All Israel is Not Israel: Christian Zionism and Spiritual Shipwreck
The Church is the "Israel of God" (Gal 6:16), a spiritual community transcending national boundaries.
Speculating about “End Times” is big business. Since at least the 1980s, when Hal Lindsey published his bestseller of false prophecy, The Late Great Planet Earth, modern Christians have begun to structure their spiritual lives around prophetic "possibilities,” especially headlines that have anything to do with the geopolitically significant modern nation of Israel.
Many Christians today say “I stand with Israel” because of biblical prophecy and/or because they believe that the modern nation of Israel is the same as the Old Testament Israel.
Not so. Old Testament Israel was a religious theocracy. The government of modern Israel is a parliamentary democracy. Modern Israel looks more like the United States than the realm ruled over by King David. God does not intend any nation in this age to be a theocracy.
The term “Jew” can refer to religion or ethnicity. In Old Testament Israel, these were the same, but for the modern nation of Israel, they are not. Israel identifies itself as the nation of the Jewish people, but only in the sense of ethnic heritage, not religious practice. Benjamin Netanyahu posted on his Instagram account on March 10, 2019:
“Israel is not a state of all its citizens, but the nation-state of the Jewish people and only them.”
Of course, this attitude is antithetical to the teachings of Christ, Himself.
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14)
A 2016 Pew research study showed that 81% of Israel’s population are Jewish by ethnicity, but only 41% are religiously Jewish.
Sadly, Christians in 2023 generally have a weak knowledge of Scripture and know even less about church and world history. This fragmented foundation, combined with an acute curiosity for all things esoteric, leaves modern Christians vulnerable to fakes, frauds, and grifters who are never held accountable for their failed predictions.
The fundamental questions are:
Does the New Testament teach that the coming of Jesus Christ was the fulfillment or the postponement of God’s promises to Abraham?
Does God have one people or two?
Shipwreck: The Danger of Misidentifying The Modern Nation of Israel with Biblical Ancient Israel
Many Christians today mistakenly conflate the modern political state of Israel with the ancient covenant nation described in the Bible. This often arises from a desire to affirm God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to honor the significant role of Israel in redemptive history.
However, the modern state of Israel, established in 1948, is a geopolitical entity, not a covenant community with the same theocratic relationship to God that characterized ancient Israel. Israel is a secular, mostly atheistic, state. Biblically, the ancient nation of Israel was unique in its function as a chosen people through whom God revealed His law, His prophets, and ultimately the Messiah (Deuteronomy 7:6; Romans 9:4-5).
But with the coming of Christ, the covenant promises to Israel found their fulfillment in Him, and the people of God expanded to include all who are united to Christ by faith, whether Jew or Gentile (Galatians 3:28-29; Ephesians 2:11-22).
The Church is now the "Israel of God" (Galatians 6:16), a spiritual community transcending national boundaries.
This is much more than a harmless mistake in exegesis. To conflate modern Israel with biblical Israel places undue theological significance on the modern geopolitical entity’s political and moral actions. This can lead to spiritual shipwreck in several ways:
By treating modern Israel as the centerpiece of God’s redemptive plan, Christians misplace their faith in a political entity rather than in Christ. If modern Israel fails to uphold righteous standards or should, by God’s own decree, fall to external pressures and cease to exist, those who view its existence as central to their faith could be left confused and disillusioned. The Bible warns against this.
"Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save" (Psalm 146:3).
Nations rise and fall according to God’s sovereign plan (Daniel 2:21), and no earthly kingdom—whether Israel, America, or any other—should take precedence over Christ’s eternal Kingdom (John 18:36).
The central mission of the Church is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, to make disciples of all nations, and to teach them all He commanded (Matthew 28:19-20). The apostles were clearly deeply aware of their Jewish faith and heritage, however they consistently preached Christ as the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, redirecting focus from national identity to the universal call of salvation.
God’s covenant promises to Abraham’s descendants were ultimately fulfilled in Christ, who established a new covenant in His blood (Hebrews 8:13). The failure to recognize this fulfillment leads some to cling to a nationalistic interpretation of biblical prophecy and will surely lead to doubting and an erosion of faith if the modern nation of Israel should fail to align with their expectations. The prophet Isaiah reminds us:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD" (Isaiah 55:8).
A Warning for the Church
Should modern Israel fail morally, lose geopolitical power, or even cease to exist, such an event should not cause Christians to question God’s faithfulness or the truth of Scripture. The fall of modern Israel, though tragic, would not invalidate God’s redemptive plan. God’s promises are anchored in Christ, not in a temporal nation-state.
The extremely Jewish apostle Paul anticipates this potential misunderstanding in Romans chapters 9-11, clarifying that not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and that God’s redemptive purposes transcend national identity. The Church is warned not to idolize any earthly nation but to glory in the cross of Christ alone.
Ultimately, the conflation of modern Israel with biblical Israel detracts from the Christian hope, which rests in the unshakable Kingdom of God (Hebrews 12:28). As Paul declares in Galatians 6:14,
"Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."
God’s redemptive plan is centered on His Son, not on a single nation or geopolitical entity. Nations may rise or fall, but the Kingdom of Christ will endure forever. Christians must remain steadfast in their allegiance to Him, proclaiming His gospel and awaiting the day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).
Let us heed the warning of Scripture:
"The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations" (Psalm 33:10-11).
Our boast is not in any earthly nation but in the atoning sacrifice of Christ and the promise of His glorious return. If we anchor our hope in Him alone, we will not be shaken, regardless of what happens on the world stage. Let us, therefore, renounce pride in worldly power and instead proclaim with Paul:
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Galatians 2:20).
To Christ be the glory, now and forever. Amen.
Watch This Important Video:
What is the Relationship between Israel and the Church?
By Rev. Dr. Stephen Sizer
Does God bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel?
This popular assumption is based on a misreading of Genesis 12:3.
First, note that the promise was made to Abram (that is, Abraham) and no one else.
Second, there is nothing in the text to indicate God intended the promise to apply to Abraham’s physical descendants unconditionally, or in perpetuity.
Third, in the New Testament we are told explicitly that the promises were fulfilled in Jesus Christ and in those who acknowledge Him as their Lord and Saviour. God’s blessings come by grace through faith, not by works or race (Ephesians 2:8-9).
“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6).
When the Lord Jesus died on the cross he was the sole remnant of Israel. All the promises made to Abraham were fulfilled in and through Jesus and only among those who acknowledge him. The remnant ‘hour glass’ shows how the promises were fulfilled only through Jesus.
Was the “Promised Land” given by God exclusively to the Jewish people as their inheritance?
Contrary to popular assumption, the Scriptures repeatedly insist that the land belongs to God and that residence was always conditional. For example, God said to his people, “‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers.” (Leviticus 25:23). In Ezekiel, it seems the Lord anticipated the reasoning of those who arrogantly claimed unconditional right to the land because of the covenant originally made with Abraham.
“Son of man, the people living in those ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land. But we are many; surely the land has been given to us as our possession.’ Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Since you eat meat with the blood still in it and look to your idols and shed blood, should you then possess the land? You rely on your sword, you do detestable things... Should you then possess the land?’ ... I will make the land a desolate waste, and her proud strength will come to an end.’ (Ezekiel 33:24-26, 28-29)
Residence was open to all God’s people on the basis of faith not race. Indeed, the writer to Hebrews explains that the land was never their ultimate desire or inheritance, but a temporary residence until the coming of Jesus Christ. Their eternal inheritance, and ours, is heavenly not earthly.
READ THE FULL STUDY HERE:
What is the Relationship between Israel and the Church? Seven Biblical Answers
By Reverend Dr. Stephen Sizer
LINK: https://stephensizer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/7-Biblical-Answers-Israel-and-the-Church-2024.pdf
Boast Not In Israel, Boast Only In The Cross of Christ
Christians in America are prone to undervaluing the spiritual fruit of humility and boasting about our nation’s geopolitical influence and strong relationship with the modern nation of Israel. Both Scripture and history reveal: Nations rise and fall according to God’s will; ancient Israel fell just as surely as Babylon and exalting national pride always leads to idolatry, spiritual confusion, and an undervaluing of God's grace and mercy.
Interpreting the Scriptures through the headlines and elevating geopolitical strength or national prosperity above the truth of our eternal hope in Christ distorts the gospel and betrays our ultimate allegiance to the Kingdom of God. Scripture offers stern warnings against this attitude and exhorts believers to glory in the knowledge of God and the work of Christ alone.
"Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." (1 Corinthians 10:12)
Self-righteousness is the most persistent idol in the human heart, the idol man loves most and God hates most. We think too little of our sin and too much of our national pride and religious exercises. We are never more in danger than when we think we are not.
The prophet Jeremiah declares,
"Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD" (Jeremiah 9:23-24).
God rebukes the folly of human pride in the transient worldly markers of success that are powerless to secure eternal life. The only true and lasting glory is knowing God—His character, His justice, and His steadfast love.
"Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:31, 2 Corinthians 10:17).
The apostle Paul, before being stricken and set apart for the gospel of Jesus Christ, was an Israelite of Israelites, a great keeper of the law. But then in his letter to the church at Philippi (3:3-9) he recounts his former pride in his own Jewsih heritage and accomplishments and declare all of it worthless compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.
"Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ" (Philippians 3:7).
Since we have the truth in our possession we have no excuse for repeating the mistake of those who forget that God's ways are higher than ours.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
If you are an unequivocal supporter of the modern nation of Israel, seeing them as the continuation of biblical ancient Israel, this error is far more severe than you might think. My friend, please receive this in the spirit of love it is intended, this is more than error, it is idolatry. One of the greatest theologians of the 20th century, Martin Lloyd-Jones, said:
“An idol is anything in our lives that occupies the place that should be occupied by God alone. Anything that is central in my life, anything that seems to me essential. An idol is anything by which I live and on which I depend, anything that holds such a controlling position in my life that it moves, rouses and attracts too much of my time, attention, energy and money.”
The apostle to the Gentiles climactic statement in Galatians 6:14 provides the corrective:
"Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."
To boast in the cross means acknowledging that salvation, sanctification, and ultimate victory come through Christ alone. Boasting in Christ and our sufferings with Him subverts human pride and replaces all glory where it belongs, on God.
Don’t misunderstand. It is not wrong to love America, to be loyal to her allies, or to defend the sovereignty and safety of the nation of Israel. But, all of our affections and loyalties must be subordinate to the call to seek first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33).
Paul addresses a similar issue with the Jews in Romans 2:17-23, warning them against boasting in their law and heritage while dishonoring God through disobedience. Geopolitical influence and national prestige are not indicators of spiritual health. The true mark of a nation’s faithfulness is its pursuit of righteousness, justice, and the knowledge of God.
Christians are called to live with the end in view: the promise of Christ’s return in glory and His victory over all the kings of the earth. This future Blessed Hope should recalibrate our priorities, as Paul declares in Galatians 2:20:
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me."
Boasting in national prosperity pales in comparison to the glory of Christ’s atoning sacrifice and the promise of eternal life. Paul’s unashamed proclamation in Romans 1:16 captures the essence of the Christian calling:
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. To the Jew first and also the Gentile."
This should inspire us to prioritize the gospel above all else, resisting the temptation to find our identity or security in worldly powers or any earthly geopolitical enitity.
Scripture is clear: the only boast worth making is in the knowledge of God and the finished work of Christ and our utmost loyalty is to the Kingdom of God to the exclusion of all nations. As we await Christ’s return, let us crucify worldly ambitions and live as citizens of His eternal Kingdom, proclaiming His gospel and glorying only in the cross.
MORE ON THE DANGERS OF CHRISTIAN ZIONISM
Helpful video by Eschatology Matters:
Dispensationalism, Darby and Postmillennialism
“The rise and fall of dispensationalism is a fascinating story, and a relatively short one in the history of Christianity. From the mid-19thcentury it was a response to the dominant postmillennialism of the time, and an outgrowth of the gnostic dualism of Pietism. It is a powerful story of just how much eschatology really matters.”
References:
Augustine. Confessions.
Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologica.
Guzik, David. Enduring Word Commentary.
Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion.
Scripture citations (ESV):
Jeremiah 9:23-24; 1 Corinthians 1:31; 2 Corinthians 10:17; Isaiah 5:21; 55:8-9; Philippians 3:3-9; Psalm 49:6; Romans 1:16; 2:17-23; Galatians 2:20; 5:24; 6:14.
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Even if todays Israel, is the biblical Israel (which I now know is not) this is what Leviticus 19:33-34 states: “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.
They are committing genocide on innocent Palestinians(women and children), and using “Hamas” as an excuse.
Yes!! Thank you, something I’ve been researching for months