A Brief History of Modern Zionism
In the late 1800s, a movement began with the dream of creating a homeland for the Jews, who had been displaced and persecuted around the globe for centuries. Most scholars and historians agree that the father of this movement was Theodor Herzl, an Austro-Hungarian Jewish journalist, lawyer, writer, playwright and political activist. His vision and passion were to see the establishment of a homeland for the Jewish people in the biblical land of Israel. Herzl continued to work tirelessly to that end throughout his life. In 1896, he published a book entitled Der Judenstaat (The State of the Jews), which was immediately met with both widespread acclaim and criticism.
As a movement, Modern Zionism encompassed a wide spectrum of political and religious beliefs that shared a common goal – the establishment and preservation of a Jewish homeland in Israel. It should be clearly understood, however, that from its inception, the primary motivation or driving force of the Zionist Movement has been primarily secular and political, not religious.
Recent events have reminded us once again of the ongoing tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, a struggle that dates back to the time of Abraham and his two sons. Yet as followers of Christ, we must be discerning and determined to approach this subject with both wisdom and love.
A Parallel Movement Emerges
For generations, since the Protestant Reformation began, some Christians began to advocate for the restoration of the Jewish people to Israel. But for a long time, many Christian leaders were either silent or critical of this idea. But just a few years after Herzl’s book was published, an American tycoon and evangelist named William Blackstone published the book Jesus is Coming. Blackstone’s book fueled the fires for the return of the Jewish people to the Holy Land, and aroused multitudes of Christian sympathizers.
This parallel movement became known as Christian Zionism. The rise and popularity of this movement greatly extended the influence of Modern Zionism by attracting millions of Christians. Today, most Christian evangelicals hold dearly to the precepts of Christian Zionism, often without understanding either its history or underlying theology.
As these two movements gained momentum, many thousands of Jews began migrating to Palestine. This continued through World War I, when the British gained political control of Palestine. Then, with the rise of Adolf Hitler, the Nazi Party, and World War II, including the horrific persecution of the Jews and the holocaust, this struggle was brought to a climax. The global tide had shifted, bringing the reality of a national homeland for the Jews to the forefront.
The defeat of Hitler and the Nazis became the catalyst to forming a new nation, and in 1948 the new nation of modern Israel declared its independence. By this time, at least 650,000 Jews had migrated to the Holy Land!
I would like to point out, however, that Israel’s war for independence also drove around 700,000 Palestinians from their homeland to the West Bank. These events reopened the long-standing conflict between the two mutually hostile groups that had existed since the time of Abraham. I hope that you realize that there are thousands upon thousands of Christian believers in Palestine who are now experiencing terrible suffering at the hands of the Israelis.
The Rise of Dispensational Theology
Over the past two hundred years, an extremely dangerous teaching has crept into the Christian church. It has become known as “Dispensational Theology.” The basic premise of Dispensationalism is that throughout history God has dealt with mankind through various covenants, each separate and distinct. The basic tenets of this systematic theology are as follows:
- The nation of Israel is completely separate from the Church
- There is a sharp distinction between the covenants of law and grace
- The New Testament church period is an interlude, or parenthesis in God’s plan
- There is also a clear distinction between the Rapture and the 2nd coming of Christ
Around two hundred years ago, through the teachings of John Nelson Darby and the Plymouth Brethren movement, this new type of systematic theology was introduced to the Church. Gradually, it began to gain popularity. With the publication of the C.I. Scofield Reference Bible in 1909, and a book entitled Dispensational Truth by Clarence Larkin in 1920, these teachings gained a firm foothold in the Christian Church. Later, with a book by Hal Lindsay called The Late Great Planet Earth, the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye, and the support of many well-known pastors, this theology was brought into the mainstream of Christianity.
I know all this because it was also part of my early training as a Christian. Today, the vast majority of evangelical pastors and churches have adopted these teachings. As with most systems of theology, Dispensationalism is an attempt to interpret the Bible and define its meaning far beyond the scope of the Scriptures themselves. This practice was repeatedly rebuked as Jesus interacted with the Pharisees and religious leaders of His day, as well as numerous times by the Apostle Paul in his writings. Still, this tendency in human nature has continued throughout the history of both Israel and the Church. Please consider these Scriptures:
And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’ – Matthew 15:6-9
So that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. – 1 Timothy 1:3-7
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene... But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. – 2 Timothy 2:15-17, 23
But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. – Titus 3:9
While the cleverly constructed reasoning of Dispensational Theology may appear to be reasonable at first, upon a more thorough study of the Bible in its entirety, we encounter many unresolved questions, inconsistencies, and even contradictions.
Dispensationalism contends that God plans to restore the physical nation of Israel in the last days separately from the Church. Concerning this, Darby also proposed that there would be a secret event called the “rapture”, in which the Church would be removed from the earth before the Great Tribulation. This theology would have us believe that God intends to use this restored nation of Israel in some unique way before the second coming of Christ and God’s final judgment upon the earth.
It is a well-documented fact that the Christian Church has been in a serious decline for years in the Western World. Yet during this same time, Christians have jumped on the bandwagon of “supporting Israel at all costs.” They have often joined in with the rabid voices of politicians, pastors, and other leaders who propose and justify the killing and destruction of people who are not believers, contrary to the teachings of Jesus. Since when did this become acceptable? Personally, I believe that both Modern Zionism and Dispensationalism are unbiblical and have led the Church astray, further contributing to its decline and lack of positive influence in the world.
For further reading about this, you can read my article The Twisting of Bible Prophecy.
What does the Bible Teach?
A plain, straightforward study of the Bible reveals these truths:
- There are NOT two pathways to salvation – one by the Law and the other by grace. No one was EVER saved by keeping the Law of Moses!
- The whole Bible is the Word of God and as such, when interpreted correctly, it is applicable to our lives today.
- The nation of Israel rejected their Messiah, and as predicted by Jesus, was judged accordingly. Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed by the Romans and the Jews were dispersed through the earth.
- Old Testament prophecies that seem to refer to a regathering of Jews to the Holy Land in the last days are either vague, already fulfilled, or often distorted and taken out of context.
- The Church was established by Jesus Himself as a fulfillment or restoration of His plan to include all the peoples of the world.
- The New Testament clearly shows that Israel and the Church are now one and the same. There is no other path to God except through Jesus Christ.
- According to Paul, Jewish people can still be grafted back into the community of God’s people, but only through Christ.
- It is also clear that the apostles of Christ believed and taught that the Church (often called the ‘elect’ or ‘saints’) would be present right up until the second coming of Christ.
- Apart from assembling preselected Bible verses (to the exclusion of others), there are glaring problems with the claims and interpretations of Dispensational Theology.
For further reading, please read my previous article Exposing the Rapture Myth.
The Bible does reveal that God has made several pacts or covenants with mankind throughout history. But the Scriptures themselves do not give us all the details and interpretations that so- called scholars and theologians like to add. The very essence of Dispensational Theology is built upon this type of premise, and as stated before, this fact alone should cause us to hesitate and do our own further studies. It is only with a correct heart attitude and approach can we hope to interpret the Bible in a reasonable and balanced way. One must choose to believe that God wanted all these minute details and layers of systematic theology left in ambiguity, so that we would remain focused on much higher priorities – like how we live as Christians, and our testimony to the world.
When pastors and theologians carefully select certain passages from the Bible that support their own preconceived ideas, while ignoring or explaining away other passages, it is very dangerous! When there are other passages that seem to differ, we must take the time to reconsider the entire Bible without losing our focus and priorities as Christians. As we approach the end times, it is far more important that we deepen our relationship with God and align ourselves with what He wants to do in the world through us!
Despite all the hype and popularity of “supporting Israel” in these turbulent times, we mustn’t allow ourselves to become hardened to the plight or suffering of others, especially those who desperately need the life-transforming gospel message. As believers, we must be incredibly careful not to become hypocrites who preach one thing and practice another. And in the same way, we should not say that we believe we are living in the last days without allowing that truth to affect our daily lives. The world needs to see the light of Christ through us now, more than ever!