Revelation 16:16 Commentary and Bible Study

The verb ‘gathered together’ is singular and yet the majority of versions translate it as if it were plural, because they assume that the subject is still ‘the spirits’ from verse 14. But it is quite possible that a new point is made here – the Lord also gathers them for his own purpose. If so, then the verb is singular for a very good reason. He gathers the kings of the earth, even while the demons also gather. Satan is a tool in God’s hand to do his will. The Lord intends to destroy his enemies at this great last battle. All are drawn together and none are missing. This is consistent with the fact that this battle is called ‘that great day of God Almighty’ (verse 14).The name of the place where they are gathered is a Hebrew word and we must look in the Old Testament for its significance. Literalists will look for a place by this name in the modern world or will expect such a place to be named in the future, but the Book of Revelation does not deviate here from its pattern of taking Old Testament events and pictures and using them as figures. What is the image in mind here? There are several events connected with Megiddo in the history of Israel, but the one which fits best is the battle in the time of the Judges against Jabin, king of Hazor and his general Sisera. Israel had sinned and the Lord had again handed them over to their enemies to be chastised. When Israel cried out to the Lord, he raised up Deborah, a prophetess, who sent Barak to lead Israel to victory against the Canaanites. For twenty years Jabin had oppressed the land and he possessed large numbers of chariots so that Israel felt incapable of rising up against him. Yet with Barak leading them, Israel defeated their enemies for the Lord fought for them and discomforted the enemy. Deborah afterwards attributes victory to the Lord in her song of thanks. The battle was fought at Megiddo and it is from this Hebrew word that the name Armageddon comes. It is the name Megiddo with the associated word, Har or ‘hill of’, ‘hill of Megiddo’, or ‘hill of gathering’.As Hendriksen says, ‘Har-Magedon is the symbol of every battle in which, when the need is greatest and believers are oppressed, the Lord suddenly reveals his power in the interest of his distressed people and defeats the enemy’. This final Har-Magedon is however a unique battle when Satan and his armies will be decisively overcome. The indication is that the people of God will be hard pressed at this time and, humanly speaking, will not be able to see where their deliverance can come from. God however will arise to fight for them and just as Deborah had reason to thank the Lord, so too the church will owe their deliverance solely to his intervention.