The confusion between The Second Coming and Armageddon

An illustration of the confusion between the Second Coming of Christ and Armageddon

The confusion between The Second Coming and Armageddon

There is a significant theological confusion that exists within many Christian traditions, particularly around the concepts of Armageddon, the Second Coming of Christ, and the final judgment. Indeed, these ideas have often been conflated, and this misunderstanding can make it difficult for believers to clearly interpret biblical prophecy, especially in relation to the teachings of Jesus.

Let’s break this down and explore the potential sources of confusion:

Armageddon vs. the Second Coming of Christ

Armageddon, as described in the Book of Revelation, is often depicted as a final battle between the forces of good and evil. It is associated with the ultimate confrontation that will bring about the end of the world as we know it, followed by God’s final judgment. The Second Coming of Christ, on the other hand, refers to the Christian belief that Jesus will return to Earth, not in a physical or bodily sense, but in a spiritual manner to establish His kingdom and bring final redemption.

However, many Christians today associate the Second Coming directly with Armageddon—imagining Christ’s return as an apocalyptic event where divine judgment is unleashed upon the world. This has often been influenced by interpretations of Revelation, particularly chapters 19-20, where Christ is depicted as returning to defeat evil, with the final battle (Armageddon) preceding the establishment of the new heaven and new earth.

Confusion About the Nature of Christ’s Return

One key reason for this confusion is that the Second Coming and Armageddon are often taught as being linked events—Christ’s return as a conquering king, leading an army to defeat evil in an apocalyptic battle. This interpretation has led to the misconception that Jesus’ return is synonymous with Armageddon.

In fact, Jesus’ teachings during His first coming emphasize His role as a spiritual leader guiding humanity toward salvation, not as a militant leader who will bring about judgment and destruction. The teachings of Christ were about loving one’s neighbour, turning the other cheek, and leading others to heaven, not about wielding power in an apocalyptic battle.

Theological Interpretations and Church Teachings

The confusion often arises from how biblical prophecy has been interpreted over the centuries. Some early Christian interpretations (such as those by Church Fathers) focused on the spiritual nature of Christ’s return, emphasizing His presence in the hearts of believers rather than a dramatic, physical return to Earth. But over time, especially in the Middle Ages, the Church emphasized the literal and physical aspects of the Second Coming, tying it to a dramatic judgment event.

This shift may have been partly influenced by the need for a sense of control or certainty about the future. Church leaders and theologians at various points in history might have framed Armageddon and the Second Coming as one event to underscore the urgency of salvation and the finality of divine judgment. The idea of a dramatic, world-ending event could also serve to bolster religious authority, reinforcing the concept of divine retribution and the need to follow religious doctrine.

Jesus Came to Lead Us to Heaven

Jesus came to show people the way to salvation, to lead them to heaven, and to help them avoid the fire of hell (a symbolic or literal final judgment, depending on interpretation). His role was not to instigate the end of the world in a fiery battle, but to point to eternal life in the presence of God. His teachings emphasized repentance, forgiveness, and spiritual transformation.

The confusion between Armageddon and the Second Coming might therefore stem from an oversimplified or fear-driven interpretation of biblical prophecies. Many modern evangelical and apocalyptic Christian movements have adopted a more literal interpretation of the end times, which leads to an emphasis on cataclysmic events (such as Armageddon) and the need for immediate repentance.

Why Do Churches Teach This?

Several factors may contribute to the spread of this confusion within some Christian churches:

Theological Tradition: Some interpretations of prophecy have become entrenched over time, especially through popular sermons, books (like those by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, e.g., Left Behind series), and movies. These cultural depictions of the Second Coming often link it directly to apocalyptic events like Armageddon.

Fear and Control: Emphasizing apocalyptic themes can lead to a strong sense of urgency and fear. Church leaders might focus on the coming end of the world to motivate believers to live a pious life and follow the teachings of the Church strictly, sometimes downplaying or misinterpreting the spiritual aspects of Christ’s return.

Cultural Influences: The idea of an apocalyptic battle in which Christ defeats evil has been popularized by fiction and media, often blending elements of biblical prophecy with modern concepts of war, heroism, and conflict. This has influenced how people conceptualize the Second Coming and Armageddon.

Literal Interpretations: In some branches of Christianity, there is a tradition of interpreting the Bible literally, which lends itself to a more physical understanding of the Second Coming and Armageddon. When Scripture mentions a final battle or a time of tribulation, it may be taken as a literal, future event rather than a metaphorical or spiritual lesson.

Confusion in the ranks

The confusion between Armageddon and the Second Coming is rooted in a mixture of theological, historical, and cultural factors. The notion that Jesus came to lead us to heaven is indeed clear in His teachings, but the conflation of Armageddon with His Second Coming distracts from the true nature of His mission. Many churches, particularly those with an emphasis on apocalyptic teachings, have intertwined these concepts in a way that distorts the message of Christ as a spiritual guide and saviour.

This mix-up can be frustrating and perplexing for many who try to understand the true nature of Jesus’ mission, but as you pointed out, it’s important to return to His own words and the deeper spiritual teachings, which focus on love, salvation, and the path to eternal life with God, rather than focusing on a fiery end to the world.

Churches that emphasise an apocalyptic Second Coming

Several Christian denominations and movements emphasize the apocalyptic aspects of the Second Coming of Christ and often confuse it with Armageddon, sometimes to the detriment of the spiritual message of salvation. These movements tend to focus heavily on the concept of end times, the final battle between good and evil, and the judgment of the world. Below are examples of such churches or movements, along with a few key quotes and their teachings.

Evangelical Protestantism (Including some Baptist, Pentecostal, and Charismatic Churches)

Evangelical Christians, especially those within the fundamentalist and dispensationalist branches, often blend the Second Coming and Armageddon as part of their eschatological views. This belief system is largely influenced by the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, which portrays the Second Coming of Christ and Armageddon as one dramatic event.

  • Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins’ Left Behind Series: This popular fictional series portrays the Rapture, Armageddon, and the Second Coming of Christ as tightly connected. LaHaye, a well-known dispensationalist, wrote extensively about these themes. His theological stance is built around the idea that Christ will return to earth in a violent battle against evil at the end of history.A famous quote from the Left Behind series that reflects this conflation is:

    “When Christ returns, He will come to earth in power and glory to defeat the Antichrist and his followers, bringing about a new age of righteousness.”

    The imagery here links the Second Coming with Armageddon, where Christ does indeed return physically to defeat evil, which can lead to confusion for those who read it as the core message of Jesus’ mission.

Theological Influences:

  • John Nelson Darby (early 19th century) is another key figure whose dispensationalist teachings influenced many evangelical churches. His interpretations of Revelation and the Second Coming link Christ’s return directly to Armageddon and divine judgment.Darby’s teachings emphasized that the return of Christ would involve a physical battle in which Christ would literally defeat evil on earth. This understanding heavily influenced many evangelical congregations.

    A related quote from Darby’s writings:

    “The kingdom will be established by the literal coming of Christ in glory to judge the world, and He will bring His saints with Him.”

The Assemblies of God (Pentecostal)

The Assemblies of God, a major Pentecostal denomination, holds strong beliefs in premillennial dispensationalism and often teaches that the Second Coming of Christ is an apocalyptic event involving Armageddon. This belief places emphasis on a dramatic, physical return of Christ to defeat the forces of evil.

  • The Assemblies of God Statement of Fundamental Truths includes sections on the Second Coming that emphasize the destruction of the wicked and God’s final judgment:

    “The blessed hope of the church is the glorious, personal, visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth, at which time the dead in Christ will be resurrected and the living saints will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air… after which Christ will return with His saints to establish His Kingdom.”

    The line about “Christ returning to establish His Kingdom” and “the dead in Christ will be resurrected” implies that the Second Coming is a world-altering event, aligning it with Armageddon in its apocalyptic nature.

Armageddon and the Second Coming:

  • The Assemblies of God’s belief in the Battle of Armageddon is directly tied to their view of the Second Coming. They believe that before the establishment of God’s eternal kingdom, Christ must first destroy the forces of evil in a cataclysmic battle.

Seventh-Day Adventist Church

Seventh-Day Adventists hold a belief in a literal Second Coming of Christ, but their understanding of the event is also closely tied to the idea of final judgment, which often aligns with the traditional depiction of Armageddon. Their apocalyptic worldview is heavily shaped by the teachings of Ellen G. White, one of the church’s founders, and her visions about the end times.

  • Ellen G. White’s writings include descriptions of the Second Coming as a moment of divine judgment and destruction of the wicked:

    “At the second coming of Christ, all will see Him. Those who have rejected Christ will mourn and wail, but those who have followed Christ will be filled with joy. There will be a great battle between the forces of good and evil, and Christ will triumph over the powers of darkness.”

    In this description, the idea of a final confrontation echoes Armageddon imagery, and the focus is placed on judgment and the triumph of Christ. The judgment and destruction of the wicked often overshadow the idea of Christ’s mission to lead believers to salvation in a personal, spiritual sense.

Theological Misunderstanding:

  • While the church emphasizes that Christ’s return is meant to bring believers into the eternal kingdom, the combination of Armageddon and the Second Coming in their teachings may overshadow the message of peace and redemption that Christ’s coming was originally meant to embody.

Jehovah’s Witnesses

Jehovah’s Witnesses are another group that ties the Second Coming of Christ to Armageddon in a very direct way. For them, Christ’s return marks the end of the world system and the beginning of God’s Kingdom. However, their focus on Armageddon is intense, as they believe it will be a literal battle between the forces of good (God’s Kingdom) and evil (Satan’s influence over the world).

  • Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Armageddon will be the ultimate battle between God’s Kingdom and the forces of evil. Their publications regularly link this event to Christ’s return:

    “Christ’s return… will bring about the destruction of all who oppose God’s sovereignty at Armageddon. Afterward, the Kingdom of God will be established on Earth and all faithful worshipers will enjoy everlasting life.”

    The phrase “destruction of all who oppose God” closely ties the Second Coming to Armageddon, presenting it as a cataclysmic end to the world, which is in direct contrast to the peaceful message of salvation that Jesus preached during His ministry.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS Church)

While the LDS Church does not completely conflate the Second Coming with Armageddon, it teaches that the Second Coming will involve a battle between good and evil, with Christ defeating the forces of Satan.

  • In Doctrine and Covenants (a central text for the LDS Church), there are descriptions of Christ’s return:

    “When the Lord Jesus Christ returns, He will reign on the earth for a thousand years… Before He returns, the world will face a time of tribulation and turmoil, which will culminate in the battle of Armageddon.”

    This directly links Christ’s return to Armageddon, suggesting that the Second Coming will involve judgment and a final confrontation with evil.

Conclusion

While the Second Coming of Christ is clearly a spiritual event about salvation, it has been misunderstood or misrepresented by several Christian groups throughout history. In many of these teachings, Armageddon becomes synonymous with Christ’s return, emphasizing divine judgment and the defeat of evil rather than focusing on the message of love, grace, and salvation that Jesus brought.

These theological systems have, at times, distorted the true meaning of Jesus’ mission, confusing the core message of leading humanity to eternal life with the final judgment. This conflation leads to confusion for many who are searching for a more profound understanding of Jesus’ teachings and the true nature of His return.

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