJ V; see my ar t i cl e Paul ' s

P r o phet i c Out l i ne i n 2 Thes s al oni ans 2 ,

AUSS

21: 1, 1983, 61- 69 . W t h t he

Phr ase t he t empl e [ naos ] o f God Paul di d no t re f e r t o any l i t e ra l bui l di ng

i n ol d J er us al em but t o t he s pi r i t ual t empl e, t hos e i n whom Chr i s t dwel l s

t hr ough Hi s Spi r i t ( see 1 Cor 3: 16- 17; 6: 19; 2 Cot 6: 16, appl yi ng Ezek

37: 27) .

Paul t her ef ore war ned t he el der s of t he chur ch at Ephesus t hat

apost asy woul d devel op wi t hi n t he communi t y of f ai t h:

f r om among

your sel ves men w l l r i se up, speaki ng per ver se t hi ngs, t o dr aw away t he

di s c i pl es af t er t h ems el v es ( Ac t s 20: 3 0 NKJ V) .

I n hi s appl i cat i on of Dan 11: 36 t o apost asy w t hi n t he Chr i st i an

c hur c h as t he t empl e of God, P aul ' s apos t ol i c pr i nc i pl e i s appar ent l y not

' t hat of l i t er al i sm of OT t er ms, but i s t he NT gospel her meneut i c. Thi s

apos to l i c pr i nc i pl e t r ans f or ms t he OT t er ms I s r ael , t he t empl e , Mount Zi on,

t he dai l y , t he ki ng of t he nor t h, et c . , i nt o NT t er ms t hat ar e def i ned by

Chr i st and Hi s uni ver sal chur ch ( f or a det ai l ed anal ysi s of t he gospel

hermeneut i c , see LaRondel l e ,

The I sr ael of God i n Prophecy, c hs . 4- 8) .

I n s hor t , P aul a ppl i es Dan 11: 3 6 as t he s pec i f i c u nf o l di ng of Da n

8: 11- 12 t o t he r i s e of t he ant i c hr i s t wi t hi n t he uni v er s al Chr i s t i an c hur c h

T hes s 2 : 4) . T hi s was t he s t a ndar d i nt er pr et at i on of L ut her , Mel anc ht hon,

Cal v i n, and P r o t e s t ant ex pos i t or s f or s ev er al c ent ur i es ( s ee L . E. F r o om P P

3, c hs 2, 3) .

W t hi n Adv ent i s m t he mos t c r i t i c al i s s ue, howev er , has t o do wi t h

t he i nt er pr et at i on of t he l as t s ec t i on of Dani el 11 ( vs s 40- 45; 12: 1- 2) ,

c ommonl y r e co gni z ed as s t i l l unf ul f i l l e d pr o phec y . Her e ev er y t hi ng de pe nds

s ol el y on one' s her meneut i c al pr i nc i pl es a nd t hei r c ons i s t ent appl i c at i on.

27



I t i s e ss ent i al t o r e al i z e t hat t hi s apoc al y pt i c pas s age mus t be i nt er pr et ed

a cc or di ng t o t he s ame apo s t o l i c pr i nc i pl e t h at P aul a ppl i e d t o Da n 11: 36 i n

hi s f o r e c as t o f t h e c om n g a nt i c hr i s t i n 2 Th es s 2 . T he OT a nd NT t o ge t h e r

f or m o ne ha r moni ous a po cal y pt i c o ut l oo k. Thi s o r g ani c uni t y of per s pec t i v e

i s r oot ed i n Chr i st J esus as Messi ah of I sr ael . The Apocal ypse t her ef or e

consi st ent l y t r ansf or ms al l OT apocal ypt i c pr opheci es i nt o one coher ent

Chr i st - cent ered apocal ypse. Any modern hermeneut i c t hat f ai l s t o

demonst r ate the Chr i st ocent r i c uni t y of t he OT and NT por t r ayal of t he

nat ur e of Ar mageddon must be r egar ded as an i nadequat e her meneut i c.

The mat t er at i ssue i n t he cosm c- uni ver sal war of Dan 11: 40- 45;

12: 1 i s not r ace or t er r i t or y, but t he t r ut h of God' s covenant , and Hi s

f ai t hf ul vi ndi c at i on of t he t r ue covenant peopl e. Dani el ' s por t r ayal of t he

f i n al c o nf l i c t i s t ha t b et we en he av en a nd e ar t h, be t we en t h e I s r a el o f Go d

a nd e nd- t i me Baby l o n a s t he k i ng o f t he no r t h ( c f . J e r 1: 15; 2 5: 9) . As i n

Dani el 8, Dani el s pr ophet i c por t r ayal of t he end- t i me i s couched i n t he

t e r ms and i mages o f h i s own d i spensat i on, and t her e f o r e cen t e r ed i n Mount

Zi on as t he dwel l i ng pl ace of t he Hol y One. Consequent l y, t he f i nal

bat t l egr ound f ocuses on t he gl or i ous hol y mount ai n ( Dan 11: 4, 5 RSV) .

Whi l e t he enemy of God prepar es f o r a f i nal a t t ack upon t he sanct uar y of t he

Lor d ( 11: 44) , M chael shal l ar i se t o def end Hi s Messi ani c peopl e. Thi s

Me s s i a ni c i nt e r v e nt i o n i s t h e r e as o n why t he e ne my wi l l c o me t o hi s en d,

and no one wi l l hel p h i m ( 11: 45) and, a t t he same t i me, t he chosen r emnant

peopl e sudden l y shal l be del i ver ed ( 12: 1) . I n Rev 14 and 19 we may see t he

Chr i st ol ogi cal f ul f i l l ment of Dani el ' s l ast hol y war and t he com ng of

Mi c ha el t o j udge Ba by l on and t o r es c ue Hi s f a i t hf ul r emna nt f r o m a c er t ai n

death. Rev el a t i o n 14 s t r e s s es t ha t Mo unt Zi o n i s t he s y mbo l i c pl a c e o f

28



sa l vat i on because o f t he pr esence o f t he Lamb, and t hat t he apocal ypt i c

j udgment w l l come down i n t he gr eat w nepr ess of t he wr at h of God,

l ocat ed out si de t he [ hol y] ci t y ( 14: 1, 20) . Revel at i on 19 devel ops t he

i dea t hat Chr i st , r et ur ni ng as t he Di vi ne J udge and Ki ng- War r i or , shal l

st r i ke down t he nat i ons. ' He w l l r ul e t hem w t h an i r on scept er . ' He

t r eads t he wi nepr ess of t he f ur y of t he wr at h of God Al m ght y ( 19: 15) .

W t h t hes e mul t i pl e al l us i ons i n Rev el at i on 19 t o t he l as t hol y war ,

i n t he OT pr ophec i es of Dani el 11, J oel 3, I s ai ah 63: 1- 4, J er em ah 25: 30- 33,

Ezeki e l 39: 17- 20, Psal ms 2 and 110 and o ther s , t her e i s no r oom f o r doubt

t hat al l t he OT hol y - war pr edi c t i ons a r e i nt er pr et ed by t he NT , by J ohn' s

Apocal ypse i n par t i cul ar , as appl yi ng t o Chr i st ' s second advent and Hi s

f ai t hf ul r emnant chur ch.

29



I I

Sur v ey of t he Hi s t o r y o f Sev ent h- da y Adv ent i s t I nt er pr et a t i o ns

The hi st or y of Advent i st i nt er pr et at i ons of Ar mageddon r eveal s a

s uc ces s i o n o f c onf l i c t i ng po s i t i o ns t h at bet r a y under l y i ng di f f e r enc es of

pr i nci pl es of i nt er pr et i ng unf ul f i l l ed pr ophecy An under st andi ng of how

t h es e s h i f t i n g p r e d i c t i o ns o f t h e f u t u r e a r o s e a nd wh y t h ey be ca me po pu l a r

can hel p t o avoi d t aki ng cur r ent event s t oday as t he gui di ng nor m of

pr o ph et i c i n t e r pr e t a t i o n. The hi s t o r y o f i nt e r p r e t i n g Ar ma ge dd on i n Re v 16

a nd t h e e nd - t i me Ki n g o f t h e No r t h i n Da n 11: 40- 45 r e ve al s i m l a r t r e nd s s o

t h at bo t h S cr i p t u r e p as s a ge s ca n be c o ns i d er e d c o nv en i e nt l y t o ge t h er .

F our Dom n an t P has e s o f Ar mage dd on I n t e r p r e t a t i on

Th e P i o ne er P er i o d

shows a bas i c ha r mony on Ar mageddon and t he Ki ng o f

t he No r t h.

Fr om 1844 t o about 1862 Sevent h- day Advent i st s appl i ed

Ar ma ge dd on t o t h e c l i ma ct i c ba t t l e be t we en Ch r i s t a nd t h e f o r c es o f S at a n a t

t h e s e co nd ad ve nt . Un t i l 1871, t h ey al l u na ni mo us l y ap pl i e d t h e Ki n g o f t h e

No r t h t o t h e P apacy.

The Ur i a h S m t h er a

f r om 1871- 1903. I n 1871 af t er t he Pope had l ost

al l po l i t i c al power , Ur i ah Sm t h i nt r oduc ed i nt o Adv ent i s m t he popul ar v i ew

of t he Br i t i s h pr em l l enni a l i s t s t hat Dani e l s Ki ng of t he Nor t h s y mbol i z ed

n ot t h e P a pa c y, bu t mo de r n Tu r k ey . Af t e r t h e d ea t h of J a me s Wh i t e i n 1881,

i t became t he dom nant Advent i st posi t i on f or some sevent y year s. Sm t h

al s o r e i nt e r p r e t e d t he ga t h er i ng o f a l l na t i o ns t o Ar ma ge ddo n as p r e di c t i ng

t he c om ng s t r uggl e of a l l po l i t i c al a nd m l i t a r y powe r s o ve r t he pos s e s s i on

of t he hol y t e r r i t or y or s epul c her s i n t he l and of Pal es t i ne.

The er a of W A. Spi cer

and others f r om1903- 1952 whi ch st r essed

Ar ma ge dd on as a p ur e l y s e c ul a r c o nf l i c t be t we en ea s t e r n an d we s t e r n na t i o ns

30



about worl d supr emacy cent er i ng i n Pal est i ne.

Thi s Eas t - Wes t c onf l i c t

woul d be t r i ggered by t he i mm nent end of Tur key, gener a l l y expect ed dur i ng

Wor l d War I . Af t er Wor l d War I I i t was pr oc l a i med t hat Ar mageddon woul d be

i gni t ed by a f i ght of eas t er n agai ns t wes t er n nat i ons over t he o i l depos i t s

i n t he M ddl e East . The second advent of Chr i st was f ormal l y added on as

t he cl i max of Ar mageddon.

4

The pr esent r ev i val of t he pi oneer pos i t i on

was i nt r oduced i n 1952 by W

E. Read. Advent i sm at l arge now hol ds agai n t he vi ew t hat t he end- t i me

power of Dani el 11 symbol i zes t he Papacy or apost ate Chr i st endomand i s

unf o l ded f u r t he r i n Reve l a t i on 12- 20. Ar mageddon i s s t r essed aga i n as t he

f i nal cosm c- uni ver sal bat t l e concer ni ng t he Sabbat h quest i on bet ween

heaven and ear t h, bet ween t he ar m es of Chr i st and t hose of Sat an at t he end

of t i me. I nc r eas i ngl y r e c ogni z ed ar e bot h t he pol i t i c al and t he r el i gi ous

aspect s of t he gr eat cont r oversy .

Hi s t or i c Devel opment of t he P r ophet i c Expos i t i ons

The M l l er i t e i nt er pr et er s adopt ed t he t r adi t i onal Pr ot est ant

posi t i on on t he seven l ast pl agues i n Revel at i on 16: f i ve of t hem wer e

f ul f i l l ed al r eady i n past hi st or y; t he si xt h pl ague concer ni ng t he

Euphr at es wat er s was i n t he pr ocess of f ul f i l l ment and r ef er r ed t o t he

di m ni shi ng pol i t i cal power of Tur key or Mohammedani sm Onl y t he sevent h

pl ague was s t i l l i n t he f ut ur e ( s ee

S. D. A Encycl opedi a.

Cor n. Ref . Ser i es

vol . 10, 1966 , p . 1000; document at i on i n

L . E. F r oom

The Pr ophet i c Fai t h of

Our Fat hers

[ abbr ev i at ed as PF ] vol 4, see I ndex , Seven Las t P l agues ) .

El l en and J ames Whi t e i ni t i at ed t he new vi ew t hat al l t he seven

pl agues wer e s t i l l i n t he f utur e , t o be poured out a f t e r human pr obat i on has

31



cl osed and pr i or t o t he second advent of Chr i st ( A Wor d t o t he Li t t l e

F l o ck [ 1847] p p. 1- 3; ' EW 36, 52; c f . F r o o m P F 4: 1060- 1061) . J . N. Andr ews

connect ed t he seven l ast pl agues as, t he f i nal out pour i ng of God s wr at h

o r g ani c al l y wi t h t he t h i r d a ngel ' s mes s a ge of Rev 14: 9- 11 ( RH, 6: 209; Apr i l

17, 1855) .

He vi ewed t he pl agues on Egypt as t ypes of t he seven l ast

pl agues and t her ef or e as l i t er al j udgment s of God.

Ev er s i nc e, S. D. A' s

c ons i der ed t he s ev en l a s t pl agues as a n i nt egr a l pa r t o f t he t hi r d a ngel ' s

message ( P . G. Damst eegt , Foundat i ons o f t he SDA Message and Mi ss i on, p .

214) . When t he phenomenon of modern Spi r i t i sm was i nterpr et ed as a

f ul f i l l ment of t he demoni c s pi r i t s i n Rev 16: 13- 14, t he ques t i on ar os e: I f

t he s i xt h pl ague was a l r eady i n pr oc es s of f ul f i l l ment i n Spi r i t i s m how c an

i t be s ai d t hat al l t he s even pl agues ar e s t i l l i n t he f ut ur e? Ur i ah Sm t h

answer ed by decl ar i ng t hat onl y the si xt h pl ague r equi r ed a speci al

pr eparatory work by t he demons bef ore the act ual pl agues came. Regardi ng

t he dr y i ng up of t he Euphr at es i n Rev 16: 12, W l l i a m Mi l l er a l r eady t aught

t ha t t hi s pr edi c t ed t he di m ni s hi ng o f t he Tur k i s h po wer , a s c ur r ent ev ent s

se eme d t o conf i r m ( Ev i de nce f r om Scr i pt ur e and Hi s t o ry o f t he Se cond Com ng

of Chr i s t , 1836, p. 185) .

So me o f t he e ar l i e s t S ev ent h- da y Adv ent i s t s , s u ch a s J o s i a h L i t c h,

hel d t hat t he l i t er al Euphr at es woul d m r acul ousl y dr y up as t he si xt h

pl ague of God' s wr at h. Li t ch, however , pl aced al l t he pl agues af t er t he

s ec ond adv ent ( P r o phet i c Ex pos i t i ons , v ol 1, 1842, p. 175) .

I n 1857 Ur i ah Sm t h adopt ed t he popul ar vi ew of t he Br i t i sh

pr em l l enni al i s t s t hat t he Euphr at es s y mbol i z ed t h e t er r i t or y t hr ough whi c h

: i t f l o ws , whi c h was a t t ha t t i me t h e Tur k i s h Empi r e ( R H, J une 18, 1857) .

Maki ng t he geogr aphi c M ddl e East t he deci si ve nor m of end- t i me pr ophecy

32



became t he st andard Advent i st posi t i on f or many years see e. g. W

Fr ench, Ar mageddon. P r i v at e publ . , Angwi n, CA, 1942 , Ch 2) .

I n 1862 Ur i ah Sm t h i nt r oduced i nt o Advent i sm t he vi ew t hat t he

t hr e e de mo ni c s pi r i t s o f Re v 16: 13 a i me d t o ga t h er a l l t he ki ngs o r na t i o ns

t o Pal es t i ne t o bat t l e over t he hol y l and. At t hat t i me J er us al em was i n

t he hands of t he Tur ks. Dur i ng t hat i nt er nat i onal bat t l e at J er usal em

Tur key woul d come to i t s end. Thi s woul d be the si xt h pl ague and woul d

pr e pa r e t he wa y f o r t he Ki ngs of t he Ea s t o r t h e e as t e r n nat i o ns t o f i ght

at J er usal em t he sevent h pl ague) . Onl y af t er t he nat i ons of Chr i st endom

ha d m l i t ar i l y def ea t e d T ur k ey i n P al e s t i ne , wo ul d t he Or i e nt al nat i ons c ome

f r om t he Eas t t o j oi n t he Chr i s t i an nat i ons i n t hei r war agai ns t Chr i s t .

He expl ai ned t he sevent h pl ague as a m l i t ar y war of Babyl on,

consi st i ng of t he uni f i ed ar m es o

bot h Chr i st i an and easter n) pagan

nat i ons, agai nst Chr i st . Sm t h t r i ed to const r ue some connect i on bet ween

t he m l i t ar y oper at i ons of t he nat i ons and t hei r r el i gi ous r ebel l i on agai ns t

Chr i s t by c r eat i ng i n t he m nds o f t he pol i t i c al l eader s t he as s umpt i on of a

hi dden pur pose t o f i ght agai nst God RH 21: 5; Dec 2, 1862) . I t i s

not ewor t hy t o obse r ve t hat Ur i ah Sm t h never t aught t hat Ar mageddon was a

war bet ween East er n and West er n nat i ons.

Mo s t e ar l y S. D. A' s , s u c h a s J a me s Whi t e , ma i n t a i ne d, h owe ve r , t he

pi oneer vi ew t hat Ar mageddon di d not si gni f y any war bet ween one nat i on

a ga i ns t a no t h er , but t he f i na l c os m c - uni v er s a l ba t t l e bet ween hea ven and

e ar t h, be t we en Chr i s t a nd Sa t a n ( RH, J a n. 21, 1862, p. 61) . T he ga t he r i ng

o f a l l n at i o ns a ga i n s t Go d i n Re v 1 6: 1 3- 14 wa s c on ce i v ed as a g at he r i n g o r

uni t i ng of m nds i n opposi t i on t o Chr i st and Hi s peopl e, r at her t han as

a s s embl i ng of ar m es t o a Mi ddl e Eas t l oc at i on. Dani el ' s Ki ng of t he No r t h

33



wa s ge ne r a l l y , he l d t o r e pr e s ent t he Pa pa c y. Bu t i n t he y ea r 1 871, a f t e r t he

P ope l os t h i s p ol i t i c a l po wer i n 1870, Ur i ah Sm t h s uddenl y c hanged hi s

po s i t i o n on t h e Ki ng of t he Nor t h f r o m t he Papa cy t o Tur k ey ( s e e F r o om P F,

1 11 6) . I n 18 78 h e we nt s o f a r a s t o pr e di c t t h at T ur k e y' s e nd wa s i mm n en t

a nd t h at we h av e r e ac h ed t h e p r e l i m n ar y mo ve me nt s o f t h e g r e a t b a t t l e o f

Ar ma ge dd on ( RH, J u ne 6, 1 878 ) . St i l l t o da y, i n t he 1944 e di t i o n, we r e ad

t hi s i nt er pr et a t i on of Re v 16: 12, The dr y i ng up of t he r i ver i n t hi s s ens e

woul d be t h e di m nut i on of t he Tur k i s h nat i on, t he gr adual s hr i nk i ng of i t s

bo r d er s . . Su r e l y t h e n at i o n s y mbo l i z ed by t h e Eu ph r a t e s j

up

( p p. 692, 693 ) .

Suc h s e ns a t i o na l s pe c ul a t i o n a bo ut t h e Ea s t e r n que s t i o n, s e em ng l y

s u bs t ant i a t e d by cur r e nt e ve nt s o f t h e war be t we en Tu r k e y an d Ru s s i a ( 1 87 7) ,

c a u s e d J a me s Wh i t e t o s t a t e t h at Ur i a h Sm t h wa s r e mo v i n g t h e l a nd ma r k s

f ul l y e s t a bl i s h ed i n t h e Adv ent Mo ve me nt ( RH, No v. 29, 18 77) . I n a n a r t i -

c l e i n t h e Re vi e w a nd He r a l d of Oc t . 3 , 1 87 8, J a me s Wh i t e ar g ue d t h at t h e

l a s t p owe r o f Da ni e l 1 1 c o ve r s t h e s a me gr o un d o f c h ap t e r s 2 , 7 , a nd 8.

T hu s , J a me s Wh i t e d ef e nd ed t h e So l a Sc r i p t u r a me t h od o f B i bl e i n t e r p r e t a -

t i on. The r e c ent hi s t or y of Tur k ey ha s br ought a l l Pr ot es t ant pr edi c t i ons

o f i t s i mm ne nt d em s e t o s h ame . T he v er y o ppo s i t e o f a de t e r i o r a t i ng s i c k

ma n a c t u al l y t o ok pl a c e, a s v i v i d l y de s c r i bed by t he f a mo us hi s t o r i a n

Ar n ol d J . T oy nbe e, i n hi s b oo k T ur k ey of 1 926 ( L on do n; s e e p p. 4- 1 3; s e e

a l s o t h e s o ber i ng r epo r t o f A. V. Ol s e n i n 1952, i n Our F i r m F ounda t i o n, v ol

2, 547) .

I n 1903 Ur i a h Sm t h di e d a nd i mme di a t e l y a t h i r d ph as e o f Ad ve nt i s t

i nt e r p r e t a t i o n o f Ar ma ge ddo n wa s i ni t i a t e d, o f whi c h W A. Spi c e r wa s t h e

c hi e f pr o ponent . Thi s i nf l uent i a l edi t or o f t he Revi ew and Her a l d ( l at er

34



Ge ne r a l Co nf e r e nc e pr e s i de nt ) de f e nde d t he vi e w t ha t t he ev i l s p i r i t s o f Re v

16: 13, 14 wer e now speed i l y gat her i ng a l l t he wor l d t o Ar mageddon ( Wor l d War

I ) . He s t at ed: Bef or e our v er y ey es t he pr ophec y i s f ul f i l l i ng ( RH, Oc t .

22, 1903) .

Unw t t i ngl y he made cur rent events t he gui di ng normf or

unde r s t andi ng unf ul f i l l e d pr o phe cy by s ugges t i ng:

Let us pl ace si de by

si de some of the utterances of the prophets of ol d and the wri t i ngs of

publ i c men today concerni ng thi s Eastern quest i on that marks the f i nal

cri si s of hi story ( I bi d. , pp. 6, 7) .

Thi s vi ew and met hod became t he

a cc ept e d s t a nda r d of SDA pr o phe t i c i nt e r p r e t a t i o n, a l t ho ugh i nc i de nt a l

voi ces of t he pi oneer vi ew coul d be hear d ( M C. W l cox, i n Si gns of t he

Ti mes , Oc t . 10, 1911; W T. Bar t l et t ) .

The i nf l uent i al S. N. Has k el l wr ot e i n 1908:

Al l k no w t hat when t he Tur k s t e ps o ut o f Co ns t a nt i no pl e, t her e wi l l be a

gener a l br eak i ng up of Eur ope . They may not name t he i mpendi ng conf l i c t

t he ba t t l e of Ar ma ge ddon , but God has s o name d i t ( The St o r y o f Da ni e l

t he Pr o phet , 19 08 ed. , p. 283) .

The Ch i nese r evo l u t i on i n 1911 s t i mu l a t ed t he i dea t hat Ar mageddon

woul d be basi cal l y a war bet ween nat i ons ( ki ngs ) f r om t he East agai nst

those of the West . The f our art i cl es by R. C. Porter i n the Revi ew and

Heral d of J ul y and August , 1913, were based on the assumpt i on that

Ar magedd on was essent i a11 7 an Eas t - Wes t con f l i c t . I nc r eas i ng emp has i s was

pl ac ed on t he pol i t i c al r o l e of t he Or i ent al nat i ons , es pec i al l y of J apan

and the whi te man' s f ear f or the yel l ow peri l ) . Thi s expressi on was

a dopt e d f r om t he s e cul a r p r e s s by G. I But l e r , ( The Sout he r n Wa t chma n, J a n.

3 , 1905) and by C. B. Haynes i n hi s book, On t he Eve of Ar mageddon ( 1946) ,

p. 54 , and became par t o f t he new Advent i s t East - West concept o f Ar mageddon.

When t he p ol i t i ca l d evel opment s d ur i ng and af t e r Wor l d War I began

35



t o s how t hat Tur k ey was unl i k el y t o f ul f i l l t he Adv ent i s t pr edi c t i ons of t he

Ki ng o f t he No r t h i n Da n 11: 45, a nd o f J a pa n t h at o f t he Ki ngs o f t he Ea s t

i n Re v 16: 12, Adv ent i s t wr i t e r s be ga n t o s t r e s s mo r e t he i de a o f a uni v er s a l

Ar mageddon w t h i t s deci si ve bat t l e

n

Pal est i ne. But t he i mm nent

expul s i on of Tur k ey f r o m Eur o pe r e mai ned t he f i r m pr edi c t i on o f Adv ent i s t

aut hor s , i n s pi t e o f T ur k ey ' s s ur v i v al and r ev i v al af t er Wo r l d War I ( e. g.

by A. G. Dani el l s, Si gns of t he Ti mes, Apr i l 11, 1916; and The Pr esent

T r u t h, No v. 15, 1917; a l s o A Wo r l d i n Pe r p l e xi t y . RH, 1918, pp. 83- 101) .

The 1919 Bi b l e Conf e r ence and Bi b l e Teacher s ' Counc i l r eexam ned t he

S. D. A i nt e r p r e t a t i o ns o f Da ni e l 11 a nd wa s i nt e ns i v el y o c cupi e d wi t h t he

Ea s t e r n Que s t i o n ( c o ve r i ng 247 pa ge s o f t he T r a ns c r i pt ; c f . RH, Augus t 11,

1919) . I t deci ded f i nal l y t o mai nt ai n Tur key as t he ki ng of t he nor t h i n

Dan 11: 45, hopi ng t hat t he po l i t i c al ev ent s m ght t ur n out t o j us t i f y t hi s

l o ng- s t a ndi ng Adv ent i s t po s i t i o n. Whe n t he T ur k i s h P ar l i a me nt a bo l i s h ed t he

Ca l i pha t e i n 1923, t he Adv ent i s t po s i t i o n c ha nged t o s t r e s s agai n an Eas t -

West Ar mageddon war as was t aught bef or e Wor l d War I ) . Now Communi st

Russ i a was v i ewed as t he l eader o f t he k i ngs o f t he eas t , who woul d come t o

Pal est i ne t o ' f i ght t he bat t l e of Ar mageddon agai nst t he west ( see E. R.

T hi e l e , Si gns o f t he Ti me s , De c. 11, 1923) .

W t h t he ap pr oach o f Wor l d War

I I

specul a t i ons abounded about t he

expect ed r ea l i gnment o f t he nat i ons . The new emphas i s o f Ar mageddon became

once agai n a uni ver sal bat t l e of nat i ons i n t he M ddl e East . The cent r al

i ssue at st ake i n Ar mageddon r emai ned, however, a perpl exi ng eni gma, as

exp res sed b y F r eder i ck Lee : One' s m nd b ecomes conf used as one end eavor s

t o f i gur e out a n o r d er l y and de f i ni t e a ppr o ac h t o t h e l a s t g r e at wa r , s u ch

as l i ni ng up nat i ons and r aces upon one si de or another ( RU, August 31,

36



1939). Perhaps the first author who published in a denominational magazine

the view that Armageddon would be a conflict over a religious issue, was

'George McCready Price (Signs of the Times, May 7, 1946).

The modern breakthrough of the original position of our founding

fathers had to wait until 1952, when W. E. Read, a respected administrator

and researcher, gave his epoch-making Bible lecture called The Great

Controversy, at the S.D.A. Bible Conference in Takoma Park, MD (see Our

Firm Foundation, vol 2, RH 1953, pp. 237-335). W. E. Read restored Christ

and His faithful remnant at the center of a universal Armageddon

He stated

that this will be in essence the final battle between truth and error,

the battle against the saints (pp. 307, 308). It will suddenly end by

the voice of God bringing deliverance to the saints. This deliverance of

God's people will cause the mutual slaughter of the nations, which will be

motivated by the rage that their prey has been snatched from their grasp

(p. 309). During this universal scene of self-destruction, Christ will ride

forth as Conqueror from heaven to wage war against the beast and his armies

(Rev 17:14; 19:19).

The extensive presentation of W. E. Read was mostly a systematic

exposition of E. G. White's view, not a systematic exegetical Bible study.

Yet, some outstanding evangelists and church leaders immediately supported

his Christocentric interpretation of Armageddon as the universal war against

the true church of Christ. (W. H., Branson, Drama of the Ages. Southern

Publ. Assn., 1953 ed., pp. 473-480; R. A. Anderson, Unfolding the

Revelation. Pacific Press Publ. Assn., 1953, pp. 167; P. K. Freiwirth,

Valleys of the Bible. Voice of Prophecy. Los Angeles, CA 1953, pp. 867-

88). To present an in-depth study of Armageddon in its biblical context was

37



t he pr i mar y conc er n of t he Aus t r al i an ev angel i s t , L oui s F . Wer e, i n hi s

i nf l uent i a l books The Cer t ai nt y of t he Thi r d Angel ' s Message ( 1945) ; The

Woman and the Resurr ect ed Beast ( 1952) , The Ki ngs t hat Come f r om t he

Sunr i s i ng ( 1951) ; The Ki ng of t he Nor t h at J er usal em ( 1949) ; and Mr s . E. G.

Whi t e . Ur i ah Sm t h and the Ki ng o f t he Nor t h ( 1955) . He not onl y exposed

t he t h en popul ar pol i t i c al expec t a t i ons i n Advent i s m f or what t hey r e al l y

wer e, unj us t i f i ed specul a t i ons , but al so expl a i ned what t he r ea l cause was

f t eac hi ng f al s e pr ophec y: t he denom nat i onal ov er s i ght of def i ni ng t h e

pr oper NT her meneut i cal pr i nc i pl es f or pr ophet i c i nt er pr et a t i on.

But t he Gener al Conf erence no l onger del ayed. I t appoi nt ed a

Comm t t ee on Bi bl i cal St udy and Resear ch t o r evi ew t he t r adi t i onal

i nt er pr et at i on on Dani el 11. I t s r epor t , publ i s hed i n Mi ni s t r y, Mar c h,

1954, pp. 22- 27, t ook i s sue wi t h Ur i ah Sm t h' s i nt er pr et at i ons of Dan 11: 36-

39 as pr edi c t i ng t he F r ench r e vo l ut i on and o f 11 : 40- 45 as r ef er r i ng t o

Tur key, and f ound bot h appl i cat i ons exeget i ca l l y want i ng and f undament a l l y

devi a t i ng f r om our more de f ens i b l e pi oneer v i ew. The comm t t ee conc l uded

unani mous l y t hat on Dan 11: 36- 45 Ur i ah Sm t h, i t se ems , r ef l ec t ed t he

popul ar Pr o t e s t ant and s ec ul ar v i ewpo i nt ( p. 2 4) , and t hat he al l o wed

hi msel f t o be i nf l uenced t oo much by t he cur r ent r e l i gi ous - po l i t i cal event s

of hi s t i me. The s t udy comm t t ee res t or ed t he pi oneer v i ew t hat not Fr ance,

but t he Papacy was t he power r e f err ed t o i n Dan 11: 36- 39, dec l ar i ng: That

t hi s i s t he c or r ec t a nd hi s t or i c al denom nat i onal i nt er pr et at i on was t h e

convi ct i on of t he comm t t ee, who wer e i n compl ete agr eement i n t hi s

concl usi on ( pp. 24, 25) . The passage of Dan 11: 40- 45 was consi der ed

l ar gel y as unf ul f i l l ed pr ophec y ( p. 26 ) . The r epor t a dv i s ed not t o s et

f o r t h dogmat i cal l y t he cour se o f human h i s t ory, l es t we assume t he r o l e o f

8



prophets ourselves (p. 27).

he committee admitted that it was divided

with regard to its basic hermeneutics or guidelines to interpret Dan 11:40-

45.

Most members, if not all, still assumed that the king of the north

and the king of the south in these verses must play their part in the

final history within . . the eastern Mediterranean (p. 26). It suggested

even the use of the dangerous principle that these verses need to be

studied in the light of present-day developments (p. 26). There were,

however, some members of

t h i s

committee who felt that Dan 11 should be

studied in connection with Revelation 17 and 18 (p. 26). It becomes

apparent from this committee report that the lack of basic unity concerning

prophetic interpretation in Adventism goes beyond any differences regarding

isolated Scripture passages. The fundamental problem was the burning issue

f establishing clearly those biblical principles of interpretation that

Must guide responsible exegesis of Scripture. This deeper issue was pursued

by the Biblical Research Committee (renamed later: B. R. Institute) of the

General Conference in 1974 it its book: A Symposium on Biblical

Hermeneutics (ed. G. M. Hyde). This broad compilation forms a milestone in

Adventist history of interpretation. It marks the beginning of a new

appreciation of Christ-centered expository preaching, but most of all, the

first denominational effort to spell out our Adventist principles of

prophetic interpretation (see chapters 10-13).

The Christocentric hermeneutic was consistently maintained within a

revived typological understanding of the unity of both Testaments. The

gospel key was now applied systematically to the connection of the ancient

plagues on Egypt and the seven last plagues in Revelation (ch 13). The

9



cont r oversi al pr edi ct i ve passages of Dan 11: 45 and Rev 16: 12 were

i nt er pr et ed i n t he l i ght of t he gos pel of J es us Chr i s t i ns t ead of t hat of

c ur r e nt e vent s . T he bo ok of Re ve l at i o n was c ons i de r e d c ons i s t e nt l y as t he

adv anc ed unf ol di ng and Chr i s t ol ogi c al i nt er pr et at i on of Dani el ( p. 246) .

No l o ng er ge ogr a phy or t e r r i t o r y , b ut Chr i s t wa s ac c e pt e d a s t h e gui di ng

nor m of pr ophet i c i nt er pr et at i on.

Ex ampl es o f t he new s ens e of ex eget i c al r es pons i bi l i t y i n pr ophet i c

i n te r pr e t a t i on can be seen i n t he seven vol ume Sevent h- day Advent i s t Bi b l e

Co mment a r y ( ed. F . D. Ni ch ol ; Rev i ew and He r a l d P ub l . As s n . , 1953- 57,

a l t hough s t i l l ambi gui t y r e i gned i n o f f e r i ng t he r eader a c ho i c e be tween t he

Pal est i ne- cent ered and t he Chr i st - cent ered i nt erpret at i on r egardi ng

Ar mageddon ( see 7: 842, 843) .

Unambi guous , however , i s t he Sevent h- day Advent i s t Bi bl e Di c t i ona ry ,

v ol 8 of Cor n. Ref . Ser i es ; ed. S. H. , Hor n; RH 1960) , wi t h i t s c ons i s t ent

t y po l o gi ca l p er s pe c t i v e o f Ar ma ge ddo n ( pp. 7 1- 72) , t hus o pt i ng o nl y f o r

t he cont ext ual v i ew o f Sc r i pt ure whi ch was pr esented i n t he Bi b l e Comment ar y

as t he second vi ew.

F ur t her wi t nes s es of t he Chr i s t - c ent er ed Bi bl e or i ent at i on ar e t he

comment ar i es on Dani e l by G. McCr eady Pr i ce : The Gr eat est o f t he Prophet s

Paci f i c Press Publ . Assn. , 1955, pp. 318, 319) and Ti me of t he End

( Sout her n Publ . As sn . , 1967, ch. 12; and by D. For d: Dani e l ( Sout her n Publ .

As s n. , 1978 ) .

Any Mi ddl e- Eas t appl i cat i on o f t he end- t i me pr ophec i es was r adi cal l y

el i m nat ed, f r om a s y s t emat i c her meneut i c al poi nt of v i ew. The f ai t hf ul

r emnant c hur c h was r e i ns t i t ut ed as t he f oca l c ent e r o f Ar mageddon, t he f i nal

conf l i c t bet ween heaven and ear t h . G. McCr eady Pr i ce comment ed: Then what

40



a t r aves t y of f ac t s t o speak of i t [ Ar mageddon] as a m l i t ar y af f ai r i n a

l i t t l e c or ner of Sout hwes t er n As i a " ( T i me of t he End, p. 163) .

T he r e c ent t r e nd t o e xe ge t i c a l - a c ade m c ex c el l e nc e c a n be s e en i n

t he ar t i c l e s o f U. Si e gber t , " Di e T ypol o gi s c he Be deu t u ng des Be gr i f f s

Baby l on" ( AUSS 12: 2 [ 1974] : 112- 125) , and o f W H. Shea, " The Locat i on and

S i gn i f i cance o f Ar mageddon i n Rev 16 : 16" ( AUSS 18: 2 [ 19801: 157- 162) .

I n t h e wor l dwi de e va nge l i s t i c ou t r e ac h o f t h e Ch ur c h , h owe ve r , t h e

t r adi t i onal P al es t i ne f oc us i s wi del y mai nt ai ned unt i l t oday . One l eadi ng

evangel i s t publ i c l y announced i n 1975 t hat Ar mageddon had t o t ake pl ace i n

Pal est i ne bef or e t he pi pel i ne t o Al aska woul d be compl et ed Anot her

evangel i s t pub l i shed as h i s v i ew t hat t he i mm nence o f Ar mageddon must be

r el at ed t o t h e dec r e as i ng oi l depos i t s i n t h e wor l d

Re pr e s ent a t i v e o f t h e ne w Ch r i s t o ce nt r i c a ppr o ac h t o Da ni e l a nd

Reve l a t i on i n Advent i sm ar e present l y t he t wo vo l umes God Car es ( Revi ew and

Hera l d Publ . Assn. , 1981 and 1985) by C. Mervyn Maxwel l , P r o f essor o f Chur ch

Hi s t or y at t he S . D. A. Theo l ogi ca l Sem nar y , Andr ews Uni ver s i t y . The Andr ews

Un i v er s i t y Pr es s pu bl i s h ed i n 1 98 3 t h e mo no gr aph of H. LaRo nde l l e , The

I s r a el of God i n Pr ophec y. Pr i nc i pl es of Pr ophet i c I nt er pr et at i on. I t

c ons i s t s o f a s ys t emat i c unf ol di ng of t he under l y i ng pr i nc i pl es by whi c h t he

NT i s appar ent l y gu i ded i n i t s Ch r i s t oc ent r i c gos pel appl i c at i on of t he OT .

Spec i al at t ent i on i s gi ven t o t he c ont r over s i al t er r i t or i al pr om s es of God

t o I s r ael ( Ch. 9) . T he s pec i f i c appl i c at i on of t he gos pel her meneut i c t o

t he seven l as t p l agues and t o Ar mageddon as t he c l i max o f t he hol y war s o f

Yahweh i n t he OT ( by t he same aut hor ) was publ i shed by t he Revi ew and Her al d

Publ . As s n. i n 1987, under t he t i t l e: Char i ot s of Sal vat i on. T he Bi bl i c al

Dr ama of Ar mageddon.

41



I n revi ew of t he t ur bul ent hi st ory of Advent i st Armageddon

i nterpretat i ons we can onl y concur w th the observat i on of Raymond F.

Cot t r e l l , whe n he c onc l ude d t ha t t he f or mul at i on of bi bl i c al he r me ne ut i c al

pr i nc i pl es i s i ndi s pens abl e f or denom nat i onal and ev angel i s t i c uni t y of our

unders t andi ng and pr ocl amat i on o f t he f i na l event s :

The i mpor t ance of agr eement on a se t o f val i d pr i nc i p l e s i s emphas i zed

by t he f ac t t hat al l pr i mar y pr oo f o f Tur k ey or an Ea s t - Wes t c onf l i c t

bei ng i n any way r e l at ed t o t he Ar mageddon of pr ophecy was based on a

process of specul at i ve reasoni ng der i ved excl usi vel y f romuni nspi red

sour ces

Pi oneer Vi ews on Dani el El even and Ar mageddon,

1951, p. 24) .

42



Ellen G. White's View of Armageddon

'Ellen White has interpreted Armageddon not in isolation from the

biblical context, but in the setting of the seven last plagues of Rev 15-17.

She further related the plagues organically to the OT types and prophecies.

Her comprehensive concept was: In the Revelation all the books of the

Bible meet and end (AA 585). In The Great Controversy, (first published in

1884) she describes the first four plagues on p. 628, but continues her

explanation of the fifth, sixth, and the seventh plagues only on pages 636,

after having sketched first the historical background and the religious

political development that provoked the outpouring of the final plague-

judgments. To her, the central pivot on which hinge all the plagues is the

Israel of God. In her view the last plagues function as the historical

antitype of the plagues on Egypt that clearly intended to deliver the

oppressed Israel. The last plagues therefore likewise aim to rescue God's

remnant people: But the Holy One who divided the Red Sea before Israel,

will manifest His mighty power and turn their captivity (GC 634). She

devotes a whole chapter (ch. 40) to describe the divine intervention on

behalf of God's people during the last three plagues. This crucial chapter,

God's people Delivered, sets the stage by mentioning the preparations in

different lands to outlaw the children of God.

It is now, in the hour of utmost extremity, that the God of Israel will

interpose for the deliverance of His chosen (p. 635).

After citing Isaiah 30:29-30, And the Lord shall cause His glorious

voice to be heard (p. 635), she describes how the last three plagues will

find their fulfillment (pp. 635-636):

With shouts of triumph, jeering and imprecation, throngs of evil men

43



than the darkness of the night, falls upon the earth. Then a rainbow,

shining with the glory from the throne of God, spans the heavens and

t h

plague seems to encircle each praying company. The angry multitudes are

suddenly arrested. Their mocking cries die away. The objects of their

murderous rage are forgotten. With fearful forebodings they gaze upon

the symbol of God's covenant, and long to be shielded from its

overpowering brightness. . .

It is at midnight that God manifests His power for the deliverance of

His people. The sun appears, shining in its strength. Signs and

wonders follow in quick succession . .

plague In the midst of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable

glory, whence comes the voice of God like the sound of many waters,

saying, "It is done" (Rev 16: 17).

That voice shakes the heavens and the earth.

here is a mighty

earthquake, "such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an

earthquake, and so great" (Rev 16 :17, 18) . .

Prison walls are rent asunder, and God's people, who have been held in

bondage for their faith, are set free" (pp. 635-637) .

E. G. White describes here the order of the fifth until the seventh

plagues. The apocalyptic Euphrates River does not represent to her m erely

multitudes or people in general, but those angry multitudes who are

supporting and obeying the great harlot Babylon. In other words, these

multitudes are hostile to the true Israel of God.

The divine judgment of the sixth plague is described as the drying

up of the Euphrates' waters. In the light of the OT typology, this "drying

up" signifies a sudden withdrawal of support of Babylon by the multitudes

who are awakened to their true situation before God by the sign of the

rainbow over the faithful remnant during the fifth plague. E. G. White

therefore explains the meaning of the antitypical drying up of the

Babylonian waters as referring to the deluded enemies of God's people, "The

angry multitudes are suddenly arrested" (p. 636) .

In chapter 41 she explains the downfall of Babylon by expanding on

44



the reason why these multitudes will suddenly become angry and begin to hate

the great harlot Babylon to the effect of attacking and destroying her (Rev

17:15-17): She describes the beginning of the seventh plague as follows:

When the voice of God turns the captivity of His people, there is a

terrible awakening of those who have lost all in the great conflict of

life (p. 654).

How Babylon finally is destroyed by these angry multitudes is a much

neglected interpretation of Armageddon in traditional Adventism:

The multitudes are filled with fury. "We are lost" they cry, "And you

are the cause of our ruin;" and they turn upon the false shepherds. . .

The swords which were to slay God's people, are now employed to destroy

their enemies. Everywhere there is stri fe and bloodshed. . . The work

of destruction begins among those who have professed to be the spiritual

guardians of the people. The false watchmen are the first to fall (p.

656):

This is Ellen White's use of Revelation 17:16 in unfolding further

the seventh plague and Armageddon. The spiritual controvery of the end-time

erupts finally in a universal bloodbath in which the apostate spiritual

leaders and shepherds are the first to fall. The whole issue is one of

faithfulness versus apostasy of the everlasting covenant of God. This is E.

G. White's theocentric view of Armageddon.

It is striking that her interpretation of the drying up of the

Euphrates as well as Armageddon, in contrast to those of Uriah Smith s

published twelve years earlie r, is free from any geographical Middle-East

notions.

n her writings all end-time applications of prophecy are

consistently God- and Christ-centered.

very application of apocalyptic

symbolism furthermore functions in a living relationship with Christ and

with His remnant people, the Israel of God. This is the reason why she

combines the various portrayals of the last war against the saints of God in

Rev 12; 13; 14; 16; 17; and 19 into one organic whole. In the prelude to

45



Armageddon only two parties are being formed in mortal combat:

There are on ly two part ies upon this earth--those who stand under the

bloodstained banner of Jesus Christ and those who stand under the black

banner of rebellion. In the twelfth chapter of Revelation is repre-

sented the great conflict between the obedient and the disobedient [Rev

12:17; 13:11-17 quoted] (MS 16, 1900; cited in 7 BC 974).

The Sabbath question will be the issue in the grea t conflict in which

all the world will act a part [Rev 13:4-8, 10 quoted] (MS 88, 1897;

cited in 7 BC 979).

There are only two parties in our world, those who are loyal to God, and

those who stand under the banner of the prince of darkness. S atan and

his angels will come down with power and signs and lying wonders to

deceive those who dwell on the earth and if possible the very elect.

The crisis is right upon us (MS 172, 1899; cited in 7 BC 982).

In the warfare to be waged in the last days there will be united, in

opposition to God's people, all the corrupt powers that have apostatized

from allegiance to the law of Jehovah. In this warfare the Sabbath of

the fourth commandment will be the great point at issue; for in the

Sabbath commandment the great Lawgiver identifies Himself as the Creator

of the heavens and the earth MS 24, 1891; cited in 7 BC 983 on Rev

17:13, 14).

As Christ was glorified on the day of Pentecost, so will He again be

glorified in the closing work of the gospel, when He shall prepare a

people to stand the final test, in the closing conflict of the great

controversy (RH, Nov. 29, 1892; cited in 7 BC 983; on Rev 17:14).

The battle of Arm ageddon is soon t o be fought. He on whose vesture is

(written the name, King of kings and Lord of lords leads forth the armies

of heaven on white horses, clothed in fine linen, clean and white (MS

172, 1899; cited in 7 BC 982; cf. 6 T 606).

Every form of evil is to spring into intense activity.

vil angels

unite their powers with evil men, and as they have been in constant

conflict and attained an experience in the best modes of deception and

battle, and have been strengthening for centuries, they will not yield

the last great final contest without a desperate struggle. All the

world will be on one side or the other of the question: The battle of

Armageddon will be fought, and that day must find none of us sleeping.

Wide awake we must be, as wise virgins having oil i n our vessels with

our lamps. .

The power of the Holy Ghost must be upon us, and the Captain of the

Lord's host will stand at the head of the angels of heaven to direct the

battle. Solemn events before us are yet to transpire. Trumpet after

trumpet is to be sounded, vial after vial poured out one after another

upon the inhabitants of the earth. Scenes of stupendous interest are

right upon us (Letter 109, 1890; cited in 7 BC 982).

46



Two gr eat oppos i n g power s a r e reveal ed i n t h e l a s t g rea t ba t t l e . On one

s i de s t a nds t he Cr e at o r o f he av en a nd e ar t h. Al l o n Hi s s i d e be ar Hi s

s i gn et . T he y a r e o be di e nt t o Hi s c omma nd s . On t h e o t h er s i de s t a nd s

t he pr i nce of darkness w t h t hose who have chosen apost asy and

r e bel l i on

J

7, 1 901 ; c i t ed i n 9 BC 9 82, 9 83) .

T he pr e s ent i s a s ol e mn, f e ar f ul t i me f o r t h e c hur c h. T he a nge l s a r e

a l r e ady gi r d ed, a wa i t i ng t h e ma nda t e o f Go d t o po ur t he i r v i a l s o f wr a t h

up on t h e wor l d . Des t r oyi n g ang el s a r e t ak i n g up t h e wor k of veng eanc e ;

f or t he Spi r i t of God i s gr adual l y wi t hdr awi ng f r om t he wor l d. Sat an i s

al s o mus t er i ng hi s f or c es of ev i l , go i ng f or t h ' unt o t he k i ngs of t he

e ar t h a nd of t he who l e wo r l d , ' t o ga t he r t he m unde r h i s b anne r , t o be

t r ai ned f or ' t he bat t l e of t hat gr eat day of God Al m ght y. ' Sat an i s t o

ma ke mo s t p owe r f ul e f f o r t s f o r t he ma s t e r y i n t he l a s t g r e at c onf l i c t .

Funda me nt a l p r i nci p l e s wi l l be b ro ught o ut , a nd dec i s i o ns ma de i n r e gar d

t o t h em Sk ept i c i s m i s pr ev ai l i ng ev er ywher e. Ungodl i nes s a bounds .

T he f a i t h of i ndi v i dua l me mbe r s o f t he chur c h wi l l be t e s t e d a s t ho ugh

t he r e we r e no t a no t h er pe r s o n i n t he wo r l d ( MS l a , 1 89 0, c i t e d i n 7 BC

983) .

We ne ed t o s t ud y t he po ur i n g o ut o f t h e s e v en t h vi a l . T he po we r s o f

ev i l wi l l not yi e l d up t he conf l i c t wi t hout a s t r uggl e. But Pr ovi dence

has a par t t o act i n t he bat t l e of Ar mageddon. When t he ear t h i s

l i ght ed w t h t he gl or y of t he angel of Revel at i on ei ght een t he

r e l i gi o us e l e me nt s , go od and ev i l , wi l l a wa ke f r om s l umber , a nd t h e

ar m e s o f t he l i v i ng Go d wi l l t a ke t he f i e l d ( MS 175, 1899; c i t ed i n 7

BC 983.

The e ar t h i s t o be t he ba t t l ef i e l d- - t he s c ene o f t he f i na l c ont es t a nd

t he f i nal v i c t o r y . . . ( RH, May 13, 1902) .

El l en Whi t e expl i c i t l y cal l s t he por t r ayal of Chr i s t com ng as t he

heaven l y War r i o r on a wh i t e hor se i n Rev 19 t he bat t l e o f Ar mageddon.

T he ba t t l e o f Ar mageddon i s s oon t o be f ought . He on whose ves t u r e

i s wr i t t en t he name, Ki ng of k i ngs , and L or d o f l or ds , i s s o on t o l e ad

f o r t h t he ar m e s of he av en ( 6 T 4 06 ) .

47



BBLIOGR P HY

Andr ews. J . N. The Thr ee Messages of Revel at i on XI V. 6 12. Revi ew and

He r a l d P ubl . Co . , 1 892; r e pr i nt e d e d. 1 970 by So ut he r n Publ . As s n .

Co mm t t e e o n Bi b l i c a l S t u dy a nd Re s e ar c h . Re po r t o n t h e E l e ve nt h Ch ap t e r

of Dani el , Mi ni s t r y , Mar c h 1954, pp. 22- 27. ( s ee L i t . l i s t o n p.

22) .

Da ms t e egt , P . G. F ou nd at i o ns o f t h e S . D. A. Me s s a ge a nd Mi s s i o n. Ee r d ma ns ,

1977.

F r o om L . E. The Pr o phet i c Fa i t h of our Fat her s . 4 vol s . , vol . I V. Revi ew

and He r a l d P ub l . As s n . , 19 54.

L aRo nde l l e , H. K. Ch ar i o t s o f S al v at i o n. Th e Bi b l i c al Dr a ma of Ar ma ge dd on .

Re vi e w and He r a l d P ub l . As s n . , 1 98 7.

Ma ns e l l , D. E.

T he Hi s t o r i c a l De ve l o pme nt o f S . D. A. T ea c hi n g Co nc e r n i n g

Ar ma ge dd on a nd t h e Ki n g o f t h e No r t h .

( Unpubl . Es s ay , f r om t he

aut ho r , 1985) .

A br i ef s ur vey i n Mi ni s t r y , No v. 1967, pp. 26- 29;

Dec.

1 967, pp. 30- 32; a nd i n Yo ut h ' s I ns t r uc t o r , De c. 17 a nd 24,

1968.

Read, W E.

Th e Gr e at Co nt r o ve r s y , i n:

Our F i r m Foundat i on. Vo l . 2.

Re vi e w and He r a l d Pu bl . As s n . , 1 953; p p. 2 37 - 335.

S m t h , U. T he P r o ph ec i e s of Da ni e l a nd t h e Re ve l a t i o n. Re vi e w a nd He r a l d

P ubl . As s n. , ( r ev. ed. , 1944) . The ea r l i es t edi t i o ns wer e i n 1873

( T hough t s on Dani e l ) ; and 1 88 1) .

St r and, K. A. I nt e r p r e t i ng t he Bo ok o f Revel a t i o n, 2nd ed. , Na pl es ,

Fl or i da, 1979.

Wer e, L . F .

Mr s . E. G. Whi t e . Ur i a h Sm t h. a nd t he Ki ng of t he Nor t h.

Pr i vat e Publ . by aut hor , Mel bour n e, Vi c t . Aus t r al i a ( n . d. ) .

Sevent h- da y Advent i s t Bi bl e Di c t i o na r y . Vo l . 8 Co r n . Ref . Ser i es .

S. H.

Ho r n , e d. Re vi e w a nd He r a l d Pu bl . As s n . , 1 960 .

S ev en t h - d ay Ad ve nt i s t En cy c l o pe di a .

Vol . 10.

Cor n. Ref . Ser i es .

D. F.

• Neuf el d ed. Revi ew and Heral d Publ . Assn. 1966; s. v.

Ar mage dd on , Baby l on, P r oph et i c I n t e r p r e t a t i on, De ve l opme nt o f ;

P l agu es , S ev en Las t .

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