(12) And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. (13) And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. (14) For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (15) Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. (16) And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
The pouring out of the sixth vial is yet to come. And when it comes, the chief ministry of it, will be upon the kingdom of the false prophet. This blessed event; brings on the total overthrow of that Anti-Christian power. The river Euphrates implies his whole territory. And what a wonderful effect will it produce? Isaiah the prophet evidently alluded to this in one of his Chapter s, where he saith; And the Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day. And the Lord shall smite Egypt, he shall smite and heal it. And they shall return even to the Lord, and he shall be entreated of them, and he shall heal them. In that day shall there be an highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt, and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, blessed be Egypt my people; and Assyria the work of my hands; and Israel Mine inheritance. Isaiah 19:21-25. Hence, if this Scripture be in reference to this event, as I venture to believe it is and the sixth trumpet overthrow, as I believe it will, the false prophet and totally destroy his empire, the Lord will bring out his Chosen ones that are new there, and by the sovereignty of his grace, will cause the Jews to return and the redeemed to be together, and the Lord will open an highway for all his people, both Jew and Gentile, bond and free, to return to Zion with everlasting songs upon their heads, and when all these Anti-Christian heresies are destroyed, his redeemed out of all nations shall come and flow together, and Christ will prepare his people for his reign upon earth.
And in confirmation of this, let the Reader further observe that in the close of what is here said, under the sixth vial, the Lord Jesus Christ himself is said to come, and to come suddenly. The Lord will strike the last deadly blow to all the powers. And when the unclean spirits, that is, the spirits of devils, are seen coming out of the mouth of these Anti-Christian powers, and are gathering to the battle of the great day of God, that is, not the day of judgment, for that is not yet, but to this which is before it, and are drawn there to their own ruin, then will Christ's power be known, and felt, and acknowledged by all.
The place of battle called Armageddon, is only specified by way of confirmation. It seems to have been taken from Megiddo, the valley Ar, or more properly Haar, signifying the mountain of the same place. I think the name is only used, to show how open and exposed, as an high mountain it shall be.