Serving Bread

I just read an article over at Desiring God (John Piper’s online presence) regarding this very question. Though the article is not exhaustive nor necessarily authoritative on the issue, Piper draws a fair (and Biblical) argument on why Israel as we know her today cannot claim that the land divinely belongs to her.

Piper writes, “Both the blessed status of the people and the privileged right to the land are conditional on Israel’s keeping the covenant God made with her.” In his estimation, the Jews have violated their end of the covenant and therefore it is fair to question their divine right to the land.

He concludes his article with suggestions to use measures outside of the Bible on claims to land. “And until that great day when both Jewish and Gentile followers of King Jesus inherit the earth (not just the land), without lifting sword or gun, the rights of nations should be decided by the principles of compassionate and public justice, not claims to national divine right or status.”

(As a side-note, it is worth noting that many Jews do not lay claim to Israel on the authority of scripture. Zionism was never a Biblical mandate. It is Christian Zionists—found mostly in the United States—who have played up the argument that the state of Israel is the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy.)