Jezreel Valley from Mount Tabor

Israel is a land bridge between Europe, Asia, and Africa. As traders and armies traveled by land between continents in the ancient world, they naturally passed through Israel. Narrow Israel offered the best overland option for humans and animals traveling on foot. A narrow pass between the Gilboa and Carmel mountain ranges known as the “Megiddo Pass” became vitally important to world commerce because so much of this intercontinental traffic used the route.

The walled fortress of Megiddo guarded the entrance to the path on the southern edge of the Jezreel Valley.

The Jezreel Valley is the setting for several Bible stories. “Jezreel” means “God scatters,” or “God sows.” The prophet Hosea told his audience that God was sowing judgment on the unrepentant northern kingdom. In the same way it takes time for seeds to mature into a harvest, it would take time before God’s judgement would be fully realized. Eventually, the Assyrians came into the northern kingdom and executed that judgement. This very fertile plain is heavily farmed and might be called the “breadbasket of the Galilee.” Little wonder the invading Midianites were in the Jezreel Valley when Gideon fought against them (Judges 6). The Philistines also wanted the land, which is why Saul fought them there (1 Samuel 29). Saul lost his life in that battle. In a few years, Solomon controlled the city, giving him the ability to charge a toll on travel and forge treaties in his favor with neighboring countries.

Several of the Egyptian pharaohs came through the pass, including one instance that resulted in the death of King Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:20-27). The city was not occupied during the time of the New Testament. By then, a Roman encampment of 5,000 men was guarding the Megiddo Pass. Spending nearly 30 years in Nazareth, just 10 miles across the Jezreel Valley, Jesus must have encountered many Roman soldiers from the camp. We don’t know that Jesus ever traveled through the Megiddo Pass, but it seems likely. 

More battles have been fought over control of Megiddo and its important pass than any other place in history. In more recent times, Napoleon fought in the plain below Megiddo. In 1918, control of the Middle East during World War I turned with the Battle of Megiddo.

When John received the message of Revelation, he probably wasn’t surprised to know that a final battle would take place in the valley below Megiddo. After all, the ground was already soaked with the blood of countless soldiers who had died there. In Hebrew, “har” means “mountain.” The valley below Megiddo became known as the Valley of Mount Megiddo, or “har-meddio.” In time, the phrase morphed into “Armageddon.”