This review is in seven sections:
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Introduction
The United Church of Christ has had a long standing concern about the crises in the Middle East. It is a strong supporter of the State of Israel, having passed a resolution supporting a secure state of Israel. It has also passed several resolutions condemning anti-Semitism in various forms. However, the United Church of Christ has also had a long standing concern for the situation of the Palestinians. Land, which according to international law belongs to the Palestinians, has been taken away by Israeli settlements, Israeli access roads, and Israeli military control areas. As a result, Palestinians have been constrained within smaller and smaller, densely populated, non-contiguous areas, each surrounded by an Israeli presence. Their rights to build homes, to farm, to utilize natural resources, and to carry out commerce, have been severely restricted. These actions not only are in opposition to the teachings of justice and peace taught by Jesus and the biblical prophets, but are also opposed by a large number of Israeli and U.S. Jews.
In the struggle between Palestinians and Israelis over this land, there have been terrible excesses by both sides, resulting in the deaths of large numbers of innocent civilians. For perspective, if one were to scale the deaths based on relative populations, the Israeli deaths since the start of the second intifada would correspond to 37,000 deaths in the U.S. However, scaling the deaths of Palestinians in the same way, the corresponding impact on Palestinians would be equivalent to 240,000 deaths in the U.S. Killing of innocent civilians by either side is a clear violation of Geneva Conventions, is a moral outrage, and must be stopped.
In recent years, media coverage of the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine has increasingly been influenced by the theology of Christian Zionism. Christian Zionism equates the actions of the government of Israel with the word of God as it is revealed in the Bible. Christian Zionism condones and encourages violence on the part of one side in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. In addition, it is supported by some current US government officials, and influences US foreign policy.
The dialogue on Israel and Palestine has been complicated by common assumptions that wrongly place people into categories. In fact, the Jewish and Christian Zionist ideology that opposes a two-state solution and seeks to transfer (ethnically cleanse) Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip, is not supported by most Jews, nor by the Israeli government, nor by most evangelical Christians (as well, of course, by Christians in mainstream denominations). In addition, most Palestinians do not support the extremist ideology of eliminating the state of Israel.
Christian Zionism, when applied to the Israel/Palestine situation, does not reflect the intention of the teachings of justice and peace taught by the Biblical prophets and Jesus, and does not promote peace in the Middle East. Christian Zionism is, in fact, a minority ideology that has been allowed to dominate the political discussion.
Christian Zionism – overview and its political positions
When Israel became a state in 1948, many Christian Zionists believed this was a sign that the End Times and the Second Coming were upon us. In a recent poll, one-third of evangelical Christians chose as their primary theological motivation for supporting Israel, the conviction that the reestablishment of Israel as a nation will hasten the End Times and the Second Coming of Christ. The remaining two-thirds described their primary reason as the belief that Israel is God’s chosen nation and that “God had given the Jews the land of Israel; it is their right to have it.” They believe that the existence of the nation of Israel is a clear affirmation of God’s active presence. Ralph Reed, formerly head of the Christian Coalition, now co-chair of Stand for Israel, states, “For many today, there is no greater proof of God’s sovereignty in the world today than the survival of the Jews and the existence of Israel.”
Christian Zionism has several tenets based on selected scriptures. A key tenet is that Jewish control of “greater Israel” (which includes all of Palestine) and the rebuilding of the temple is a harbinger of the second coming of Christ. A second is that God gave the land to the Jews, and therefore they should have it all, and the Arab population should be expelled from Palestine. A third tenet is that the United States will prosper only by helping to fulfill scripture through giving its full support to the government of Israel.
A result of these beliefs is unquestioning support of Israeli government policies on the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Some of these policies violate Geneva Conventions by colonization of occupied territory; the destruction of civilian infrastructure; the targeting of civilians as combatants; the use of banned weapons; and the collective punishment of noncombatants. In addition, Christian Zionists along with Jewish Zionists, support the even more extreme policy of expelling all Arabs from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. We believe that these policies violate the teachings of justice and peace as taught by the Biblical prophets and Jesus Christ.
Support for Israel is one of the top issues for the Christian Coalition. The evangelical organization Jerusalem Friendship Fund has financially supported the settlement of Jews in the Occupied Territories (West Bank and Gaza Strip) with approximately $65 million, $15 million in 2002 alone. Janet Parshall, head of the National Religious Broadcasters Association at a 2002 Washington, D.C. rally, said that giving up the Occupied Territories “means giving away Israel one piece at a time. We will never give up the Golan. We will never divide Jerusalem. We will never vacillate in our support of Israel.” Pat Robertson has said on Nightline “I’m in favor of the Israeli people having the land that was given them by God. I think we might as well recognize the reality of what’s going to happen. There’s never going to be peace.”
At a Washington DC rally in May 2003, Christian Zionists referred to President Bush’s “Road Map to Peace” as the “Road Map to Hell.” They have referred to Arial Sharon as a “drunkard seduced by worldly powers” because he has agreed to certain provisions of the Road Map. According to Newsweek, they are working to create an impenetrable political road block for President Bush, making it almost impossible for him to put significant pressure on the Israeli government to comply with key aspects of the Road Map to Peace.
Christian Zionism is regarded today by many in the U. S. mass media as representative of the Christian perspective about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Christian Zionist viewpoints are regularly featured on CNN, ABC’s Nightline, Newsweek, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. Christian Zionists actively lobby the U.S. Government to support their positions.
Leaders such as Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and Ralph Reed lobby the US government on behalf of Israel and support the expansionist, anti-Palestinian Israeli positions. US government public servants have reflected Christian Zionist perspectives. House majority whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas) said that “all of the West bank belongs to Israel.” In March on the Senate floor, Sen. James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) stated that “Israel should keep the West Bank because God said so. This is not a political battle at all. It is a contest over whether or not the word of God is true.” Retiring House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas) said, “I’m content to have Israel grab the entire West Bank. I happen to believe that the Palestinians should leave.”
And has this supposed support by the Christian Right gained them the respect of Jews? In the American Jewish Committee December 2003 Annual Survey of Jewish Opinion, Jews when asked if many or most of various groups were anti-Semitic, ranked Muslims at 55%, the religious right at 41%, and mainstream Protestants/Catholics (who generally favor a balanced approach to the conflict) at 13%. Thus, in spite of superficial support by the religious right, Jews recognize the underlying dichotomy of positions.
Jewish Zionism – ties to Christian Zionism
There is a broad range in the position of Jews on the issue of the Palestinians. About one-third of the Jewish community, the Jewish rightwing Zionists, fully supports the Christian Zionist political position.
There has been a concerted effort on the part of the Likud (right wing) party in Israel to forge a partnership with fundamentalist Christians. In 1978, a plan was published by the Likud to encourage these Christians to support Israel. For example, in 1979, the government of Israel gave Jerry Falwell, then head of the Moral Majority, his first private jet. More recently, in 2002 Pat Robertson was given the “State of Israel Friendship Award” at the annual “Salute to Israel” dinner in Chicago. At an October 2002 rally in Washington D.C., thousands of evangelical Christians waved Israeli flags, cheering as Israeli Knesset member Benny Elon called for “the relocation of Palestinians from the West Bank into Jordan.” Pat Robertson, CEO of the Christian Broadcast Network (and President Emeritus of the Christian Coalition) was the main speaker during the rally.
The May 2003 rally of Christian and Jewish rightwing Zionists attacking President Bush’s Road Map to Peace, was underwritten by a $100,000 grant from Zionist House, a Boston-based Jewish group. One of the speakers at the rally was Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Daniel Ayalon. During his visit to Israel in July 2003, Representative Tom DeLay, a leader of the Christian Zionist Movement, was invited to speak to the Israeli Knesset.
An August 2003 article in the conservative Jerusalem Post identifies the 60 million Evangelical Christians in the U.S. as Israel’s staunchest supporters and friends. However, many Christian Zionists see support of fundamentalist Jews as a means to enable the Second Coming of Jesus, which according to Christian Zionists also means at that time one third of Jews will convert to Christianity while two-thirds Jews will go to hell. Recognizing the underlying dichotomy of theological positions, and not wanting in any way to jeopardize Christian Zionist political support, the same article says, “These and other theological issues should never be explored.”
In February 2004 Israel gave an award to televangelist Pat Robertson. Israeli Tourism Minister Benny Elon praised Robertson and said that “our alliance with American Christians is growing.”
Other Jews – their position contrasted to Christian Zionism
When Christian Zionists claim to “speak for all Jews,” they reveal that they are not informed about the diversity in Jewish political opinion, or where the “center” of Jewish opinion is. In fact, the Christian Zionist political strategy amounts to trying to force their particular religious/political agenda on a Jewish majority that does not accept that position. This section examines Jewish opinion that conflicts with Christian Zionist positions.
Jewish scholars and rabbis have become increasingly concerned about the alliance with Christian fundamentalists. Gershom Gorenber, an author and senior editor of the Jerusalem Post, states: “any theology that continues to deny the validity of Judaism and to fantasize about looking forward to the conversion or destruction of the Jews is one that should arouse a great deal of caution among Jews.”
In May 2004 two former chief rabbis of Israel (Avarham Shapira and Mordechai Eliahu) approved a religious ruling urging followers not to accept money from the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, an organization that raises money from Christian Zionists. Israeli Jews are concerned about the evangelicals’ support for Israel’s extreme right wing that opposes any compromise with the Palestinians.
Israeli Peace Movement
The Israeli peace movement opposing the occupation of Palestine is very large and very active:
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Protests against Israeli policies in Palestine reach into the elite and high levels of the Israeli military. In December 2003 thirteen members of the Sayeret Matkal stated that they could no longer serve, “out of a deep sense of foreboding for the future of Israel as a democratic, Zionist state.” The Sayeret Matkal are similar to the U.S. Delta Force commandos, but as politically glorified symbols of patriotism, they have no equivalent in America. In January 2004 Israeli colonel Eitan Ronel, a veteran of the the Yom Kippur War, the invasion of Lebanon, and the first Palestinian Intifada resigned, returning his officer’s commission. He said, “I saw this deterioration, stage after stage: the blind eye that was turned to the abuse of detainees in violation of the army’s orders; the blind eye turned to soldiers gunfire on unarmed Palestinian civilians; the blind eye that was turned to the settlers unlawful behavior towards Palestinian civilians; the oppression of the population; the roadblocks; the closure; the blind eye the army turned towards humiliation and abuse; the use of live fire against children and unarmed people.”
In November 2003, four former chiefs of Israel’s powerful domestic security service, Shin Bet, said that Israel must end its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. One of the chiefs, Avraham Shalom, said, “We must once and for all admit that there is another side, that it has feelings and that it is suffering, and that we are behaving disgracefully. Yes, there is no other word for it: disgracefully…. We have turned into a people of petty fighters using the wrong tools. In October 2003, Lt. Gen. Moshe Yaalon, the military’s chief of staff said that current hard line policies against the Palestinians were working against Israel’s strategic interest.
A small sample of what other Israeli soldiers are saying
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Rabbis For Human Rights is the only Israeli rabbinic organization comprised of Reform, Orthodox, Conservative and Reconstructionist rabbis and students. It counts among its members rabbis in national leadership positions, as well as educators and congregational rabbis. Statements by Rabbis for Human Rights include:
The essence of the Torah, as summarized by Hillel: “What is hateful to you, do not do to others,” reflects the historic experience and ethical consciousness of the Jewish people. Both this historic experience and ethical consciousness must sensitize us to defend the right of all who dwell among us. “When a stranger resides with you in you land, you shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens: you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Lev 19:33-34).
We are committed … to be faithful to the principles of and the Charter of the UN.…we are deeply disturbed by and seek to remove excesses and abuses such as:
Expropriation of land, uprooting of trees and demolition of homes;
Torture…;
Bullying and humiliating which is demoralizing both to perpetuator and victim;
The exercise of double standards…;
Shooting to kill when life is not in immediate danger;
Collective punishment of children for the sins of their parents…;
Sale of weapons to aggressive regimes;
Undercover killings. and,
We pray to bring nearer the day for the fulfillment of the prophecy of Zephaniah (3:13), “The remnant of Israel will not act iniquitously, nor speak falsely; neither shall there be found in their mouths the tongue of deceit,” and of Isaiah (Is 2), “When nation will not lift up sword against nation, and no longer train for war.”
Israeli polls
And where is the center of Jewish opinion? We reviewed nine opinion polls conducted over the past two years. Without exception, and by pluralities of over 30%, most Israelis express support for a return to negotiations, a two-state solution, and evacuation of settlements in the context of a peace accord. An end of 2003 poll by Rice’s James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy and the International Crisis group found over half of the Israelis would support a two state solution with minor border modifications, territorial swaps, and the Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem.
Many of the settlers in the West Bank and Gaza strip are not there for religious reasons, but because Israeli government subsidies make housing in these areas much more attractive financially. A survey in the summer of 2003 found that 90% of settlers would not violate the law in response to a decision to withdraw from settlements, and that 83% would agree to leave the West Bank and Gaza Strip in exchange for compensation. (Click here to see summary of opinion polls.)
U.S. Jews
The opinion of U.S. Jews generally parallels that of Israelis. U.S. Jews ranging from editorialists, to artists, to industrial and banking people, to theologians, do not support the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
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[Sharon] wants Israelis to believe they have no other choice, but they do. It is to use Israel’s amazing strength to take a different set of Israeli actions, like really uprooting settlements, to stimulate a different set of Palestinian reactions, like controlling suicide bombers. Efraim Halevy, Israel’s former Mossad chief who just quit as a Sharon advisor, said to me: “For there to be a chance for Israel-Palestinian coexistence, the Palestinians will have to get their act together. For them to get their act together, Israel will have to invest heavily in them. A Palestinian pollster, Khalil Shikaki, puts it this way: “Sharon wants Palestinians to take the ultimate risk – a civil war – without promise of the ultimate reward” [removal of settlements and concrete steps toward statehood]."
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"…even though the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 was an act of universal justice, it has to be recognized that it has been achieved at the price of displacement, grief and tragedy of others. We had been unable to see this then, in 1948. But it has become an absolute necessity for us to see it now. Justice…is the basis of Jewish history. I firmly believe that for the continuation of the development of the Jewish people and the state of Israel, it is imperative that a just solution is found for Palestinian independence. The future of Israel, in whatever form or shape it develops, it is totally dependent on that."
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"Along with international support for security measures and economic recovery, efforts must also proceed along the political front and be undeterred by acts of violence or subversion by groups opposed to a peaceful solution. We support the two-state solution that has been endorsed by [the U.S.] government, by members of the international community, and by major political parties in the region. We recognize that any solution will have to deal forthrightly with the issue of the settlements and the refugee question. An ultimate solution must be based on international law and the recently published Road Map…"
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"…the policies of Israeli governments have been to keep possession of this expanded Israel [Palestine]. Jewish communities have been ‘mobilized and militarized’ in support of this injustice by the Jewish State – a support which has deeply affected the nature of Jewishness and Judaism. In the end…I simply could not – and cannot – bequeath to my children an inheritance that places violence and atrocity at the heart of Jewish history; that the essence of Jewish witness is carried by helicopter gun ships; that the Jewish covenant, now and forever, will be infected with dislocation and death. … Placing others into the ashes does not heal us of the previous trauma."
In the Zogby International survey of American Jews in January 2004, 72% were more likely to support a political candidate who says the U.S. should be actively engaged in trying to bring peace between Israelis and Palestinians. The poll found that 68% of American Jews believe an even handed approach in the peace negotiations is the right way for Americans, and 76% gave a negative evaluation of President Bush in his handling of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The Legal and Human Impact
Israeli government policies being protested by Jews worldwide involve Israel’s violations of UN Security Council resolutions and articles of the Geneva Convention. Israel is in violation of some 15 UN Security Council resolutions going back over a period of 35 years. In addition, Israel is also in violation of over 15 articles of the Geneva Conventions. These include: use of banned weapons; use of chemical sprays to kill farm crops; collective punishment; assassinations (extra judicial killings); deliberate damage to civilian property; deliberate damage to infrastructure; restrictions on journalist and human rights monitors; deliberate attacks on civilian populations; etc. Millions of people are affected by these actions.
A major reason for Arab anger toward the U.S. is our lack of serious condemnation of these violations and implicit U.S. support of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Evangelicals for Middle East Peace
A common misunderstanding is that all evangelical Christians are Christian Zionists. In fact, fundamentalist and dispensationalist evangelicals (Christian Zionists) amount to only 20 to 25 million people. Mainstream evangelicals, numbering between 75 and 100 million, are disturbed by Christian Zionism. For them, God’s numerous admonitions, through the biblical prophets and Jesus, of the importance of justice can not be “deleted” from the dialogue on Israel and Palestine. A small sampling of this evangelical opinion:
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Palestinian Positions
There are a number of Palestinian terrorist organizations such as Hamas. Many in those organizations have as an ultimate goal the regaining all of historic Palestine (i.e., land comprising the current state of Israel). The cycle of violence and continued violations of international law reinforces hard line Palestinian positions. However, these are not the position of most Palestinians any more than the Jewish Zionist position represents the position of most Jews. In polls over the past year, a large majority of Palestinians indicated:
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Biblical and Theological Rationale – alternative view to Christian Zionism
The Word of God, though written in specific historical times and places, still speaks to us in our present condition. The book of Micah, written during and after the terrible times of exile and destruction for the Hebrew people, has much to tell us in these times of suffering for the people of Israel and Palestine. As we seek to understand what it means to “do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Mic. 6:8), we offer the following alternative perspectives to the tenets of Christian Zionism.
Do not worry about tomorrow (Mt. 6:34)
For a third of Christian Zionists, Jewish control of “greater Israel” and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem is a harbinger of the Second Coming of Christ (Rev. 7:4-8, 11:2). Enabling this is of paramount importance to them.
We believe that scripture teaches us to be wary of predictions about the future. The prophet declares, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord” (Is. 55:8-9). Jesus points out, “…you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah” (Mt. 16:3-4). As Jesus was preparing to ascend into the heavens after his resurrection, speaking of the restoration of the kingdom to Israel, he said, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority” (Acts 1:6-7).
For two thousand years, Christians have continually been predicting an eminent Second Coming of Christ. However, for 2000 years, Jesus has never once been wrong in stating that the predictors would be wrong. It is the essence of biblical humility to follow the Bible’s consistent message calling us to actions that further justice and peace, and not to assume that God’s will is manifested through our inevitably flawed interpretation of world events and their significance.
The Bible does not sanction taking additional land away from the Palestinians.
Christian Zionists believe that the secular nation of Israel is the embodiment of God’s chosen people and as such is entitled to the land it claims (Gn. 12:1-3; 17:1-8).
We affirm wholeheartedly God’s steadfast love for the descendants of Abraham and reject any theology, such as so-called “replacement theology,” which holds that God’s promises have been taken from the Jewish people and given to the Church. At the same time, we emphasize the book of Jonah’s message of God’s love and justice for all peoples, Gentiles and Jews alike. In Micah, God judges both Israel and the countries that oppress it for their cruelty and violence. The prophet Ezekiel proclaims to the Israelites returned from exile, “You shall allot [the land] as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens who reside among you. They shall be to you as citizens of Israel” (Ez. 47:22). Doing prophetic justice involves both tenderness towards peoples and scrutiny of their governments’ policies.
We also believe it is important to distinguish the modern nation of Israel from the Israel that is comprised of the followers of God (Rom. 2-4). The patriarchs and matriarchs valued faithfulness to God over the promise of land. “All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.” (Heb. 11:13-16)
As Christians we will prosper with God if we follow the Bible’s message of justice and peace, and also encourage others to follow this message
Christian Zionists assume that the United States will prosper only if it supports all the policies of the Israeli government. Christian Zionists base this on God’s words to Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse” (Gn. 12:3).
However, when Israel strayed from righteousness, God who loved Israel became angry and withheld himself from Israel. In Isaiah God says, “…Ah, sinful nation, people laden with iniquity, offspring who do evil…who have forsaken the Lord…When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you, even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.” (Is. 1:4-15). To restore themselves to his grace, God says the Israelites should “…seek justice, rescue the oppressed…” (Is. 1:17) At a different time, speaking through Malachi, God says, “Then I will draw near to you for judgment, I will be swift to bear witness against…those who oppress the…widow and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien...” (Mal. 3:5).
We believe that to love and bless Israel means to hold Israel accountable, as did God, to the teachings of justice and peace by the prophets. There are twenty-one passages in the Old Testament that specifically give rights to aliens, Palestinians in the case of current Israel. Speaking thru the prophet Jeremiah, God said, “If you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place…” (Jer. 7:6-7). And “The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Lev. 19:33-34). Yet Christian Zionism omits these twenty one passages from their narrative.
We believe that to “love kindness” means to follow the Great Commandment given by Jesus: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Mt. 22:34-40). The apostle Paul writes, “For [Christ] is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us” (Eph. 2:14). Because in Christ “There is no longer Jew or Greek” (Gal. 3:28-29), we are called to show such kindness toward all of God’s people.
We as individuals are not blessed, the United States is not blessed, nor is Israel blessed if we encourage and support Israel in its violation of Old and New Testament scriptures.
State of Israel Proves God’s Active Presence vs. Jesus Taught God’s Presence Is With Us
Christian Zionists cite scripture (Isaiah 11:11-12; Jeremiah 23:3,7, 8:31:8-10, 23; Zechariah 12:1-36), in support of the belief that the current secular nation of Israel is a fulfillment of Scriptural promises and thus a clear affirmation of God’s active presence.
The argument sometimes used is based on the belief system called “Dispensationalism,” which usually consists of four “dispensations,” or “period[s] of time during which man [sic] is tested in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God.” These periods of time or dispensations consist of “the promise” (Abraham to Sinai), “the law” (Sinai to the cross of Christ), “grace” (the cross to the rapture), and “the fullness of times” or “the kingdom” (the millennium). Christian Zionist eschatology teaches that Israel’s reestablishment will bring about the return of Christ, but the Scriptural foundations for this belief can be questioned. Old Testament passages which refer to the return of the Israelites from exile in Babylon and the rebuilding of Solomon’s temple are used to “prove” that Israel will be restored in the Day of the Lord, which is supposed to be near (Joel 2:30-32). However, in Acts, Peter cites the two preceding verses (Joel 2:28-29) as evidence that the Day of the Lord has already begun with the outpouring of God’s spirit.
Adrio Konig writes, “The criterion for any [form of] eschatology should be: what place do the person and message of Jesus Christ have in it?” The Dispensationalist Christian Zionist eschatology has little reference to the person of Christ and even less to his message. Yet the New Testament bears witness to Jesus Christ’s ushering in the Reign of God through his life, death, and resurrection, bringing us into the End Times two thousand years ago [Mt. 24:32-35]. In fact, “the end” and the “last” refer to the person of Jesus, not to a period of time. Jesus himself taught and demonstrated this, bringing healing, justice, and peace to the people and proclaiming “the year of the Lord’s favor” [Lk. 4:16-30]. His message of love was the fulfillment of the law and the prophets [Mt. 5:17-20], demonstrating that true prophecy is not the one-time prediction of the Christian Zionists but “the proclamation of God’s will for the world.”
Conclusion
We have on one side, Christian and Jewish rightwing Zionists who support Israel taking over all of Palestine and expelling Arabs. We have on the other side, Palestinian terrorist groups such as Hamas that target innocent civilians with suicide bombings. We have the Israeli government using the lack of a peace treaty and the on-going hostilities as an excuse/opportunity to continue and extend violations of international law.
In the middle, however, are the majority of Israelis and majority of Palestinians, hoping for peace – some actively protesting for it, but many more going about their daily activities while holding the hope of peace in their heart. Christians can sit on our hands, watch the extremes feed on themselves, and let those who hope for peace hang out to dry with no Christians to speak for them. Or we can work for reconciliation. We can become the proactive middle.
We can not ignore the words of Jesus in our position about the Middle East.
In the struggle between Palestinians and Israelis over this land, there have been terrible excesses by both sides, resulting in the deaths of large numbers of innocent civilians. For perspective, if one were to scale the deaths based on relative populations, the Israeli deaths since the start of the second intifada would correspond to 37,000 deaths in the U.S. However, scaling the deaths of Palestinians in the same way, the corresponding impact on Palestinians would be equivalent to 240,000 deaths in the U.S. Killing of innocent civilians by either side is a clear violation of Geneva Conventions, is a moral outrage, and must be stopped.
In recent years, media coverage of the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine has increasingly been influenced by the theology of Christian Zionism. Christian Zionism equates the actions of the government of Israel with the word of God as it is revealed in the Bible. Christian Zionism condones and encourages violence on the part of one side in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. In addition, it is supported by some current US government officials, and influences US foreign policy.
The dialogue on Israel and Palestine has been complicated by common assumptions that wrongly place people into categories. In fact, the Jewish and Christian Zionist ideology that opposes a two-state solution and seeks to transfer (ethnically cleanse) Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip, is not supported by most Jews, nor by the Israeli government, nor by most evangelical Christians (as well, of course, by Christians in mainstream denominations). In addition, most Palestinians do not support the extremist ideology of eliminating the state of Israel.
Christian Zionism, when applied to the Israel/Palestine situation, does not reflect the intention of the teachings of justice and peace taught by the Biblical prophets and Jesus, and does not promote peace in the Middle East. Christian Zionism is, in fact, a minority ideology that has been allowed to dominate the political discussion.
When Israel became a state in 1948, many Christian Zionists believed this was a sign that the End Times and the Second Coming were upon us. In a recent poll, one-third of evangelical Christians chose as their primary theological motivation for supporting Israel, the conviction that the reestablishment of Israel as a nation will hasten the End Times and the Second Coming of Christ. The remaining two-thirds described their primary reason as the belief that Israel is God’s chosen nation and that “God had given the Jews the land of Israel; it is their right to have it.” They believe that the existence of the nation of Israel is a clear affirmation of God’s active presence. Ralph Reed, formerly head of the Christian Coalition, now co-chair of Stand for Israel, states, “For many today, there is no greater proof of God’s sovereignty in the world today than the survival of the Jews and the existence of Israel.”
Christian Zionism has several tenets based on selected scriptures. A key tenet is that Jewish control of “greater Israel” (which includes all of Palestine) and the rebuilding of the temple is a harbinger of the second coming of Christ. A second is that God gave the land to the Jews, and therefore they should have it all, and the Arab population should be expelled from Palestine. A third tenet is that the United States will prosper only by helping to fulfill scripture through giving its full support to the government of Israel.
A result of these beliefs is unquestioning support of Israeli government policies on the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Some of these policies violate Geneva Conventions by colonization of occupied territory; the destruction of civilian infrastructure; the targeting of civilians as combatants; the use of banned weapons; and the collective punishment of noncombatants. In addition, Christian Zionists along with Jewish Zionists, support the even more extreme policy of expelling all Arabs from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. We believe that these policies violate the teachings of justice and peace as taught by the Biblical prophets and Jesus Christ.
Support for Israel is one of the top issues for the Christian Coalition. The evangelical organization Jerusalem Friendship Fund has financially supported the settlement of Jews in the Occupied Territories (West Bank and Gaza Strip) with approximately $65 million, $15 million in 2002 alone. Janet Parshall, head of the National Religious Broadcasters Association at a 2002 Washington, D.C. rally, said that giving up the Occupied Territories “means giving away Israel one piece at a time. We will never give up the Golan. We will never divide Jerusalem. We will never vacillate in our support of Israel.” Pat Robertson has said on Nightline “I’m in favor of the Israeli people having the land that was given them by God. I think we might as well recognize the reality of what’s going to happen. There’s never going to be peace.”
At a Washington DC rally in May 2003, Christian Zionists referred to President Bush’s “Road Map to Peace” as the “Road Map to Hell.” They have referred to Arial Sharon as a “drunkard seduced by worldly powers” because he has agreed to certain provisions of the Road Map. According to Newsweek, they are working to create an impenetrable political road block for President Bush, making it almost impossible for him to put significant pressure on the Israeli government to comply with key aspects of the Road Map to Peace.
Christian Zionism is regarded today by many in the U. S. mass media as representative of the Christian perspective about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Christian Zionist viewpoints are regularly featured on CNN, ABC’s Nightline, Newsweek, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. Christian Zionists actively lobby the U.S. Government to support their positions.
Leaders such as Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and Ralph Reed lobby the US government on behalf of Israel and support the expansionist, anti-Palestinian Israeli positions. US government public servants have reflected Christian Zionist perspectives. House majority whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas) said that “all of the West bank belongs to Israel.” In March on the Senate floor, Sen. James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) stated that “Israel should keep the West Bank because God said so. This is not a political battle at all. It is a contest over whether or not the word of God is true.” Retiring House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas) said, “I’m content to have Israel grab the entire West Bank. I happen to believe that the Palestinians should leave.”
There is a broad range in the position of Jews on the issue of the Palestinians. About one-third of the Jewish community, the Jewish rightwing Zionists, fully supports the Christian Zionist political position.
There has been a concerted effort on the part of the Likud (right wing) party in Israel to forge a partnership with fundamentalist Christians. In 1978, a plan was published by the Likud to encourage these Christians to support Israel. For example, in 1979, the government of Israel gave Jerry Falwell, then head of the Moral Majority, his first private jet. More recently, in 2002 Pat Robertson was given the “State of Israel Friendship Award” at the annual “Salute to Israel” dinner in Chicago. At an October 2002 rally in Washington D.C., thousands of evangelical Christians waved Israeli flags, cheering as Israeli Knesset member Benny Elon called for “the relocation of Palestinians from the West Bank into Jordan.” Pat Robertson, CEO of the Christian Broadcast Network (and President Emeritus of the Christian Coalition) was the main speaker during the rally.
The May 2003 rally of Christian and Jewish rightwing Zionists attacking President Bush’s Road Map to Peace, was underwritten by a $100,000 grant from Zionist House, a Boston-based Jewish group. One of the speakers at the rally was Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Daniel Ayalon. During his visit to Israel in July 2003, Representative Tom DeLay, a leader of the Christian Zionist Movement, was invited to speak to the Israeli Knesset.
An August 2003 article in the conservative Jerusalem Post identifies the 60 million Evangelical Christians in the U.S. as Israel’s staunchest supporters and friends. However, many Christian Zionists see support of fundamentalist Jews as a means to enable the Second Coming of Jesus, which according to Christian Zionists also means at that time one third of Jews will convert to Christianity while two-thirds Jews will go to hell. Recognizing the underlying dichotomy of theological positions, and not wanting in any way to jeopardize Christian Zionist political support, the same article says, “These and other theological issues should never be explored.”
When Christian Zionists claim to “speak for all Jews,” they reveal that they are not informed about the diversity in Jewish political opinion, or where the “center” of Jewish opinion is. In fact, the Christian Zionist political strategy amounts to trying to force their particular religious/political agenda on a Jewish majority that does not accept that position. This section examines Jewish opinion that conflicts with Christian Zionist positions.
Jewish scholars and rabbis have become increasingly concerned about the alliance with Christian fundamentalists. Gershom Gorenber, an author and senior editor of the Jerusalem Post, states: “any theology that continues to deny the validity of Judaism and to fantasize about looking forward to the conversion or destruction of the Jews is one that should arouse a great deal of caution among Jews.”
The Israeli peace movement opposing the occupation of Palestine is very large and very active:
There are a large number of Jewish peace groups opposing the Israeli occupation of Palestine – groups based in Israel, and worldwide. Peace rallies are held by Jews in Israel (and in U.S. cities) every week. Tel Aviv has had numerous anti-occupation rallies, with some that involved ten, and sixty thousand people.
Actions of the Israeli Defense Force in the occupied territories have so disturbed many Israeli solders that some of them, the Refusniks, will not serve in the occupied territories because it violates their sense of Jewish ethics. These soldiers are willing to go to jail for this position. The number of Refusniks within the Israeli military would correspond to 25,000 within the U.S. military.
Interestingly, the major Israeli peace groups were started by members of the Israeli Defense Force. In addition to the Refusniks, Peace Now was started in 1978 by 348 reserve officers and soldiers of the Israeli Defense Force. Gush Shalom was started by Uri Avnery, a member of the Israeli Defense Force during the 1948 struggle for independence.
The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions is a non-violent, direct-action group established to oppose and resist Israeli demolition of Palestinian homes in the Occupied Territories.
A small sample of what Israeli soldiers are saying
“The price of the occupation is the loss of the Israeli Defense Force’s human character and the corruption of the entire Israeli society.” [Statement of Refuseniks]
“These are days shrouded in lies and deceit. An entire nation is involved in self-deception, entangled in its own lies. Tens of thousands of Palestinians are crazed with despair and fear, and each and every one of them is invisible to our correspondents’ eyes. …the correspondents are scared to reveal the truth, scared to know the extent of the horror that is taking place in our name. When the Supreme Court refrains from putting a halt to war crimes in the territories, when the legal advisor attacks the Organization for Human Rights – these are ominous signs.” [Idan Landau, IDF]
“I can’t believe we are risking our lives to defend these [settlers]. [They] make me ashamed to be a Jew.” [Sergeant Avi Alamm, IDF, speaking of actions by the Jewish settlers]
Rabbis For Human Rights is the only Israeli rabbinic organization comprised of Reform, Orthodox, Conservative and Reconstructionist rabbis and students. It counts among its members rabbis in national leadership positions, as well as educators and congregational rabbis.
Statements by this group include:
The essence of the Torah, as summarized by Hillel: “What is hateful to you, do not do to others,” reflects the historic experience and ethical consciousness of the Jewish people. Both this historic experience and ethical consciousness must sensitize us to defend the right of all who dwell among us. “When a stranger resides with you in you land, you shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens: you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Lev 19:33-34).
We are committed … to be faithful to the principles of and the Charter of the UN.…we are deeply disturbed by and seek to remove excesses and abuses such as:
Expropriation of land, uprooting of trees and demolition of homes;
Torture…;
Bullying and humiliating which is demoralizing both to perpetuator and victim;
The exercise of double standards…;
Shooting to kill when life is not in immediate danger;
Collective punishment of children for the sins of their parents…;
Sale of weapons to aggressive regimes;
Undercover killings. and,
We pray to bring nearer the day for the fulfillment of the prophecy of Zephaniah (3:13), “The remnant of Israel will not act iniquitously, nor speak falsely; neither shall there be found in their mouths the tongue of deceit,” and of Isaiah (Is 2), “When nation will not lift up sword against nation, and no longer train for war.”
And where is the center of Jewish opinion? We reviewed nine opinion polls conducted over the past two years. Without exception, and by pluralities of over 30%, most Israelis express support for a return to negotiations, a two-state solution, and evacuation of settlements in the context of a peace accord.
Many of the settlers in the West Bank and Gaza strip are not there for religious reasons, but because Israeli government subsidies make housing in these areas much more attractive financially. A survey in the summer of 2003 found that 90% of settlers would not violate the law in response to a decision to withdraw from settlements, and that 83% would agree to leave the West Bank and Gaza Strip in exchange for compensation. (Click here to see summary of opinion polls.)
The opinion of U.S. Jews generally parallels that of Israelis. U.S. Jews ranging from editorialists, to artists, to industrial and banking people, to theologians, do not support the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
[Sharon] wants Israelis to believe they have no other choice, but they do. It is to use Israel’s amazing strength to take a different set of Israeli actions, like really uprooting settlements, to stimulate a different set of Palestinian reactions, like controlling suicide bombers. Efraim Halevy, Israel’s former Mossad chief who just quit as a Sharon advisor, said to me: “For there to be a chance for Israel-Palestinian coexistence, the Palestinians will have to get their act together. For them to get their act together, Israel will have to invest heavily in them. A Palestinian pollster, Khalil Shikaki, puts it this way: “Sharon wants Palestinians to take the ultimate risk – a civil war – without promise of the ultimate reward” [removal of settlements and concrete steps toward statehood]."
"…even though the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 was an act of universal justice, it has to be recognized that it has been achieved at the price of displacement, grief and tragedy of others. We had been unable to see this then, in 1948. But it has become an absolute necessity for us to see it now. Justice…is the basis of Jewish history. I firmly believe that for the continuation of the development of the Jewish people and the state of Israel, it is imperative that a just solution is found for Palestinian independence. The future of Israel, in whatever form or shape it develops, it is totally dependent on that."
"Along with international support for security measures and economic recovery, efforts must also proceed along the political front and be undeterred by acts of violence or subversion by groups opposed to a peaceful solution. We support the two-state solution that has been endorsed by [the U.S.] government, by members of the international community, and by major political parties in the region. We recognize that any solution will have to deal forthrightly with the issue of the settlements and the refugee question. An ultimate solution must be based on international law and the recently published Road Map…"
"…the policies of Israeli governments have been to keep possession of this expanded Israel [Palestine]. Jewish communities have been ‘mobilized and militarized’ in support of this injustice by the Jewish State – a support which has deeply affected the nature of Jewishness and Judaism. In the end…I simply could not – and cannot – bequeath to my children an inheritance that places violence and atrocity at the heart of Jewish history; that the essence of Jewish witness is carried by helicopter gunships; that the Jewish covenant, now and forever, will be infected with dislocation and death. … Placing others into the ashes does not heal us of the previous trauma."
Israeli government policies being protested by Jews worldwide involve Israel’s violations of UN Security Council resolutions and articles of the Geneva Convention. Israel is in violation of some 15 UN Security Council resolutions going back over a period of 35 years. In addition, Israel is also in violation of over 15 articles of the Geneva Conventions. These include: use of banned weapons; use of chemical sprays to kill farm crops; collective punishment; assassinations (extra judicial killings); deliberate damage to civilian property; deliberate damage to infrastructure; restrictions on journalist and human rights monitors; deliberate attacks on civilian populations; etc. Millions of people are affected by these actions.
A major reason for Arab anger toward the U.S. is our lack of serious condemnation of these violations and implicit U.S. support of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
A common misunderstanding is that evangelical Christians are synonymous with Christian Zionists. In fact, fundamentalist and dispensationalist evangelicals (Christian Zionists) amount to only 20 to 25 million people. Mainstream evangelicals, numbering between 75 and 100 million, are disturbed by Christian Zionism. For them, God’s numerous admonitions, through the biblical prophets and Jesus, of the importance of justice can not be “deleted” from the dialogue on Israel and Palestine. A small sampling of this evangelical opinion:
Christianity Today (a leading magazine of the evangelical church) published a poll showing that eighty-eight percent of its readers believe that “Christians should hold the state of Israel to the same standards of justice and human rights in its international and internal affairs as any other nation.”
Professor Marvin Wilson a specialist on Judaism at Gordon College, an evangelical institution near Boston said, “A biblical view can’t be anti-Arab and pro-Israel, or anti-Israel and pro-Arab. God’s heart is where justice is.”
Gary Burge, professor in the graduate school of the evangelical Wheaton College (Wheaton, IL), wrote a book with a thorough analysis of scriptures and Middle East history, and came to the conclusion that justice needs to be done for the Palestinians.
The Institute on Religion and Democracy has stated, “There is no magical historical date at which we can identify precisely fixed borders for Israel that are normative for all time. Thus the borders of a future Israel under a peace settlement are a matter of political prudence. Naturally, this will involve the withdrawal of Israeli troops from most of the territories occupied in 1967.
There are a number of Palestinian terrorist organizations such as Hamas. Many in those organizations have as an ultimate goal the regaining all of historic Palestine (i.e., land comprising the current state of Israel). The cycle of violence and continued violations of international law reinforces hard line Palestinian positions. However, these are not the position of most Palestinians any more than the Jewish Zionist position represents the position of most Jews. In polls over the past year, a large majority of Palestinians indicated:
Support for the Road Map to Peace.
A belief that both the Israelis and Palestinians have the right to live in peace.
That they favored stopping all violence if Israel agreed to the 1967 borders.
A belief that nonviolent demonstrations are at least as effective, if conducted on a large scale.
The Word of God, though written in specific historical times and places, still speaks to us in our present condition. The book of Micah, written during and after the terrible times of exile and destruction for the Hebrew people, has much to tell us in these times of suffering for the people of Israel and Palestine. As we seek to understand what it means to “do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Mic. 6:8), we offer the following alternative perspectives to the tenets of Christian Zionism.
For a third of Christian Zionists, Jewish control of “greater Israel” and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem is a harbinger of the Second Coming of Christ (Rev. 7:4-8, 11:2). Enabling this is of paramount importance to them.
We believe that scripture teaches us to be wary of predictions about the future. The prophet declares, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord” (Is. 55:8-9). Jesus points out, “…you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah” (Mt. 16:3-4). As Jesus was preparing to ascend into the heavens after his resurrection, speaking of the restoration of the kingdom to Israel, he said, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority” (Acts 1:6-7).
For two thousand years, Christians have continually been predicting an eminent Second Coming of Christ. However, for 2000 years, Jesus has never once been wrong in stating that the predictors would be wrong. It is the essence of biblical humility to follow the Bible’s consistent message calling us to actions that further justice and peace, and not to assume that God’s will is manifested through our inevitably flawed interpretation of world events and their significance.
Christian Zionists believe that the secular nation of Israel is the embodiment of God’s chosen people and as such is entitled to the land it claims (Gn. 12:1-3; 17:1-8).
We affirm wholeheartedly God’s steadfast love for the descendants of Abraham and reject any theology, such as so-called “replacement theology,” which holds that God’s promises have been taken from the Jewish people and given to the Church. At the same time, we emphasize the book of Jonah’s message of God’s love and justice for all peoples, Gentiles and Jews alike. In Micah, God judges both Israel and the countries that oppress it for their cruelty and violence. The prophet Ezekiel proclaims to the Israelites returned from exile, “You shall allot [the land] as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens who reside among you. They shall be to you as citizens of Israel” (Ez. 47:22). Doing prophetic justice involves both tenderness towards peoples and scrutiny of their governments’ policies.
We also believe it is important to distinguish the modern nation of Israel from the Israel that is comprised of the followers of God (Rom. 2-4). The patriarchs and matriarchs valued faithfulness to God over the promise of land. “All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.” (Heb. 11:13-16)
Christian Zionists assume that the United States will prosper only if it supports all the policies of the Israeli government. Christian Zionists base this on God’s words to Abraham, “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse” (Gn. 12:3).
However, when Israel strayed from righteousness, God who loved Israel became angry and withheld himself from Israel. In Isaiah God says, “…Ah, sinful nation, people laden with iniquity, offspring who do evil…who have forsaken the Lord…When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you, even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.” (Is. 1:4-15). To restore themselves to his grace, God says the Israelites should “…seek justice, rescue the oppressed…” (Is. 1:17) At a different time, speaking through Malachi, God says, “Then I will draw near to you for judgment, I will be swift to bear witness against…those who oppress the…widow and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien...” (Mal. 3:5).
We believe that to love and bless Israel means to hold Israel accountable, as did God, to the teachings of justice and peace by the prophets. There are twenty-one passages in the Old Testament that specifically give rights to aliens, Palestinians in the case of current Israel. Speaking thru the prophet Jeremiah, God said, “If you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place…” (Jer. 7:6-7). And “The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Lev. 19:33-34). Yet Christian Zionism omits these twenty one passages from their narrative.
We believe that to “love kindness” means to follow the Great Commandment given by Jesus: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Mt. 22:34-40). The apostle Paul writes, “For [Christ] is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us” (Eph. 2:14). Because in Christ “There is no longer Jew or Greek” (Gal. 3:28-29), we are called to show such kindness toward all of God’s people.
We as individuals are not blessed, the United States is not blessed, nor is Israel blessed if we encourage and support Israel in its violation of Old and New Testament scriptures.
Christian Zionists cite scripture (Isaiah 11:11-12; Jeremiah 23:3,7, 8:31:8-10, 23; Zechariah 12:1-36), in support of the belief that the current secular nation of Israel is a fulfillment of Scriptural promises and thus a clear affirmation of God’s active presence.
The argument sometimes used is based on the belief system called “Dispensationalism,” which usually consists of four “dispensations,” or “period[s] of time during which man [sic] is tested in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God.” These periods of time or dispensations consist of “the promise” (Abraham to Sinai), “the law” (Sinai to the cross of Christ), “grace” (the cross to the rapture), and “the fullness of times” or “the kingdom” (the millennium). Christian Zionist eschatology teaches that Israel’s reestablishment will bring about the return of Christ, but the Scriptural foundations for this belief can be questioned. Old Testament passages which refer to the return of the Israelites from exile in Babylon and the rebuilding of Solomon’s temple are used to “prove” that Israel will be restored in the Day of the Lord, which is supposed to be near (Joel 2:30-32). However, in Acts, Peter cites the two preceding verses (Joel 2:28-29) as evidence that the Day of the Lord has already begun with the outpouring of God’s spirit.
Adrio Konig writes, “The criterion for any [form of] eschatology should be: what place do the person and message of Jesus Christ have in it?” The Dispensationalist Christian Zionist eschatology has little reference to the person of Christ and even less to his message. Yet the New Testament bears witness to Jesus Christ’s ushering in the Reign of God through his life, death, and resurrection, bringing us into the End Times two thousand years ago [Mt. 24:32-35]. In fact, “the end” and the “last” refer to the person of Jesus, not to a period of time. Jesus himself taught and demonstrated this, bringing healing, justice, and peace to the people and proclaiming “the year of the Lord’s favor” [Lk. 4:16-30]. His message of love was the fulfillment of the law and the prophets [Mt. 5:17-20], demonstrating that true prophecy is not the one-time prediction of the Christian Zionists but “the proclamation of God’s will for the world.”
We have on one side, Christian and Jewish rightwing Zionists who support Israel taking over all of Palestine and expelling Arabs. We have on the other side, Palestinian terrorist groups such as Hamas that target innocent civilians with suicide bombings. We have the Israeli government using the lack of a peace treaty and the on-going hostilities as an excuse/opportunity to continue and extend violations of international law.
In the middle, however, are the majority of Israelis and majority of Palestinians, hoping for peace – some actively protesting for it, but many more going about their daily activities while holding the hope of peace in their heart. Christians can sit on our hands, watch the extremes feed on themselves, and let those who hope for peace hang out to dry with no Christians to speak for them. Or we can work for reconciliation. We can become the proactive middle.
We can not ignore the words of Jesus in our position about the Middle East.