Bonfire

  God did a work in Florence, Italy back 1496-1498. His chosen instrument was a fearless monk with a deep burden and special anointing. There are too many stories to recount of his ministry. Today I offer one about a city wide repenting that ended in a bonfire. 

Savonarola preached powerfully against sins of the people and the Catholic Church. Some said his preaching was like thunder. Fearlessly he confronted people their need for repentance. In response to those sermons the people began throwing out their obscene pictures, worldly books and other devices of wickedness. These things were gathered into bonfires. 

At one point, children could be seen singing praises to God and going house to house calling residents to repent. When the townspeople started discarding their sinful possessions onto the bonfire it grew larger and larger. The pyramid bonfire, located in the city square, reached 60 feet high and had a circumference of 240 feet. What a glorious sight that must have been when it was set ablaze.

I have written that revival is costly numerous times. The religious establishment was furious with Savonarola. They arrested him. Trying to get him to recant his faith they tied him and hoisted him to great heights and then dropped him to the floor repeatedly. They snatched him up again violently dislocating his shoulders and ripping muscles from the bones. Next, they pressed burning coals against his feet repeatedly. He still refused to recant. On the day he was hanged his last words were, "Should I not die willingly for Him who suffered so much for me." A silence fell over the crowd as Savonarola communed with God preparing to meet his Savior. They burned his body. Ironically, those religious leaders are the ones burning for all eternity in something much worse than a bonfire. They suffer eternal torment in the lake of fire

One monk made a huge difference. Wesley Dewell writes about Savonarola, "His life is another glorious testimony that one prayer warrior by the grace of God can be used to turn the tide and prepare the way for a mighty revival." I wish the Lord would do it again. To use you, me, other churches and preachers, anyone to pray so fervently, ferociously, and faithfully that God would send revival fire to burn hotter than any bonfire.