Revelation 16:16 and its interpretation.

[SonJudgment]

It would seem the problem is that there is what the Book of Revelation actually says and what commentaries say. So it would seem the easiest thing is to just dump the commentaries and accept the Book of Revelation as it is written. After this then in the question of fulfillment. To answer this you just look and see if the events are coming to pass in this time or not and this will tell you if it is fulfilled yet, in the process of being fulfilled, or is still open to be fulfilled.

 

[CS1]

Revelation 16:16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

That is what the verse says, the context is the vials being poured out, the evil spirits gathered the kings together against God in the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

The reason I made this topic is that im going through the book of Revelation studying it out and I was looking at biblehub commentaries on this verse and to my shock and surprise, hardly anyone interprets this to mean the literal physical location in Judea. Instead they say something like this:

"There the fortunes of dynasties and kingdoms have been decided; there the cause of liberty has triumphed; there kings fought and fell; there Gideon and Barak were victorious; there Ahaziah and Josiah were slain. The old battle-ground becomes the symbol of the decisive struggle. It is raised in meaning: it is a type, not a locality. The war of principles, the war of morals, the war of fashion culminates in an Armageddon. "

Because its the book of Revelation, im not saying this is an impossible interpretation, but since prior to this it talks about the Euphrates river drying to make way for the kings of the east, I find this interpretation more difficult to accept than the one I always had which is that its talking about the actual physical location.

If its not talking about the physical location, how can we ever know if this has been fulfilled or not? Your opinions, what does this verse and the verses surrounding it mean?

if we read chapter 16
it states :

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.”

The literal location is called Earth.

Verse two says :

2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.
This is literal earth and men.

Every bowl judgment is done on the earth over in the heavens to man-beast, waters, and land.

The Judgement of God is poured out, and it is not just a spiritual experience that the world cannot see or feel. If that were the case, why would "Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great. "

IF they did not experience this?

 

[Nehemiah6]

If its not talking about the physical location, how can we ever know if this has been fulfilled or not? Your opinions, what does this verse and the verses surrounding it mean?

Hakawaka, the first rule of solid Bible interpretation is to take what is written in its PLAIN, LITERAL SENSE, unless there is a reason to see a metaphor or symbol. So let's look at the 6th vial judgment:

THE SIXTH VIAL JUDGEMENT AND THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are the spirits of devils [daimonion =demons], working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

A. Firstly let's see what is literal and what is symbolic or metaphorical. (1) The river Euphrates is literal. (2) the false prophet is literal, (3) devils or demons are literal, (4) battle is literal, (5) the great day of God Almighty is literal, (6) the kings of the earth and the whole world is literal and (7) Armageddon in literal. At the same time, (1) the dragon, (2) the beast, and (3) frogs are metaphorical for Satan, the Antichrist, and unclean spirits.

B. The focus is on the Battle of Armageddon. Armageddon is from the Hebrew har Megiddo, which is a plain not too far from the city of Jerusalem. In verse 16, "he". refers to Satan. So the devil along with these evil spirits causes the rulers of the nations in the whole world to gather together against Jerusalem, the Jews, and Christ Himself. They falsely believe they can actually defeat the Lord Jesus Christ.

C. Revelation 19: 17-21 completes the picture. All the carrion birds are invited to feast on these enemies of Christ, and the Antichrist and the False Prophet are killed, and cast into the Lake of Fire. Satan's turn will be after the battle of Gog and Magog (Rev 20).

17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

The "sword" proceeding out of the mouth of Christ is nothing other than the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Christ may speak only one word, and this evil multitude will be killed supernaturally. This happens at the Second Coming of Christ.

 

[PaulThomson]

True there are many symbols, BUT it says its a book of REVELATION, its the revelation of Jesus Christ. Not hiding of Jesus Christ. Its supposed to reveal mysteries to us, not hide them.

It also promises a blessing to those who read and listen to it. I don't think this is merely a magically bestowed blessing, but a blessing that comes from understanding.