Understanding Christian Zionism

Faith, Prophecy, and Politics

The Dome of the Rock at sunset

Introduction

In this essay, we aim to clarify the theological roots, historical evolution, and current implications of Christian Zionism. By tracing its development from select Old Testament scriptures through to its modern political entanglements, we seek to disentangle the sacred from the secular, the spiritual from the geopolitical.

We examine the foundational role of the Scofield Reference Bible in shaping evangelical interpretations, contrast Christian Zionism with its Jewish counterpart, and scrutinize the theological underpinnings of Dispensationalism. Finally, we offer a critical reassessment in light of contemporary developments, urging believers to discern between covenantal fidelity and ideological manipulation.

Christian Zionism

Christian Zionism — and religious Zionism in general — is based upon a straightforward interpretation of several biblical passages. We begin by examining three of them:

The Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.

Deuteronomy 30:5

Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply. I will also raise up shepherds over them, and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor shall they be lacking.

Jeremiah 23:3-4

While not directly about the Jews’ return to Israel, the following verse from the prophet Zechariah is also connected to end-time prophecy and interpreted by some as a reference to the Second Coming of Christ.

And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

Zechariah 12:10

These passages form the theological foundation for the belief that the return of the Jewish people to Israel is part of a divine plan. Accordingly, many Christian Zionists view the establishment of the State of Israel in 1947 as the literal fulfillment of biblical prophecy. This event is frequently linked in their eschatology with the onset of the “end times” and the Second Coming.

Zionism — both Christian and Jewish — is the belief that the Jewish people should have a state of their own. It need not be democratic. If Israel were to become a fully liberal democracy akin to the U.S. or European states, it would likely forfeit its explicitly Jewish character due to demographic realities and the enduring hostility between Jews and Arabs.¹

The Balfour Declaration, issued by the British government in 1917, helped pave the way for the establishment of Israel. Although it did not mention democracy, it stated:

His Majesty’s Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.

In 1947, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 181, endorsing the partition of Palestine into two states — one Jewish, one Arab. While the resolution did not define Israel as a democracy, it did affirm the legitimacy of a Jewish and an Arab state.

Arab states uniformly rejected Resolution 181. On May 14, 1948 — the day of Israel’s declaration of independence — Egypt, Transjordan, Iraq, and Syria invaded, triggering what is now called the 1948 Arab-Israeli War or Israel’s War of Independence. Israel emerged victorious, and the British Mandate came to an end.²

This moment marked not only the political birth of the modern Israeli state, but also the emergence of Christian Zionism as a significant theological movement. Since 1948, Christian Zionism has expanded to include a wide array of beliefs, some of which go far beyond — or are unsupported by — the biblical text.

A major source of these beliefs is the Scofield Reference Bible, first published in 1909. The annotations of Cyrus I. Scofield, not the biblical text itself, have profoundly influenced American evangelicalism. Generations of Christians have come to believe that unwavering support for the State of Israel is a divine imperative.

Thus, any serious inquiry into Christian Zionism must begin with Scofield’s contribution.

The Scofield Reference Bible

Scofield's study notes helped popularize Dispensationalist theology (explained below), especially in the U.S. He emphasized literal interpretations of biblical prophecy, especially regarding Israel, portraying the restoration of a Jewish homeland as a direct fulfillment of Scripture.

The Scofield Bible became a fixture in evangelical circles and seminaries, shaping pastors, theologians, and laity. In effect, it provided the scaffolding for a new religious-political worldview that blended American evangelicalism with geopolitical support for Israel.

It’s important to note that when Scofield wrote his notes, there was no Israeli state. One wonders whether he would have comprehended how his work would be weaponized. Not all Orthodox Christians were asleep at the time.

There was no State of Israel at the time Scofield penned his original notes and it is doubtful that Cyrus Scofield would have even understood the enormity of the evil purpose for which his book was written…Not all Orthodox Christians were asleep during that time.

I was made aware of the extent, far greater than I imagined, to which the modern system of dispensationalism has found acceptance among orthodox Christians, and also the extent, correspondingly great, to which the recently published Scofield Bible, which is the main vehicle of the new system of doctrine referred to, has usurped the place of authority that belonged to God's Bible alone.

Christian Zionism: The Tragedy & The Turning, Part 1 (film)³

Scofield’s interpretive method stresses literalism — particularly in prophetic texts. But Rational Spirituality has long held that not all biblical texts should be read literally. Scofield’s approach insists that prophecies concerning Israel must be fulfilled in a literal and future-oriented manner.

Dispensationalist Theology

Dispensationalism divides history into distinct epochs or “dispensations” in which God interacts with humanity in specific ways. Each dispensation ends with judgment. Dispensationalists emphasize eschatology — particularly the Rapture, Tribulation, and Second Coming.

This worldview deeply influences how its adherents interpret events in the Middle East, often viewing the modern State of Israel as the centerpiece of God’s final plan. Christian Zionism, largely shaped by this framework, encourages a deterministic view of global events.

Not all Christian Zionists adhere to Dispensationalist dogma. Many support Israel simply due to its perceived role in biblical history and as part of God’s covenant with the Jewish people. Still, the influence of Scofield and Dispensationalism cannot be overstated.

A particularly striking example is the Christian Zionist enthusiasm for the Temple Institute’s plans to sacrifice a red heifer and rebuild the Third Temple in Jerusalem. This effort draws heavily on oral tradition, though Numbers 19 outlines the sacrifice in detail.⁴

By contrast, the Catholic Church — both Roman and Orthodox — interprets biblical prophecy more symbolically. It teaches that the Church itself is the fulfillment of God’s covenant with Israel, and it emphasizes continuity in salvation history rather than a rigid division into dispensations.

In the context of Christian Zionism, Dispensationalist theology has been a driving force, influencing many to support the modern State of Israel based on what they perceive to be its prophetic role. This view is not without its critics, both within and outside evangelical circles. Critics argue that Dispensationalism fosters a fatalistic approach to international affairs while ignoring the complex, human realities of the contemporary Middle East.

Despite theological differences, many Christian Zionists find common ground with Jewish Zionists, who emphasize the historical, cultural, and religious significance of Israel to the Jewish people.

Jewish Zionism began as a movement to re-establish a Jewish nation in the ancestral homeland — the territory now known as Israel. Theodor Herzl, known in Hebrew as Chozeh HaMedinah (“Visionary of the State”), formally launched the Zionist movement in 1897. Today, Jewish Zionism promotes the ongoing development and protection of the Jewish state that Herzl envisioned.

Zionism includes both religious and secular adherents, encompassing a wide range of motivations. Religious Zionists view the founding of Israel as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. For them, the return to the land is part of God’s providential plan and marks a step toward eventual redemption.

Secular Zionists, by contrast, emphasize national identity, historical continuity, and political sovereignty. While they may not hold theological beliefs, they too advocate strongly for the preservation of a Jewish homeland.

Unlike Dispensationalists shaped by Scofield’s teachings, many Christian Zionists do not adhere to specific eschatological doctrines such as the Rapture or the seven-year Tribulation. Their unwavering support for Israel instead arises from a belief in the enduring covenant between God and the Jewish people, as well as a reverence for Israel’s historical and theological significance.

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(Edit July 13, 2024) The ongoing war against Hamas, which began on October 7, 2023, has devolved into what many now recognize as a campaign of ethnic cleansing. Additionally, it was recently revealed that the IDF invoked the so-called Hannibal Protocol in response to the Hamas incursion. Many civilian deaths previously attributed to Hamas were, in fact, the result of deliberate executions carried out by Israeli forces — targeting their own soldiers and citizens — in order to prevent their capture.

In light of this disturbing truth, the oft-cited biblical imperative to “Stand with Israel” demands urgent clarification. It is now spiritually prudent for the faithful to distinguish between the government of the modern nation-state of Israel and “Spiritual Israel,” a metaphor for the people of God.

Zionism and the Israeli state have been captured and corrupted by an evil Criminocratic Cabal — the hegemonic structure we have elsewhere identified as the Anglo-American-Zionist Empire.

For all we Christians know, the seeds of political Zionism may have been nourished by unholy roots. The Balfour Declaration, after all, took the form of a letter delivered by the British government to Baron Walter Rothschild, a scion of one of the world’s wealthiest and most influential families. Draw your own conclusions. For my part, I continue to wrestle with the profoundly complex and morally fraught dimensions of Zionism.

For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.

Luke 6:43–44

Day-by-day the Middle East inches closer to Ezekiel’s prophesied regional Gog-Magog War.

And they swarmed up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints (God’s people) and the beloved city (Jerusalem); but fire came down from heaven and consumed them.

Revelation 20:9

Conclusion

Christian Zionism, once rooted in sincere theological inquiry, has increasingly become entangled with secular ideology, geopolitical maneuvering, and doctrinal distortion. While the promise to regather Israel remains a vital thread in biblical prophecy, we must ask — which Israel are we supporting? The physical state, fraught with political ambition and moral compromise? Or the spiritual Israel, the remnant called to righteousness?

Many have mistaken national destiny for divine endorsement. But Scripture warns us to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1). Not all movements cloaked in religious language are of divine origin. As the current conflict escalates toward what many perceive as the Gog-Magog confrontation, spiritual discernment is no longer optional — it is imperative.

The faithful must now reclaim their allegiance to the God of Israel — not to the flag of Israel, nor to any empire masquerading as his chosen instrument. In these perilous times, the call is not to political solidarity, but to covenantal obedience. Support for Israel, if it is to be truly Christian, must be anchored in truth, humility, and justice — not myth, militarism, or messianic nationalism.

Let us not be found aiding a counterfeit. The test is simple, ancient, and eternal: By their fruits, you shall know them.

Shabbat Table by Robert Bardach

1. The growth rate of the Arab population in Israel is 2.2%, while the growth rate of the Jewish population is 1.8%. The gap between Jews and Arabs is narrowing and it is projected that the populations will be nearly equal within the next 15-20 years

2. Two additional wars followed. The Six Day War in 1967 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led primarily by Syria, Jordan and Egypt. Similarly, the Yom Kippur War in 1973 depicted Israel against a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria. Israel prevailed in both wars and maintained its independence.

3. Christian Zionism (YouTube)

4. The Oral Tradition: Shedding Light on the Secrets of the Bible