Armageddon prophecy
Meaning
A prediction or belief in a final, catastrophic battle or series of events that will bring about the end of the world.
Origin
The phrase "Armageddon prophecy" thunders into our lexicon straight from the New Testament's Book of Revelation, specifically Chapter 16, verse 16. Here, the Greek "Armageddon" is a transliteration of the Hebrew "Har Megiddo," meaning "Mount Megiddo"—a very real, ancient fortified hill in northern Israel. This site, a notorious historical battlefield where countless empires clashed, became the prophesied stage for humanity's ultimate, world-ending conflict. It was here that the forces of good and evil would engage in a final, cosmic showdown. Over centuries, Megiddo transcended its geographical roots, becoming the symbolic shorthand for any ultimate global catastrophe, a final, irreversible struggle that decides the fate of the world.
Examples
- Many ancient texts contain an Armageddon prophecy describing the ultimate conflict between good and evil.
- Environmental activists often warn of an impending ecological Armageddon prophecy if humanity doesn't change its ways.