When I finished reading Left Behind, I was fully convinced of the central role Israel played in God’s plan for the nations. I was only 15 years old, but my imagination had been captured. Israel, in my mind, was the ticking clock of prophecy. To question this was to question God Himself.

Fast forward 23 years.

I’ve seen friends go off to war, some never to return. I lived through the search for Saddam, then Osama, then the ever-elusive weapons of mass destruction. I watched in disbelief as we pulled out of Afghanistan in a disastrous manner. Somewhere along the way, the neon lights of certainty began to flicker.

The Dispensational Fog

Most American Christians have been steeped in a century of dispensationalist teaching. They’ve been saturated with sermons, media, and books that treat the modern state of Israel as a prophetic linchpin. In this framework, supporting Israel isn’t just wise; it’s sacrosanct. To challenge this is, for some, to flirt with heresy.

But it’s not the only view. And for most of church history, it wasn’t the dominant one.

Unfortunately, many American Christians don’t even know there are other biblical frameworks. Most boomer evangelical media and pulpits recycle the same talking points, often reinforced by stage decor that includes both American and Israeli flags. It’s a fusion of faith and geopolitics that would confuse most Christians before the 20th century.

Israel, Prophecy, and 70 A.D.

Much of the modern conversation hinges on the book of Revelation.

Dispensationalism teaches that Israel is central to end-times prophecy. In its classical form, dispensationalism sees a future prophetic role for the ethnic and political nation of Israel. While many adherents do not advocate unconditional political support, this framework has nevertheless shaped American evangelical sympathy toward Israeli statehood and policy. But for centuries, Christians understood the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. not only as a historical event but as a fulfillment of Christ’s prophecy (Matthew 24:1-2).

When the temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., the old covenant’s sacrificial system ended. The final sacrifice had already been made by Jesus Christ. What emerged in its place was rabbinic Judaism, which centered not on temple worship but on study, prayer, and oral tradition later compiled into the Talmud. This shift marked a significant transformation in Jewish religious life.

Historically, Jerusalem’s significance wasn’t tied to a modern political entity, but to the fact that it was the city where our Lord was crucified and raised. In the era of the Crusades, Christian involvement in the region was less about modern Zionism and more about defending Christian pilgrimage sites from Islamic aggression.

After the horrific Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, our church recorded a podcast episode to help Christians process the moment biblically. Too often, Christians revert to their default factory settings (dispensationalism) when Israel is in the headlines.

The impulse to defend Israel is understandable, but we must not confuse it with Christian obedience. Political prudence is not the same as prophetic fulfillment. There may be real strategic reasons to counter Iran’s influence. But let’s be honest: American efforts to “liberate the people” by “removing the dictator” have largely failed. Consider Iraq, Libya, Syria.

The Church Must Not Be Conscripted

Christians must resist being spiritually manipulated by warmongering ideologues. We are not obligated to support every military action in the name of fulfilling prophecy, especially when that prophecy is based on a dubious hermeneutic.

Does the nation state of Israel have a right to defend itself? Of course. Does that mean America must get involved? Not necessarily. I think my friend Yoram Hazony articulates this well here (referencing an interview he did with Steve Bannon).

I have a great deal of sympathy for Christians who still believe the lore that dispensationalism offers. I understand what motivates them and why. But it is well past time for the church to provide better Bible teaching that does not encourage American Christians to develop misplaced loyalties. American Christians have duties to their nation and their church. But for too many American Christians, misplaced theological convictions have led to political loyalties that prioritize Israel over both the church and their own nation.

This article was originally published on the author’s Substack.