Who actually gathers the armies to Armageddon—the Antichrist or God?
Scripture indicates the sovereign God ultimately gathers the armies to Armageddon. He works through the Antichrist and demonic spirits, who deceive world leaders and call them to send armies to the Middle East. The Antichrist initiates the summons, but God's sovereign purpose is behind it.
Les explains that the Antichrist will do much the same thing as a human leader assembling a coalition, using phone calls and emissaries to convince nations to bring their armed forces to the Middle East to deal with the Jew. Demonic creatures working miracles will convince the kings and leaders of the world to send their armies. Yet the sovereign God is behind it. Verse 16 says, "He gathered them together." Les emphasizes this is the power of a sovereign God working through the mindset of the Antichrist, who puts out the call. But it is really the sovereign God who gathers them to the place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon, associated with Megiddo.
And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
More Questions
What does the name Armageddon come from?
The place where God gathers the nations is called Armageddon in the Hebrew tongue, and the name Armageddon comes from Megiddo.