cal material took much longer than the time allotted between the sixth and seventh judgments, so it is that this campaign of the Great Day of God Al mighty will take much longer than the short time that evidently will elapse between the sixth and seventh bowl judgments. Quite clearly, then, this is a war known as the campaign of the Great Day o f God Almighty, en compassing a period of years during the coming tribulation period, and part of which will be fought on the battlefield o f Armageddon. This battlefield of Armageddon is then one of several battle sites. The word Armageddon literally means “ the mountain of Megiddo” and is probably referred to in II Chronicles 35:22. This battlefield is in the northern part of Palestine, east of Mount Carmel. It is one of the world’s greatest natural battlefields with sufficient room for the armies of the world to maneuver. The eastern battlefield is the Valley of Jehosha- phat (Joel 3 :2 ,12 ). This valley extends from Jeru salem to the east o f Jordan and on northward. The Prophet Joel speaks o f great bloodshed there. The third battlefield is in the south and is the land of Edom (Isaiah 34:6; 63:1). Edom, of course, is below the Dead Sea and lies south and east from Jerusalem. There is plenty of room here for whole nations to wage war. When we look at these three battlefields, we notice an important fact: the whole land of Palestine is actually surrounded. In the north is Armageddon; in the east is the Valley of Jehoshaphat; in the south is the land o f Edom; and on the west is the Mediterranean Sea. In other words, God is going to make the entire land of Pal estine a vast battlefield for this campaign of the Great Day o f God Almighty (Ezekiel 38:9 ; Revela tion 14:19-20). I f this war, then, is to take several years and will cover the entire area of Palestine, what will be the different battles fought during this time? The movements of the armies in this campaign are out lined in an Old Testament passage—Daniel 11:36- 45. In this chapter, The prophet Daniel is speaking concerning the coming world dictator, the king that shall do according to his will. After describ ing this personage, including his atheism and wealth, the prophet describes the events of this vast campaign, the campaign of the Great Day of God Almighty, which will happen “ at the time of the end” (11:40). The first thing to happen is that the king of the south (Egypt) sets the spark to trigger this war (11 :40). Egypt evidently has some kind o f alliance with the great northern power Russia. Perhaps Russia invites Egypt to begin this war with the thought that when it is begun, Russia will come in too. The next step, then, is that the king of the north (Russia) comes down and along with Egypt destroys Jerusalem (11 :40). It is at this time that
God will evidently destroy this great northern power (Ezekiel 38-39). When God does this, this destruction creates a vast vacuum that if any other ambitious power would fill, it would enjoy the spoils of the land of Palestine. This is exactly what the great western confederacy does. This revived Ro man empire or federated states of Europe are led by the world dictator. He comes into this vacuum, enters Palestine, goes down to Edom, Moab and Ammon, and then pursues Egypt and the Arab states aligned with her (11:41-43). After this world dictator has done this, he hears o f a vast eastern confederacy (an Asiatic coalition), and so comes up to meet this eastern confederacy in the land of Palestine (11:44-45; Revelation 16:12). As these two powers meet each other, their ani mosity turns against the Lord Jesus Christ who at that time comes from heaven and destroys them (Revelation 19:19-21). So this campaign of the Great Day of God Al mighty will be the greatest blood bath that this world has ever seen. The battlefields cover the land of Palestine. The armies of the earth in the north, south, west and east surround this land. With bat tle after battle over a period of three and a half years, this war will produce blood “ out o f the wine press, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs” or about 200 miles (Revelation 14:20). This is the distance of the land of Palestine. The question then is: Can the present conflict in Vietnam be the beginning of such a world war as the Great Day o f God Almighty? The answer is emphatically “No,” for the campaign o f the Great Day of God Almighty cannot begin until the mid dle of the coming tribulation period — after the church has been caught up to meet Christ in the air (I Thess. 4:16-17). The coming world dictator must also be on the scene, and Israel must be sus ceptible to attack (II Thess. 2:7-8; Dan. 11:40-45; 9:27). What, then, is the prophetic significance of Viet nam? Well, for one thing, we are feeling intensely the threat of Red China. We have seen the develop ment of the great northern power Russia. Egypt is presently a developed power engulfed in an Arab alliance. We are witnessing the development o f a great western confederacy in the form of an Euro pean Common Market. And now we are faced with the recognition of a vast Eastern power that is not only communistic but also atheistic. Is not the stage set? Let us then be about our Father’s business. Let us then be doing all that we should be doing by being faithful to the task God has given us. Let us then be living "soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12-13).
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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