Thursday, April 16, 2026

It is the 16th of April 2026. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

On today’s show, we are heading back further in time than the show ever has. That’s right- we are heading back to this, the 16th of April in 1456 BC- oh sure, they didn’t call it the “16th of April”- but it’s the best reconstruction we can make for the first ever documented battle. It took place between the Egyptian armies of Thutmose III against a collection of Canaanite vassals. The siege began on this day, and after seven months, ended with a victory for the Egyptians over the Canaanites, and is the earliest documented battle in history that made Thutmose and the Egyptians legendary. It’s WHERE it took place that might interest you- it was in the Jezreel Valley- modern Israel- west of the Sea of Galilee and historically the passage between Mesopotamia and Egypt. The battle took place in the valley- the valley of “Megiddo”.

The place would, for obvious reasons, be of key significance for the people of God- it is referenced as the location of Deborah’s victory in Judges- it is the site of Gideon’s famous battle versus the Midianites- it’s the site of the death of both King Saul and King Josiah. But it is the one reference in the New Testament that has given this place its juice in church history- what seems to be a battle, at Meggido- we read in Revelation 16:16 that the “kings of the world” assembled at the place in Hebrew that is called “Harmagedon”. And so- “Armageddon” has become shorthand for a movie with Bruce Willis where he has to drill into an asteroid hurling towards the earth to blow it up (?), or for the last battle- the end of all things.

There’s one problem. “Har” means “mountain,” and while there is nearby Mount Tabor and the Carmel Mountain range, there is no mountain at Meggido- it’s a valley. Or, today, you might see it as “Tel” Magedon- a “tel” isn’t a mountain but a raised part of land that has been built and rebuilt over and over again, so many times you begin to elevate from sea level. This crucial valley- where the first recorded battle takes place on this day- became the site of so many battles, on account of its strategic location, and so the ruins of so many battles and civilizations began to literally “pile up”.

The church has traditionally held a few positions- one is that this “battle” at Megiddo took place in AD 70, with the Romans destroying the Temple. Revelation 16:16 is thus already done- that was armageddon. OR, there will be a battle in the future in the valley between the Antichrist and Israel- it’s in the future. OR, it is a reflection of the historic confrontation between the forces of evil and Christ- it is recapitulating a historic reality until the end times, when there may or may not be a “last battle”. These folks tend to point out that “Armageddon” isn’t a place- the book of Revelation seems to have invented a place that is also reminiscent of the site of the most famous battles to make a point about the escalating war between Christ and evil that will culminate with the consumption of all things.

Nevertheless, “Armageddon,” a place that doesn’t exist, has nonetheless become a- pardon the pun- battleground- for debates over the end times- it’s also an allusion to the Megiddo Valley- the site of the first ever recorded battle between Egypt and the Canaanites on this, the 16th of April in 1456 BC… The Egyptians are victorious, but wait until I tell you the story of the Pharosh who may have been that same Thutmose III when a shepherd from Midian comes and starts making claims about the one true God… It’s a great story.

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and 1 Peter 1:

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 16th of April 2026, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man who certainly agrees that it would have been easier for NASA to train astronauts to drill than drillers like Bruce Willis to be Astronauts… He is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who remembers when the same movie used to be released under two names- I was more “Deep Impact” than “Armageddon”- I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.