What is Zionism?
The original meaning of the word Zionism expressed the Jewish people’s longing to return to their ancestral homeland, but sadly, today that same word increasingly provokes anger, suspicion, and condemnation. For many today, the term Zionism has become synonymous with racism, colonialism, and oppression.
So, what happened? How did a word rooted in the ancient biblical name Zion become so controversial? For Jews and Christians, another important question is: Should our understanding of Zion be shaped by the world’s shifting opinions or by God’s unchanging position as revealed in the Scriptures? Before deciding whether to embrace or reject Zionism, perhaps we should first ask: What does the Bible say about Zion?
To answer this question, we must travel back not 100 years, but about 3,000 years. The first time the word Zion, צִיּוֹן, Tziyon, appears in the Bible is in 2 Samuel 5:7: “Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is the city of David.”
Zion was originally identified as a fortified location in Jerusalem. Over time, the name came to be associated more broadly with Jerusalem, the Temple, and even the people of Israel. From then on, Zion became one of the most significant names in the prophetic Scriptures, appearing 162 times.
However, the biblical connection between Israel and the land itself dates back much further. Consider Genesis 17:8, where God speaks to Abraham: “I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession.” Notice who is speaking. It is not a government, a political movement, or an international organization. It is God Himself.
This promise continues through the prophets. In Jeremiah 31:35–36, God declares that as long as the sun, moon, and stars remain, the descendants of Israel will not cease to be a nation before Him. For those who understand these promises as awaiting their complete, literal fulfillment, Israel’s restoration is not merely a political question. It is inseparable from God’s faithfulness to His covenant.
Some might argue that Zion belongs to the Old Testament and to the history of ancient Israel, and that its significance has long since passed. But what does the New Testament say? Remarkably, the last book of the Bible, Revelation, brings us right back to Zion! In Revelation 14:1, the apostle John declares, “Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand.”
Who does John see standing on Mount Zion? The Lamb of God, Yeshua the Messiah Himself, returning to establish His Messianic Kingdom, with His capital city right there on Mount Zion. Zion is not merely a memory of Israel’s past. It remains part of the prophetic vision for Israel’s future.
With that in mind, let us consider how dramatically the world’s perception of Zionism has shifted from its biblical intent. Consider this remarkable statistic. A 2026 Pew Research Center survey across 36 countries found that, on average, 67% of respondents held an unfavorable opinion of Israel and Zionism. In Sweden and Spain, that figure reached 78%; in Germany, 73%; in Canada, 65%; and in the United States, 60%. These figures reflect attitudes toward Israel and Zionism itself, but they also reveal the increasingly difficult international environment surrounding the Jewish state.
Then came a remarkable development. On October 4, 2026, the Green Party of England and Wales formally adopted a resolution declaring Zionism to be racism. This was no longer merely a slogan shouted at a university demonstration. It had become the official policy of a British political party. But here is what makes this story particularly striking. The leader of the British Green Party, Zack Polanski, is himself Jewish. Just nine days before the resolution, on September 25, he publicly declared himself an anti-Zionist. Could this be an early indication that the language surrounding Zionism is changing today? That is a question worth asking.
Let us now return to an earlier question: Should a Christian or a Jew be a Zionist? If we believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; if we believe the Scriptures are His inspired Word; and if we recognize His promises concerning Zion, Jerusalem, and the Land of Israel, then the answer is yes!
The issue is whether our convictions align with the Word of God! Here is the glorious assurance we have: The world may change its opinion of Zion, but God’s Word never changes! Listen to Yeshua Himself, who declared at the conclusion of His great prophetic discourse in Matthew 24:35: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”
Think of the magnitude of that declaration! Heaven and earth may pass away. Kingdoms may rise and fall. The Bible tells us that this very world will also pass away, but not His Word. And that is why, whether the subject is Israel, Zion, Jerusalem, or any other truth revealed in Scripture, we have something this changing world cannot offer us: an unchanging foundation, an enduring truth, and a Word that stands forever.
Click here for the Video: Israel and the Nations – Should Jews and Christians be Zionists?