Savonarola is portrayed as the prophet of time in the city of Florence. Savonarola’s attempt was to establish a “New Jerusalem” in Florence. Savonarola got started by giving frightening apocalyptic sermons warning the Florentines of the coming destruction because of the rampant corruption in the church. A prophet is always known by his ability to predict accurate prophecies. So in 1494 when Charles VIII of France came from the Alps to attack the city, people were reminded of the warnings of destruction given by Savonarola. Once Savonarola made a treaty with Charles to free the city of Florence he became known as a messianic hero.

In his sermon, Savonarola presents himself as the mouthpiece of God speaking from divine authority. He claims that visions were given to him some fifteen or twenty years before he began preaches to the citizens. This must have confirmed what many of the citizens of Florence were already thinking. His sermons gave the appearance of a prophet, now he was confirming that his words are not his own, but words put into his mouth by God himself.

Throughout his sermon Savonarola, is calling for a renovation of the church. He is calling out the political and spiritual corruption that is in the church. He is calling for an immediate renovation because God’s wrath is coming upon the city swiftly. He diagnosis the state of the church as in desperate need of a renovation. He gives ten reasons why the flagellation of God is coming soon. This is his way of calling for urgent repentance from the church. He trying to persuade the Florentines to reform their lives. To live holy and pure lives away from all the corruption which has infiltrated the church.

I think his sermon would have been hard to ignore in his day. He gives very concrete reasons as to what is wrong with the church, what is going to happen to the church if it does not repent, and specific direction as to how to repent. Also the language he uses is so vivid that I think it would definitely catch your attention. The “Bonfire of Vanities” show that, this is exactly what it did; catch a lot of people’s attention. The “Bonfire of Vanities” seems very similar to what happened in Ephesus in Acts 19, when all the people brought all their scrolls for practicing sorcery and burned them publicly (Acts 19:13-20)