Mount Megiddo & The Bible Battle of Armageddon
According to the sacred texts, the ultimate battle of humanity will be fought on a mountain in Israel. And it will be Armageddon.
Battle of Armageddon : Meaning & Bible definition
If the Carmel mountain range stands out on your left and you have the summit of Mount Gilboa on your right, with the region of Samaria behind you and the valley in front of you leading to Nazareth, you are most likely in at the top of one of the high places of Bible prophecy: you are, indeed, at the center of Armageddon. It was millennial fears and big Hollywood productions that made the name Armageddon popular. No one knows how or when this will happen, but the ancient sacred texts are firm as to the precise location of the place: it will take place on Mount Meggido (in ancient Hebrew Har Maggido, the origin of the modern word Armageddon). This is where, according to the Book of Revelation in the New Testament, the final battle between all the kings of the earth will take place; between the forces of good guided by Christ and the forces of evil pushed by Satan.
Megiddo in the Bible
But what is so special about this hill, located in the heart of Israel? The city-state of Megiddo is mentioned several times in the Bible, as well as important figures such as Joshua, Solomon and Josiah. Inhabited for over 6,000 years - from 7,000 to 500 BC -, Megiddo was at the center of the economic and political axes of antiquity, the obligatory stage on the road connecting Egypt to Mesopotamia. So much so that the city was of great strategic importance.
The mountain of Megiddo : a place of war
Mount Megiddo, in particular, is a scree hill that tells the extraordinary story of at least twenty-five successive civilizations over the course of millennial history. The archaeological layers of Megiddo constitute an invaluable treasure of knowledge: every square meter of earth is a page of a book that has yet to be deciphered. A tale steeped in the blood of the many armies that met and fought in Megiddo.
This place, which seems destined to be the scene of the last battle of humanity, has seen many wars in its history. The most recent took place during the First World War when the British army and the Turkish army clashed there, in September 1918. The victory of the English marked the final withdrawal of the Turks from the Middle East, after more than five centuries of domination.
Armageddon meaning in Hebrew
Many centuries ago, in 609 BC, the Egyptian soldiers led by Pharaoh Necho II prevailed over the people of Judah, led by King Josiah. The latter was killed, and since then in Hebrew culture the battle of Megiddo has been synonymous with absolute collapse.
Legends from the past
But the most famous conflict, about this hill, is that which opposed the troops of Pharaoh Thutmose III and the people of Canaan, in 1478 BC : it is the oldest battle of which we have historical testimony, attested in the hieroglyphics engraved in the temple of Karnak. It was a siege that lasted a very long time, a siege that, according to legend, ended a mysterious magical "weapon of light" that the Egyptians possessed.
The immense gates which withstood the pharaoh's fury for months still dominate the city; those which are located higher, would have been built, it is said, by King Solomon. Another sacred place is the imposing circular altar, reserved for sacrificial gifts. And the 180 steps leading up to the ancient tunnel, built during the reign of Ahab, transport us to the past.
But all of Megiddo's secrets have yet to be deciphered. Suffice it to think that it was not until 2005 that the remains of a mosaic belonging to a church which can be said to be the oldest Christian church in the world were found. Excavations continue, pending the discovery of the truth about Armageddon. Which, fortunately, is still just the name of a mountain.
