ARTICLES

By Arlene Bridges Samuels

The contentious criticism of Zionism we see today is not new. In 1975, the United Nations passed Resolution 3379, declaring that “Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination.” Israel endured that indignity for sixteen years until 1991, when the UN finally revoked its slanderous decree. Yet a new form of condemnation is now emerging. This time, it comes not only from traditional detractors but also from some self-described conservatives and extremists who have turned against Christian Zionists.

Although Christian Zionists differ on certain points, we are united by one truth: Zionism is rooted in God’s unbreakable biblical covenants. Simply put, the Jewish people have the divine and historical right to a sovereign state in their ancestral homeland of Israel. Even so, opinions about Christian Zionists are spreading across social media, especially following a recent and disturbing interview.

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson invited Nick Fuentes, a self-proclaimed anti-Jewish influencer, for a two-hour conversation. Fuentes, founder of the livestream program America First, is a white supremacist who openly admires Hitler and Stalin and denies that the Holocaust ever happened. His profile on X reads “America First, Christ is King.” It is troubling that some media outlets describe his movement as “Christian based,” which is how Fuentes himself labels it. Although most platforms have banned him, X reinstated his account last year, and he has since gained more than a million followers.

Fuentes’s destructive remarks were predictable. Among them was the assertion that “Jews have no place in Western civilization because they are not Christian.” Even more disturbing, Carlson did not challenge him. Instead, he went further, claiming that he “despises Christian Zionists more than anyone on earth” and calling Zionism a “dangerous heresy” and a “brain virus infecting the church.”

Both men ignore the warning of Isaiah 5:20: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness.” They may dismiss the warning, but God will not. He will fulfill His perfect plan. Christian Zionists, knowing God’s sovereignty, must stand firm in proclaiming His truth in a world increasingly hostile to it.

My perspective comes from more than twenty-five years of involvement in the pro-Israel Christian movement.

In conversations at churches and online, I have often heard misconceptions about Christian Zionists. Some assume we view Israel through rose-colored glasses, as if the Jewish people and their leaders are perfect. That could not be further from the truth. Like the United States, Israel is imperfect. Jews and Christians alike are imperfect. Yet Christian Zionists choose to be loyal friends to Israel in a world where antisemitism continues to spread like poison.

We base our belief on the biblical “deed” God issued in Genesis 17:8, where He declares His eternal covenant with Abraham’s descendants: “I will give as an everlasting possession the land of Canaan.” God owns the land and has entrusted its stewardship to the Jewish people. That deed still stands.

Israel’s rebirth in 1948 fulfilled Isaiah 66:8: “Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day, or a nation be brought forth in a moment?” The miracle of Israel’s modern establishment is unmatched in world history.

Christian Zionists believe that Scripture is true from Genesis to Revelation. We affirm that God’s covenants with Israel are permanent. We reject replacement theology, which falsely teaches that the church has replaced the Jewish people in God’s plan. The early church was entirely Jewish for nearly a decade after Jesus’ resurrection. Gentiles were later grafted into God’s promises through faith in the Jewish Messiah. Christianity was born from Judaism; it is inseparable from it. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is, and always will be, the Eternal Zionist.

We revere both the Old and New Testaments as one complete revelation of God. Sadly, some Christians focus only on the New Testament, dismissing the Old as outdated. That is like leaving half a loaf of fresh bread untouched. Christian Zionists recognize that the two together form one living Word.

Our support for Israel is not based on politics but on gratitude. We are thankful for the Jewish roots of our faith. Out of that gratitude flows our desire to bless Israel and the Jewish people.

Christian Zionism is not a single movement but a diverse and vibrant community. Hundreds of Christian organizations, large and small, continue to stand with Israel in prayer, advocacy, and action. Since Hamas’s barbaric attack on October 7, 2023, Christian Zionists have intensified their efforts—praying, giving, traveling to Israel, and speaking out for truth. The church must not repeat the passivity of many Christians in Nazi Germany.

Christian Zionists see the evil of terrorism clearly, yet we are not driven by hate. Many of us have deep friendships with both Christian and Muslim Arabs in Israel. We serve, dialogue, and cooperate wherever possible.

Those of us in Christian media strive to share accurate reporting about Israel and the Middle East. We check facts, challenge lies, and stay informed about the realities on the ground. We understand both biblical and modern Israel as a light to the nations. Despite widespread bias in global media, Israel continues to send humanitarian aid across the world—often to nations that refuse to acknowledge its legitimacy.

Motivated by a perfect God, we press on despite human imperfection. Our allegiance is not to politics or personalities but to Scripture, which we regard as God’s unchanging truth.

We invite you to join our CBN Israel team in prayer and in sharing truth during these consequential times.

Prayer Points:

• Pray for Christian wisdom and courage to take a stand for God’s chosen people and land.
• Pray for thousands of new believers in the Gen Z generation to understand why Israel matters.
• Pray for Christian organizations reaching younger generations with truth and love for Israel.
• Pray that the bodies of the four remaining hostages will be returned to their families.

Arlene Bridges Samuels is the weekly feature columnist for CBN Israel since 2020. Working on the staff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) as their SE Regional Outreach Director for nine years, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem USA engaged her as the Leadership Outreach Director part-time for their project American Christian Leaders for Israel. Arlene is an author at The Blogs-Times of Israel, is published at AllIsrael.com and The Jerusalem Connection, and has traveled to Israel since 1990. By invitation, she attends Israel’s Government Press Office Christian Media Summits as part of Christian media worldwide. In 2024, Arlene and her husband Paul co-authored Mental Health Meltdown: Illuminating the Voices of Bipolar and Other Mental Illnesses. www.TheMentalHealthMeltdown.com.