There seems to be a form of insanity that comes with power. The human mind loses touch with reality when it’s given a stranglehold on power. It was Lord Acton, the British historian, who said: "All power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Our lifeline to God is our connection to sanity. If we try to stand alone as little gods, we become nothing more than fools with reprobate minds.
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man... Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen... And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind. (Romans 1:21-23, 25, 28a).
Gadhafi had total power, and he was as crazy as a bedbug. One only needs to look at a photo timeline of the clothes he wore over the years to see his descent into madness. In the sixties, he wore traditional military uniforms; in the seventies and eighties he dressed in ornate uniforms that seemed to be loaned from Michael Jackson’s wardrobe. And in recent years, he was wearing outfits that looked like oversized cocktail waitress dresses.
My personal favorite statement of insanity by Gadhafi came when the protests first broke out in various cities. Gadhafi said the demonstrators were on drugs. In a state TV broadcast, he blamed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden for the unrest. "They give them pills at night. They put hallucinatory pills in their drinks, their milk, their coffee, their Nescafe," said Gadhafi.
The most delusional thing about Gadhafi was his claim that the Libyan people were totally devoted to him. Even as his circle of power was rapidly shrinking, he repeatedly talked about the love affair he had with his subjects. "They love me. All my people with me, they love me," he said. "They will die to protect me, my people."
Syrian president Bashar al-Assad is the next logical focus of the Middle East democracy movement. Assad has killed thousands of protestors over the past few months. Since he makes Moammar Gadhafi look like Mr. Rogers, I doubt there is anything that will cause him to offer real political reforms. Assad has already said that he will bomb Israel if NATO tries to remove him from power.
The greatest mad dictator is yet to come. During the second half of the Tribulation hour, the Antichrist will have control over every nation on earth. He will be drunk with power. In the end, he will suffer a spectacular downfall at the hands of Christ.
The acting Libyan government has come up with a staggering estimate of Gadhafi's net worth. He was supposedly worth over $200 billion with assets in bank accounts, real estate, and corporate investments around the world. Wherever Gadhafi is right now, I don't think he is concerned about the riches he just lost. There is loss of far greater importance on his mind.
"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26).
-- Todd