Bible Reading: Megiddo: From Olive Tree

“Megiddo Town in northern Israel, on the southern side of the Jezreel Valley, that is first mentioned in a list of thirty one cities whose kings were conquered by Joshua in his campaign to take over Canaan (Josh. 12:21). It was given to the tribe of Manasseh, but Manasseh failed to drive out all of the Canaanite people who resided there (Josh. 17:11; Judg. 1:27). The Israelite leaders Baruch and Deborah defeated a large army of Canaanites at Megiddo in the time of the judges (Judg. 5:19). During the early days of Israel’s monarchy, Solomon hired forced labor to build up Megiddo along with his own palace and the temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 9:15). King Josiah of Judah, known for rediscovering the book of Law and making significant religious reforms, died in Megiddo while battling the Egyptian Pharaoh Necho (2 Kings 23:29). Its only reference in the prophets occurs in Zechariah, where Zechariah predicts that the mourning in Jerusalem will rival “the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo,” a reference that remains unclear (Zech. 12:11). Megiddo is also alluded to in the New Testament book of Revelation where the armies of opposition against God gather at a place called “Armageddon” – literally “Mount Megiddo” or “Hills of Megiddo” in Hebrew (Rev. 16:16).” Sent from Bible Study