Was Jeremiah a Zionist?

Picture the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah flying into Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel. He is enthusiastically greeted by Jewish-Israeli citizens and also by Christian Zionists who are on a tour of the Holy Land. What is Jeremiah’s message to these two groups of people? Does he assure the Israelis of God’s future blessing on their nation?  Does he endorse the Christian Zionists in their understanding of modern Israel as the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy?

Twenty-first century Israel is a predominantly secular nation. Theodore Herzl, the father of modern Zionism, was not motivated by religious belief. His vision of a modern Jewish state was based on ethnic identity, not anything about God. David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, said at the end of his life that he believed in a supreme power, but he did not feel obligated to obey Jewish law or observe Israel’s traditions. Today approximately 45% of Israelis identify as non-religious; 33% are “traditional” with varying levels of religious observance; and only 10% are the ultra-orthodox who zealously obey Biblical law and Jewish customs.

What does Jeremiah say to today’s largely secular Jewish citizenry of Israel? In the seventh century B.C., Jeremiah repeatedly warned the people about their self-deception (Jer. 2:34-35; 3:4, 9-10; 5:2; 6:14; 17:9). His message concentrated on repentance, not assurance (Jer. 2:19; 4:4; 6:16).  No doubt the modern-day Jeremiah emphasizes the same. He is shocked at the people’s lack of commitment to the Biblical covenants and their ignoring of the moral teachings of the prophets.

What does Jeremiah say to today’s Christian Zionists who unconditionally support modern Israel? Just as he corrected the false prophets of ancient Judah (Jer. 23:33-40), he rebukes Christian Zionists who deliver false messages of assurance to Israel. Yes, the seventh-century B.C. Jeremiah did make comforting promises about the future of the nation, but he also stated that the fulfillment of those promises depended on the people coming back to God in faith and obedience (Jer. 29:10-14; 32:1-44). For neglecting to remind Jewish-Israelis of the need to repent and return to the living God, today’s Christian Zionists receive a firm rebuke from the twenty-first century Jeremiah.

Particularly striking were Jeremiah’s words about the Temple in Jerusalem. The people took comfort from the Temple’s mere existence in the city. “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!” The people reasoned that since God’s Temple was in Jerusalem, God would never allow a foreign army to conquer the city. Jeremiah warned them that they had been terribly misled (Jer. 7:1-20). At the present time some Orthodox Jews are preparing for a future Temple to be rebuilt in Jerusalem. Many Christian Zionists have supported these efforts to build a new Temple and have pinned their hope for the future on something so questionable and controversial.

Jeremiah delivered a strong message 2600 years ago. He was not a Zionist. He rejected the notion that Israel was secure despite the people’s unfaithfulness. For Jeremiah, the nation could only be built on the Biblical covenants and the faithful practices of its people. His words are still relevant today and need to be heeded by all who live in the Promised Land.