Those who label Christian Zionism a "harmful belief" ultimately say less about Israel than about their own image of God. For as soon as Jewish self-determination in the Land of Israel is viewed as a theological problem, a more profound question arises: Is God reliable, or are his words negotiable? And behind this lies an even sharper question: Is humanity allowed to determine when God fulfills his own promises?
A guest article by Rabbi Dr. Raphael Evers, translated by Marie-Louise Weissenböck
This is not about a political program, a current power struggle, or a geopolitical strategy. What is truly at stake here is the credibility of the Bible itself. Christian Zionism is not an ideology, but a belief: the trust that God speaks unambiguously, that he says what he means, and does what he promises. Specifically, that he will bring his people back to their land.
In the Bible, the land of Israel is not a minor matter or a symbolic detail. It runs like a thread through the entire story. From Abraham to Moses, from the prophets to the later writings, the same promise is repeated again and again: God will bring Israel into his land. A promise that is repeated, affirmed, and never revoked. This promise is explicitly described as permanent. Anyone who claims it is invalid, has been generalized, or replaced needs not only to reinterpret a single text but must argue away an overwhelming number of biblical passages. That is why this debate is so heated.
The denial of Israel's right to the land is not a harmless nuance. It requires an interpretation in which God's own words are subordinated to church systems or modern sensitivities. This is precisely where the problem lies for many Christians: in the conviction that Scripture has authority, especially when it clashes with our preferences. God is a rock, not quicksand. Christian Zionism does not stem from end-times speculation or political sympathies, but from a specific image of God. A God who gives specific promises to a specific people connected to a specific place, and who fulfills these promises despite human shortcomings.
The prophets describe the restoration of Israel not as a reward for moral perfection, but as an act of divine faithfulness, “for my name’s sake.” The existence of Israel, therefore, says something first about who God is, and only secondarily about the Jewish people. This goes to the heart of the Christian faith. For if God ultimately abandons his promises to Israel, what should Christians trust when it comes to salvation and the future? A God who abandons his word as soon as history becomes complicated is not a solid rock, but quicksand.
The biblical vision of the future also remains strikingly concrete. It does not speak of a vague kingdom detached from time and place, nor of a symbolic return to Rome or an abstract idea. Scripture speaks of Jerusalem, of a city, of a place in the real world, in time and space.
Critics often claim that Christian Zionism is uncritical and blind to injustice. This is a simplistic caricature. Recognizing Israel's right to exist is not a license for every political decision. Love for a people or country does not negate moral scrutiny, but rather sharpens it. Law and justice apply to everyone.
"God's faithfulness is stronger than human systems."
Equally inappropriate is the assertion that support for Israel automatically implies hostility towards Arabs or Muslims. Anyone who truly believes that every human being is created in God's image cannot discriminate in dignity. Peace and humanity for all inhabitants of the land do not contradict biblical faithfulness, but rather arise directly from it. The bitter irony is that a centuries-old tradition of denial and substitutionary thinking is now failing in the face of a vibrant Jewish state.
All forms of substitution thinking encounter the same reality here: The Jewish people are back. Not as an idea or symbol, but as a nation. This makes Christian Zionism not an ideology, but a testimony. A testimony that God's promises are not mere imagery. That his covenants are not expired contracts. And that his faithfulness is stronger than human systems.
Anyone who calls this "harmful" must answer the question: harmful to whom? Not to Scripture. Not to the Jewish people. This is not a dangerous doctrine. This is the faithfulness of God, evident in history.
Rabbi Dr. Raphael Evers was born in Amsterdam, served as Chief Rabbi of the Dutch community, was Chief Rabbi in Düsseldorf for many years and has lived in Israel since 2021.
This article first appeared in our newspaper "Israelaktuell," issue 145. You can order the newspaper here . We would also be happy to send you several copies for distribution.
