Netanyahu, the Rebbe, and the Messiah Prophecy
Why 'Messiah prophecy' haunts Netanyahu (1 year ago)
Benjamin Netanyahu was told by a powerful Jewish religious figure that he would be Israel’s last leader and hand the scepter to the Messiah. How does this so-called prophecy affect Netanyahu’s political calculations? And who is the mysterious religious figure, honored by successive US presidents, simply known as The Rebbe?
Partial Transcript --
His hardline government has massively accelerated the construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, considered illegal under international law. It's also provoked massive protests by attempting to grab more power for itself at the expense of other branches of government. The protests threatened to bring down Netanyahu's government.
But then on October 7th, everything changed. Breaking news out of Israel this morning where Hamas has launched a surprise attack—a massive surprise attack. Hundreds of Hamas fighters poured across breached border points. They attacked by air, land, and sea, taking Israel by surprise, with many in his own country blaming him for the worst security failure in Israel's history.
Netanyahu is once again relying on religious language to rally the country. "The Bible says that there is a time for peace and a time for war. This is a time for war." That kind of language is recognized by Evangelical Christians in the United States, who are still able to influence U.S. policy in the Middle East. Netanyahu took that Bible verse from Ecclesiastes 3.
Netanyahu spent many years living and working in the United States and has always believed in his ability to influence America. Today, his relationship with President Joe Biden may not be perfect, but that confidence, at least outwardly, is still there.
Today Netanyahu compared his war with Hamas to Israel's battle with the Amalek in the Old Testament. "You must remember what Amalek has done to you," says our Holy Bible. "And we do remember, and we are fighting." The Amalekites were one of Israel's arch enemies, and in some parts of the Old Testament, God commanded they should be destroyed.
Some commentators believe this is what Netanyahu is signaling with his biblical references. Amalek is a sign of people who are evil people, and they try to take away Jewish people from God, to divide them from God, and to take them away from God. He's doing the same thing Amalek has done. He's doing what Amalek has done.
So how is he coming to speak in the name of the Torah, in the name of the Jewish religion, when he doesn't believe in the Torah? He doesn't believe in God.
Benjamin Netanyahu is known to be a secular Jew, but he certainly saw the value in being associated with the Rebbe, whose presence is still felt in Israel even 30 years after his death. Sitting alongside his Zionist and ultra-Orthodox allies, Netanyahu may or may not believe in God, but he certainly believes in retribution—visiting violence of biblical proportions upon the people of Gaza.
Watch interview at 10:30
Reporter - We don't have America with us
Bibi - USA IS NOT A UNIFIED BLOCK. we have the senate, the congress, and a strong Jewish lobby on our side. We have a strong influence over the general support of America. America wont force us into anything.
Who was the Lubavitcher Rebbe?
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902–1994) was a very famous Jewish leader known simply as “The Rebbe”portalcioranbr.wordpress.com. He led a group called Chabad-Lubavitch and spent his life teaching Jewish values. Many people respected him. In fact, U.S. presidents honored him for his work. For example:
-
President Jimmy Carter (1977): Carter declared 1977 to be a “Year of Education” in honor of the Rebbe, and he signed a law making the Rebbe’s birthday (on the Jewish calendar) an annual Education Daychabad.org.
-
President Ronald Reagan (1982): Reagan proclaimed the Rebbe’s birthday as a national “Day of Reflection” and even gave the Rebbe a special scroll signed by many officialsen.wikipedia.org.
-
President Bill Clinton: After the Rebbe died, Clinton awarded him the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal for his contributions to education and charityen.wikipedia.org. Clinton said every president since Nixon had recognized the Rebbe as a moral leader.
-
Israeli leaders: When the Rebbe passed away, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin said his death “was a loss for all the Jewish people”en.wikipedia.org.
The “Last Leader” Prophecy
Some news stories claim that the Rebbe secretly predicted the future of Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu. They say the Rebbe told Bibi, “You will be Israel’s last prime minister, and you will hand power over to the Messiah.”alestiklal.net. This sounds like a prophecy. But many reporters and experts say it is likely just a rumor or mythportalcioranbr.wordpress.com. There is no official record of the Rebbe ever saying this in public.
The story seems to come from private accounts. For example, one friend of Netanyahu reported that in a meeting the Rebbe said Bibi would face many enemies but should not fear because “God is on your side”israelnationalnews.com. This friend also recalled that the Rebbe hoped Netanyahu would continue serving Israel until the Messiah came and would then give the country’s “keys” to himisraelnationalnews.com. However, these were private blessings and not a written prophecy. No one has a video or official quote of the Rebbe promising the Messiah. In short, the “last leader” story comes from some reports, but it is not confirmed.
Messianic Beliefs in Chabad
The Rebbe was part of Chabad, a branch of Orthodox Judaism with strong beliefs about the Messiah (in Hebrew, Mashiach). In Judaism, the Messiah is a future savior who will bring peace and rebuild the holy Temple in Jerusalem. Chabad followers especially stressed this idea. Many Chabad Hasidim came to believe that their Rebbe might actually be the Messiah or would lead them to himbulletin.hds.harvard.edu. For example, when the Rebbe appeared at a public gathering in 1992, the crowd shouted “Long live the Rebbe, King Messiah!”bulletin.hds.harvard.edu.
-
Chabad followers believed the Rebbe was the Messiahbulletin.hds.harvard.edu.
-
They chanted “Long live the Rebbe, King Messiah!” when seeing himbulletin.hds.harvard.edu.
-
They teach that one day the Messiah will gather all Jewish people and rebuild the Temple.
Even after the Rebbe died in 1994, many followers continued to believe he would return as the Messiahbulletin.hds.harvard.edu. This shows how central the Messiah idea was in Chabad culture. (Most other Jewish groups believe the Messiah must be alive today, so Chabad’s view is unusual but deeply held in that community.)
Some people in the Chabad movement didn’t just love the Rebbe—they believed he might be the one to bring the Messiah or even be the Messiah himself. When the Rebbe spoke at big events, people cheered and called him “King Messiah,” hoping he would start a new time of peace and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.
Even after he passed away, many didn’t stop believing. They said he could still come back and finish what he started. This belief wasn’t just about religion—it shaped how some Jewish groups saw the future of Israel and even influenced politics. If people truly believe the Rebbe’s words were part of a bigger plan, it can push leaders—like Netanyahu—to act in ways that match those hopes. That’s why some think the Rebbe’s influence didn’t end when he died, and why his messianic role still matters in how big decisions are made today.
Leaders and the Messiah Idea
Some political leaders have talked in religious or messianic terms. In Israel, for example, Prime Minister Netanyahu himself has used this language. In September 2024 he spoke of “the era of the Messiah” while explaining why he would fight on in Gazaalestiklal.net. His hard‑right allies openly pray for the arrival of the Messiah, whom they expect to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalemalestiklal.net. One Middle East scholar noted that Netanyahu’s talk fits a radical idea: that a great war will lead to the Messiah’s comingalestiklal.net.
In the U.S., politicians mostly honored the Rebbe’s social work (as above) and rarely discussed these messianic details. Some American Christian groups do talk about Israel and prophecy, but U.S. presidents have focused on his education and charity effortschabad.orgen.wikipedia.org.
Some people believe that when leaders start talking about the Messiah, they’re not just being religious—they might be trying to shape the future.
In Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu has mentioned “the era of the Messiah” when talking about war and peace, especially in Gaza. His close allies also talk openly about building a new Temple in Jerusalem, which many Jews believe the Messiah will do. Some scholars say this isn’t just hope—it’s a plan.
They think leaders may be using war to bring about what they believe is a holy future. In the U.S., most politicians praised the Rebbe for his kindness and help with education, but didn’t talk about the Messiah. Still, some Christian groups quietly follow these ideas too, believing that Israel’s future will bring Bible prophecy to life.
This mix of faith and politics raises big questions: Is war being used to bring about religious goals? And who decides what “God’s plan” looks like in real life?
Could the Prophecy Affect Decisions?
If some people believe this prophecy, it could influence politics. For example, if Netanyahu or his supporters think he’s destined to be the “last” leader, they might be reluctant to step down. The reports say the Rebbe blessed him to keep working until the Messiah comesisraelnationalnews.com. This might partly explain why Netanyahu insisted on continuing the war and delayed peace talks. One analyst even said that Netanyahu’s words about the Messiah sound like he believes the war must go on to bring about redemptionalestiklal.netalestiklal.net.
We do not know if Netanyahu truly believes in this prophecy story. It is possible he just treats it as a symbolic message of faith. But many people wonder: If the Rebbe really promised this, would Netanyahu feel he has to see it through? Or is he simply focused on security and politics? For now, the “last leader” prophecy remains an open question. No one has solid proof that it’s true. It is a blend of hope, faith, and politics, and it raises big questions about how leaders might act when ancient beliefs meet modern decisions.
Some people think that if Netanyahu believes this prophecy, it might be affecting how he leads. The story says a holy man, the Rebbe, told him he would be the last leader before the Messiah comes. If Netanyahu takes that seriously, he might feel like he has to stay in power until something big happens—like a war that leads to peace in a way that fits the prophecy.
That might be why he keeps fighting in Gaza and doesn’t rush to make peace. It could be more than just politics—it could feel like a mission. Even if he doesn’t fully believe the prophecy, people around him might, and that can still shape decisions. When faith, power, and war come together, it’s hard to tell what’s guiding a leader—belief, duty, or strategy. But if this prophecy really is part of the picture, it could explain why some choices seem so extreme or hard to understand.
Sources: News reports and historical writings about the Rebbe and Netanyahu. Information on the Rebbe’s life and honors comes from Chabad.org and other sourceschabad.orgen.wikipedia.org. The story of the prophecy was reported by an Arabic media outlet citing Israeli sourcesalestiklal.net and discussed on TRT Worldportalcioranbr.wordpress.com. Chabad’s messianic beliefs are described in academic and religious writingsbulletin.hds.harvard.edubulletin.hds.harvard.edu. Also used interviews and analysis from Israel National Newsisraelnationalnews.comisraelnationalnews.com and news articlesalestiklal.netalestiklal.net. All source links are provided above.
The Brutal Truth July 2025
The Brutal Truth Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976: Allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research.
Comments
Post a Comment