One of the reasons that gave rise to Islamist terrorists waging a religious ‘holy war’ against the West and free democracies is the turning of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, from one that is political in nature to a religious one by the Christian Zionists.

 

Christian Zionism is an extremist Christian movement which supports the claims of those who believe that the State of Israel should take control of all of the land currently disputed between Palestinians and Israelis. It views the creation and expansion of the modern state of Israel as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy toward the second coming of Jesus.

 

Biblical data is evidently clear that God’s promises to the Jews concerning the physical land was fulfilled to the letter.

 

And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he swore to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he swore unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. There failed not aught of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. (Jos 21:43-45)

 

The perpetual ownership of the physical land was dependent on the Jews’ faithfulness to the Lord.(Deut 28:63-64; Jos 23:13,15; 1King9:7; 2King17:23; Jer 12:10-12). However, the Jews were not faithful and lost it.

 

The ‘land’ has a far greater significance with the coming of Jesus Christ. It is to be understood eschatologically  as a symbol of heavenly rest  which we aspire to (Heb 4:9). Abraham understood ‘land’  to mean an heavenly home (Heb 11: 10,16).

 

An elder from a church which promotes Christian Zionism in Singapore (Changi area) had to resign because he did not believe that the Jews must be saved through Christ, he reckoned that the Jews can be saved through works.

 

In the following article, Dr. Robert Reymond ably argues from the Bible to come to five propositions regarding the “holy land” and what the Messianic kingdom of Jesus entails.