Christian Zionism - what's the Biblical basis?

[Hekuran]

Christian Zionism is the belief that the state of Israel is central to end time prophecy and the return of Jesus.

What is the Biblical basis for it?

 

[Trevor]

Christian Zionism is the belief that the state of Israel is central to end time prophecy and the return of Jesus.

What is the Biblical basis for it?

All end time prophesy culminates around Israel Hekuran. Amos 9:11 "In that day I will restore David's fallen tent. I will repair it's broken places, restore it's ruins and build it as it used to be, so that they may posses the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name", declares the Lord, who will do these things. "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when the reaper will be overtaken by the ploughman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills. I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them," says the Lord your God.
Revelation 16 The battle of Armageddon will take place in Israel, this is the final battle where Christ returns with his armies. All culminating in Israel. Bless you.

 

[Hekuran]

Thank you Trevor.

 

[Trevor]

Thank you Trevor.

The beauty of it is Hekuran, Christians have been grafted into the olive tree which is the Jews. Romans 11:16-21. bless you

 

[Hekuran]

Yes, glad to be grafted into Israel, and I understand the broad sweep of God's plan from his promise to Abraham, through Moses, David, Jesus to the present day.

What I don't understand is the Biblical basis for so much interest in the modern day state of Israel.

Jesus pronounced judgment on Jerusalem before his death - and within that generation, Jerusalem had been destroyed. But by then the word of the gospel was well on it's way to the ends of the earth.

And we wait for heaven and earth to be reconciled as Jesus takes his place in the new Jerusalem.

 

[Trevor]

What I don't understand is the Biblical basis for so much interest in the modern day state of Israel.

Hi Hekuran, maybe this will help Amos 9:11-15 (11)"In that day I will restore David's fallen tent. I will repair it's broken places, restore it's ruins, and build it as it used to be, (12) so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name", declares the Lord, who will do these things. (13) "The days are coming," declares the Lord, " when the reaper will be overtaken by the ploughman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills. I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them." Bless you.

 

[Hekuran]

Thanks. I'm very cautious about seeing the state of Israel as it stands in this prophecy.

Amos was active before Israel was destroyed by Assyria. This passage looks beyond destruction to a future hope. It's a highly poetic description of God's generosity and abundance - literally impossible in this created order. The ploughman overtaking the reaper, and mountain rivers flowing with new wine.

Either it's Godly hyperbole, which Hebrew writers were quite fond of ('mountains skipping like rams' etc). Or it's a vision of the coming day of the Lord, when Jesus return to restore and reconcile creation to himself.

If you look at Amos' criticisms of Israel in his own day, it's pretty unlikely that he would approve of Israel today and view it as a fulfilment of his prophecy.

 

[Trevor]

Thanks. I'm very cautious about seeing the state of Israel as it stands in this prophecy.

Amos was active before Israel was destroyed by Assyria. This passage looks beyond destruction to a future hope. It's a highly poetic description of God's generosity and abundance - literally impossible in this created order. The ploughman overtaking the reaper, and mountain rivers flowing with new wine.

Either it's Godly hyperbole, which Hebrew writers were quite fond of ('mountains skipping like rams' etc). Or it's a vision of the coming day of the Lord, when Jesus return to restore and reconcile creation to himself.

If you look at Amos' criticisms of Israel in his own day, it's pretty unlikely that he would approve of Israel today and view it as a fulfilment of his prophecy.

Well, Hekuran, It seems to me that Amos was prophecying of a time yet to come where the exiles would return and never again be uprooted. That hasn't happened before, and seeing the way that Israel has miraculously held at bay, United Arab armies with ten times their firepower, I would say they have God behind them, wouldn't you?