Armageddon

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Short Summary
The discourse explores the concept of Armageddon as a prolonged spiritual and geopolitical battle marking the transition between the Gospel Age and the Millennial Age, emphasizing the overlapping of these two eras rather than a sudden end. It highlights the unseen spiritual forces influencing world events, the fulfillment of biblical prophecies through historical and current developments—particularly in Israel—and the ultimate establishment of God’s kingdom following a climactic period of global turmoil and judgment. The message encourages understanding these events as part of God’s plan, offering hope that the suffering and conflict will lead to a righteous new order and peace under divine rule.

Long Summary
Detailed Summary of the Discourse on Armageddon

Introduction to Armageddon and Contemporary Views
– The discourse begins by acknowledging the widespread use and concern about the term “Armageddon” in modern times, including from secular commentators like Peter Thill (2024 interview), who warns of potential global conflicts (e.g., Taiwan-China tensions).
– Armageddon is popularly understood as a decisive final battle that could end the world as we know it.
– The speaker clarifies that Armageddon has a beginning, a progression, and a climax, with many mistakenly focusing only on the climax.

Spiritual Nature of the Battle
– The battle of Armageddon is fundamentally a spiritual conflict involving unseen forces beyond human perception.
– World leaders deal only with visible problems, but biblical symbols (winds, earthquakes, fire) represent invisible spiritual forces at work.
– The battle is between God (through the returned Lord Jesus Christ as Earth’s rightful king) and Satan (the present ruler of the world).
– Although fierce, the battle is assuredly won by God’s side; evil is permitted only to destroy the old order to make way for the new heavens and new earth.
– This period is described as the overlapping of two ages—the ending Gospel Age and the beginning Millennial Age—causing fear in mankind due to the upheaval.

Biblical and Historical Significance of Armageddon
– The term “Armageddon” appears only once in the Bible: Revelation 16:16 (“And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon”).
– It likely refers to the “hill of Megiddo,” a historically strategic location in Israel where many ancient battles took place (e.g., battles involving King Jehoram, King Josiah, Gideon, King Saul, Jezebel).
– This location symbolizes the ongoing battle between truth and error, light and darkness, God and mammon.
– Armageddon represents the final harvest or end of the Gospel Age and the start of the Millennial Age.

The Overlapping of the Ages
– The discourse emphasizes that the Gospel Age and Millennial Age overlap rather than occur sequentially.
– This overlapping is crucial for properly interpreting Bible prophecy and understanding current events.
– Misunderstanding this leads to confusion and misapplication of Scripture.
– Pastor Russell’s early expectations (1874–1914) about Armageddon’s timing evolved as facts unfolded, showing the importance of adjusting understanding as events develop.
– Armageddon began with World War I (called the “beginning of Armageddon”) but its climax is still future.
– The legal “times of the Gentiles” (2,520 years) ended in 1914, allowing Armageddon to commence.

Armageddon as a Period of Judgment and Preparation
– The discourse distinguishes between individual judgment (awaiting the new covenant) and national judgment (beginning with Christ’s return).
– The Christian nations, having long ruled, are judged and found unfit, reaping the consequences of their actions.
– The time of trouble and judgment prepares mankind for the coming kingdom of righteousness.
– The battle is pictured with vivid symbolic imagery from Revelation, including dragons, beasts, horses, earthquakes, false prophets, storms, and more.
– The three unclean spirits like frogs (Revelation 16:13–14) represent spiritual forces influencing civil powers (dragon), religious systems (beast), and false prophets.

Symbolism and Prophecy
– The “barley cake rolling down the hill” symbolizes the Millennial Age harvest following the wheat harvest of the Gospel Age (referencing biblical symbols such as the feeding of the 5,000 with barley cakes and fish).
– Joel 2:1–11 and Joel 3:9–18 describe the Lord’s great army and the impending day of judgment with imagery of darkness, gloom, and a mighty hostile people.
– Socialism, communism, and labor movements are linked to this “great army,” representing forces opposing the old self-interested order.
– The “valley of Jehoshaphat” (meaning “Valley of Decision”) is where God will judge the nations, and the “winepress” symbolizes the crushing judgment during the time of trouble.

The Battle’s Progress and Climax
– The battle is lengthy due to God’s purposes, not Satan’s strength.
– The climax will be a unique event, distinct from the preparatory troubles.
– The “dawn” or “overlapping” period is likened to labor pains preceding birth—a transition from the old to the new.
– Isaiah 42:13–16 and Isaiah 14:7 describe the Lord’s mighty acts to bring about this new order.
– Zechariah 14:7 speaks of “one day, neither day nor night,” symbolizing the transition or overlap of the ages.
– The sun of righteousness will arise with healing, but only gradually, symbolizing the progressive establishment of the Millennial Kingdom.

Modern Context and Continuing Conflict
– The discourse notes ongoing geopolitical tensions centered on Israel and surrounding nations, highlighting the significance of Israel’s existence for 77 years and its precarious position.
– The continued unrest and preparations for war (as per Joel 3:9–10) indicate the ongoing nature of Armageddon.
– The development of atomic weapons and their potential for destruction are acknowledged but limited by God’s intervention (“He will shorten those days”).

Concluding Hope and Future Promise
– The birth of the new kingdom will bring peace and blessings so great that the prior troubles will be forgotten (likened to a mother forgetting labor pains upon holding her child).
– The new kingdom will be led by Christ (“This man shall be our peace” – Micah 5:4–7) and supported by “seven shepherds and eight principal men” (likely representing church and millennial leaders).
– The promise of the new heavens and new earth is affirmed with references to Revelation 21 and 22, including the invitation to “take of the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:21).
– The discourse closes with encouragement to remain faithful during these times and look forward to the great calm and peace (Mark 4:39; Isaiah 14:7).

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Key Bible Verses Cited:

– Revelation 16:16 — “And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”
– 2 Kings 9:27; 2 Kings 23:29; 1 Samuel 31:1–6; 2 Kings 9:30–37 — Battles at Megiddo.
– Joel 2:1–11 — The Lord’s great army and the day of judgment.
– Isaiah 42:13–16 — The Lord’s might and vengeance in bringing the new order.
– Zechariah 14:7 — “One day… neither day nor night.”
– Joel 3:9–18 — Call to prepare war, the valley of decision, and the harvest.
– Micah 5:4–7 — The coming shepherd and peace.
– Revelation 22:21 — “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.”
– Mark 4:39 — Jesus rebuking the wind and sea.
– Isaiah 14:7 — The earth at rest and breaking forth into singing.

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Summary Keywords: Armageddon, Megiddo, spiritual battle, Jesus Christ, Satan, Gospel Age, Millennial Age, overlapping ages, time of trouble, Battle of Armageddon, prophecy, Revelation, Joel, Isaiah, Zechariah, labor pains, harvest, kingdom of God, new heavens and new earth, national judgment, individual judgment, social movements, modern geopolitics, atomic weapons, peace, faithful endurance.

Transcript

As was announced, the topic selected for this hour is Armageddon. Armageddon. Well, we hear a lot about Armageddon today, and not just from Bible students. As an example, we quote Peter Thill on Armageddon from a 2024 interview.

We are sleepwalking into Armageddon. Maybe not in the Ukraine or the Middle east, but maybe with Taiwan and China.

This quote reflects Phil’s concern about global geopolitical risks, particularly the potential for catastrophic conflict framed in the context of his border or of his broader discussions. Excuse me. On apocalyptic scenarios, modern technology and national debt. The term has come to mean and signify to seemingly all men a decisive battle that could end the world as we know it today. This battle has been going on for some time now.

It has a beginning and a climax. While many refer to Armageddon Future, this is only true of the climax. I think someone else might have a mic open. I’m hearing other things. In our world today, there are great, invisible, unseen forces at work.

Mankind is mostly unaware of these forces. World leaders deal only with what they can see and wonder at the complexity and tenacity of of world problems. Bible symbols describing our day reflect the unseen source of world events. Winds, earthquakes, fire, etc. We see the results, but the force is not seen.

Like the electricity that drives our lights and motors, these natural forces produce mighty visible effects. But the force and its source are invisible, and so it is with the great battle of Armageddon. God has a controversy with the nations and his general. Our returned Lord Jesus, Earth’s rightful king, is engaged in the great battle with the present ruler of the world, Satan, the God of the present evil world.

And so, while these unseen forces battle it out, so to speak, the world sees only the trouble about it. The battle is fierce, and while these forces are unseen, they are real. They are spiritual forces in the heavens, and the results in the earth are very dynamic, for they rock and blow society to and fro.

This battle of good and evil is not really much of a battle as we have a sure winner. The evil portion being allowed to tear down the old order. This is the time period that we live in where the new heavens and the new Earth meet and displace the old heavens and the old earth. It is the overlapping of two ages. Men’s hearts are failing them for fear, and rightfully so.

Looking after those things coming upon the earth. The atomic bomb, biological warfare, economic upheaval, drugs, socialism, revolution, wars, anarchy, etc, and as society is broken down, changed, and in a state of constant flux, the old ways are going and gone, burning up in the fire of the fierceness of God’s jealousy and wrath, and in the storm a calm as you and I, according to the measure of our faith, dwell in absolute assurance that God is in charge and all is well. What a blessed knowledge in this time of uncertainty and trouble.

This term Armageddon only occurs once in the bible. Revelation, chapter 16, verse 16.

The term seems to mean the hill of Megiddo, or as some have translated it, the mount or mountain of destruction. Megiddo was located on a hill at the southern border of the plain of Esdraelon or Yisrael, near the eastern pass. Here a stream flowed. Here Solomon located a major force to guard Israel’s northern border, the remnants of which remain to this day. One can see where he stabled his horses.

Here several decisive ancient battles were fought. Jehoram, king of Judah, smitten by Jehu, died. Second Kings, chapter 9, verse 27. There Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, slew King Josiah, 2 Kings, chapter 23, verse 29. Here Gideon surprised the Midianites and slew 120,000 in one day by God’s might.

Here King Saul was defeated by the Philistines in 1st Samuel, chapter 31, verses 1 through 6, and here Jezebel met a horrible death. 2 Kings, chapter 9, verses 30 through 37. It was said that more people have died in this spot in ancient times than in any other spot on the face of the earth. While these battles were typical of the great battle between truth and error, right and wrong, God and mammon, light and darkness, as God closes the gospel age and opens the millennial age during the harvest or the end of the age, the overlapping of the ages.

This is well shown on our chart, is it not? Here in the dark area with a capital S on our chart we have a ramping up of the time of trouble, the dark clouds and darkness of this day. Here we have a small semicircle, the overlapping of the ages, and then in the large circles we have one going over the other on into the next age, the other starting still in the preceding age, the overlapping of the ages beautifully depicted on our chart. As in every great decisive war, there are many forces at work taking time to accomplish the final victory.

And so it is with the battle of Armageddon. The unexpected length of the battle is no indication of Satan’s strength, but only a faulty understanding of the time required to accomplish God’s intended purposes in the battle of the great day. This battle is described in dynamic prophetic Symbols. There are dragons, beasts, images of beasts, winds, horses, earthquakes, fire, storms, whirlwinds, trumpets, thunders, lightnings, false prophets, vines, heavens, earth images, cities, mountains, hills, islands, rivers, and many more. God has mostly held his peace for thousands of years.

And now he has set his king on the throne and and his kingdom will bring to an end the long 6,000 years of the permission of evil, and thus our day is beginning to answer the Christian’s prayer. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Old nations, old ways are being swept away as the earth is prepared and plowed for the new, incoming, new order, and in this great battle during the lapping of the two ages, the Gospel Age and the Millennial age is this harvest of the Gospel Age, the old order, the heavens and the earth pass away with a great noise as the new heavens and the new earth take over.

Excuse me.

Now it is only by understanding the overlapping of the ages that we can gain a clear view of God’s plan and accurately apply the Scriptures being fulfilled at this time.

We can read the Bible and understand it through His Spirit. God’s messenger provided volume one so we could know of these great ages and thus rightly divide the Word of Truth and put each Scripture in its appropriate place. So the seeming conflict that caused others to say the Bible was an old fiddle upon which any tune could be played, now it becomes a very accurate scientific book and we could fit things where they belonged. If we think that the Gospel age ends and then the Millennial age begins, then we have no ability to rightly divide. We will have problems with the Word of God and putting Scriptures where they belong.

But if we understand that the ages overlap, that we have both the Gospel Age work finishing and the Millennial Age work commencing, both going on at the same time, then this resolves matters. This concept is critical to our understanding of the Scriptures. Now note that while Pastor Russell had earlier anticipated the fulfillment of all these prophecies concerning the time of the end, concerning the harvest, the Battle of Armageddon, etc. Within a 40 year period from 1874 to 1914, he was very quick to adjust his thinking to the reality of the facts before him. As the expectation went unfulfilled, we also need to adjust our thinking to the extended time frame as we watch the battle unfolding before our eyes unto its certain end of the victory for the lord.

Thus, after 1914, Pastor Russell wrote and reprint 5607, page 11 under the subtitle Some Lessons for Today quote the present war that is World War I amongst the nations of Europe is the beginning of this. That is the beginning of Armageddon, but not its end, according to the Bible, the climax, and we would like to pause here and note this word carefully. The climax. There is a tendency to think of Armageddon in the sense of only its climax and not its beginning or progression.

Continuing on with the text, with the quote, excuse me. The climax will be a temporary reign of anarchy which will prepare the world for Messiah’s glorious reign of righteousness.

And this was written in January of 1915. In addition, he tried to prepare the brethren in the forwards of the 1912 editions. Volume 4, Roman numeral 15, paragraph 3. For 40 years the Armageddon forces have been mustering for both sides of the conflict. Nevertheless, Armageddon cannot yet be fought.

Gentile times have still two years to run.

Here he recognized the fact of the legal aspects of the times of the Gentiles.

The times of The Gentiles had 2,520 years in the lease or permit. Seven times 360, the symbolic year. Thus, to start the battle of Armageddon prior to the end of that lease or permit would not be right. They had a right given by God. God swears and does not go back.

So when that ran out in 1914, then Armageddon could begin.

We note here that the original title of the fourth volume was the Day of Vengeance, but was changed to the Battle of Armageddon, possibly because Theodore Roosevelt mentioned Armageddon in a campaign speech in 1912. Many names are used for this period of time. The Day of Wrath, the great time of trouble. Our pastor expected the climax of Armageddon after further developments in Israel and developments regarding the image of the beast. Today I think all of us could recognize the developments in Israel.

A Nation for 77 years with her enemies poised about her, her lovers having abandoned her. We see a possibility that the forces of the north could come down upon her at any time. We also tend to believe that the image of the beast pictures are in the past. Now. Now we can await the climax that stands just before us.

Reprint 5829 January 2, 1915 we are sure that in all those warring nations there are saintly people who manifest the spirit of Christ. But we are equally sure that the warring kingdoms themselves do not manifest his spirit and are none of his. On the contrary, they manifest what the apostle styles. Works of the flesh and of the devil. Anger, malice, hatred, envy, strife, bitterness.

Bible students are convinced that the Great War now now started in Europe is the beginning of that great trouble which the Bible calls Armageddon and which the Bible declares will prepare mankind and usher them into the kingdom of God’s dear Son, which will be the desire of all nations and through which a reign of righteousness will be established throughout the whole earth.

Before proceeding, let it be noted carefully the difference between individual and national judgment. Mankind’s individual judgment awaits the inauguration of the new covenant under the Mediator. National judgment begins with our Lord’s return as God through Christ, Earth’s new King holds the nations responsible for their long rulership of earth’s affair and declares them unfit for further service, as depicted in the marvelous scene in Babylon. Mene, Mene. Tekel Upharsin weighed in the balances and found wanting.

These nations, particularly the Christian nations, reap in the time of trouble the fruits that they have so sowed for hundreds and thousands of years, reaping what they have sowed in the harvest of the age. But who wants trouble? I know in my life, and I’m sure it is the same in yours, the best things in our life have come from trouble. The best lessons we have learned have come from trouble. The most progress we have made has come from trouble.

The most growth has resulted from the plowing and the pruning and the digging around of the roots, and so it is with the world of mankind. When they look back at this time of trouble, they will say, not only, lo, this is our God, we have waited for him. They will look back and say, thank you, Lord, for the experiences of the time of trouble. They helped me get in a proper attitude of mind and heart to receive the blessings of your kingdom.

You know, the Revelator John would see all these visions the Lord showed him in all these wonderful signs that are recorded in the book of Revelation from beginning to end. Sometimes the book of Revelation is hard to interpret. We can understand why we and others have difficulty with it.

But keep this in mind that when you see this term and I saw it means that he saw a new picture. Also when you see a the term and I heard it means that he was hearing something new. It would be like walking along in a picture gallery. You see this picture, then you walk a few steps, and I saw there is a new picture, and so when we come to this phrase in Revelation chapter 16, and we start at the 13th verse, 15 through the 16th verse, when he says, and I saw it means he is going on to the next picture.

That is, he has left the picture of the 12th verse.

I think some of the Difficulty of trying to interpret revelation is that this point is missed, and that, and I saw gets squeezed in with the 12th verse.

And it is not recognized that we have gone to the next picture. Quite a different picture than a picture of a great river drying up. In this new picture we see unclean spirits and so forth and a battle and whatnot. Anyway, I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of. Of the false prophet.

Well, that’s a vivid picture. We hardly ever see a painting that would show frogs jumping out of the mouths of beasts and dragons and prophets, but it is vivid. Now, what are these things? It is interpreted for us.

These are not earthly forces. These are spirits or spiritual forces. These are spirits of devils, that is things that the devil would say, working miracles. Well, I think that today many of the isms have brought great changes into the world, haven’t they? Which go forth unto the kings of the earth and the whole world to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty.

Now, over the years, Bible students have interpreted this primarily as the dragon being the civil powers, as representative of civil Rome and the remnant or the nation, particularly in the continent, particularly In Europe, the 10 toes of the image and so forth, out of the mouth of the beast, that is what is left of the great papal beast, the religious system which became bestial because it became a civil system, a civil empire, and thus could be depicted as a beast and so also spoke the same thing, and then a false prophet, and this is oftentimes associated with Protestantism or even further with the great Protestant empire that grew up in the United States. They all have the same thing to say, hold the old order together. Let’s fight socialism, let’s fight communism. We’ll accommodate them a little bit.

Don’t give up religion. It’s the glue that holds society together, etc. Etc. Keep the old world together, keep the status quo, and so all the workings of the churches and the countries have been to maintain the old order against the incoming new order of our Lord.

And we’re going to go into the visible aspect of the Lord’s great army a little later, which fits in with those who are opposing the message of these three entities. Now, notice the Lord puts a time frame on this picture. Behold, I come as a thief. Let’s get started in 1874. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.

Well, this applies to the Great nominal systems that want to walk in their own righteousness rather than in the righteousness of our Lord, and be clothed with their own teachings rather than his teachings. This lesson has benefit for us as well, and he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue, Armageddon, and he gathered them into a place. Now, we know from our tabernacle studies and teachings that a place represents a condition, doesn’t it?

And so the place called Armageddon, Mount of Destruction Hill, or Megiddo, as a place represents the condition of mankind as the Lord returns to take what is rightfully his, while they resist in the battle, but they will lose. That’s the condition of our day, and my, oh, my, what a lot of trouble they’ve got themselves into needlessly. You know, the Lord makes such beautiful pictures, doesn’t he? Remember how one of the Gideons 300 went down into the camp of the Midianites at night and listened to the talk around the campfires and heard the man who had a dream?

In the dream, he saw a barley cake roll down the hill into the middle of the camp, and everybody, everyone was frightened. Well, here’s your hill. Here’s the hill of Megiddo. What is the hill of Megiddo?

Why, it’s a little stone cut out from the mountain, without hands. It’s the beginning of the game. Not big, yet it grew and grew and filled the whole earth. It’s the hill. The barley cake rolled down the hill.

Why a barley cake? Why not a wheat cake? Why not something mighty like a stone? A barley cake. Well, in Israel, the wheat harvest takes place first.

And then came the barley harvest we have in the plan of God, the stars of heaven, the sands of the seashore, and we know about the two salvations, don’t we? What a blessing.

The wheat, the harvest of the gospel age, the barley, referencing the millennial age arrangements, that which came up and was reaped later, and so the barley cake rolled down, and remember the young man in the feeding of the five thousand? What did he have? He didn’t have wheat cakes.

He had barley cakes. Five of them. Why five barley cakes and two fish. Very specific. Well, this wasn’t a symbolism in the feeding of the five thousand of the gospel age arrangements.

It was the millennial age arrangements, the second salvation. Two fish. Not one fish. Barley cakes. The second harvest.

5. The symbol of salvation and grace. Wonderful picture of God. Pictures God makes for us in his word. What a pleasure to have the privilege of knowing and seeing and enjoying and realizing that God Put these things there for us for our enjoyment, our encouragement, our instruction to help us move on as faithful unto death.

Joel, chapter 2, verses 1 through 11 speaks of the Lord’s great army. Blow the trumpet in Zion, sound an alarm on my holy mount again. The mountain of the Lord. This mountain that’s established in the tops of the mountains. Let all inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of judgment of the Lord is coming.

It is close at hand. A day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick mist and darkness like the morning dawn spread upon the mountains. What beautiful symbolisms. As the morning dawn spread upon the mountains, the dawn of the millennial age, a time of trouble and darkness.

So there comes a heathen hostile people, numerous and mighty. This is from the amplified, and the amplified gives not only the thought of a people numerous from the north, but a numerous heathen, hostile people, numerous and mighty, the like of which has never been before and shall not be again, even to the years of many generations.

Well, dear brethren, I’d like to know more history, but the history I do know. There has never been movements like socialism and communism and labor coming together. The people coming together to force the small self interested elements of society that held the power and held the wealth to force them to share that wealth and level the hills, level the economy and level the wealth as in our day. So we have had a great leveling of society forced by this coming together of these hostile heathen, numerous people, the Lord’s great army, and is it not so that most communists and socialists and even the labor movements are not much interested in religion?

They tend to be heathenist unbelievers. They are looking to force a better world by their power of cooperation and working together against the old self interested elements of society, and so the Lord’s great army has done a lot of marching and has fought a lot of battles already. Think of that great Russian empire that used to be so controlled by the Russian Orthodox Church and by the tsars and the princes and the tsarinas and those mad advisors like Rasputin and so forth, and then we look into Europe and we see only a few figurehead monarchs and princes and kings remaining to this day.

And what do we see today? We see the common man as living better than many of the kings of a hundred or 200 years ago. So this great army has done mighty things already, and the Lord utters his voice before his army, for his host is very great. It is strong and powerful and helps execute God’s will for the day of the Lord.

Is great and very terrible, and, and who can endure it and notice the overlapping? Where the night meets the day is this day. It’s the dawn.

It’s where day overlaps. Now, if you get up early in the morning, if you’re a farmer or you have to make a long trip or something, you’ll get up in the dark, it’ll be so black you can hardly see your hand in front of your face. But you get up knowing that the sun will come up. It may be pitch black, but if you look up at the tops of the hills or mountains, you begin to see a lightening of the sky, and it will be most apparent right at the tops of the mountains.

There is a little tiny bit of lighting to it, you know, and you can still see that all the stars, and then it gets a little brighter. You can still see most of the stars. Then it gets a little lighter, and then you.

All you can see is the principal stars and planets, and then it begins to get a little lighter and the stars and then the planets begin to fade away, and eventually you actually see part of the sun, but only after quite a lengthy period of time. This, we believe, is depicted in the scriptures as being the dawning of the new age, the overlapping of the age and the. The harvest.

Here on our chart, when the sun actually comes up, you can see this red ball, but it is still cold. You can see it, but it has no warmth to it. Yet the sun of righteousness still arise with healing in its wings. There is no healing right at the beginning, but you see the light, and then as the sun comes up and the sun becomes more and more apparent and, and it gets higher in the sky.

Now the rays begin to heat you up and warm you up, and you feel the healing influence of the sun of righteousness. This is the picture we deal with here at this end of the age. We look forward to that rising of the sun, don’t we? We see the light now. We see the clouds upon the mountains.

We benefit from the mist of the dew. The that God has brought the truth into this end of the age. But the healing of the nations is for a future time. Isaiah, chapter 42, verses 13 through 16. The Lord will go forth as mighty men.

He will rouse his zealous indignation and vengeance. Like a warrior he will cry. Yes, he will shout aloud. He will do mightily against his enemies. Thus says the I have for a time held my peace.

I have been still and restrained myself. Now will I cry out like a woman in travail. I will gasp and pant together.

Now, here again, we see a remarkable picture of the overlapping of the ages. Here we have the period of gestation in a woman, nine months. A woman’s body goes through certain changes and her body goes into the function of creating a new life. But now we come to the time of labor. Now we can liken the time of labor to the overlapping of the ages.

We can liken it to the birth of the new order, as the scriptures do, and as we come to the time of labor, oh, my. A little pain, a little contraction, and we think it’s time. It’s time. It is time.

Or it might be false labor. So, you know, the brethren down through the years, Luther thought the time of the end was in his time. The early brethren thought about the year 1000, and we could go on in history and look at all the times the brethren saw false labor. But now it is the time at the end of the age.

And so we began to get labor pains as prevailed upon the woman. Now the labor begins kind of far apart, not so hard. Then as time goes on, it gets worse, and they come closer together and they’re harder. But there’s a difference between labor and birth. Labor is one thing.

Labor is preparation for the birth. Labor is the preparation for increasing the size of the birth canal so the birth can actually take place, and then comes the climax. The climax is different. This is the actual birth.

This is the way of the overlapping of the ages and the incoming of the new kingdom.

This is also the way of the battle of Armageddon. There will be a grand climax that will be different than anything that has preceded it. All that preceded it. The time of trouble was in preparation for the climax that would give birth to the kingdom. I will make waste mountains and hills and dry up all their herbs, and I will make the rivers islands and.

And will dry up the pools. That’s interesting. Rivers into islands. Now, these are all symbologies we could spend much time at. Of course, mountains are kingdoms, hills are lesser governments.

Drying up the herbage, the feet of the flock, turning the rivers into islands. You know, rivers are examples of people that support governments. But now they’ve turned into islands. What are these? Well, we’ve seen that instead of supporting their governments, many peoples of the Earth have formed into democratic nations.

Islands where the land is very close and level and close to the sea all around, and it seems to be a symbol of the change of where the river Euphrates no longer is supporting and so forth, and we have democratic governments And I’ll dry up the pools, and then in the 16th verse, I will bring the blind by the way that they know not. I will lead them in paths that they have not known.

I will make darkness light before them, and uneven places plain. These things have I determined to do for them and not leave them forsaken.

What a lovely promise. Blind walking an easy road, eyes opened, a smooth way, and God will do it for them. Many religions think they need to prepare the earth for God’s kingdom, that they are God’s kingdom on earth. No God says, I’m going to do it for them.

And so this battle of Armageddon is doing what man needs done for them. Isaiah, chapter 28, verses 21 and 22. For the Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim. He shall be wroth, as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act. Now therefore, be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong.

For I have heard from the Lord God of hosts, a consumption even determined upon the whole earth.

Some of the prophecies indicate that Armageddon is more directed at the Christian nations. But then usually it goes on and says all the nations. It indicates that all the world will be burned up with the fire of his jealousy, and there will be four winds involved in all this, and so it will be that a decree of destruction.

Have I heard from the Lord of hosts upon the whole land and the whole earth. Again, regarding the overlapping of the ages, I think it’s important for us at this time in particular, you know, we have many controversies among the brethren, many variant positions of conflict, and so we would suggest this, that these usually fruitless contentions, such as, are we in the Gospel age or the millennial age, such as in the harvest still going on, or is the harvest over? But these are not the proper positions to be taken. The position we should be taking is that we are in both ages, for the ages overlap.

Think about that for a moment. We are in both ages, for the ages overlap. Now, if we realize this, we do not have to have two millennial ages, or three or four. The Bible really only speaks of one day, and in speaking about that one day, it says it is neither light nor dark.

So it says this is one day inferring that the beginning of it in particular would be an overlapping, neither light nor dark. Darkness refers to the present evil world. 6000 years experience of the Church during the Gospel age. Light refers to the millennial age, living as in the day, as we should do, and so forth. Then, of course, the dawn, the neither light nor dark.

The transition period. It is basic, dear brethren, to our understanding, that if we were ever to be peace, if there were ever to be peace, we would need a transition to peaceful arrangements. Out with the old, in with the new. Zechariah, chapter 14, verse 7. But it shall be one day, not two, which shall be known unto the Lord.

Not day nor night, but it shall come to pass that even time it shall be light, and I think that’s a fine explanation. Today mankind has the increase of knowledge. He knows so much, he’s doing so much better in certain areas. He’s been freed up of so many of the old errors and arrangements of the past.

But it’s a pretty muddy thing out there. Lots of new errors. The waters and light are mixed together with mud and darkness at one time. The time frame for this part of God’s plan to be fulfilled was not precisely known. That is, our brethren of the past did not know.

With the time of the end and our Lord’s return, this knowledge was shared with his people as promised, and it is the heredities of the saints to know what the Lord is doing and what’s going on. Now we’d like to also turn to Joel, chapter three, verse nine. Another beautiful prophecy. Proclaim ye this amongst the Gentiles, prepare war.

Wake up the mighty man. Let all the men of war draw near. Let them come up. Well, they did that for 40 years, didn’t they? And they’re still preparing for war.

It’s interesting to Note that in 1945, the United States had prepared two atomic bombs over a period of really intensive development, fearing that Hitler would get the bomb first and that would be the end.

Well, they managed to do this. They did an extraordinary feat in the United States. They cooperated in Chicago and New Mexico and Washington and all over, and they brought these mighty, intelligent men together. Two bombs used them both.

All ahead, and it stopped World War II.

And there is probably a good rationale to President Truman’s decision that it would save more people than it would kill. It did bring the war to an end. Today we have over 12,000 of these devices that are way more powerful ballistic missiles push the button, 10 minutes later, Washington is gone. Fifteen minutes later, Moscow is gone. But he will shorten those days.

He will not allow the arrangement to go to its logical end, and that is, in every war, you use everything you have until your resources are exhausted. Think of thousands of bombs used in a war that would be unless those days were shortened. No flesh would be saved. But here we go.

They prepared 40 years for the First World War. They kept preparing. They kept preparing and fighting wars. In addition to this, all the dissonant elements of society are involved in the Lord’s great army. Not just physical war, but also a war of concepts, isms, ideas and worlds.

Continuing in Joel 3:10. Beat your plowshares into swords, your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, I am strong. Weak nations intimidate strong nations. They’re confused.

They’re like drunken men. They’re like blind men. They are almost powerless to deal with the type of enemy that is facing the nations and the empires today. Let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves and come all ye heathen, the Lord’s great army, those unbelievers, and gather yourselves together round about thither.

Cause the mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be awakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat and there I will sit to judge all the heathen. Round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is right. Come, get ye down.

Notice the harvest is ripe. This is being described as a harvest time. This time of trouble. If the harvest is over, then the time of trouble is over. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.

Yes, it’s time for them all the nations to reap what they have sown. Come get you down, for the press is full. What press? The wine press feature of the time of trouble. The wine press features being crushed and crushed and crushed, and the life crushed out of that which is symbolized by the false vines of the earth.

For their wickedness is great multitudes, multitudes in the valley of Decision. For the day of the Lord is near at the Valley of Decision, and the sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining and the Lord shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem. Do you not see here the two phases of the kingdom? Jerusalem is spoken of as a stone of stumbling.

The whole world is stumbling on Jerusalem today. Why is it that the Secretary of State, our chief foreign representative, Marco Rubio, flies over there every once in a while to figure out what is going on, what he is going to do about a few little Arabs and a few acres of land in Israel? What a silly thing. Why is he bothered with such things? Why is this great nation bothered with such things?

Because he is worried about the battle, the climax of the battle of Armageddon. He can see the forces that potentially could come together in that area in a conflict between Arab and Jew and and other involvement between Russian, Russia, Iran and other nations sucking in the United States. That is why he is over there trying to get peace in the Middle east. Joel, chapter 3, verses 14 through 18 Multitudes in the valley of decision, the Margin says in my Bible, in the valley of threshing. Verse 16 the Lord also shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shall shake, that is the old heavens and the old earth passing away, according to Peter being on fire.

Verse 17 so shall ye know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. Then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall be no strangers pass through her anymore. Yes, that barley cake. God’s forces bringing in the new order will roll down the hill and the forces of the Midianites will be discomforted and there will be a decisive, final battle, and then what do we have for our hope?

Verse 18 and it shall come to pass in that day that the mountains shall drop new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim. Verse 21 and at the end, for I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed, for the Lord dwelleth in Zion. We come to the book of revelation in the 21st chapter, to a beautiful promise, beautiful promises that also speak in these same symbolic terms of the benefits to come at the close and the climax of Armageddon. Later, in the 22nd chapter of Revelation, verse 21, we read, and the Spirit and the bride say, come, and let him that heareth say, come, and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely. What a beautiful consummation to this trouble.

And as this new mother goes through the last angst of labor and gives birth to this new child, the new order, all of a sudden as it is, like somebody had an eraser on a board and erased everything once. The birth. What is she thinking about now? Is she thinking about the hours of labor that led up to the birth? Is she thinking of that last painful experience of giving birth to the child?

Oh no, it’s soon forgotten. Almost immediately it’s forgotten when she holds that child. The joy of birth makes one forget the pain of labor. Well, we’re running a little behind. I’m going to try to get it in here, though What a wonderful new treasure we have.

And so the new kingdom and the new age will be such a treasure to the world of mankind that soon the difficult experiences of this current day and those still coming will be almost immediately obliterated because of the blessings and benefits we are in an overlapping where these many things are going on. The old world is being plowed and the Lord’s people are being reaped. But at the same time the seed is being sown for the kingdom. What a privilege of giving out a message whose main beauties will be yet future when the world is all plowed, and then the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes and the sower of seed.

There will come a time in this treading of grapes, the winepress feature which brother Russell anticipated to be symbolic of the climax of the battle of Armageddon. The last feature of it treading the winepress alone, the last climatican feature. Jacob’s trouble, which we read of in Jeremiah 37, will close down the sowing of seed. There will come a time when we cannot preach the message to seed, we cannot cast it forth. So in the meantime, let us do with our might what our hands find to do and look forward to the time when God will turn to the world of mankind.

That pure language. We will leave one last closing thought with you. From Micah, chapter 5, verses 4 through 7, and he shall stand and shall feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, and the majesty of the name of the Lord is God, and they shall abide.

And now shall be he well shall he be great unto the ends of the earth, and this man shall be our peace. This man shall be our peace, will bring peace when the Assyrians shall come into our land, and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds and eight principal men, and they shall lay waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod, and the entrances thereof, and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our border.

And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people, as a dew from the Lord, as showers upon grass that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. Dear brethren, this is the way the Lord will bring in the kingdom. There will be forces coming to Israel, represented by the Assyrian. There will be a difficult time for Israel, and there will be then a remnant of the people. But those that should be raised up against this invading force will be seven shepherds and eight principal men.

We see these seven shepherds as the church begun to veil. Other translations say eight princes among men, or chiefs among men, or leaders among men, or commanders, or anointed men, or rulers. This brings to mind Psalm chapter 46, verse 16 instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. We remember that Daniel sat at the gate of the king so these eight principal men could very well speak of the next part of God’s plan, that which follows the seven periods of the Gospel age church and that is the great millennial age under the ancient worthies, putting an end to the time of trouble, and bringing in the blessings. Two texts to close Mark, chapter 4, verse 39 and he arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace be still.

And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Isaiah, chapter 14, verse 7 the whole earth is at rest, and is quiet. They break forth into singing. May the Lord bless our considerations, and forgive anything said amiss.

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