Page 6 - Holyland Magazine - 2009 Edition

In the large palaces built by the Israelite kings in Megiddo, hoards of gold
and ivory objects were found, indicating the importance of the city. Photo: INPA
and the hill country of Ephraim to the
South with the Plain of Acre and the
towns of Tyre and Sidon on the coast
to the north. This made it one of the
most strategic cities in Israel, until it
was destroyed by the Assyrians in 732
BCE.
What associated this site with the
apocalyptic battle (or campaign) between
God and Satan (whose name means
“adversary”)? It boils down to one word in
a single verse in the Greek New Testament:
Armageddon, which is thought to represent
the Hebrew words Har Meggido, meaning
“Mountain of Megiddo.”
“They are demonic spirits that perform
signs. They go to the kings of the whole
earth and gather them for the war of the
great Day of God Almighty…The spirits
gathered the kings at the place that is
called Armageddon in Hebrew” (Rev.
16:14, 16).
Many books have been written setting forth
various interpretations of the Book of
Revelation, also known as Revelation to
John, the last canonical book of the New
Testament. In the revelation of Jesus Christ
to John, predictions and prophecies are
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given about the “last battle of history,”
sometimes referred to as a clash between
“the forces of good and the forces of evil.”
The predictions are also based on Old
Testament scriptures such as Zechariah
12:1-9, in which he predicts that just before
the Messiah’s return, Gentile nations will
march against Jerusalem to destroy the
“place God has chosen” (as Jerusalem is
called in Psalms 132:13,14). This could
indicate that Megiddo is where the ultimate
battle will take place, but some scriptural
commentaries surmise that the tel will
function only as the staging ground for the
final confrontation, which will be fought to
the bitter end in Jerusalem.
This event is believed to be the precursor
to the second coming of Christ; thus, its
timing, location and details have been
precisely studied, interpreted and described
over the centuries.
While this is not the place to evaluate
centuries of scholarly study, it is interesting military fame from its mention in connection
to try and identify the reason why this
small hill in northern Israel has garnered
such attention.
Historical, archaeological and biblical
research teaches us that Megiddo was the
location of many decisive battles in ancient
times. This broad plain has been the
scene of over 100 battles, according to
historical records.
One of the largest and most famous
archaeological excavations ever undertaken
in Israel, the dig at Tel Megiddo, unearthed
a bounty of findings showing that the site
was inhabited from about 7000 BCE to
500 BCE, leaving behind more than 20
layers of ruins representing every period
of ancient history.
Walking through the tel is like walking with
an open textbook of ancient military history;
defensive walls, massive gates, secret
passages to the water supply and extensive
stables for horses and chariots can be seen
and identified from the many periods
exposed by the digs held over the last
century. Although originally Canaanite (as
shown by the Canaanite worship center
and a 5,000-year-old altar still visible in the
eastern part of the tel), the city derives its
with one of the best recorded military
campaigns in ancient history.
As documented in ancient Egyptian
hieroglyphics, the Egyptian pharaoh