Revelation 16:12-16 – The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.13 Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. 15 “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.” 16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
“The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.” The river Euphrates was often referred to as “the River” or the “Great River.” We first read of it in Genesis 2:14 as it is one of the four rivers that ran through Eden. It is also one of the defined borders of the Promised Land that God promised to Israel (Abraham) (Genesis 15:18, Exodus 23:31). Here it plays an important part of the final battle at Armageddon. Until the sixth angel pours out his bowl and dries up the river, the two hundred million man army (Revelation 9:13-16) will not make their march to the “hill” or “city” of Megiddo for the “battle.” In the past, non-believers scoffed at the idea of this mighty river drying up. However in 1994 the site manager of the Ataturk Dam that is in southeastern Turkey was quoted as saying “It is true that we can stop the flow of water in Syria and Iraq for up to eight months in order to regulate their political behavior.” Man has always scoffed at the prophecies of God, even at God’s Word, but God’s Word has never failed and it will never fail. All will come to pass. All.
The “kings of the east” may be translated either “kings of the east” or “kings of the rising sun.” Either way it refers to the massive army coming from the east. Kings of the rising sun could easily be understood as referring to Japan, however it has broadly be understood to be referring to China, or China with allies. This huge army of two hundred million soldiers is often understood to be China. It seems that it was Hal Lindsey (The Late Great Planet Earth) who popularized the view that it would be China due to the boast of the Chinese themselves who circa 1970 stated they could field a “people’s army” of two hundred million. Although China is indeed the most populated country in the world (estimated over one billion three hundred million), India also now has a population that is estimated to be almost one billion three hundred million. The huge populations in the east certainly make it possible that an army of this number could be gathered.
In all these prophecies, in all the events of the world, we see that God’s inerrant Word has stood fast and is even today unfolding before us. Judgment that devastates the world is coming, but what we look to is that also coming is the fulfillment of the promises of God to all who will come to Him through Jesus our Savior and Lord. Family, let us look to God and strain toward Him as we await His coming and the end of all our struggles. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.