Is Michael Really Dead?

Would he purposefully deceive?

The Firpo Files

August 4, 2011

(Sentinel Aug 18-24, 2011)

There are a number of sincerely devoted fans of Michael Joseph Jackson who believes the Moonwalker is still walking around on earth.  They believe the King of Pop is going to pop up with a comeback concert the likes of which the world has never seen before. But would the Gloved One hold the world in such suspense? Would he deceive the devoted in such a manner?  

All Deception Not Bad: While some things are Really, Really Bad, this is not always the case with deception. Granted, one dictionary says to "deceive" means to cause someone ‘to believe something that is not true, typically in order to gain some personal advantage.'

And in the Bible, deception almost always has a negative connotation. However, in that same Holy Record--as is true in a modern-day setting--there are exceptions. After all, to deceive has also been defined as ‘giving a false impression.'

How often has a husband or wife gone through elaborate schemes to ‘give a false impression' so as to surprise an unsuspecting spouse with an anniversary party?

Obviously, such a deception would not generally be thought of in negative terms. In fact, friends and family may willingly play a part in launching such schemes!

Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Jacob's son Judah, deceived her father-in-law into thinking she was a prostitute, and was declared "righteous" for it. (Genesis 38:6-30) Then there is God himself.

Before a celestial court, the Almighty asked a leading question in connection with deceiving unfaithful King Ahab.

"And Jehovah proceeded to say, ‘Who will fool [or deceive] Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And this one began to say something like this, while that one was saying something like that. Finally a spirit came out and stood before Jehovah and said, ‘I myself shall fool [or deceive] him.' At that Jehovah said to him, ‘By what means?' To this he said, ‘I shall go forth, and I shall certainly become a deceptive spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' So he said, ‘You will fool him, and, what is more, you will come off the winner. Go out and do that way.' And now here Jehovah has put a deceptive spirit into the mouth of all these prophets of yours; but Jehovah himself has spoken calamity concerning you." (1 Kings 22:20-23, New World Translation)

This happened in pre-Christian times. Would there be occasions for Christians to use deception?

In writing to Christ's followers in the ancient city of Corinth the inspired apostle Paul recognized that there would be times that necessitate the faithful to be "as deceivers and yet truthful." (2 Corinthians 6:8) A selfish motive or lies would never accompany this kind of "truthful" deception.

For a certainty, disciples of Christ were to be as "cautious as serpents and yet innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16) What about dark side of deception?

When Deception Is Bad: "And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him." (Revelation 12:7-9)

Yes, the Devil is "misleading" or deceiving "the entire inhabited earth."

What is one way he is using to accomplish this? By employing "many unruly men, profitless talkers, and deceivers of the mind." (Titus 1:10) "For many deceivers have gone forth into the world." (2 John 7) These are just a few examples of both good and bad deception. But, what about Michael?

Not Michael: If Michael Jackson is still alive, he arguably would have pull off the most selfish act affecting the greatest amount of people in modern-day history. The ramifications and repercussions would be monumental.

I can assure you, if such were the case, he would cease being "Michael Jackson." Without a doubt, such a brutally selfish act would end whatever friendship we had.

But, alas, because I know Michael, I am convinced he would never do such a thing. The man was the personification of love on so many levels. That is the Michael I knew, and there's no one out there that can convince me otherwise.

Peace and blessings to all. Amen.