In light of what is happening in the Middle East, we should understand what is being advocated by those in power!
Jesus spoke in Revelation chapter 3:
20 Behold, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If your heart is open to hear My Voice and you open the door within, I will come in to you and feast with you, and you will feast with Me.
And Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 11:
7 So then, Israel failed to achieve what it had strived for, but the Divinely chosen remnant receives it by grace, while the rest were hardened and unable to receive the Truth.
8 Just as it is written: God granted them a spirit of deep slumber. He closed their eyes to the Truth and prevented their ears from hearing up to this very day.
9 And King David also prophesied this: May their table prove to be a snare and a trap to cause their ruin. Bring them the retribution they deserve.
10 Blindfold their eyes and don’t let them see. Let them be stooped over continually.
11 So, am I saying that Israel stumbled so badly that they will never get back up? Certainly not! Rather, it was because of their stumble that salvation now extends to all the non-Jewish people, in order to make Israel jealous and desire the very things that God has freely given them.
12 So if all the world is being greatly enriched through their failure, and through their fall great Spiritual wealth is given to the non-Jewish people, imagine how much more will Israel’s awakening bring to us all!
The Jews’ blindness and deafness brought forth salvation to the Gentiles. The remnant of Jews who believed in Christ established the church in the Book of Acts and the Gentiles were welcomed in as believers in Christ… thankfully!
What are the obligations of Believers to the current Jewish Nation of Israel? Each of us must seek the Wisdom of The Holy Spirit to determine our position.
The following will provide some explanation of the current views.
A Christian Zionist is a Christian who believes that the Jewish people have a special Biblical connection to the land of Israel and that the establishment and continued existence of the modern state of Israel is significant in God’s plan.
Christian Zionism is most common among certain Protestant groups, especially evangelical Christians, though not all evangelicals are Christian Zionists.
Core beliefs
Christian Zionists typically believe that:
- God made enduring promises to the Jewish people in the Bible.
- The Jewish return to the land of Israel fulfills or relates to biblical prophecy.
- Christians should support Israel politically, spiritually, or both.
- The modern state of Israel has a special role in God’s purposes for history.
Different interpretations
Not all Christian Zionists believe exactly the same things. Some:
- Support Israel primarily for theological reasons.
- View the return of Jews to Israel as a sign of events connected to the Second Coming of Jesus.
- Focus on supporting Israel’s security and prosperity without emphasizing end-times prophecy.
How it differs from Jewish Zionism
Zionism originally refers to the movement advocating a Jewish homeland, which led to the creation of the modern State of Israel in 1948. Christian Zionism shares support for a Jewish homeland but is based on Christian theological beliefs rather than Jewish religious or national identity.
Controversy
Christian Zionism is debated both among Christians and non-Christians:
- Supporters see it as faithfulness to biblical teachings and support for the Jewish people.
- Critics argue that some forms of Christian Zionism interpret prophecy in ways they disagree with, or that it can influence views on Middle Eastern politics in problematic ways.
- Many Christian denominations, including some Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches, do not identify with Christian Zionism.
In short, a Christian Zionist is a Christian who believes that the Jewish people’s relationship to Israel has ongoing biblical significance and that Christians should, in some way, support Israel.
As I said, we must be sensitive to what The Holy Spirit is saying in today’s news involving the actions in the Middle East.