The site of Tel Megiddo has a long history. Its significance is not defined by its size, but by its location. The city overlooked the Plain of Esdraelon, also known as the Valley of Jezreel, and served to monitor a major military and trading route in northern Israel that begins in Egypt and ends in Mesopotamia. As well, it governed the northwest-southeast route between Phoenicia and Jerusalem. It is later called Armageddon in Revelation 16:16, from Megiddo.
The site is first mentioned in Joshua 12:21 as one of the cities that was conquered by Joshua, and later rebuilt by king Solomon in the 10th century, as well as Hazor and Gezer, according to 1 Kings 9:15. An important archaeological discovery was the six chamber gates of Megiddo. Since Hazor and Gezer are mentioned along with Megiddo, archaeologists made the correct assumption that the same architect of Solomon would follow the design at Megiddo.
We know from an inscribed stele record that Sheshonk I, king of Egypt circa 935 B.C. occupied the city, and King Ahaziah of Judah died at Megiddo in 842 B.C. and King Josiah of Judah died there in 609 B.C. when opposing Egyptian King Necho II.
Valley of Armageddon (Plain of Jezreel and Mount Megiddo)
Site Study
| Hershel Wayne House | Israel
The Valley of Armageddon has been a location of interest for nearly two thousand years and relates to the large Plain of Jezreel between the biblical site called Megiddo on the south, and Mt. Tabor and Nazareth on the north, the Mediterranean to the west, and the Sea of Galilee to the east. The Hebrew term is Harmageddon, but most know the term Armageddon because the Hebrew "h" was omitted in the Greek and Latin languages. It only occurs in Revelation 16:16 and is the location of a gathering of world armies prior to the final battle that will occur when Jesus returns to the earth. Napoleon, upon his travel to the Holy Land of Israel, remarked that all of the nations could gather there for battle.