The Gathering to Armageddon

25. (a) What does John tell us about unclean, froglike “inspired expressions”? (b) How has there been a disgusting froglike visitation of “unclean inspired expressions” in the Lord’s day, and with what result?

²⁵ John tells us: “And I saw three unclean inspired expressions that looked like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the wild beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and perform signs, and they go forth to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” (Revelation 16:13, 14) In Moses’ day, Jehovah brought a loathsome plague of frogs on Pharaoh’s Egypt, so that “the land began to stink.” (Exodus 8:5-15) During the Lord’s day, there has also been a disgusting froglike visitation, though from a different source. It consists of Satan’s “unclean inspired expressions,” clearly symbolizing propaganda designed to maneuver all human rulers, “kings,” into opposition to Jehovah God. Satan thus makes sure that they are not swayed by the pouring out of the bowls of God’s anger but are firmly on Satan’s side when “the war of the great day of God the Almighty” begins.

26. (a) From what three sources does satanic propaganda come? (b) What is “the false prophet,” and how do we know?

²⁶ The propaganda comes from “the dragon” (Satan) and “the wild beast” (Satan’s earthly political setup), creatures that we have already met up with in Revelation. What, though, is “the false prophet”? This is a newcomer in name only. Previously, we were shown a wild beast with two horns like a lamb that performed great signs before the seven-headed wild beast. This deceptive creature acted like a prophet for that wild beast. It promoted worship of the wild beast, even causing an image to be built to it. (Revelation 13:11-14) This wild beast with two horns like a lamb must be the same as “the false prophet” mentioned here. Confirming this, we read later that the false prophet, like the symbolic wild beast with two horns, “performed in front of [the seven-headed wild beast] the signs with which he misled those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who render worship to its image.”​—Revelation 19:20.

“And they [the expressions inspired by demons] gathered them [the earthly kings, or rulers] together to the place that is called in Hebrew Har–Magedon.” (Revelation 16:16) This name, more commonly rendered Armageddon, occurs only once in the Bible. But it has fired mankind’s imagination. World leaders have warned of a possible nuclear Armageddon. Armageddon has been linked also with the ancient city of Megiddo, the site of many decisive battles in Bible times, and some religious leaders have therefore speculated that the final war on earth will take place in that limited area. In this, they are far wide of the truth.

32, 33. (a) Rather than being a literal place, what does the name Har–Magedon, or Armageddon, represent? (b) What other Bible terms are similar to “Armageddon” or related to it? (c) When will it be time for the seventh angel to pour out the final bowl of the anger of God?

³² The name Har–Magedon means “Mountain of Megiddo.” But rather than being a literal place, it represents the world situation into which all nations are gathered in opposition to Jehovah God and where he will finally destroy them. This is global in extent. (Jeremiah 25:31-33; Daniel 2:44) It is similar to “the great winepress of the anger of God” and “the low plain of the decision,” or “the low plain of Jehoshaphat,” where the nations are gathered for execution by Jehovah. (Revelation 14:19; Joel 3:12, 14) It is also related to “the soil of Israel” where the satanic armies of Gog of Magog are destroyed and that location “between the grand sea and the holy mountain of Decoration” where the king of the north comes “all the way to his end” at the hands of Michael the great prince.​—Ezekiel 38:16-18, 22, 23; Daniel 11:45–12:1.