Netanyahu: The Self-Proclaimed Messenger

Netanyahu’s Messianic Obsession

What many people do not realise is that before his rise to being a prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu was already deeply influenced by Jewish eschatological prophecies, and remains so to this day. He has long protected the conviction that he has a divine role to play in preparing for the arrival of the long-awaited Jewish Messiah.

This belief has shaped his determination to cling to political power. Netanyahu has served three separate terms as Israel’s prime minister, first in 1996–1999, then in 2009–2021, and from 2022 to the present, making him the longest-serving prime minister in Israel’s history. For him, leadership is not merely political but bound to a perceived prophetic destiny.

The Influence of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson

Netanyahu’s fixation on prophecy dates back to his early political activism in the late 1970s (recorded in the infamous 1978 US TV debate). However, it was in 1984 that he first met Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902–1994), the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe, a highly influential figure in Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidism.

During their private conversations, Schneerson is reported to have told Netanyahu that he would become prime minister three times and would be Israel’s “last prime minister,” passing the sceptre to the Messiah. One striking phrase attributed to the Rebbe was:

“You will be Israel’s last Prime Minister, who will pass the sceptre to the Messiah.” (ByFaith.org)

In another meeting, Schneerson allegedly foretold that Netanyahu would one day speak at the United Nations as a beacon of truth “in times of darkness” (IsraelMyGlory.org). This prophecy seemed to be fulfilled in Netanyahu’s numerous UN speeches, where he promoted Israeli security interests and even called for the removal of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, a move he saw as bringing “light” into the region’s “darkness.”

Whether or not Schneerson truly foresaw these events, Netanyahu internalised the Rebbe’s words and came to view himself as a chosen vessel to pave the way for the Messiah.

The Rebbe’s Paradox

Despite his influence on Israeli politics, Schneerson himself never visited the modern State of Israel except once in 1929, when it was still Palestine (ArtLevin.com). He always had the same answer when asked why he would not visit Israel and he would explain that God had given him a mission in America that had to be fulfilled before he could go elsewhere (Chabad.org).

More significantly, Schneerson, along with other prominent rabbis, opposed political Zionism before the Messiah’s arrival. This stance was rooted in the Three Oaths mentioned in the Babylonian Talmud (Ketubot 111a), which prohibit Jews from mass migration to the Holy Land or establishing a state by force. Yet, absurdly, Schneerson encouraged others - like Netanyahu - to pursue political leadership in Israel, while he himself refused to step foot there.

This paradox has led some scholars to suggest that Schneerson may have seen Netanyahu not as a saviour but as a catalyst for a coming collapse: a false “messenger” whose chaos would eventually usher in the conditions for the Jewish Messiah’s arrival.

Netanyahu as a Political Tool

A famous meeting in 1990, recorded on the Jewish Media YouTube channel, shows Schneerson telling Netanyahu that although progress was being made, the Messiah had not yet appeared, and that Netanyahu should hasten events. Netanyahu’s agreement reinforced his conviction that he had a messianic mission.

It is possible that Schneerson perceived in Netanyahu an arrogance and ruthlessness that could trigger catastrophe. A catastrophe that, in rabbinic eschatology, might be necessary for redemption. By concentrating the Jewish people in one volatile state, any future exile or exodus could be framed as a prelude to the Messiah’s arrival. In this sense, Netanyahu could be seen less as a divinely chosen leader and more as a pawn in a destructive divine drama.

The Messiah Complex in Politics

Netanyahu’s rhetoric often betrays his messianic self-image. He cites Talmudic references to justify policies and frames Israel’s expansionist ambitions as steps toward a “Greater Israel”; a kingdom prepared for the Messiah. His heavy courting of American Evangelicals, who themselves hold apocalyptic beliefs about Israel’s role in the end times, further strengthens his position in the region.

Israeli writers and historians have described Netanyahu as “the most dangerous Jewish leader since Sabbatai Zevi” (1626–1676), the false messiah who led thousands astray. Like Zevi, Netanyahu projects himself as a deliverer, but may instead be driving his people towards disillusionment or even disaster.

The Dark Endgame

When a leader is repeatedly told by a revered spiritual authority that he is “the chosen one,” the result is a messianic complex that is difficult to restrain. Netanyahu’s belief that he is Israel’s last prime minister fuels both his determination to remain in power and his disregard for international condemnation, particularly regarding the genocide in Gaza and the killings in West Bank.

Some political analysts warn that if Netanyahu feels cornered, he could resort to desperate measures such as the so-called Samson Option which is a nuclear doctrine of last resort that envisions bringing down Israel’s enemies even at the cost of Israel’s own destruction.

In Islamic eschatology, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) never mentioned a Jewish state at the end of times. Instead, authentic hadith speak of Jews gathering in places like Isfahān, Iran, to follow al-Dajjāl, their awaited “messiah” (Sahīh Muslim, 2937). This unmentioned Jewish state, and the Prophet’s clarity about their role with Dajjāl, suggests that modern Israel may itself be temporary, a stage in the unfolding of a darker prophecy.

Netanyahu’s life and politics are inseparably bound to messianic prophecy; both his own conviction and the words attributed to Schneerson. Whether seen as a chosen leader or as a tool of chaos, his obsession with destiny makes him one of the most dangerous leaders of the modern era.

For Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike, the lesson is a stark reminder: history has seen many “false messengers.” Their power may endure for a time, but ultimately, they serve only to set the stage for the trials foretold in scripture.