More than 2,500 years ago, God revealed the greatest message in history to the Hebrew prophet Isaiah.  In chapter 53 of the book that bears his name, Isaiah unveils God’s message of salvation to the world, and in so doing, he reveals the identity of the Messiah–the Lamb of God who would lay down His life as an offering for the world’s sins.

Because of the Lamb, a multitude throughout the ages will be counted as righteous. They will be clothed in white robes and stand before the throne of God without fault. They will experience fellowship with God and spend eternity in His peace.  Because of the fulfilled prophecy of Isaiah 53, a human race that once lived in darkness can now move forward with hope:

Isaiah 53
“Who has believed our message? To whom will the Lord reveal his saving power? My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, sprouting from a root in dry and sterile ground.  There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.  He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care.

“Yet it was our weaknesses he carried. It was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins! But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the guilt and sins of us all.

“He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins—that he was suffering their punishment? He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.

“But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and fill him with grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have a multitude of children, many heirs. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of what he has experienced, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of one who is mighty and great, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among those who were sinners. He bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners” (Isaiah 53:1-12,NLT).

The Lamb’s Identity
Although many claim this passage is yet to be fulfilled prophecy, history records that every iota of Isaiah 53 was fulfilled in the life of one man, a Jewish carpenter from Nazareth. The Gospels testify to the life of Jesus Christ, providing the world with ample evidence of His identity as the Lamb of God. For anyone who is skeptical or hasn’t had the good fortune to examine the historical record, Isaiah 53 contains multiple prophecies about the life and times of the Messiah—each one fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ. Here are just a few of those prophecies, followed by a corresponding verse (or verses) from the New Testament that confirms fulfillment in the life of Jesus:

Buried in a Rich Man’s Grave
“He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave”(Isaiah 53:9, NLT).

“Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long linen cloth. He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled the great stone across the entrance as he left”(Matthew 27:59-60, NLT).

Silent before His Accusers
“He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7, NLT).

“Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, ‘Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?’ But Jesus remained silent”(Matthew 26:62-63, NLT).

Despised and Rejected
“He was despised and rejected–a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care”(Isaiah 53:3, NLT).

“And Pilate said to the people, ‘Here is your king!’ ‘Away with him,’ they yelled. ‘Away with him–crucify him!’ ‘What? Crucify your king?’ Pilate asked. ‘We have no king but Caesar,’ the leading priests shouted back” (John 19:14-15, NLT).

Bore the Sins of the Mankind
“Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins!”(Isaiah 53:4, NLT).

“For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins. For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us. God was being entirely fair and just when he did not punish those who sinned in former times. And he is entirely fair and just in this present time when he declares sinners to be right in his sight because they believe in Jesus”(Romans 3:23-26, NLT).

Led from Prison and Trial to Death
“From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins—that he was suffering their punishment?” (Isaiah 53:8, NLT).

“But the crowd shouted louder and louder for Jesus’ death, and their voices prevailed. So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded. As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder. But he delivered Jesus over to them to do as they wished”(Luke 23:23-25, NLT).

“Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him” (Luke 23:32, NLT).

Wounded and Crushed for Our Sins
“But He was wounded and crushed for our sins”(Isaiah 53:5, NLT).

“Then they nailed him to the cross”(Mark 15:24, NLT).

“For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross. This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault”(1 Colossians 1:19-22, NLT).

Beaten that We May Have Peace
“He was beaten that we might have peace”(Isaiah 53:5, NLT).

“And they beat him on the head with a stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship” (Mark 15:19, NLT).

Whipped So We Are Healed
“He was whipped, and we were healed!” (Isaiah 53:5, NLT).

“He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to crucify him”(Matthew 27:26, NLT).

The Coming Glory of Christ
The last verses of Isaiah 53 continue to describe the life of Jesus Christ:

“But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and fill him with grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have a multitude of children, many heirs. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of what he has experienced, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of one who is mighty and great, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among those who were sinners. He bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners” (Isaiah 53:10-12, NLT).

These verses continue to be fulfilled in our day and in the times to come. The heirs of Jesus Christ—a multitude too numerous to count—are still being gained to this day, with new names being added to His family on a daily basis. And although Christians honor Jesus as one “who is mighty and great,” the world continues to despise and reject Him. Nevertheless, the day will soon come when this world will honor Jesus Christ in all His glory.

Revelation chapter 5 transports us to the beginning of this new era:

“And I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: ‘Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and unroll it?’ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it.

“Then I wept because no one could be found who was worthy to open the scroll and read it. But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, ‘Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has conquered. He is worthy to open the scroll and break its seven seals.’

“I looked and I saw a Lamb that had been killed but was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God that are sent out into every part of the earth. He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. And as he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense—the prayers of God’s people!

“And they sang a new song with these words:

“‘You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become God’s kingdom and his priests. And they will reign on the earth.’

“Then I looked again, and I heard the singing of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a might chorus:

“‘The Lamb is worthy—the Lamb who was killed. He is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.’

“And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They also sang:

“‘Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.’

“And the four living beings said, ‘Amen!’  And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped God and the Lamb” (Revelation 5:1-14, NLT).

This passage describes an actual event that will take place in Heaven following the Rapture, and just prior to the Tribulation period which begins with the breaking of the first seal. Those who have loved Christ throughout the ages up until the time of the Rapture will be present for this awesome event, and they will participate in singing the praises of the Lamb on the day He takes possession of the scroll.

The scroll represents the title deed of the earth, giving its owner possession of everything that is, was, or will be on it or in it since the first day of God’s creation. The opening of the scroll indicates the beginning of Jesus taking possession of the earth in preparation for His millennial kingdom.

Be Comforted
In Revelation 5:4, John weeps because no one can be found who is worthy to open the scroll. If the scroll cannot be opened, then there is no hope for this fallen world. Yet John is soon comforted by one of the twenty-four elders who points out that the Lion of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, is worthy to open the scroll. In verse six, we learn He is also “a Lamb that had been killed”—the same Lamb of God from Isaiah 53.

We can be comforted because the Lamb is worthy, for He was killed, and His blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. The sins of humanity will soon give way to Christ’s eternal reign, and the words of the prophets will soon be fulfilled.

Jesus revealed to us this peace, which we attain through trust in Him, during His earthly ministry:

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world”(John 16:33, NLT).

 All Will Acknowledge His Glory
As those who love Christ, we can also take comfort in the knowledge that very soon every living creature will acknowledge His glory. After carrying the burden of our sins, and after being mocked, despised, ridiculed, and hated, Jesus Christ will get His just due. He will receive everlasting honor and glory and power, and He will be acknowledged by everyone.

As Revelation 5:13 states, every creature in Heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea will attest to the glory of Christ!

Paul comforts us by reminding us of this coming day in his letter to the Philippians:

“Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11, NLT).

Conclusion
Hundreds of years before Jesus came into this world in human form, the prophet Isaiah revealed a plan by God to make one man’s life an offering for sin. The prophecies of Isaiah 53 were fulfilled in the life, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The story of the life of Jesus Christ has become so familiar throughout the ages that our world seems to have forgotten just how astounding the prophecies of Isaiah 53 are. They are now viewed more like a historical account rather than what they really are: amazing prophecies of God fulfilled for the benefit of all mankind. Isaiah 53 is an indisputable witness of the divinity of Jesus Christ.

For now, most of the world continues to ignore this. But the day is soon coming when this world will fully acknowledge the power of God’s Word. Just as the prophecies of Isaiah 53 were fulfilled to the very letter, the prophecies of Revelation 5 will also be fulfilled. And, oh, what a glorious day that will be!

For in that day, the evils of this world will pass away, and “every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father!”

Britt Gillette is the author of Signs of the Second Coming: 11 Reasons Jesus Will Return in Our Lifetime and Coming to Jesus: One Man’s Search for Truth and Life Purpose. He’s also the founder of End Times Bible Prophecy.

Through the centuries, the human race has been fascinated with the concept of Armageddon. During that time, the word has been separated from its original biblical context. The true meaning of “Armageddon” has been replaced by the secular concept of humanity destroying itself. The word is now synonymous with nuclear war, natural disasters, impact from a comet or an asteroid, and any number of other creatively conjured existential threats. Yet, the Bible doesn’t connect a single one of these events with Armageddon.

Even a majority of devout Christians holds erroneous beliefs about Armageddon. Many correctly view Armageddon as the gathering place of the Antichrist and his armies prior to the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ, but they misinterpret the motive of this gathering. A commonly held belief is that these armies gather at or near Armageddon in order to do battle with each other, or to annihilate the Jewish people. Then, only through the physical intervention of Jesus Christ is humanity saved from either destroying all life or the Jewish people.

But neither of these motives is correct. The Bible clearly states why these armies gather at Armageddon. Once we realize the reason, it’s easy to see why most Christians find it difficult to believe.

What Does the Bible Say?
The biblical concept of Armageddon is first introduced by name in the book of Revelation:

“And they gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place called Armageddon in Hebrew” (Revelation 16:16, NLT).

“Armageddon” is the Hebrew name of a geographical location in Israel known as “Megiddo.” Megiddo is a hill that overlooks the Jezreel valley. It is here where, in the last days, Satan and the Antichrist will gather the world’s rulers for battle. As previously stated, a common misconception is that they assemble to make war against each other. But the passage never says this, and further examination of the context in which this event transpires will make it clear that this is not their motive.

Remember, in the last days, the Antichrist will be ruler over the entire globe:

“And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation” (Revelation 13:7, NLT).

The Antichrist will also be a popular ruler, worshipped for his awesome power:

“They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshiped the beast. ‘Is there anyone as great as the beast?’ they exclaimed. ‘Who is able to fight against him?'” (Revelation 13:4, NLT).

In addition, the Antichrist will have total control over the purchase and sale of all goods:

“He required everyone—great and small, rich and poor, slave and free—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name” (Revelation 13:16-17, NLT).

With complete political, religious, and economic power, what army could or would gather for war against the Antichrist? Revelation 13:4 poses this very question: “Who is able to fight against him?” The Bible is clear that the armies at Armageddon do not meet to fight each other. Instead, they are united against a common enemy.

If this is true, whom do these armies gather against? The answer can be found throughout the Scriptures, beginning with one of the most overlooked prophecies of the Bible. Almost everyone can recount the story that led to this prophecy, yet very few remember the prophecy itself.

The Tower of Babel Prophecy
In Genesis chapter 11, we learn the story of the Tower of Babel:

“At one time the whole world spoke a single language and used the same words. As the people migrated eastward, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there. They began to talk about construction projects. ‘Come,’ they said, ‘let’s make great piles of burnt brick and collect natural asphalt to use as mortar. Let’s build a great city with a tower that reaches to the skies— a monument to our greatness! This will bring us together and keep us from scattering all over the world.’

“But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. ‘Look!’ he said. ‘If they can accomplish this when they have just begun to take advantage of their common language and political unity, just think of what they will do later. Nothing will be impossible for them! Come, let’s go down and give them different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.’

“In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the earth; and that ended the building of the city. That is why the city was called Babel, because it was there that the Lord confused the people by giving them many languages, thus scattering them across the earth” (Genesis 11:1-9, NLT).

In the sixth verse, God specifically states His reason for scattering the human race and confusing them with different languages. He wants to avoid the inevitable disaster wrought by global government and a common language. Why do these things concern Him? Because if they continue unabated, in due time, “nothing will be impossible for them!” This should be viewed as more than a passing comment by God. It should be interpreted as a prophecy of things to come. And in the last days, mankind will fulfill all the requirements of this prophecy. They will have:

Political Unity
“And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation” (Revelation 13:7, NLT).

United Purpose
“They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshiped the beast” (Revelation 13:4, NLT).

The global government featured in the book of Revelation will unify humanity politically for the first time since the days of ancient Babylonia. Thousands of years after God put a stop to this act of monumental arrogance, humanity will once again establish a unified political structure under the rule of the Antichrist.

So what does this mean? What will happen as a result of this global government? Something so bad, God put a stop to it the moment He saw it happening: The human race will directly challenge God. After all, what was the motive behind building the Tower of Babel?

“Let’s build a great city with a tower that reaches to the skies—a monument to our greatness!” (Genesis 11:4, NLT). The people wanted to build a monument to their own greatness, exalting themselves above God and extending their tower far into heaven with the intent of usurping God’s glory and authority. This desire of the human race did not end with the Tower of Babel. It continues to this day, and it will culminate in one final attempt to usurp the authority of God. This great rebellion will be launched from a place called Armageddon.

The Word of God and Armageddon
The Scriptures are clear when it comes to the purpose of Armageddon: The human race will gather its armies at Armageddon in order to do battle with God Almighty:

“These miracle-working demons caused all the rulers of the world to gather for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God Almighty” (Revelation 16:14, NLT).

Three chapters later, we learn more about this gathering:

“Then I saw the beast gathering the kings of the earth and their armies in order to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army” (Revelation 19:19, NLT).

The gathering at Armageddon is preparation for a war, a war the kings of the earth are plotting against “the one sitting on the horse and his army.” Who is the “one sitting on the horse”? Jesus Christ.

The armies of the world do not gather to fight each other or to destroy the Jews (although destruction of the Jews is a primary aim of Satan and the Antichrist). Rather, the ultimate purpose of Armageddon is to emancipate the human race from God’s authority. Psalm 2 describes this futile plan:

“Why do the nations rage? Why do the people waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against His Anointed One. ‘Let us break their chains,’ they cry. ‘And free ourselves from this slavery.’ But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them” (Psalm 2:1-4, NLT).

Notice whom the rulers plot against. They don’t plot against each other or Israel. They plot against “the Lord and His Anointed One.” Who is “His Anointed One”? Jesus Christ. The armies of the world actually plot against the Prince of Peace Himself.

In describing the Antichrist, the book of Daniel confirms this plot:

“From one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew very great. It extended toward the south and east and toward the glorious land of Israel. His power reached to the heavens where it attacked the heavenly armies, throwing some of the heavenly beings and stars to the ground and trampling them. He even challenged the Commander of heaven’s armies by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to him and by destroying his Temple” (Daniel 8:9-11, NLT).

Jesus Christ is the commander of Heaven’s armies, and the Antichrist will have the brazen audacity to challenge Him. This concept is reiterated later in the same chapter:

“At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of deception, defeating many by catching them off guard. Without warning he will destroy them. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power” (Daniel 8:23-25, NLT).

This master of intrigue, the Antichrist, will take on the Prince of Princes in battle. Like the Tower of Babel generation, his arrogance will extend all the way into the heavens, where he will attempt to usurp the glory and authority of God Himself. Note that the last verse of this passage states that the power of the Antichrist will not be broken by humans. This illustrates once again that the Antichrist will be the undisputed world power of his time. No one will be able to make war against him. At least no human will be able to make war against him. When the Antichrist engages the Lord Jesus Christ in battle, he will be utterly destroyed.

The book of Joel provides us with a glimpse of this future time, when the armies of the world will assemble to make war with Christ. The human race will severely overestimate its own power, while Jesus Christ treads the winepress of His fierce wrath:

“Say to the nations far and wide: ‘Get ready for war! Call out your best warriors! Let all your fighting men advance for the attack! Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Train even your weaklings to be warriors. Come quickly, all you nations everywhere! Gather together in the valley.’ And now, O Lord, call out your warriors! ‘Let the nations be called to arms. Let them march to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I, the Lord, will sit to pronounce judgment on them all. Now let the sickle do its work, for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread the winepress because it is full. The storage vats are overflowing with the wickedness of these people'” (Joel 3:9-13, NLT).

The End of Armageddon
The end of Armageddon is not quite what the Antichrist and his minions have in mind. The book of Revelation describes their total destruction at the hands of Jesus Christ, with a valley of dead bodies laid out as a feast for the birds of the world. The beast and the false prophet are captured, and both are thrown into the lake of fire, where they will experience everlasting torment:

“Then I saw the beast gathering the kings of the earth and their armies in order to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast—miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshipped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came out of the mouth of the one riding the white horse. And all the vultures of the sky gorged themselves on the dead bodies” (Revelation 19:19-21, NLT).

The victory of Christ during the campaign of Armageddon will usher in the millennial kingdom, a time of unprecedented peace and tranquility on earth with God dwelling among men. Jesus Christ Himself will rule the nations, and those who have placed their trust in Him will experience all the blessings God has reserved for them.

Conclusion
Armageddon is a reminder of what the human race is like without Christ. Burdened by our sinful nature, God gave the free gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. All we have to do is accept this gift. But those who reject it will become slaves to sin, and their degeneracy will one day culminate in outright physical rebellion against God Himself.

Armageddon isn’t about asteroids or comets. It’s not about nuclear annihilation or war between nations. It’s about mankind’s fruitless rebellion against God. In a pop culture that has managed to skew and blur the truth about Armageddon, Christians have a prime opportunity to set the record straight. So the next time someone you know mentions Armageddon, ask that person what he or she means. If the answer is not in line with what the Bible says, take the time to share the scriptural account. But more importantly, tell the person about the wonderful gift of Jesus Christ.

Britt Gillette is the author of Signs of the Second Coming: 11 Reasons Jesus Will Return in Our Lifetime and Coming to Jesus: One Man’s Search for Truth and Life Purpose. He’s also the founder of End Times Bible Prophecy.