I received an email from one of my readers asking me if I would write a piece on Zionism. She said that there is so much confusion over this term. I have been thinking about writing on this for a while. I’m glad that the Lord spoke through this sister in Christ to give me an extra nudge to do this.
From Gotquestions.org
Question: “What is Zionism / Christian Zionism?”
Answer: Zionism, simply a political movement at its inception, has today become more of an ideology than anything else. Zionism is an international movement for the return of the Jewish people to Zion, the land of Israel, while exercising the right to retain authority of government over the state of Israel, which was promised to them in the Hebrew Scriptures. The roots for Zionism lie in Genesis chapters 12 and 15, in which God makes a covenant with Abraham promising him that his descendants would inherit the land between Egypt and the Euphrates River.
Due to the fact that Zionism was begun as a politically motivated movement, there exists among secular Gentiles and non-religious Jews a line of thought stating that the religious background of the Jewish people had nothing to do with Zionism. It is argued that Zionism was instead a reaction of the Jewish people to worldwide persecution during World Wars I and II. No nation would take them in, so they were forced to create their own nation, the land of their ancestry being the most opportune place.
Regardless, the Zionist movement, begun in the late 1890s, found fulfillment in 1948 when Israel was officially recognized as a state and granted sovereignty as a nation within Palestine by the United Nations. This is when, technically, the political Zionist movement ended and the ideology of Zionism began, and as such, has become a much-debated topic. Some would say that Zionism has become a motivation for racism, or a reaction against anti-Semitism. Others believe that Zionism as it currently exists is merely Jewish patriotism.
Associated with Jewish Zionism is Christian Zionism. Christian Zionism is simply Gentile support of Jewish Zionism as based on the promises to Israel found in the Bible, passages such as Jeremiah 32 and Ezekiel 34. Christian Zionists are primarily evangelical and give support in any way possible to the Jewish state of Israel. The return of the Jews to the Promised Land is the fulfillment of prophecy and is seen, especially by dispensationalists, as a sign that the world has entered the end times. – source
How the secular world views Zionism
I wrote an article recently on how Jews become self hating. In the piece, I explain that secular Jews with little or no training in Jewish studies and the Torah are more likely to adopt this hatred of their own people. These same people have a worldly view of Zionism since they have no understanding of the Scriptures, which clearly show that God promised Abraham and his descendants the land of Israel as their own.
“In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18).
The secular world – both Jew and Gentile – have no frame of reference for the land of Israel being promised by God to the Jewish people. Most of these people do not even believe in God and certainly do not believe that the Word of God is credible and is truth.
Enter Palestinianism
In 1948, Israel was declared the official Jewish State. To Orthodox Jews and Evangelical Christians, this was an incredible fulfillment of prophecy from the Word of God. To the secular world, this event was merely thought of as a pay back to the Jewish people who had just had 6 million of their own slaughtered by Hitler.
But the Arab world had a vastly different view of the Jews coming into what they called “Palestine.” They viewed these Jews as intruders and claimed that the Jews had no right to this land. They said that the so-called Palestinians had been displaced. Since that time, there has been non-stop conflicts and wars in the region. Now, the entire world stands against Israel, and there isn’t a day that this tiny country is not in the news.
From the Washington Post:
8 fascinating trends in how American Jews think about Israel
“On one side are the reform and secular Jews who make up 65 percent of the U.S. Jewish population, sometimes joined by the 17 percent who identify with conservative Judaism. This group is more likely to worry about or criticize Israeli policies toward Palestinians. It’s less likely to claim an emotional attachment to Israel and less likely still to argue that the country was promised to Jews by God.
On the other side are the small minority of Orthodox Jews – about 10 percent of American Jews – joined by America’s much larger community of white Evangelical Christians. This block is more likely to oppose an independent Palestinian state, to support settlements and to argue that Israel was promised to Jews by God. That last point is particularly important for how you view Israel-Palestine, as it could suggest that Israel should control all Palestinian land outright and permanently – and that seeing this through is a divinely mandated mission.” – source
As you can see, the secular camp derives their opinions from exactly that – opinions! These sentiments are driven by emotion alone. They have little or no attachment to Israel, and agree with the narrative they are fed by the liberal media day after day.
The orthodox Jews and Evangelical Christians see the events happening in that region as God’s Word being fulfilled. They know that the land belongs to the Jewish people. They know that the State of Israel being officially established in 1948 was God’s Word being fulfilled. Their support and love for Israel comes from knowing that God loves and supports His Chosen people!
More from the Washington Post:
1. Sharp divide on whether Israel was “given to the Jewish people by God”
• 40 percent of American Jews believe the land that is now Israel was given to the Jewish people by God.
• 55 percent of American Christians believe this – far more than even most Jews – including 64 percent of Protestant Christians.
• The groups least likely to believe this are secular Jews (16 percent), reform Jews (35 percent) and Catholics (38 percent).
• This view is overwhelmingly common among Orthodox Jews (84 percent) and white Evangelical Christian (82 percent). If you’ve been to Israel, you have surely seen large tour groups of American Evangelical Christians.
2. Orthodox Jews and Evangelical Christian share skepticism of two-state solution
• 61 percent of American Jews agree that “there a way for Israel and an independent Palestinian state to coexist peacefully. Compare this to 50 percent of the American public.
• The biggest supporters of a two-state solution are secular Jews (72 percent), Conservative Jews (62 percent) and Reform Jews (58 percent).
• The biggest skeptics are Orthodox Jews (30 percent) and white Evangelical Christian (42 percent). Note the similarities between this number and the groups who believe Israel was given to the Jews by God.
3. Few trust Palestinian peace-making; Israel’s efforts also viewed skeptically
• Only 21 percent of secular Jews agree that the “Israel government is making a sincere effort to bring about a peace settlement” with the Palestinians. That’s a staggeringly low number.
• 61 percent of Orthodox Jews believe this, including 73 percent of Modern Orthodox. The only other religious group for which over half believe this is Conservative Jews, at 52 percent. (Data for Christians is not available on this question.)
• Among all Jews, 38 percent say they believe the Israel government is making a sincere effort.
• The Palestinian leadership scored far worse among all group. Among all American Jews, only 12 percent believe it’s making a sincere effort toward peace. That’s highest among Conservative Jews (14 percent) and lowest among Ultra-Orthodox (6 percent).
I wish to proceed with the topic of this piece. Please read the rest of the Washington Post article here
False belief of meaning of Zionism (Anti-Semitic)
The Jew haters of this world turn Zionism into a political ploy by rich Jewish bankers to manipulate the riches of the world to their advantage. They have taken the word “Zionist” and twisted it from its true Biblical meaning, to disparage Jews and their homeland, Israel. I cringe when I see this in print, and when I realize how many people buy into this lie. I remember what my dad would always tell us that as long as the world existed, the Jews would be their scapegoat. I see now that is so true.
I do hope that this article has brought clarification to some who have been confused as to the real meaning of Zionism. Satan is determined to destroy the Jewish people. He does terrible damage to my people, but he will never triumph over them. God will not allow it.
Think about this: God is a Zionist! Whenever you see anti-Semitic Zionist propaganda, always remember that our Father in heaven is the original Zionist!
Shalom b’Yeshua,
MARANATHA!