Zionism is a hot subject in political discourse online arguments again.
Unfortunately, like other political subjects, lines are drawn by popular opinion, labels are thrown at you if you question the provided narrative, and political failure gets blamed on dispensationalism and the Scofield Bible.
The truth is less cut and dry (a dispensationalist pun).
Zionism can be loosely described as the political movement insisting the Jewish people have a right today to their own land whose capital is Jerusalem (thus, Zionism).
It is not the same as dispensational Bible study which disconnects God’s covenants to Israel from fulfillment in the Church today. In other words, dispensationalists see God working to fulfill his covenants with Israel as separate from his current operation (dispensation) in and through the Church.
Although dispensationalists have taught a return of the Jewish people to their land, that return is future (after this present dispensation) and must conform to the Biblical details, and the rights to that kingdom are strictly for those in covenant with Christ.
Arno Gaebelein was one of the editors of the Scofield Bible. He was not a political Zionist. He said in a speech of the time about Zionism:
“Zionism is not the divinely promised restoration of Israel… Zionism is not the fulfillment of the large number of predictions found in the Old Testament Scriptures, which relates to Israel’s return to the land. Indeed, Zionism has very little use of argument from the Word of God. It is rather a political and philanthropic undertaking. Instead of coming together before God, calling upon His name, trusting Him, that He is able to perform what He has so often promised, they speak about their riches, their influence, their Colonial Bank, and court the favor of the Sultan. The great movement is one of unbelief and confidence in themselves instead of God’s eternal purposes.”
Historically, Zionism was a political movement that existed years before Scofield, Darby, or even America.
Non-Christians, secularists, liberal, and mainstream Christians have all supported the political Zionist movement for reasons that had nothing to do with dispensational understanding.
All that said, there is popular evangelical support for Zionism today, many of which have a dispensational history (long since neglected). Yet, as witnessed by popular podcasts and politicians, their support for the Zionist cause is not a strong adherence to dispensational truth, of which they give lip service but are largely ignorant. It is largely political with an occasional prooftext from the Bible.
More fervent end times dispensationalists today have forgotten the Pauline roots of dispensational teaching based on the revelation of the mystery.
Dispensationalism teaches that God wants all men to be saved today, including every Jew and Gentile from any country. God is not blessing nations today, but a new creature called the Body of Christ. Non-dispensationalists see God working through America as a Christian nation.
This is the real reason dispensationalists (Scofield as the lightning rod) get blamed. It doesn’t matter if the political kingdom you are fighting for is America or Israel. If you are dispensational, then you are less likely to prioritize political goals over the power of the gospel. This can make the politically minded furious – whether you support Israel or not.
For your edification,
Justin “discerning the times” Johnson