The Coming War with Asia

[james1523]

Revelation 9:16-19King James Version (KJV)
16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.

First clue - an army of 200 million. China alone has at least 200 million men of military age (see CIA factbook)
Second clue - reference to jacinth, and brimstone (vs 17) which are the colors red and yellow - the colors of the Chinese flag. Third clue - Rev 16:12 says the kings are from the rising sun - the Sun rises in the East - again a reference to Asia.
Fourth clue - 1/3 of earth people will die at a nuclear holocaust Rev. 9:18, China is a well established nuclear power and is increasing its military capacity.
The Bible indicates that the great and nuclear-powered armies of Asia, particularly China, or a future Chinese Empire comprising the countries of Taiwan, Korea, Japan, India, Mongolia and South East Asia and even Russia, will come to join the battle of Armageddon centred in the middle east.

 

[rodd]

Are you sure you know what the Battle of Armageddon is and why it will be fought?? Have you seriously considered all the implications of the Modern evangelically held view?
First consider the Antichrist will occupy the throne of God in Jerusalem before this perceived battle on the plain of Meggido begins, If antichrist rules the world, why would his earthly forces move against his seat of power to dislodge him?
They're coming from the east to support him.

I think we've swallowed false teaching all along with this "Battle of Armageddon" thing, with it's good and bad national identity ideology it's easily believed by gullible people.
The later Chapters of Revelation clearly teach all nations conspire with this Antichrist, and the battle will be them verses the Lord and his holy ones.
In other words they will and do already occupy the land.
The place of Armageddon is Jerusalem and that's where it'll take place, not in some open countryside in the Bekhar Valley. When Jesus returns he'll be coming after antichrist and his associates the world's leaders, that's my take! See Rev 16:12-16.

 

[B-A-C]

It may be that eventually there will be a war China. I do not know.
I also believe that whatever happens to the USA does not dictate when Jesus will come back. It may surprise some of us Americans to
realize we aren't the only nation in the world.

I have always taken the manifestations in Rev 9 (the locusts in Rev 9:3-11; ) and the two hundred million horsemen ( Rev 9:15-20; )
to be agents of God released to punish the world because "they did not repent" ( Rev 9:21; )
It's possible these will be physical armies from well known nations (i.e. China or India) (India is soon to pass China in population perhaps within the next generation).
But I believe these will be more spiritual forces with the power to harm mankind. Sort of like the angel that slew the 23,000 in the wilderness or perhaps like the
passover angel who killed the firstborn of those who did not have blood placed around their door-frame.
But to be honest, it's all speculation and it could happen either way.

 

[rodd]

BAC,

God doesn't mind if we speculate about his prophetic word, in fact he commends the study and our prayerful desire to understand more of it. What you've listed are indeed judgements that will take place, but this does not seems to be the scenario of Armageddon as we see events still continuing to evolve in time beyond this point.
The Battle of Armageddon is the finale to the time of Tribulation and the beginning of Christ's rule, so these two scenes are not synonymous imo.

I think American Christianity is in for a bad time in the tribulation, you are the pinnacle of orthodox Christianity, home base so to speak. Antichrist has it in for you especially I do believe, but the same could be said for over here it will be global. Scripture says this time to be 42mths. Rev 13:5.

 

[james1523]

Are you sure you know what the Battle of Armageddon is and why it will be fought?? Have you seriously considered all the implications of the Modern evangelically held view?
First consider the Antichrist will occupy the throne of God in Jerusalem before this perceived battle on the plain of Meggido begins, If antichrist rules the world, why would his earthly forces move against his seat of power to dislodge him?
They're coming from the east to support him.

I think we've swallowed false teaching all along with this "Battle of Armageddon" thing, with it's good and bad national identity ideology it's easily believed by gullible people.
The later Chapters of Revelation clearly teach all nations conspire with this Antichrist, and the battle will be them verses the Lord and his holy ones.
In other words they will and do already occupy the land.
The place of Armageddon is Jerusalem and that's where it'll take place, not in some open countryside in the Bekhar Valley. When Jesus returns he'll be coming after antichrist and his associates the world's leaders, that's my take! See Rev 16:12-16.

Sorry I'm not a modern evangelical so I'm not sure what they believe.
I believe the war is between all nations and Christ as you said.

 

[rodd]

Dear James,

You are a modern Evangelical if you're "born again" and believe justification on the basis of Christ and his work for our justification. Faith alone. And I feel certain that's what you are!
The recent popular understanding is that Christ fights and defeats the armies from the North in the Valley of Megiddo and therefore saves Israel. What I'm suggesting though, is the powers of Gog and Magog are already right there in Jerusalem when he comes back. Antichrist himself.

Jesus will descend and stand on the Mount of Olives and enter the Temple Mount through the Beautiful Gate that is directly opposite, it was bricked up by the Muslims so it couldn't be accessed.
For this to happen there will be a fight, that will be the battle of Armageddon, in the valley of Jehoshaphat or the Kidron valley which separates the Mount of Olives from the Temple Mount.
Imo any other is a diversion from the fact the enemy is indeed within and that battle is for Jerusalem, unless someone can persuade otherwise.

 

[james1523]

Dear James,

You are a modern Evangelical if you're "born again" and believe justification on the basis of Christ and his work for our justification. Faith alone. And I feel certain that's what you are!
The recent popular understanding is that Christ fights and defeats the armies from the North in the Valley of Megiddo and therefore saves Israel. What I'm suggesting though, is the powers of Gog and Magog are already right there in Jerusalem when he comes back. Antichrist himself.

Jesus will descend and stand on the Mount of Olives and enter the Temple Mount through the Beautiful Gate that is directly opposite, it was bricked up by the Muslims so it couldn't be accessed.
For this to happen there will be a fight, that will be the battle of Armageddon, in the valley of Jehoshaphat or the Kidron valley which separates the Mount of Olives from the Temple Mount.
Imo any other is a diversion from the fact the enemy is indeed within and that battle is for Jerusalem, unless someone can persuade otherwise.

Hmm not really I don't believe in faith alone. If you haven't already it would be great if you could give Bible verses for the details you give about Armageddon, would make an interesting study.
Without having studied the topic in detail, my impression has always been that they are already there when Christ comes back.

 

[rodd]

For the purpose of our Justification!...This is apart from the Christian walk of sanctification you understand? There is the element of our own works in regard to that, but not the other, it's by pure grace, justification, that's the gift of God?..... Not merely making faith possible, that in itself is less than eternal redemption.

With regard to many latter day prophets,... seems they've promoted Armageddon as a battle out on the plain of Meggido because they want to allow for the armies of evil descending upon the land, with the good guys supposedly in Israel and the bad outside.

If it's false prophecy then it's a teaching of deception and confusion. That's what I thinks happened.

 

[james1523]

For the purpose of our Justification!...This is apart from the Christian walk of sanctification you understand? There is the element of our own works in regard to that, but not the other, it's by pure grace, justification, that's the gift of God?..... Not merely making faith possible, that in itself is less than eternal redemption.

With regard to many latter day prophets,... seems they've promoted Armageddon as a battle out on the plain of Meggido because they want to allow for the armies of evil descending upon the land, with the good guys supposedly in Israel and the bad outside.

If it's false prophecy then it's a teaching of deception and confusion. That's what I thinks happened.

Doesn't Zech 12:2-3 say that Jerusalem will be besieged? Where is your verses that say the nations will already be inside Jerusalem?

 

[rodd]

2 Thessalonians 2:4,....He's right there in the Temple on temple Mount, obviously all authorities would have to be agreeable and support his claims and accusations against the God of Heaven, otherwise it just wouldn't and couldn't happen. He has his human servants and obviously they must be in high places of authority.

Indeed I do believe Jerusalem would be inundated (besieged) with his servants at this time. Don't the Gentiles trample down the Holy City (Jerusalem 42mths) aren't the two witnesses murdered in that City, even called Sodom at that time in scripture? Yet still the city of the Lord.
Don't the spirits summon all the kings at that time for the great day of the Lord Rev16, to support their leader antichrist? Yet he and they will fail because of God, it's Christ and his angels that defeat Antichrist not the people of Jerusalem. Scripture attests to that or I'm mistaken.

 

[james1523]

2 Thessalonians 2:4,....He's right there in the Temple on temple Mount, obviously all authorities would have to be agreeable and support his claims and accusations against the God of Heaven, otherwise it just wouldn't and couldn't happen. He has his human servants and obviously they must be in high places of authority.

Indeed I do believe Jerusalem would be inundated (besieged) with his servants at this time. Don't the Gentiles trample down the Holy City (Jerusalem 42mths) aren't the two witnesses murdered in that City, even called Sodom at that time in scripture? Yet still the city of the Lord.
Don't the spirits summon all the kings at that time for the great day of the Lord Rev16, to support their leader antichrist? Yet he and they will fail because of God, it's Christ and his angels that defeat Antichrist not the people of Jerusalem. Scripture attests to that or I'm mistaken.

As far as I understand it, there will be a number of battles in different locations, involving different nations. It is more of a war campaign against Jerusalem than a single battle. Armageddon is the last and biggest final battle, when all the nations will be gathered together and destroyed by Christ. The USA and its allies will be part of the nations destroyed by Christ.