by Michael G. Mickey
(4-11-08)

By now most everyone has heard something about people likening Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, Democratic candidate for president of the United States, to the Messiah.

Now, rising from the ash heap of political defeat once again, appears to be Silvio Berlusconi, a man who twice before has been Italy's Prime Minister and appears on the verge of capturing the title once again after elections are held on 4-13-08.

Pay close attention to how Silvio Berlusconi refers to himself in the following excerpt from a Telegraph article (emphasis added mine):

The recently resurrected Silvio Berlusconi is, in his own words, the Jesus Christ of politics.

He is also, depending on how the mood takes him, the Winston Churchill, Julius Caesar or the Napoleon of modern-day Italy. "Only taller," he jokes.

"My enemies keep calling me a dwarf but I'm 5'6"!" With his coronation as Italian prime minister apparently imminent, Mr Berlusconi cheerfully tells anyone who will listen that he has become a "cult" figure. "Actually, the fanaticism is frankly embarrassing," he said.

"People are fighting each other to touch me."

Did you note how he has likened himself to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the great Winston Churchill, the leader of the Roman empire, and a brilliant military strategist and conqueror like Napoleon? Wow.

While I can understand a man of Berlusconi's success in most facets of life, incredible charm and political resilience having great self-confidence, he connects himself verbally with an elite group of historical figures, none of whom I believe he can say he is even close to being an equal to thus far, but who knows? Maybe the future holds more for Silvio Berlusconi here in these last days. Time will tell but I'm beginning to be more than a little creeped out.

It's the whole Messiah thing that creeps me out

Interesting to me, much as has been the case in several instances with Barack Obama, is seeing the writer of the Telegraph article on Berlusconi likening him to Christ somewhat himself, mentioning Berlusconi's resurrection near the opening of the article and then, near the end of it, referring to him as "the comic messiah of Italian politics."

Looking at Bible prophecy we know that false Christs and false prophets are going to rise to prominence in the last days. These will be able to show "signs and wonders" so clever and convincing in content they would be capable, absent of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Body of Christ, to seduce even the elect of Almighty God! (Mark 13:22)

In Bible prophecy we know that one such personality, the prophesied Antichrist, is going to be of Roman descent and will confirm (or make strong) a seven-year covenant of peace in the Middle East "with many." (Daniel 9:26-27)

After achieving that high goal, undoubtedly drawing the accolades of the entire world, he will swiftly rise to become a global dictator who Bible prophecy tells us will open his mouth in blasphemy against God, blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven. (Revelation 13:6) He will make war with the saints of God who will come to faith in Christ in the Tribulation Period to come and, eventually, hold power over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations! (Revelation 13:7)

In light of the fact we have so much going on right now in relation to efforts underway to bring peace to the Middle East among many other signs of prophetic interest, I cringe whenever I hear someone spoken of as possessing messianic qualities, particularly when the person being referred to has potential to hold the kind of power necessary to fulfill Daniel 9:27.

The question is: Why do I cringe?

I cringe for the lost, not myself.

While I came to faith in Jesus Christ long, long ago and am anxiously awaiting the return of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for His Church - an event which could occur at any moment - the lost, largely because the Church has stopped teaching Bible prophecy because it is too 'controversial', are going to be in a world of hurt, potentially in the not-too-distant future.

Practically clueless concerning the things of God, many of those left behind after the Rapture of the Church are going to fall prey to every kind of wild theory and belief system offered them.

Multitudes of them, droves of them in fact, are eventually going to worship "the dragon [Satan] which gave power unto the beast [the Antichrist], saying, "Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" (Revelation 13:4)
These will be among the first, undoubtedly, to damn themselves to spending an eternity in the lake of fire by taking a mark of allegiance to the Antichrist we commonly refer to as the "mark of the beast" described in Revelation 13:16-17.

The mark of the beast will be both a symbol of allegiance to the Antichrist who will have proclaimed himself to be god and a prerequisite to make any sort of financial transaction whatsoever. Whatever the mark of the beast will be comprised of, each and every person will be required to receive it, either in their right hand or forehead.

(If you're reading this and you're not a Christian, DO NOT take this mark at any point in the future. No matter the cost, DO NOT take the mark!)

Christians

Part of the reason I believe we see so many political leaders who have a great deal of charm and celebrity-like demeanor likened to a messiah is that the world is desperately looking for a hero.

Sure, everyone goes about their business day in and day out with their heads buried in the sand most of the time but, even so, I think everyone senses we are on the brink of disaster given our environment's many problems, financial markets looking shaky, food supplies becoming more scarce, many nations seeking nuclear weapons, and the threat of terrorism still looming 7 years after the horrors of September 11th became part of who we all are today.

The world is looking for a Savior and, while we know One who can bring a comfort to their hearts that presently isn't there, very few of Christ's Church, percentage-wise at the very least, are motivated to pull the lost into our arms in love and tell them they can stop looking for a messiah in the GOP, Democratic party or any other political party on the face of God's green earth! Because this is true, many of the lost are vulnerable to latching onto most any "messiah" that comes down the road singing a melody of hope, whether it consists of any substance or not. We have the power to change that, however, one person at a time if necessary!

We can tell the lost about Jesus Christ, His love and sacrifice made for them, the lateness of the hour we're living in and give them REAL HOPE! Hope in Jesus Christ!

Non-believer

If you're reading this and you aren't a Christian, there is nothing more important than what you need to decide this very day! Absolutely nothing!

While what I've said in this commentary may seem to you utter foolishness, time will reveal that I was correct in warning you that a day would come when Christ would come for His Church and that be followed by the Antichrist rising to power if, by chance, we're as close to Christ's return as I think we may well be. But, even if your life ends before those prophecies are fulfilled, you're still going to have to appear before Jesus Christ as we all will.

When that day comes, will you bow before Him in humble worship and adoration and receive His welcome into eternal life or will you bow before Him in judgment, trembling like a leaf clinging to a tree limb in a hurricane in full realization that you are about to be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity - a lake from which there will be no escape or hope of rescue?

My prayer is that you will consider coming to faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, hit your knees in repentance before your God, get a Bible (preferably a King James Version, which is the only version I personally endorse) and start reading it regularly, seek out a good doctrinally sound, Bible-believing church and find out what it is like to know you have something to look forward to beyond this world of trial and temptation, struggle and turmoil, fear and frustration.

A better and brighter day is coming! Don't you want to be in the midst of that? I know I do. Not only do I want to be there, I sincerely want you to be there too. More importantly, Jesus Christ, who LOVES you, wants you to be there with Him!

Will you accept Christ as your Savior or roll the dice one more day, hoping you'll be able to revisit the issue of Christ later, maybe a week or two from now or a year?

If you could see what I have personally seen, know what I personally know, see the prophetic scenario unfolding before your eyes like I see it, you wouldn't even finish reading this paragraph before calling out to Christ to be your Savior!

I'm not writing these words to scare you; I'm writing them because I love you and want nothing less for you than the grace that God has shown me through Christ that saved a wretch like me from hell. To learn more about salvation, please visit my site's Salvation Issues section.

Christ is coming soon! Be ready!