Christian Zionism Examined, Second Edition

Book excerpt: This book deals with Christian Zionism, and in a wider sense with the phenomenon of Israelism. By Israelism, I mean a certain kind of literal reading of the Scriptures. God's revealed plan for Israel and the Jewish people are construed by many in such a way that Jews are to receive a higher status or a lower place than all other nations. These two opposite positions have many gradations, from moderate to extreme. The most extreme consequences are glorification and degradation, idolization and hatred, Philo-Semitism and Anti-Semitism. Christian Zionism Examined emphatically asserts that the Bible provides absolutely no basis for this literal way of reading and understanding the prophetic word in the Holy Scriptures. God's promises of redemption and judgment to Old Testament Israel have never meant to be solely fulfilled to one particular ethnic people and geographical area; i.e., only modern Israel or only the Jewish people. Redemption and judgment are fulfilled in Christ. In him, those promises (or predictions) have received a final meaning for all nations, essentially for all creation. The completion of that fulfillment will take place upon his return; in the perfection of his kingdom or his universal rule; and in the final judgment.