It’s everywhere. We hear it on popular news channels. Its anthem rings out in the halls of the US Congress. Most churches, many knowingly and others unwittingly, promote it.
The steadily intensifying antisemitism of our day points to the reality of the rapidly approaching Tribulation period. It’s one of the more distinguishing signs of our time because it aligns with so many prophecies that predict hatred for Israel and the Jews during the last days. In Zechariah 8:13, the Lord foretold what we see today along with His promise to dramatically reverse the fortunes of the Jewish people: “And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.”
What we see today fulfills the first part of these words from the Lord. Those inside and outside the church who attack Israel, however, overlook the Lord’s promise that after the hatred and cursing, He will save Israel and cause it to be a blessing to the nations.
It will be one of the greatest plot twists of all time, rivaling what the account recorded in Esther with its radical change of direction, with its most unexpected outcome.
God’s promise in Zechariah 8:13 underscores the misunderstanding—and even unbelief—of those who attack us as “Zionists” because we believe the Lord will someday fulfill His promise to restore a kingdom to Israel. The accusations of today’s anti-Zionists continue the world’s cursing of the Jewish people while at the same time, they deny the Lord’s promise that He will not only save the Jewish people, but will also make them a “blessing” to the nations. Read Zechariah 8:20-23 for the details of how the Jewish people will bless the nations during the Millennium.
What is Zionism?
Let’s dig deeper into the term bantered about by those who call us “Zionists” as though it were a derogatory word.
In God’s Word, Zion often refers to the highest summit in Jerusalem commonly known as “Mount Zion.” At other times, the term denotes the entire City of David.
The Psalms designate Zion as the location of Jesus’ future reign over all the nations. In Psalm 2:6, God declares, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” Later in the Psalms, we again read of the Lord’s exalted place on Mount Zion during His future reign over the nations: “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King. Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress.” (Psalm 48:1-3)
The close biblical connection between Mount Zion and Israel’s prominent place in Jesus’ future kingdom is not lost on our opponents. They regard the Jewish people, including those living in modern-day Israel, as wholly unworthy of such a future blessing. Satan’s lies concerning the current Jewish state fuel this hatred, which has sadly seeped into many churches.
Many of today’s anti-Zionists believe they have successfully refuted the central tenets of Premillennialism by pointing to the current wayward condition of Israel. They argue that Israel’s present unbelief demonstrates the nation’s unworthiness to occupy a prominent place in Jesus’ future kingdom. In doing so, however, they overlook two vital biblical truths:
First, Scripture teaches that in the years leading up to the seven-year Tribulation, the seventieth week of Daniel, Israel would exist in a state of unbelief. And this is exactly what we see today. The Bible tells us that the Lord will use this future seven-year period to bring a remnant of the Jewish people to saving faith in Jesus (Zechariah 12:10-13:8). No one believes that the Israel of today is ready to receive the glories of the promised kingdom, but God is not yet finished with His people. Is that not true of all redeemed saints as well?
Second, the fulfillment of God’s promises to His people, whether it be Israel or us as believers, has never depended on any worthiness in those who receive His many blessings, never, never. If it did, as New Testament saints we would be a whole lot of trouble because we, too, are wholly unworthy to receive anything promised to us in Scripture. Our hope rests solely in Jesus, in what He promises us in His Word.
God Loves Zion
There’s another fundamental problem for those who use “Zionism” as though it were a curse word in our day; they pit themselves against God Himself, who clearly loves Zion. Each time I read through the Psalms, I’m amazed by the many references to God’s great affection for this hill within Jerusalem, such as we read in Psalm 87:1–3: “On the holy mount stands the city he founded; the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God. Selah” (emphasis added)
The following verses also speak to God’s passion for Zion: “For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place: This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.” (Psalm 132:13-14, emphasis added)
Today’s hatred for Israel, which has sadly infiltrated many of today’s churches, reflects the acceptance of worldly wisdom over the clear promises of Scripture. It is precisely what the Apostle Paul warns believers about in Colossians 2:1-8, that of regarding false “plausible arguments” as truth, ones that lead believers away from the wisdom contained in God’s Word. He summed up his counsel in verse 8:
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
Don’t fall for the worldly wisdom that causes so many in our day to denounce those whom God has chosen and to whom He has promised a glorious restoration. Don’t allow such thinking to “take you captive,” instead, thank Him for His great mercy and grace by which He keeps His promises to all His people, including us!
Someday, the Lord will surely rescue and cause Israel to be a blessing to the nations, just as He promised in Zechariah 8:13. The Lord Jesus will rule the world from Mount Zion, count on it.
