Armageddon and the battle of Karkemish

So what does one of the most important battles in the Middle East of the first millennium before Christ have to do with the end-time battle connected to the end of the world? Well — more than just the word battle.

The story before Karkemish

It begins in 612 B.C. when the Babylonians overran Niniveh, the former capital of the Assyrians also described in the prophet Nahum, as a the result of the people turning back from their way after Jonah preached there.

The Assyrians retreated to Haran, a place from which Abraham came from and later on his relatives such as his daugther-in-law [Rebecca](http://Genesis 24) and later [Jacob and his wifes](http://Genesis 28). This was in the year 609 B.C..

At the same time there was a battle near Megiddo where the Josiah, King of Israel fought against Necho, Pharaoh of Egypt. Josiah died in this battle, but he delayed Necho on his way to help the Assyrians in Haran.

The battle of Karkemish and its consequences

After defeating the Assyrians at Haran, the Babylonian Empire finally defeated the remaining forces of Assur and Egypt in the Battle of Karekemish in 605 B.C. by the Babylonian king Nebukadnezar.

This caused the fall of the Assyrian and Egyptian empires, both of which never recovered, and began the rise of the Babylonian empire.

Israel fell under the rule of Babel, but rebelled several times over the next 20 years and went into exile in 587 BC. By 714 B.C., the northern part of Israel had already been exiled by the Assyrians, who tore the Israeli families apart so that these northern tribes disappeared. But the tribes that went into exile under the Babylonians were kept together, so they were able to come back to Israel in 537BC and still exist today.

Had Josiah not fought Necho at the battle of Megiddo and delayed him for the battle of Haran, Babel might not have won the battle of Karkemish, and the southern tribes of Israel might have gone into exile under the Assyrians and might have ceased to exist.

Armageddon and Karkemish

But what does this have to do with the Battle of Armageddon?

• The Babylonians are indirectly mentioned in the Battle of Armageddon (Euphrates River).
• Armageddon can be translated as “the mountain of Megiddo” and thus refers to Josiah’s battle with Necho.
• Battles don’t take place on a mountain, but the army assembles there and the battle takes place in the valley. The Battle of Megiddo was the preparation for the Battle of Karkemish, just as Armageddon was not the place of the battle, but the gathering of the army that will later be defeating by Jesus.
• Both Megiddo and Armageddon describe the protection of God’s people (Megiddo spared from Israel’s dispersion, Armageddon preparing Jesus’ final victory).
• Jesus, who died on the cross, defeated the army assembled at Armageddon, Josiah (another transcription of the name Jesus) gave his life to preserve Israel’s existence.

The three kings of Israel

There were three kings who had an insightful dealings with Assur.

• King Ahaz was pressured to join a coalition against Assyria and was offered God’s full support by the prophet Isaiah, which he refused, instead seeking help from the king of Assyria, who led the northern 10 tribes into exile in 714 B.C., from which they never returned.
• King Hesekiah showed faith when the Assyrians attacked Jerusalem in 701 B.C., resulting in the victorious intervention of an angel. After this event he became ill and God told him to put his last things in order. Hesekiah prays to God and he changes his mind and gives him more time to live. As a result the Babylonian King Merodach-Baladin visits him and congratulates him on his recovery. The king successfully made Babel independent from the Assyrians and it seems that Hesekiah hoped to defeat the Assyrians in the long run as well when he supported the Babylonian king (financially) as Hesekiah showed him all the treasures he had. The prophet Isaiah confronted him and told him that the Babylonians were not his friends. But Hesekiah said to himself: “No problem as long as I don’t have to experience this”
• Hesekiah’s grandson Josiah is very different from them. He reigned when he was 8 years old and at the age of 18 he wanted to restore the temple when the book of the law was found describing God’s judgment on unfaithful Israel. He was shocked and asked the prophet Huldah for advice. She said that the judgment was unchangeable but that it would not happen in his time. But his response was different from that of his grandfather. He brought all Israel back to fulfill the law. At the end of his life he had the battle at Megiddo where he died. He gave his life for a future he could not see.

We have three kings who acted differently in times of pressure, and they all knew that God was on their side.