A Defense of Israel

A Historical and Theological Case for Its Survival Against Islamic Threats

Three Images Encapsulating the History of Zionism.

• Top: The Dutch Protestant revolt against Catholic Spain (1566–1648) established the Dutch Republic, a haven of Christian/Jewish cross-pollination which transformed a protean trend toward the Hebraic Movement in Christianity into a major doctrinal and geopolitical force.

• Middle: Menachem Ben Israel (right), the Rabbi of Amsterdam, lobbies Oliver Cromwell in 1655 for the repeal of the 1290 Edict of Expulsion of the Jews from England, and gets tacit permission for Jewish return.

• Bottom: The British liberate Jerusalem from the Ottoman Turks in 1917 and essentially give it back to the Jews as an act of 'Conquerors Prerogative," creating a bulwark against global Islamic expansion that has held firm for over a century, while fulfilling biblical prophecy and the common Christian/Jewish millennialist expectation that the Jews would occupy the Holy Land at the time of the Messiah's (still future) return.
  

A Defense of Israel: A Historical and Theological Case for Its Survival Against Islamic Threats

A personal Caveat: I do not consider myself a Christian Zionist, per se, because I believe Israel should be the home of two-house Christian/Jewish cooperation and co-habitation rather than one-house Jewish nationalism, but I support Israel as it exists today as the best alternative to my preference.

Israel’s ongoing struggle for survival against hostile forces in the Islamic world, particularly Iran and its proxies, is a profound testament to its historical resilience, theological significance, and moral imperative. This struggle, epitomized by the June 13, 2025, Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities (Operation Rising Lion), is not merely a geopolitical necessity but a continuation of a centuries-long narrative rooted in Jewish eschatology and reinforced by Jewish-Protestant eschatological synergies. From the Spanish Inquisition to the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, figures like Johannes Reuchlin, Hugo Grotius, Menasseh ben Israel, John Milton, and Isaac Newton, alongside the Hebraic Movement in Christianity, forged an intellectual and theological bridge that supports Israel’s right to exist and defend itself.

The evolution of Zionism, driven by key figures like Theodor Herzl, Chaim Weizmann, and David Ben-Gurion, transformed these theological aspirations into a political reality, culminating in Israel’s founding. This defense argues that Israel’s fight against Iran’s existential threats is justified by its historical endurance, covenantal mission, and the enduring alliance with Christian Zionism, grounded in a shared eschatological vision.

Historical Resilience: From Persecution to Nationhood

The Jewish people’s survival through millennia of persecution underscores Israel’s moral and historical right to self-defense. During the Spanish Inquisition (1478–1834), Jews and conversos (forced Jewish converts) faced brutal oppression, including the 1492 Edict of Expulsion, which displaced 200,000 Jews. Scholars like Isaac Abravanel interpreted these trials as “birth pangs of the Messiah” (Talmud, Sanhedrin 98b), sustaining messianic hopes for redemption. Conversos, navigating dual identities, preserved Jewish knowledge, with figures like Juan de Valdés blending it with proto-Protestant reformism, fostering intellectual exchange.

The Dutch Revolt (1566–1648) against Spanish Habsburg rule established the Dutch Republic as a tolerant haven, attracting Sephardic Jews and conversos fleeing the Inquisition. This environment, shaped by Johannes Reuchlin’s defense of Jewish texts (Augenspiegel, 1511) and Desiderius Erasmus’s humanism, facilitated Jewish-Protestant dialogue. Reuchlin’s De Rudimentis Hebraicis (1506) legitimized Hebrew scholarship, influencing Martin Luther’s biblical translations and Puritan millenarianism. The Reuchlin Affair (1510–1520) galvanized reformist sentiment, paving the way for the Reformation and a broader appreciation of Jewish eschatology.

The 19th century saw the rise of modern Zionism, a movement for Jewish self-determination in Palestine, driven by persistent anti-Semitism and messianic aspirations. Rabbi Judah Alkalai (1798–1878), influenced by Jewish mysticism and European nationalism, advocated Jewish return to Zion as a practical step toward redemption. His Minchat Yehuda (1843) proposed colonization, prefiguring political Zionism. Simultaneously, Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Kalischer’s Seeking Zion (1862) framed settlement as a divine command, aligning with religious Zionist theology.

Theodor Herzl (1860–1904), the father of political Zionism, transformed these ideas into a global movement. A secular Jew, Herzl was spurred by the Dreyfus Affair (1894), which exposed European anti-Semitism. His Der Judenstaat (1896) proposed a Jewish state as a solution to the “Jewish Question,” while the First Zionist Congress (1897) established the World Zionist Organization, galvanizing international support. Herzl’s diplomatic efforts, engaging figures like Kaiser Wilhelm II and Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II, laid the groundwork for political legitimacy.

Chaim Weizmann (1874–1952), a chemist and diplomat, advanced Zionism through political advocacy. His scientific contributions during World War I earned British favor, culminating in the Balfour Declaration (1917), which endorsed a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Weizmann’s leadership in the Zionist Organization and negotiations with British officials bridged secular and religious Zionist factions, strengthening the movement’s momentum.

David Ben-Gurion (1886–1973), Israel’s first prime minister, translated Zionist ideals into statehood. A pragmatic socialist, Ben-Gurion led the Jewish Agency, coordinating immigration and settlement in Mandatory Palestine. His declaration of Israel’s independence on May 14, 1948, followed the Holocaust’s devastation, which killed six million Jews, underscoring the urgent need for a Jewish refuge. Israel’s survival against Arab invasions in 1948, 1967, and 1973, and ongoing threats from Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah, reflects this historical tenacity, justifying its defensive actions as a continuation of its struggle for existence.

Theological Imperative: Israel’s Covenantal Mission

Jewish eschatology, articulated in prophecies like Isaiah 11:1–12, Ezekiel 37, and Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah (Hilkhot Melakhim 11–12), envisions a messianic age where Israel is restored, uniting the Jewish people and fostering global peace. This covenantal mission positions Israel as a divine instrument, demanding its survival against existential threats. The Hebraic Movement, embraced by Protestant scholars, reinforced this view, seeing Israel’s restoration as integral to God’s plan.

Reuchlin’s pioneering Hebrew scholarship and defense of Jewish texts against Inquisitorial censorship laid the foundation for Christian Hebraism, influencing Luther’s scriptural focus and Puritan millenarianism. Hugo Grotius, a Dutch jurist, furthered this dialogue in De Jure Belli ac Pacis (1625), drawing on Mosaic law to develop natural law theory, aligning Jewish legal traditions with Protestant ethics. His Annotationes on scripture engaged with Hebrew exegesis, while his millenarianism anticipated Jewish restoration, paralleling Jewish messianic hopes.

Menasseh ben Israel, a Sephardic rabbi in Amsterdam, epitomized Jewish-Protestant synergy. His Hope of Israel (1650) appealed to Puritan millenarians, arguing that Jewish return to Palestine would hasten redemption. Menasseh’s 1655 mission to England, petitioning Oliver Cromwell for Jewish readmission, leveraged shared eschatological aspirations, securing informal resettlement and strengthening Jewish-Protestant ties. His Conciliator (1632–1651) reconciled biblical contradictions, engaging Protestant Hebraists like John Selden and Petrus Serrarius, who saw Jewish restoration as prophetic.

John Milton, an English Puritan poet, integrated Jewish exegesis into Paradise Lost (1667) and Samson Agonistes (1671), portraying Israel’s covenantal struggles as a model for Puritan resistance. His millenarianism, expressed in Areopagitica (1644), supported intellectual liberty, indirectly aligning with Menasseh’s efforts. Milton’s identification of England as a “new Israel” resonated with Jewish eschatology’s vision of a restored Zion.

Isaac Newton, a premillennialist, predicted a literal Jewish return to Palestine in his Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel (1733), based on Romans 11:25–26 and Ezekiel 37. His Hebraic scholarship, drawing on Rashi, Maimonides, and Buxtorf, reinforced the Hebraic Movement’s emphasis on Jewish prophecy. Newton’s view of Israel’s restoration as a divine necessity bridged Jewish messianic and Protestant millennialist hopes, supporting Israel’s covenantal mission against threats like Iran’s genocidal rhetoric.

Iran’s Existential Threat: A Modern Challenge

Israel’s June 13, 2025, strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and military leadership (Operation Rising Lion) highlight the existential threat posed by Iran and its proxies, including Hamas and Hezbollah. Iran’s post-1979 hostility, Holocaust denial, and support for anti-Israel militias, combined with its nuclear ambitions, constitute a clear danger. The International Atomic Energy Agency’s reports of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles, sufficient for multiple nuclear bombs, and non-compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty justified Israel’s preemptive action, as articulated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone attacks (Operation True Promise III), targeting Tel Aviv and killing civilians, underscore its intent to destabilize Israel, echoing historical attempts to annihilate the Jewish people. Jewish eschatology’s call to protect the homeland (Zechariah 12:2–9) aligns with Israel’s strategic necessity to neutralize Iran’s capabilities. The theological support from Christian millenarians, who see Israel’s survival as prophetic, strengthens this defense, reflecting the Hebraic Movement’s enduring legacy.

Iran’s ideological commitment to Israel’s destruction, articulated by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, mirrors anti-Semitic campaigns from the Inquisition to the Holocaust. The 2025 strikes, targeting figures like IRGC leader Hossein Salami, aimed to disrupt Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure, minimizing civilian casualties compared to Iran’s indiscriminate attacks. This restraint bolsters Israel’s moral case, rooted in the right to self-defense against genocidal threats.

Evolution of Zionism: From Vision to Reality

Zionism’s evolution from theological aspiration to political reality provides a historical framework for Israel’s defense. Early religious Zionists like Alkalai and Kalischer merged messianic theology with practical settlement, inspired by Jewish eschatology’s vision of ingathering exiles. Their writings, grounded in texts like Isaiah 11:12, framed return to Zion as a divine command, influencing later Zionist leaders.

Theodor Herzl’s political Zionism, sparked by European anti-Semitism, marked a turning point. Der Judenstaat (1896) proposed a Jewish state as a refuge, while the First Zionist Congress (1897) mobilized global Jewry. Herzl’s diplomacy, though unsuccessful with the Ottoman Empire, inspired mass immigration to Palestine, laying the groundwork for statehood.

Chaim Weizmann’s scientific and diplomatic efforts during World War I secured the Balfour Declaration, endorsed by Christian Zionists influenced by Puritan millenarianism and Newton’s prophecies. Weizmann’s leadership bridged secular and religious Zionists, navigating tensions between Herzl’s pragmatism and religious visions of redemption.

David Ben-Gurion’s pragmatic leadership transformed Zionist ideals into reality. His coordination of immigration and defense during Mandatory Palestine, coupled with his 1948 declaration of independence, responded to the Holocaust’s urgency. The 1948 Arab-Israeli War, where five Arab states attacked the nascent state, tested Israel’s survival, echoing current threats from Iran and its allies.

Post-1948, Zionism evolved to address new challenges. Figures like Menachem Begin, who led the 1981 strike on Iraq’s Osirak reactor, and Ariel Sharon, who oversaw Gaza disengagement in 2005, balanced security with peace efforts. Religious Zionism, inspired by Rabbi Kook, grew influential, seeing settlement expansion as fulfilling prophecy, though controversial. Today, Netanyahu’s leadership continues this legacy, framing Iran’s nuclear threat as existential, justifying preemptive action to ensure Israel’s survival.

Christian Zionism: A Theological and Political Ally

The Jewish-Protestant eschatological synergy, fostered by Reuchlin, Grotius, Menasseh, Milton, and Newton, gave rise to Christian Zionism, a vital ally in Israel’s fight. Puritan proto-Zionists like Henry Finch and Milton anticipated Jewish restoration, while Newton’s premillennialism influenced 18th-century millenarians like Joseph Priestley. The 19th-century Christian Zionists, including Shaftesbury and Hechler, supported Zionist goals, contributing to the Balfour Declaration.

Present-day Calvinists reflect this legacy, with premillennialists like John MacArthur and evangelicals like John Piper viewing Israel’s 1948 establishment as prophetic, citing Genesis 12:3. Organizations like Christians United for Israel (CUFI) advocate U.S. support for Israel, blending theological and strategic imperatives. Amillennial Calvinists, while less focused on political Zionism, respect Israel’s historical significance, reflecting the Hebraic Movement’s influence on Reformed theology.

Christian Zionism’s support, rooted in shared eschatological vision, bolsters Israel’s defense against Islamic threats. The Hebraic Movement’s emphasis on Jewish covenantal identity, from Reuchlin’s scholarship to Newton’s prophecies, affirms Israel’s legitimacy in countering Iran’s aggression, aligning with evangelical backing of Israel’s security policies.

Counterarguments and Rebuttal

Critics, including some covenantal Calvinists and anti-Zionist groups like Neturei Karta, argue that Israel’s actions are political, not messianic, or that only the Messiah can restore Israel. Neturei Karta, rejecting Zionism, claims Israel’s statehood defies divine timing. However, Jewish eschatology, as articulated by Maimonides, emphasizes human action—repentance, defense of the homeland—alongside divine will. Historical precedents like the Six-Day War, seen by religious Zionists as miraculous, demonstrate that survival is both theological and practical.

Others, including some amillennial Calvinists, view the Church as the “new Israel,” questioning the necessity of a Jewish state. Yet, the Hebraic Movement’s legacy, embraced by figures like Milton and Newton, highlights Israel’s enduring covenantal role, supported by Romans 11:25–26. Israel’s restraint in targeting military sites, contrasted with Iran’s civilian attacks, further justifies its moral stance, rooted in self-defense against genocidal intent.

Conclusion

Israel’s fight for survival against the Islamic world, particularly Iran, is a moral, historical, and theological imperative, rooted in its resilience, covenantal mission, and alliance with Christian Zionism. From the Spanish Inquisition’s persecution to the Dutch Revolt’s tolerance, figures like Reuchlin, Grotius, Menasseh, Milton, and Newton forged a Hebraic bridge, aligning Jewish messianic hopes with Protestant millennialism. The evolution of Zionism, driven by Alkalai, Kalischer, Herzl, Weizmann, and Ben-Gurion, transformed these aspirations into the State of Israel, a refuge and fulfillment of prophecy. As Israel faces Iran’s nuclear ambitions and regional hostility, its defensive actions, exemplified by the 2025 strikes, are justified by centuries of shared eschatological vision and the enduring promise of survival, ensuring its place as a beacon of hope and covenantal destiny.

Sources:

• Reuchlin, De Rudimentis Hebraicis (1506), Augenspiegel (1511).

• Grotius, De Jure Belli ac Pacis (1625), Annotationes.

• Menasseh ben Israel, Hope of Israel (1650).

• Milton, Paradise Lost (1667), Samson Agonistes (1671).

• Newton, Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel (1733).

• Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Melakhim 11–12.

• Herzl, Der Judenstaat (1896).

• Nahum Sokolow, History of Zionism (1919).

• Gershom Scholem, Sabbatai Sevi (1973).

• Yaakov Ariel, On Behalf of Israel (1991).

• Barbara Tuchman, Bible and Sword (1956).

• Jonathan Israel, The Dutch Republic (1995).