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84-472: The "mount" of Megiddo in northern Israel is not actually a mountain , but a tell (a mound or hill created by many generations of people living and rebuilding at the same spot) on which ancient forts were built to guard the Via Maris , an ancient trade route linking Egypt with the northern empires of Syria , Anatolia and Mesopotamia . Megiddo was the location of various ancient battles, including one in

168-481: A permanent installation of a military authority in the occupied area. Military campaigns, inside and outside defined wars, may exceed the original or even revised planning parameters of scope, time and cost. Such stalled campaigns, for example the western front in World War I, were formerly called " stalemates " but in the late 20th century the metaphor of a quagmire was often applied, and " frozen conflict " in

252-478: A century and a half later to the time of Ahab . A water system consists of a square shaft 35 metres (115 ft) deep, the bottom of which opens into a tunnel bored through rock for 100 metres (330 ft) to a pool of water. Megiddo's 5,000-year-old "Great Temple", dated to the Early Bronze Age IB (ca. 3000 BC), has been described by its excavators as "the most monumental single edifice so far uncovered in

336-462: A fortification made by King Ahab that dominated the Plain of Jezreel . Its name means "place of crowds". Adam Clarke wrote in his Bible commentary (1817) on Revelation 16:16: Armageddon – The original of this word has been variously formed, and variously translated. It is הר־מגדון har-megiddon , "the mount of the assembly;" or חרמה גדהון chormah gedehon , "the destruction of their army;" or it

420-522: A main corridor, paved with lime. The buildings were about twenty-one meters long by eleven meters wide. Separating the main corridor from outside aisles was a series of stone pillars. Holes were bored into many of these pillars so horses could be tied to them. The remains of stone mangers were found in the buildings. These mangers were placed between the pillars to feed the horses. It is suggested that each side could hold fifteen horses, giving each building an overall capacity of thirty horses. The buildings on

504-517: A merchant or trader who "consumed foods seasoned with turmeric or prepared with soy oil in the Levant, in South Asia, or elsewhere," indicating the possible existence of an Indo-Mediterranean trade. Sesamum protein ( sesame ), another South Asian product, was found in individual MGD011 (c. 1688–1535 BCE). Late Bronze age, as per radiocarbon datings in areas H and K of Tel Megiddo, began in the first half of

588-428: A military campaign is to achieve a particular desired resolution of a military conflict as its strategic goal . This is constrained by resources, geography and/or season. A campaign is measured relative to the technology used by the belligerents to achieve goals, and while in the pre-industrial Europe was understood to be that between the planting (late spring) and harvest times (late autumn), it has been shortened during

672-410: A number of battles over a protracted period of time or a considerable distance, but within a single theatre of operations or delimited area. A campaign may last only a few weeks, but usually lasts several months or even a year". In premodern times, campaigns were usually interrupted during the winter season, during which the soldiers retreated into the winter quarters (or 'cantonments') to get through

756-491: A place of annual wartime operations by the armies of the Roman Republic . 1. A military campaign denotes the time during which a given military force conducts combat operations in a given area (often referred to as AO, area of operation ). A military campaign may be executed by either a single Armed Service , or as a combined services campaign conducted by land , naval , air , cyber, and space forces. 2. The purpose of

840-651: A selected 144,000 humans, will rule Earth for 1,000 years. They believe that Satan and his demons will be bound for that period, unable to influence mankind. After the 1,000 years are ended, and the second resurrection has taken place, Satan is released and allowed to tempt the perfect human race one last time. Those who follow Satan will be destroyed, along with him, leaving the earth, and humankind at peace with God forever, free from sin and death. The religion's current teaching on Armageddon originated in 1925 with former Watch Tower Society president J. F. Rutherford , who based his interpretations on passages that are found in

924-478: A specific battle , which will be fought in the Middle East . Pentecost writes: It has been held commonly that the battle of Armageddon is an isolated event transpiring just prior to the second advent of Christ to the earth. The extent of this great movement in which God deals with "the kings of the earth and of the whole world" will not be seen unless it is realized that the "battle of that great day of God Almighty"

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1008-611: A square or a trench because they must leave something for future archaeologists with better techniques and methods. During these excavations, it was discovered that there were around eight levels of habitation. Many of the uncovered remains are preserved at the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem and the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures . The East Slope area of Megiddo was excavated to

1092-492: Is הר־מגדו har-megiddo , " Mount Megiddo ." Megiddo is mentioned twelve times in the Old Testament , ten times in reference to the ancient city of Megiddo , and twice with reference to "the plain of Megiddo", most probably simply meaning "the plain next to the city". None of these Old Testament passages describes the city of Megiddo as being associated with any particular prophetic beliefs. The one New Testament reference to

1176-506: Is "for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty". Because of the seemingly highly symbolic and even cryptic language of this one New Testament passage, some Christian scholars conclude that Mount Armageddon must be an idealized location. R. J. Rushdoony says, "There are no mountains of Megiddo, only the Plains of Megiddo. This is a deliberate destruction of the vision of any literal reference to

1260-554: Is 4 meters wide. Between the walls were narrow corridors, filled hip-deep with the remains of animal sacrifice. These walls lie immediately below the huge ‘megaron’ temples of the Early Bronze III (2700–2300 BCE). The megaron temples remained in use through the Intermediate Bronze period. Magnetometer research, before the 2006 excavations, found that the entire Tel Megiddo settlement covered an area of ca. 50 hectares, being

1344-461: Is gathered against the Church for the final battle, and the need is greatest; when God's children, oppressed on every side, cry for help; then suddenly, Christ will appear on the clouds of glory to deliver his people; that is Har-Magedon. In his discussion of Armageddon, J. Dwight Pentecost has devoted a chapter to the subject, "The Campaign of Armageddon", in which he discusses it as a campaign and not

1428-485: Is interpreted as being the world empire of false religions, and it will be destroyed by the beast just prior to Armageddon. Witnesses believe that after all other religions have been destroyed, the governments of the world will turn their attention to destroying Jehovah’s Witnesses, provoking God to intervene and precipitating Armageddon. Jehovah's Witnesses teach that the armies of heaven, led by Jesus, will then destroy all forms of human government and then Jesus, along with

1512-506: Is not an isolated battle, but rather a campaign that extends over the last half of the tribulation period. The Greek word "polemo", translated "battle" in Revelation 16:14, signifies a war or campaign, while "machē" signifies a battle, and sometimes even single combat. This distinction is observed by Trench (see Richard C. Trench , New Testament Synonyms , pp. 301–32) and is followed by Thayer (see Joseph Henry Thayer , Greek-English Lexicon of

1596-500: Is the means by which God will fulfill his purpose for the Earth to be populated with happy healthy humans who will be free from sin and death. They teach that the armies of heaven will eradicate all who oppose the Kingdom of God , wiping out all wicked humans on Earth, only leaving righteous mankind. They believe that the gathering of all of the nations of the earth refers to the uniting of

1680-526: Is thought to have a mixed Canaanite and Philistine character by archaeologists Yigael Yadin and Amihai Mazar (2005). It fell victim to fire, when the earliest fragmentary Gate 3165 from Stratum VIA in the Late Iron Age I (c. 1050–950 BCE) was destroyed along with the whole city at the end of this period, marking the end of Iron I in the Jezreel Valley and of Canaanite culture there. This destruction

1764-628: The Amarna Period (c. 1353–1336 BCE), Megiddo was a vassal of the Egyptian Empire . The Amarna Letter E245 mentions local ruler Biridiya of Megiddo. Other contemporary rulers mentioned were Labaya of Shechem and Surata of Akka, nearby cities. This ruler is mentioned in the corpus from the city of 'Kumidu', the Kamid al lawz. This indicates that there were relations between Megiddo and Kumidu. Megiddo's Stratum VIIB lasted until slightly before or in

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1848-626: The Baháʼí Faith , to be sent to various kings and rulers. The second, and best-known one, relates to events near the end of World War I involving General Allenby and the Battle of Megiddo (1918) wherein World Powers are said to have drawn soldiers from many parts of the world to engage in battle at Megiddo. In winning this battle Allenby also prevented the Ottomans from killing 'Abdu'l-Baha , then head of

1932-635: The Bronze Age , Megiddo was an important Canaanite city-state . During the Iron Age , it was a royal city in the Kingdom of Israel . Megiddo's strategic location at the northern end of the defile of the Wadi Ara , which acts as a pass through the Carmel Ridge , and its position overlooking the rich Jezreel Valley from the west gave it much of its importance. Excavations have unearthed 20 strata of ruins since

2016-713: The Neolithic phase, indicating a long settlement period. The site is protected as Megiddo National Park and is a World Heritage Site . Megiddo was known in the Akkadian language used in Assyria as Magiddu, Magaddu. In Egyptian , it was Maketi, Makitu, and Makedo. In the Canaanite-influenced Akkadian used in the Amarna letters , it was known as Magidda and Makida. It was Koinē Greek : Μαγεδών/Μαγεδδώ , Magedón/Mageddó in

2100-520: The Neolithic . The first Yarmukian culture remains were found at this level in 1930s excavations, but they were not recognized as such then. These remains, found in Area BB, were pottery, a figurine, and flint items. The Chalcolithic period came next, with significant content around 4500–3500 BCE, as part of the Wadi Rabah culture , at the following base level of Tel Megiddo, as other large tell sites in

2184-654: The Septuagint ; Latin: Mageddo in the Vulgate . The Book of Revelation describes an apocalyptic battle at Armageddon in Revelation 16 :16: Koinē Greek : Ἁρμαγεδών , romanized:  Harmagedōn , a transliteration of the Hebrew Har Megiddo "Mount Megiddo". From this surreal appearance in a well-known eschatological text, the term "Armageddon" has come to signify any world-ending catastrophe. Megiddo

2268-527: The Temple of Karnak . However, recalibration of radiocarbon datings, using calibration curve (IntCal20), supports Finkelstein's view that the destruction of Stratum V was due to Hazael 's campaign, c. 835 BCE (9th century BCE). Rulers of the Israelite Northern Kingdom improved the fortress from around 900 to 750 BCE. The palaces, water systems and fortifications of the site at this period were among

2352-515: The University of Chicago , financed by John D. Rockefeller Jr. , continuing until the outbreak of the Second World War . The work was led initially by Clarence S. Fisher , and later by P. L. O. Guy , Robert Lamon, and Gordon Loud. The Oriental Institute intended to completely excavate the whole tel, layer by layer. Money ran out before they could do so. Today, excavators limit themselves to

2436-403: The millennium . They teach that the righteous will be taken to heaven while the rest of humanity will be destroyed, leaving Satan with no one to tempt and effectively "bound". The final re-creation of a "new heaven and a new earth"; then follows the millennium. For Christadelphians , Armageddon marks the "great climax of history when the nations would be gathered together 'into a place called in

2520-590: The 15th century BC and one in 609 BC . The nearby modern Megiddo is a kibbutz in the Kishon River area. The word Armageddon appears only once in the Greek New Testament , in Revelation 16 :16. The word is a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew har məgīddō ( הר מגידו ). Har means "a mountain" or "a range of hills". This is a shortened form of harar meaning "to loom up; a mountain". Məgīddō refers to

2604-570: The 16th century BC, (c. 1585–1545 BCE). At the Battle of Megiddo the city was subjugated by Thutmose III (r. 1479–1425 BCE), and became part of the Egyptian Empire. The city still prospered, and a massive and elaborate government palace was constructed in the Late Bronze Age. Thutmose III's campaign is attested in Stratum IX at Tel Megiddo, a well fortified site in Late Bronze Age I. In

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2688-533: The Baháʼí Faith, whom they had intended to crucify . A third interpretation reviews the overall progress of the World Wars, and the situation in the world before and after. 32°35′06″N 35°11′06″E  /  32.58500°N 35.18500°E  / 32.58500; 35.18500 Tel Megiddo Tel Megiddo (from Hebrew : תל מגידו ) is the site of the ancient city of Megiddo ( Greek : Μεγιδδώ ),

2772-676: The Beast at the Second Coming of Jesus , the promised Kingdom is set up, in which Jesus and the saints will rule for a thousand years . Satan is then loosed "for a season" and goes out to deceive the nations, specifically Gog and Magog. The army mentioned attacks the saints in the New Jerusalem , they are defeated by a judgment of fire coming down from heaven, and then comes the Great White Throne judgment, which includes all of those through

2856-509: The EB I Levant and ranks among the largest structures of its time in the Near East." The structure includes an immense 47.5 by 22 meters sanctuary. The temple was more than ten times larger than a typical temple of that era and was determined to be the site of ritual animal sacrifice . Corridors were used as favissae (deposits of cultic artifacts) to store bones after ritual sacrifice. More than 80% of

2940-582: The German Society for the Study of Palestine, excavating one main north-south trench and some subsidiary trenches and probes. Techniques used were rudimentary by later standards, and Schumacher's field notes and records were destroyed in World War I before being published. After the war, Carl Watzinger published the remaining data from the dig. In 1925, digging was resumed by the Oriental Institute of

3024-502: The Hebrew tongue Armageddon', and the judgment on them would herald the setting up of the Kingdom of God." From Baháʼí literature , a number of interpretations of the expectations surrounding the Battle of Armageddon may be inferred, three of them being associated with events surrounding the World Wars. The first interpretation deals with a series of tablets written by Bahá'u'lláh , founder of

3108-596: The Jezreel Valley within Israel's coastal plain. In 1964, during Pope Paul VI 's visit to the Holy Land , Megiddo was the site where he met with Israeli dignitaries, including President Zalman Shazar and the Prime Minister Levi Eshkol . Famous battles include: A path leads up through a six-chambered gate, considered by some archaeologists to have been built by Solomon , but which Israel Finkelstein dates to

3192-534: The New Testament , p. 528) and Vincent (see Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament , II, 541). The use of the word polemos (campaign) in Revelation 16:14 signifies that God views the events culminating in the gathering at Armageddon at the second advent as one connected campaign. Pentecost then discusses the location of this campaign, and mentions the "hill of Megiddo" and other geographic locations such as "the valley of Jehoshaphat " and "the valley of

3276-691: The Omrides, found in Stratum VA-IVB, late Iron IIA period. It overlooks the excavations of the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures. A solid circular stone structure has been interpreted as an altar or a high place from the Canaanite period. Further on is a grain pit from the Israelite period for storing provisions in case of siege. There are stables, originally thought to date from the time of Solomon but now dated

3360-495: The ages and these are cast into the Lake of Fire , which event is also known as the "second death" and Gehenna, not to be confused with Hell, which is Satan's domain. Pentecost describes this as follows: The destiny of the lost is a place in the lake of fire. This lake of fire is described as everlasting fire and as unquenchable fire, emphasizing the eternal character of retribution of the lost. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Armageddon

3444-413: The animal remains were young sheep and goats. The rest were cattle. In 2010, a collection of jewelry pieces was found in a ceramic jug. The jewelry dates to around 1100 BC. The collection includes beads made of carnelian stone, a ring and earrings. The jug was subjected to molecular analysis to determine the contents. The collection was probably owned by a wealthy Canaanite family, likely belonging to

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3528-421: The bedrock to serve as a spoil area. The full results of that excavation were not published until decades later. Military campaign A military campaign is large-scale long-duration significant military strategy plan incorporating a series of interrelated military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war . The term derives from the plain of Campania ,

3612-408: The belligerent military forces defeats the opposing military force within the constraints of the planned resource, time and cost allocations. The manner in which a force terminates its operations often influences the public perception of the campaign's success. A campaign may end in conquest, and be followed by the transition of military authority to a civil authority and the redeployment of forces, or

3696-474: The biblical time period for this campaign to occur and with further arguments concludes that it must take place with the 70th week of Daniel . The invasion of Israel by the Northern Confederacy "will bring the Beast and his armies to the defense of Israel as her protector". He then uses Daniel to further clarify his thinking. Again, events are listed by Pentecost in his book: After the destruction of

3780-566: The books of Exodus, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Psalms as well as additional passages that are found in the books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles. The doctrine marked a further break from the teachings of the Watch Tower Society's founder Charles Taze Russell , who for decades had taught that the final war would be an anarchistic struggle for domination on earth. Tony Wills, the author of a historical study of Jehovah's Witnesses, wrote that Rutherford seemed to relish his descriptions of how completely

3864-427: The city of Armageddon found in Revelation 16:16 makes no specific mention of any armies being predicted to one day gather in this city, either, but instead seems to predict only that "they (will gather) the kings together to ... Armageddon". The text does however seem to imply, based on the text from the earlier passage of Revelation 16:14, that the purpose of this gathering of kings in the "place called Armageddon"

3948-412: The coldest months with warmth and protection. For example, the ancient Romans had easily movable castra aestiva ('summer quarters', with leather tents) but more stationary castra hibera ('winter quarters', with wooden barracks). In favourable weather and with proper equipment and supplies, however, military campaigns could be extended from the 'campaigning season' into winter in an attempt to catch

4032-400: The conquest of Shoshenq I but by "the expansion of the highlanders into the valley, a development that soon brought about the emergence of the Israelite Northern Kingdom ." Applying Bayesian model inference (OxCal v.4.4 software), archaeologist Enrique Gil Orduña (2024) considers this destruction took place sometime around 986 to 983 BCE. There have been several contradictory proposals for

4116-477: The early Bronze Age Levant and among the largest structures of its time in the Near East . Samples, obtained by Israel Finkelstein's Megiddo Expedition, at the temple-hall in the year 2000, provided calibrated dates from the 31st and 30th century BCE. The temple is the most monumental Early Bronze I structure known in the Levant, if not the entire Ancient Near East. Archaeologists' view is that "taking into account

4200-496: The enemy of their elect, Israel, at Megiddo. Christian scholar William Hendriksen writes: For this cause, Har Magedon is the symbol of every battle in which, when the need is greatest and believers are oppressed, the Lord suddenly reveals His power in the interest of His distressed people and defeats the enemy. When Sennacherib's 185,000 are slain by the Angel of Jehovah, that is a shadow of

4284-656: The enemy off-guard. For example, in the Flanders campaign , French general Jean-Charles Pichegru unexpectedly crossed the frozen Great Rivers during the harsh winter of 1794–95, and conquered the Dutch Republic . But ill-prepared winter campaigns often had disastrous consequences due to high mortality amongst the soldiers; the most notorious example of this is the French invasion of Russia by Napoleon (24 June – 14 December 1812). Therefore, army commanders sought to take into account

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4368-405: The final Har-Magedon. When God grants a little handful of Maccabees a glorious victory over an enemy which far outnumbers it, that is a type of Har-Magedon. But the real, the great, the final Har Magedon coincides with the time of Satan’s little season. Then the world, under the leadership of Satan, anti-Christian government, and anti-Christian religion – the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet –

4452-475: The largest known Early Bronze Age I site in the Levant. In 2014, Pierre de Miroschedji stated that Tel Megiddo had around 25 hectares in the Early Bronze IA and IB periods, when most settlements in the region only covered a maximum area of 5 hectares, but that excavations suggest large sites like Tel Megiddo were "sparsely built, with dwellings disorderly distributed and separated by open spaces." Tel Megiddo

4536-698: The last king of the Israelite Northern Kingdom, was vassal to Tiglath-Pileser III. The site was rebuilt as an administrative center for Tiglath-Pileser III's occupation of Samaria . In 609 BCE, Megiddo was conquered by Egyptians under Necho II , during the Battle of Megiddo . Its importance soon dwindled, and it was thought as finally abandoned around 586 BCE. Since that time it would have remained uninhabited, preserving ruins pre-dating 586 BCE without settlements ever disturbing them. Archaeologist Eric Cline considers that Tel Megiddo came to an end later, around 350 BCE, during Achaemenid times . Then,

4620-492: The last quarter of the third millennium BCE. Early in the second millennium BCE, at the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1950 BCE), urbanism once again took hold throughout of the southern Levant. Large urban centers served as political power in city-states. By the later Middle Bronze Age, the inland valleys were dominated by regional centers such as Megiddo, which reached a size of more than 20 hectares, including

4704-432: The latest 2020 calibration curve (IntCal20), and concluded that the initial establishment of Stratum VB belongs to the 10th century BC, during the time of the possible United Monarchy , based on two radiocarbon samples. These two samples are RTT-5498 and RTK-6755, dated to 961 cal BC (median) and 928 cal BCE (median) respectively. Four other samples from Stratum VA-IVB, which are RTK-6408, 6760, 6429, and RTT-3948, belong to

4788-571: The manpower and administrative work required for its construction, it provides the best manifestation for the first wave of urban life and, probably, city-state formation in the Levant". To the South of this temple there is an unparalleled monumental compound. It was excavated by the Megiddo Expedition in 1996 and 1998, and belongs to the later phase of Early Bronze IB, ca. 3090–2950 BCE. It consists of several long, parallel stone walls, each of which

4872-553: The most elaborate Iron Age constructions found in the Levant. There is a putative "Solomonic gate" (Gate 2156), which belongs to Stratum VA-IVB, dated by recent excavations and new radiocarbon analysis by Megiddo Expedition, led by Israel Finkelstein, during the time of the Omrides , (c. 886–835 BCE), in the Late Iron Age IIA (around 900–780 BCE). Hendrik J. Bruins recalibrated Israel Finkelstein's radiocarbon available samples, using

4956-408: The need to return their troops to their winter quarters, or establish new winter quarters in a secure location, well before the winter set in, so as to not leave their soldiers vulnerable to the enemy nor the elements. The success of a military campaign is evaluated based on the degree of achievement of planned goals and objectives through combat and noncombat operations. That is determined when one of

5040-616: The northern side of the city were similar in their construction. There was no central courtyard. The capacity of the buildings of the north was about three hundred horses altogether. Both complexes could hold from 450 to 480 horses combined. The buildings were found during excavations between 1927 and 1934. The head excavator initially interpreted the buildings as stables. Since then, his conclusions have been challenged by James B. Pritchard , Dr Adrian Curtis of Manchester University Ze'ev Herzog , and Yohanan Aharoni , who suggest they were storehouses, marketplaces or barracks. In February 2023,

5124-465: The passengers", "Lord coming from Edom or Idumea, south of Jerusalem , when he returns from the judgment "; and Jerusalem itself. Pentecost further describes the area involved: This wide area would cover the entire land of Israel and this campaign, with all its parts, would confirm what Ezekiel pictures when he says the invaders will 'cover the land'. This area would conform to the extent pictured by John in Revelation 14:20. Pentecost then outlines

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5208-519: The period of the Omrides, dated to 865, 858, 858, and 857 cal BCE (median) respectively. Tel Megiddo became an important city, before being destroyed, possibly by Aramaean raiders. The Aramean occupation was around 845–815 BCE. Jeroboam II (c. 789–748 BCE) reigned over Megiddo. Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria conquered Megiddo in 732 BCE, turning it to the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire 's province of Magiddu. Hoshea (c. 732–721 BCE),

5292-452: The place." Other scholars, including C. C. Torrey , Kline and Jordan , argue that the word is derived from the Hebrew moed ( מועד ), meaning "assembly". Thus, "Armageddon" would mean "Mountain of Assembly", which Jordan says is "a reference to the assembly at Mount Sinai, and to its replacement, Mount Zion". Most traditions interpret this Bible prophecy to be symbolic of the progression of

5376-546: The political history of the Early Iron Age excavation layers. The destruction of Stratum V was attributed, by Yadin and Mazar, to Shoshenq I , the first pharaoh of the 22nd Dynasty of Egypt , who would have taken Megiddo sometime around 926 BCE, which is attested in a cartouche on a stele fragment, found in a spoil heap of the Shumacher excavation by the Oriental Institute team, and in a partial and damaged list of toponyms at

5460-418: The post-industrial period to a few weeks. However, due to the nature of campaign goals, usually campaigns last several months, or up to a year as defined by Trevor N. Dupuy . "A campaign is a phase of a war involving a series of operations related in time and space and aimed towards a single, specific, strategic objective or result in the war. A campaign may include a single battle, but more often it comprises

5544-445: The region, was located near a spring. Megiddo's Early Bronze Age I (3500–2950 BCE) was originally worked in 1933–1938 by the Oriental Institute, now the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures . Decades later, a temple from the end of this period was found and dated to Early Bronze Age IB (ca. 3000 BCE) and described by its excavators, Adams , Finkelstein, and Ussishkin, as "the most monumental single edifice so far uncovered" in

5628-565: The reign of Ramesses III (c. 1184–1153 BCE). Iron Age I (c. 1150–950 BCE) began in Tel Megiddo around 1150 BCE. Egypt's control of this Canaanite region ended around 1130 BCE, as Stratum VIIA was destroyed around this date or shortly thereafter, attested in the palace and adjacent Level H-11 building. A Canaanite dynasty still controlled the city after the Egyptians abandoned the region. The beginning of Philistine Bichrome pottery at Megiddo

5712-537: The remains of two elite brothers buried with Cypriot pottery , food and other valuable possessions were found in a Bronze Age tomb . Bioarchaeologists identified the early evidence of a Bronze Age cranial surgery called trepanation in one of the brothers. The study published in PLOS One , reports that the younger brother died in his teens or early 20s, most likely from an infectious illness like leprosy or tuberculosis . The older brother, who died immediately after

5796-407: The remains of which form a tell or archaeological mound, situated in northern Israel at the western edge of the Jezreel Valley about 30 kilometres (19 mi) southeast of Haifa near the depopulated Palestinian town of Lajjun and subsequently Kibbutz Megiddo . Megiddo is known for its historical, geographical, and theological importance, especially under its Greek name Armageddon . During

5880-445: The ruling elite. The Megiddo ivories are thin carvings in ivory found at Tel Megiddo, mostly excavated by Gordon Loud. The ivories are on display at the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures in Chicago and the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem. They were found in the stratum VIIA or Late Bronze Age layer of the site. Carved from hippopotamus incisors from the Nile , they show Egyptian stylistic influence. An ivory pen case

5964-412: The same event. Seventh-day Adventists further teach that the current religious movements taking place in the world are setting the stage for Armageddon, and they are concerned by an anticipated unity between spiritualism , American Protestantism and Roman Catholicism . A further teaching in Seventh-day Adventist theology is that the events of Armageddon will leave the earth desolate for the duration of

6048-427: The surgery, had angular notched trephination and was thought to be between the ages of 20 and 40. A 30-millimetre (1.2-inch) square-shaped hole was created on the frontal bone of the skull after his scalp was cut with a sharp instrument with a bevelled edge. Megiddo has been excavated three times and is currently being excavated. The first excavations were carried out between 1903 and 1905 by Gottlieb Schumacher for

6132-511: The town of al- Lajjun , not to be confused with the al-Lajjun archaeological site in Jordan , was built up near to the site, but without inhabiting or disturbing its remains. The Megiddo church is next to Megiddo Junction , inside the precinct of the Megiddo Prison . It was built within the ancient city of Legio . It is believed to date to the 3rd century, making it one of the oldest churches in

6216-530: The transitional Iron I/II. The Iron I/II transition saw a fierce conflagration that consumed Stratum VIA. The transition saw the end of the old culture which had lingered since the Late Bronze and the beginning of a new culture forming the Northern Kingdom. Scholars debate the exact timing of this transition. The city represented by Stratum VI is considered completely Canaanite by Israel Finkelstein . It

6300-540: The upper and lower cities. A royal burial was found in Tel Megiddo, dating to the later phase of the Middle Bronze Age, around 1700–1600 BCE, when the power of Canaanite Megiddo was at its peak and before the ruling dynasty collapsed under the might of Thutmose's army. In mortuary contexts, in a dental calculus of individual MGD018 (c. 1630–1550 BCE), at Tel Megiddo, turmeric and soybean proteins were found, which are South Asian products, suggesting he may have been

6384-553: The wicked would be destroyed at Armageddon, dwelling at great length on prophecies of destruction. He stated that towards the close of his ministry, Rutherford allocated about half the space that was available in The Watchtower magazines to discussions about Armageddon. The teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church state that the terms "Armageddon", "Day of the Lord" and "The Second Coming of Christ" all describe

6468-435: The world toward the "great day of God, the Almighty" in which God pours out his just and holy wrath against unrepentant sinners led by Satan, in a literal end-of-the-world final confrontation. 'Armageddon' is the symbolic name given to this event based on scripture references regarding divine obliteration of God's enemies. The hermeneutical method supports this position by referencing Judges 4 and 5 where God miraculously destroys

6552-602: The world's political powers, as a gradual process which began in 1914 and was later seen in manifestations such as the League of Nations and the United Nations following the First and Second World Wars . These political powers are said to be influenced by Satan and they are disgusting in that they stand in the place of God's kingdom before men as the only hope of mankind. Babylon the Great

6636-469: The world. It was a few hundred yards from the Roman base camp of Legio VI Ferrata . A centurion donated one of the mosaics found in the church. Megiddo is south of Kibbutz Megiddo by 1 kilometre (0.62 mi). Today, Megiddo Junction is on the main road connecting the center of Israel with lower Galilee and the north. It lies at the northern entrance to Wadi Ara , an important mountain pass connecting

6720-582: Was "caused by the growing proto-Israelite power in the central hill country, out of which [emerged] the Northern Kingdom of Israel [that] should be dated to the first half of the 10th century BCE," related to "the biblical narrative of the war led by Deborah and Barak in Judges 4–5." Ben-Dor Evian and Finkelstein (2023), based on an updated Bayesian model and recent radiocarbon datings , proposed that Stratum VIA ended sometime between 999 and 974 BCE, not due to

6804-521: Was after 1124 BCE, or in the period (c. 1128–1079 BCE), based on radiocarbon datings with a confidence of 95.4%. Stratum VIB (Iron IA; Early Iron I) can be aligned with the late 20th Dynasty of Egypt. The Transitional Iron IA/IB may reflect the end of the Egyptian Empire in the Southern Levant. Stratum VIA (Iron IB; Late Iron I) correspond with the 21st Dynasty in Egypt and ends with destruction at

6888-404: Was found inscribed with the cartouche of Ramses III . At Megiddo two stable complexes were excavated from Stratum IVA, one in the north and one in the south. Stratum VA-IVB has also been proposed for this area. The southern complex contained five structures built around a lime paved courtyard. The buildings were divided into three sections. Two long stone paved aisles were built adjacent to

6972-516: Was important in the ancient world. It guarded the western branch of a narrow pass on the most important trade route of the ancient Fertile Crescent , linking Egypt with Mesopotamia and Anatolia and known today as Via Maris . Because of its strategic location, Megiddo was the site of several battles. It was inhabited approximately from 5000 to 350 BCE, or even, as Megiddo Expedition archaeologists suggest, since around 7000 BCE. Archaeological Stratum XX in Tel Megiddo began around 5000 BCE during

7056-594: Was still among the large fortified sites, between 5 and 12 hectares, during the Early Bronze II-III period, when its palace testifies that it was a real city-state "characterized by a strong social hierarchy, a hereditary centralized power, and the functioning of a palatial economy." The town declined in the Early Bronze Age IV period (2300–2000 BCE) as the Early Bronze Age political systems collapsed at

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