1980 was a special year. For the first time, a Protestant church recognized theological significance for the still young state of Israel. We are referring to the Protestant Church in the Rhineland and its famous synodal resolution.
Ascribed theological significance to the State of Israel was not a given. The aberrations of the Nazi era had taught the opposite: to view statehood and politics critically in general, and under no circumstances to legitimize them theologically. Nevertheless, the Rhinelanders attribute Israel's founding in 1948 to God. The 'Israel Formula' used by the Rhineland Synod reads: "The establishment of the State of Israel [is] a sign of God's faithfulness to his people."1
This formula is refreshingly concise. It has the full support of CSI and will therefore serve as the starting point for our position. However, it also raises questions: To what extent can the State of Israel, which is largely secular, be so directly traced back to God? And how is the term "sign" to be understood—is the State of Israel merely a subtle indication or a powerful signal to the entire world?
What is striking about the Rhenish formula on Israel is that Israel is directly linked to God. The establishment of the State of Israel is seen as God's work, and the Jews are called God's people. In this way, the Synod connects to the Bible. There, God is presented dozens of times as the God of Israel—of the people as well as the land. For the land is God's land.2 And it is destined for the people of Israel.3
The triad of God, people, and land is of fundamental importance in the Bible. God promised Abraham a people and a land (the later Israel) (Genesis 12:1–3). This promise was passed on to Isaac and Jacob.Jacob , the father of the twelve tribes, was renamed Israel by God—hence the name (Genesis 32:29; 35:10). After Israel had become a nation in Egypt, God brought them out through Moses and led them into their land under Joshua. Under Saul, Israel became a kingdom; under David, it flourished; and under Solomon, it reached wealth and splendor. Then came the division of the kingdom, and the story of its decline began.
The destruction of Israel was a shock: in 721 BC, the northern kingdom fell to the Assyrians, and in 586 BC, the southern kingdom was taken into Babylonian exile. Both were understood by the prophets of Israel as God's judgment. Yet God promised his people that he would continue to stand by them and bring them back to their land. There was talk of national restoration and spiritual renewal. Entire sections of texts, such as Isaiah 59–60, Jeremiah 30–33, and Ezekiel 36–39, are dedicated to this theme. These promises have never been fully fulfilled. Therefore, even the later destruction of Israel by the Romans (1st/2nd century AD) would not have the final word. According to key statements in the New Testament, it too was marked by the still-pending restoration.God remains faithful to Israel, even to unfaithful Israel, and will fulfill his promises to Israel (compare Romans 11:28–29). This is a fundamental message of the Bible. We Christians also live by this faithfulness (2 Timothy 2:13).
Too often, the biblical background is overlooked when discussing Israel; it is therefore commendable that the Synod of the Rhineland explicitly addresses Israel from a biblical perspective. It is also commendable that the establishment of the State of Israel is understood not as the ultimate sign, but merely as one sign of God's faithfulness. For Israel experienced God's faithfulness even in its dispersion (Diaspora) and continues to experience it there. This does not mean that one can dispose of the land and the state at will. God, people, and land are inextricably linked. This must be emphasized.
At first glance, it might seem surprising that people from the Rhineland use the modern term "state." However, the modern state of Israel can certainly be understood as a continuation of biblical Israel. If one defines the modern terms "state" and "nation" in their most basic terms—as people and land—they correspond quite closely to the biblical concept of nations (goyim/ethne). Thus, one can say that in 1948, the returning Jews became a free, prosperous, and in many respects outstanding nation, just as Israel once was under David and Solomon. This return occurred after almost 1900 years of exile—something comparable had never happened before. Israel possesses a foundation in international law that dates back to 1920 (the San Remo Conference) and is today a member of the United Nations. The founding of the State of Israel is therefore an act of God's faithfulness, one of world-historical proportions and to be understood as a powerful signal.
If one applies God's faithfulness not only to the Jewish people but also to the Jewish state, one enters the realm of politics, for the Middle East conflict looms in the background. The Bible already indirectly addresses this conflict. According to Ezekiel 47:21–23, Israel is to be a land of peaceful coexistence between the returning Jews and the local inhabitants. This is God's vision. This vision also guides the Israelis, as can be read in the Declaration of Independence of 1948. This concept is already succeeding where Israeli Muslims recognize the State of Israel and contribute positively. It fails, however, where Islamist terrorists seek to eliminate it and annihilate the Jews, as was horrifically witnessed on October 7, 2023. The State of Israel—understood as a sign of God's faithfulness—is therefore also a striking statement by God against Islamist domination and the pursuit of absolute power.
The State of Israel is not only a sign of God's joyful faithfulness; it also has a decidedly negative, even traumatic, background. For this state was founded out of the horrors of the Holocaust. This fact is part of its identity. Wherever Jews find themselves in peril today, they have the opportunity to seek safety. For the first time in almost 2,000 years. In the face of global antisemitism, this function of the Jewish state is relevant every single day. In founding the state, God not only demonstrates his faithfulness and fulfills his promises—God also brings his people to safety. Our relationship with the State of Israel reveals whether we have truly learned from history, changed our attitudes, and renewed our hearts. Those who today free themselves from antisemitism and are concerned for the safety of Jews will stand by Israel's side.
Even though the resurrection of Israel is a historical miracle of the highest order, it is only a first step. For the prophets speak of an end-times restoration of Israel in the fullest sense: a return of the Jews to the land of the Bible, a national restoration, and an inner renewal. Ezekiel 36:24–28 succinctly summarizes this process. There, God says to Israel:
24 For I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my Spirit in you and move you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
28 You will live in the land I gave your ancestors, and you will be my people, and I will be your God.
The text describes a three-step process: (1.) God takes his people from the nations and brings them back to their land. (2.) God renews their hearts, ensuring that Israel will keep God's commandments. (3.) The result: Israel will live in its land forever, together with its God.8
This process is far from over. This is evident in the fact that roughly two-thirds of Jews in Israel are secular. They don't want to know much about God and his commandments. This displeases God. It's important to remember, however, that measured by God's standards, Israel (like all people) is imperfect; measured by human standards, however, it is exemplary in many respects. Israel is the only consolidated parliamentary democracy in the Middle East, a dynamic start-up nation, and a champion of freedom, women's rights, and human rights. Nevertheless, God also sees Israel's difficult aspects. His critical eye, however, does not lead to God abandoning Israel. On the contrary, it leads to the conclusion that God will redeem Israel and free it from its sins (Ezekiel 36:25–27; Romans 11:26–27). Both—God's criticism of Israel and his promises—are aspects of God's faithfulness to his people (Romans 11:28–32).
The State of Israel is therefore truly 'only' a sign. It is an indication that God still stands by his people and his promises; it is a first step toward restoration and a foretaste of what is to come. In the end, Israel and God will be of one mind and one heart. In the language of the prophets, this is marked by the phrase that appears in various forms in the Old Testament: "I will be their God, and they will be my people" (Jeremiah 31:34; Ezekiel 36:28 and others). Then Israel will have reached its goal. And then all will be well.
We cannot expect more from present-day Israel than from any other nation, for Israel is still unredeemed. In this respect, Israel is a nation like any other, and its political decisions may be criticized. However, fairness is essential. Criticism of Israel is only permissible where it is not antisemitic. The hallmarks of antisemitic criticism of Israel are the three Ds: delegitimization, demonization, and double standards.
There is a connection between the three Ds. Double standards are introduced to demonize Jews. Demonization is used to achieve delegitimization. And delegitimization serves the goal of getting rid of Israel. One day, according to the calculations of Israel-haters, the world will turn away from Israel. Then the hour of the enemies will have come to destroy Israel – a strategy of satanic origin (compare Revelation 12).
After all the suffering Jews worldwide have experienced, humanity needs a renewal of heart. This means showing solidarity with Israel and standing up against Jew-hatred and hostility towards Israel. Solidarity with Israel is a consequence of repentance and renewal. Hostility towards Israel, on the other hand, is antisemitism in a new guise, and 'neutrality' represents nothing more than disinterest. The State of Israel either manifests the old sins against Israel – rejection, hostility, indifference, disinterest – or it reveals the new spirit of repentance and turning towards the Jewish people.
The theological significance of the State of Israel is multifaceted: The State of Israel is based on the triangle of God + People + Land, which is central to biblical thought. It is a bulwark against Islamism and a safe haven for persecuted Jews worldwide. The State of Israel is to be understood as the beginning of the eschatological restoration of Israel. At the same time, however, it arouses resistance and serves as a projection screen for godless forces that take their frustrations out on Israel. In light of these circumstances, the role of the Christian community can only consist of standing in solidarity with the State of Israel and being a reliable companion to the Jewish people. Christians belong on Israel's side. For there, too, stands their God.
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