Inside View May/Jun 2025

Christian Zionism is a question of which side a believer in Jesus takes: Israel’s or its enemies’. The growing belief that the Lord has rejected Israel, known as Replacement Theology, indicates a lack of understanding about the nation and its key role in God’s plan for the ages.

Psalm 83 offers insight into God’s plan for Israel. The psalmist Asaph opens by petitioning God to act against His vicious enemies: “Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, and do not be still, O God!” (v. 1). In an act of defiance, those who hate God “have lifted up their head” against Him (v. 2). They have conspired together to eliminate the Jewish nation, “that the name of Israel may be remembered no more” (v. 4). These enemies are united in a confederacy against God for a single purpose: to destroy Israel (v. 5).

The enemies Asaph listed were all neighbors of Israel comprised of people groups that surrounded the nation for generations, including the Edomites, Ishmaelites, Moabites, Hagrites, Gebalites, Ammonites, Amalekites, Philistines, Tyrians, and Assyrians (vv. 6–8). Through them, Satan sought to turn the tables and cancel God’s promise of crushing him (Gen. 3:15) by crushing Israel.

So, Asaph pleaded with God to defeat His opponents soundly, as He defeated Israel’s enemies in the days of the judges (Ps. 83:9–17). He recalled Deborah and Barak’s defeat of the Hazor General Sisera and King Jabin near En Dor (Judg. 4—5), and he alluded to Gideon’s victory over the Midianite army; over Oreb and Zeeb, their generals; and over Zebah and Zalmunna, their kings (chaps. 6—8).

Then, Asaph called on God to make Israel’s enemies like insecure, windblown chaff and to hotly pursue them as fire destroys a forest on a mountainside. He asked the Lord to strike fear into them; put them to shame; and let them perish, that those who survive would turn to the Lord (Ps. 83:13–17).

In the chapter’s concluding verse, Asaph asks God to act, “that they may know that You, whose name alone is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth” (v. 18). Asaph didn’t ask God to intervene for Israel’s sake but, rather, for His own name’s sake, illustrating Israel’s importance to God and His plan.

Israel’s annihilation would besmirch God and His glory. He no longer would be able to declare that He alone was the Most High God if He could not save His uniquely chosen ones, the apple of His eye. God’s plan to redeem mankind through His only begotten Son would be defeated. His promise to save us from our sins would be worthless, and Satan would secure an eternal stranglehold on God’s creation.

As believers in the Messiah of Israel, we need Israel to survive. Without Israel, the Messiah’s return to Earth and the restoration of God’s Kingdom could not occur. In His covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12:3), God incorporated a blessing for those who bless Israel. Included with this promise is the revelation that God will bless the world through Abraham’s Seed (v. 3; cf. 22:18). Jesus, the fulfillment of this prophecy, declared, “Salvation is of the Jews” (Jn. 4:22).

Many see Psalm 83 as yet-to-be-fulfilled prophecy. I see it as a timeless reminder that Satan fuels all hatred of Israel, which leads to destruction. The psalm clearly articulates why Israel’s existence is essential to our hope of eternal life with God through faith in the Jewish Messiah.

There should be no debate. Every Christian should be a Zionist and support Israel. When we stand with Israel, we do God’s work.