Israel: Part III--Megiddo

Keeping in mind that Israel can fit inside the state of Utah six times, it's small. The Jezreel Valley (pictured previously) is the largest valley in Israel and the most famous battlefield in the world, and it's small. The major trade routes between Africa and Asia crossed in this valley, making it a strategic location for empires throughout history. The Egyptians, Hittites, Israelites, Philistines, Assyrians, Syrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Turks, and British have all fought battles in this valley. Our guide, Carol Ann, pointed at the location on the map, and you can see all roads come together at that point.

The city of Megiddo was located on the southern edge of the Jezreel Valley, guarding the famous Megiddo pass. With control of this fortified city, a ruler controlled the commercial and military traffic throughout the region. After conquering the city, Pharoah Tutmose III stated that the "capturing of Megiddo is the capturing of a thousand cities." In fact, at the Karnak Temple in Luxor, there is a cartouche symbol carved on the wall with the name of Megiddo in it, marking its capture by Tutmose III.

During excavation of Megiddo, the remains of 22 different cities were uncovered--each built upon the ruins of the preceding one, demonstrating the turbulent history of the city. Megiddo's water supply was provided by a shaft 120 feet deep, which connected with a hidden spring outside the city walls. Thus the city could survive under siege for a long time because they still had water. The same system was built at Masada and in the old City of David, which we know as Hezekiah's tunnel. The term Armageddon means "Mountain of Megiddo," and it is believed by some scholars that this is the place where the armies of 250 million soldiers gather for the great battle before the second coming of the Lord. (Revelation 16:13-16; Ezekiel 38-39; Zechariah 14:2-3) The valley is small, and it's hard to imagine 250 million soldiers fitting in it.