I just read this article, “To this question, the answer would be a Revelation” in the L.A. Times:
EXCERPT
In Revelation, John…describes…a punishing vision of the plagues, famine, earthquakes and Satanic armies that will set the stage for Judgment Day.
Essentially, the plot goes like this: Billions of people perish in seven years of natural disasters and plagues, an antichrist arises to rule the world, the battle of Armageddon erupts north of Israel, Jesus returns to defeat Satan’s armies and preside over Judgment Day.
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I was raised in a church that had frequent End Time seminars and sermons. Used to scare us children to death. Too many preachers get frothy at the mouth over this topic.
Still, I think there is something to end time prophecy, and the Apocalypse study (eschatology) is downright intriguing.
Armageddon is located in a real place called the Jezreel valley in northern Israel. In ancient history this great plain (20 miles wide) was a place of many many epic battles, a crossroads of war. Lord of the Rings type battles took place there and it was famous to ancient people. Perhaps a final conflict of sorts will take place on that piece of land.  But the thought occurs, maybe the entire Middle East — or at least all the area from Lebanon to Sinai — could become the “new Armageddon” geographical location. So those “satanic armies” and the final battle could take place in the Middle East not necessarily on the relatively small Jezreel plain in northern Israel.
Then there is Iran.  According to Nostradamus, the anti-christ is supposed to appear at the end of the world, some time after the year 2000, and wearing a blue turban. Haven’t seen any blue turbans on Iranian leaders. I wonder if the blue turban is symbolic — or ugh! – means the blue UN helmets! Those Left Behind author dudes and countless other end time fear-mongers always say the anti-christ will be a UN leader or somehow connected to the UN. Not sure I agree, but don’t like how the pieces too easily fit together and come out like an epic movie, comic book and interactive video game all rolled into one.
Katia
Here here! Kudos on that article! People are a bit tired of the fear mongering preachers, I agree. Focus upon tearing down failed systems should be our main agenda, we have the ability to bring about abundance and peace and prosperity over the world.
Glad I stumbled across your blog!
Be well.
We must understand that the Apocalypse is Jewish Apocalyptic literature. The word “Apocalypse†in the Greek means “unveiling,†and was the original title of Revelation. Thus, the early church saw it not as “The Revelation of Saint John the Divine,†but “The Apocalypse of Jesus,†as the Lord unveiled heavenly mysteries to John.
The recipients of the Apocalypse were Jewish Christians. They were already familiar with apocalyptic works that described the End of the world using vivid and frightening images of heavenly and earthly battles between demons, angels, monsters, and men. Thus, the apocalypse of John did not seem strange or bizarre to them.
Thank you for addressing this topic. It is of interest to me, and I am troubled by it. I am troubled by it because it seems that the end times have taken over Christianity and it is all the fundamental churches want to talk about. They are so obsessed with it that I feel they have forgotten the message of Jesus, Love thy neighbor as yourself. It has made Christianity paranoid, always looking for the “monster under the bed” that it is clouding our perceptions of others. I sometimes wonder if this “obsession” isn’t the the very evil everyone is so afraid of.
Greetings +Katia
I tend to take apocalypticism seriously because its becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. With so many Americans believing in such doom and gloom “prophecies” they tend to vote into office like minded people who then craft lehislation and foreign relations that will bring about a final global thermonuclear “Armagedon.”
I am also convinced that we will be prevented from doing so by very advanced celestial beings.
Pax Christi,
Br. Nathan
Jesus gave a message of forgiveness and love. The use of fear is always a control mechanism whereby people can be programmed to fit into certain religious or political ideologies. the only teaching of Jesus that stands is that of non judgement and peace.
Shalom.