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12 Christian Zionism Foundations ✡

Building on the foundations of the Reformation, evangelical Christian leaders

in the 19th century became convinced that the Jewish people needed to return

to their God-given Homeland in fulfilment of biblical prophecy. Roy Thurley

introduces some of the main preachers and their message

Christian Zionism

in the 19th century

p until the early part of the 20th century, the restoration of the Jew-
ish people to their own land was supported by a large number of
Ustatesmen, churchmen and spokesmen in Britain. As Franz Kobler
writes in his book The Vision was There , “Nowhere more than in Britain
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has the idea of the restoration of Israel been developed into a doctrine and
become the object of a movement extending over more than three centu-
ries... Only in Britain have the leading spokesmen of many generations been
inspired by the vision of a revived Israel. Only there, the creation of a Jew-
ish National Home has been a serious and almost continuous political issue
which was finally translated into reality.”
This idea of the restoration of Israel ‘Settle it firmly
was based upon a literal understanding
of the Hebrew Scriptures. Isaiah proph- in your mind, that
esies (43:5-7): “Do not be afraid, for I
am with you; I will bring your children when God says
from the east and gather you from the
west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them a thing shall be
up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them
back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my done, we ought Christ Church became the first Protestant
daughters from the ends of the earth church established in the Middle East
– everyone who is called by my name, to believe it.’ (top); Bishop of Liverpool JC Ryle (left)
whom I created for my glory, whom I and Charles Spurgeon were outspoken
formed and made.” in their support of the Jews’ right to
The prophet Amos also wrote JC Ryle, who later became Bishop return to their Homeland
(9:14-15): “‘I will bring back my exiled of Liverpool, picked up on these and
people Israel; they will rebuild the ru- other Scriptures: “However great the which the gathering and restoration of
ined cities and live in them. They will difficulties surrounding many parts of the Jews in the latter days are expressly
plant vineyards and drink their wine; unfulfilled prophecy, two points appear mentioned. They all point to a time
they will make gardens and eat their to my mind to stand out as plainly as which is yet future. They all predict
fruit. I will plant Israel in their own if written by a sunbeam. One of these the final gathering of the Jewish nation
land, never again to be uprooted from points is the second personal advent of from the four quarters of the globe, and
the land I have given them,’ says the our Lord Jesus Christ before the Millen- their restoration to their own land... I
LORD your God.” This cannot have nium. The other of these points is the ask you, then, to settle it firmly in your
been fulfilled with the return from the future literal gathering of the Jewish mind, that when God says a thing shall
first exile, as the Jewish people were nation, and their restoration to their be done, we ought to believe it.”
again uprooted after the Second Jewish own land… Out of the 16 prophets of the Similarly, Baptist preacher Charles
Revolt in 135CE. Old Testament, there are at least ten in Spurgeon said, “We do not think enough