CHRISTIAN HERALD 7/6/03 "The book has a number of strengths. It is written in an agreeable style which is accessible to the non-specialist. At the same time, Maltz manages to pack a lot of information into this modest volume. His efforts to inform his readership of different ways of reading sacred texts is commendable. Furthermore, Maltz articulates the Christian Zionist perspective in a very succinct and skilful manner … It is to be hoped that Maltz' contribution to the debate will be read, not shunned, by those taking the opposite viewpoint". Peter Riddell, Director of the Centre for Islamic Studies at London Bible College

CHRISTIANITY+RENEWAL August 2003 "This book lives up to the blurb in its style - lively, entertaining and provocative - it gives a well-researched and popular account of Israel's history from the days of Abram to Sharon … Addictive, dented some of my convictions and made me think hard" Tony Sargent, Principal of International Christian College, Glasgow

PROPHECY TODAY September/October 2003 "This author is gifted in presenting the complex historical issues in an erudite yet understandable way … I recommend this book"

MESSIANIC TESTIMONY magazine Summer 2003 "A comprehensive overview in a very readable, almost conversational way."

JOY MAGAZINE (Assemblies of God) September 2003 "I found this book a good read … I was challenged and ultimately persuaded by his thesis"

POINTERS MAGAZINE August 2003 "It is the best factual book about Israel that I have read for a long time … This is a very good buy and definitely one that I am grateful for"

C L PUBLICATIONS (Chris Hill) "Steve Maltz has written this very helpful book in a light and readable style, yet at no point is it less than well researched, cogently argued and biblically balanced."

DIRECTION MAGAZINE (Elim Pentecostals) December 2003 "I can't over-emphasise the importance of this book by Steve Maltz ... He gives a very balanced overview of the Christian's understanding of the present-day Middle East conflict."

'Steve Maltz has an evident gift for explaining complex historical issues in a simple and conversational manner, and he is to be commended for such an easily read and yet comprehensive overview of this vital period. Christians and non-Christians alike are urged to read and then rethink this whole matter.' Derek White, Founder, Christian Friends of Israel

'I believe that this book is long overdue and will challenge all who read it to recognize that God is alive and active in Israel and with the Jewish people. Steve Maltz argues his case well. It's guaranteed to provoke - it's meant to!' Julia Fisher, writer and broadcaster

"This is a helpful book to dispel some of the myths and prejudices about Israel today" Tony Pearce, Light for Last Days

"I like it. For the ones who just don't know it could prove useful, as it does address issues in a fairly simple and logical way" Roy Thurley, Director Christian Friends of Israel

SOME COMMENTS ON EARLIER DRAFTS OF THE BOOK

"I enjoyed much of what you wrote. I was also sympathetic with much of what the book said" Willy Mackenzie, Christian Focus Publications

“I think you've got a good, lively style, and have pitched it at the right level for the intelligent but uninformed reader … " David Moloney, Hodder & Stoughton

“Clearly you know how to write. The book is engaging and you interact with the reader. You cover complex and complicated material swiftly and concisely. It is clear you have done a lot of research.” Andy Peck, assistant editor Christianity+Renewal magazine

"I think you have a good subject and a cheerful, engaging style which dispels a lot of the confusion surrounding the Promised Land. I hope it does really well." Tony Collins, Monarch Publications

A GRUDGING COMMENT FROM DAVID PAWSON(who also suggested that there was not enough Bible exposition!)

"You have produced a useful compilation of historical information and evidence which I hope will attract and impress the readers you have in mind."

In May 2002 I helped to man a stand at the Christian Resources Exhibition in Esher, Surrey. Folk from 21 different ministries were exhibiting under the banner Why Israel? and seeking to open dialogue with other Christians, whatever their background or perspective. Interestingly, my overriding impression from those four days was that the only people willing to discuss the matter were those who shared the viewpoints of the exhibitors. The folk at the Rediscovering Palestine stand observed similar behaviour.

This spoke volumes to me of the vast rift between those who are generally for Israel in the current conflict and those who aren't. It was not dissimilar to the family who see the Christian evangelists at the front door and hide behind the sofa, hoping they haven't been spotted through the window. They think they know what the visitors are going to say, they've heard it all before and they're not willing to start a fresh argument on the subject. 'Why don't they leave us alone?' is the cry. Yet you and I know that hiding your head in the sand is not the best answer when truth, and in this case eternal salvation, is at stake. The trouble is that this family doesn't know it!

Tragically we Christians can be ignorant of our own blind spot, our unwillingness to see the other point of view. One side would stress that Christians should pursue justice and righteousness and, as with apartheid in South Africa, should side with those whom they see as the oppressed and downtrodden, the Palestinians. Others, equally motivated by the Bible, would agree in principle, but would stress God's integrity and faithfulness in terms of Old Testament covenants in relation to the land as God's promise to the Jews. How can there be such a division between Christians on such a vital issue?

How many times have you been approached by someone and asked the question 'So what do you think about what's happening in the Middle East?' How frustrated have you been in your inability to string together a few coherent words, let alone a solid, robust argument to support your views? You are not alone. Hours of study and a PhD are the minimum requirements here for a full understanding of the intricacies and subtleties of a situation that doesn't even have a history people can agree on!

No issue has split the Christian world more than the Israel/Palestine conflict, yet there is no current issue as confusing. Millions of words have been written and spoken about it, but how much of it has truly sunk in, how much of it has made sense, how much of it has been untainted by personal opinion or editorial slant? Jews and Zionists will tell you one thing and Arabs and Arabists will tell you the opposite! Surely they can't both be right, surely there can only be one truth, one set of proven historical events that can unravel the whole mess? Unfortunately it isn't that straightforward. The situation is so complex, puzzling and emotionally charged that it is well-nigh impossible to get an objective viewpoint - it is exceedingly difficult to find historical sources with no axes to grind, commentators who could be accepted as truly impartial.

Even now you have probably got an idea of where I'm coming from and, if you haven't, I'll give you a little clue: I am an English Jew who discovered Jesus, my Messiah, some 16 years ago. This makes me biased, yes? No, because, for a Christian, the truth must always come first, despite the consequences. So the signature verse for this book is:

'God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth' (John 4:24).

Nothing is more important than absolute honesty in our worship, in how we present ourselves to God, in all our thoughts and actions. Being true to the Spirit who indwells us is paramount, and a vital part of this is our quest for the truth in all situations.

I ask you not to judge me before you have read what I have to say. Instead feel free to judge me by the fruits of what you do read. If you are left with a deeper understanding of the heart of God, a new commitment to prayer and a new, or refreshed, love for both Jewish and Palestinian people, then the fruit is good. My earnest desire is to understand God's truth about the situation in the Middle East and then to share it with others. There can only be one truth, one authentic script for the ongoing drama. The time is coming when we will all have to take a stand on this key issue and I hope that this book will provide a useful signpost for you.

With regard to the subject of this book, people tend to fall into three groups: those who believe that Israel has in some way a divine mandate; those who believe that Israel has no divine mandate in any way; and those who haven't got a clue about the matter because people in the other two groups seem equally persuasive. This book has been written for all groups, to clear away the cobwebs and to provide you with sufficient information for an informed opinion on the subject.

If, having read this book, you are still confused, then I have failed. If, having read this book, you are not spiritually invigorated and challenged, I have also failed. This is a hot topic. God doesn't want you to be lukewarm; He wants people to be His witnesses, not just to other Christians but to the world out there that has absolutely no clue what is going on and has no Rock to hold on to. What better way to introduce people to this Rock than to show them exactly who is in charge of a world situation that, humanly speaking, has no workable solution?

Let's be clear about this now. Israel is a little place, about the same size as Wales. Surrounded by thousands of miles of oil-rich desert, it is populated by a vast, seething melting pot of different colours, cultures and cuisines. It's the holiest place for great religions whose scriptures argue against having holy places! It has a geography of extremes: snow-capped mountains in the north, lush green orchards in the west, barren desert in the south and the lowest place on Earth in the east! It is possible to start a car journey needing an overcoat in Jerusalem and be sunbathing an hour later by the Dead Sea! Can Wales boast all of that?

It's also the world's foremost political and religious hotspot, giving rise to more United Nations resolutions than all other nations put together! It's both hated and loved by more people than any other. It's the most fascinating, mysterious and intriguing place in the world. It is also the most misunderstood and confusing place. Its history is a murky web of truth, half-truth and no-truth, depending on your perspective and allegiance. Its very name provokes dissent. To Jews it is Eretz Israel, the Land of Israel. To most Arabs it is Palestine. To many Christians, confused by the whole issue, it is the simple fudge of the Holy Land. >

The world has changed a great deal since the end of the Second World War. The Cold War came and went as Eastern Europe passed from repression to liberation. Two superpowers became one and Britain more or less lost her empire. The rest of Europe has voluntarily unified, by mutual consent rather than by Nazi domination. Populations moved eastwards and westwards and northwards and southwards, driven by war or deprivation. No continent has been unaffected by this mass movement of people.

Yet in one slip of land, a mere green and gold scar in the deserts of Araby, time has frozen. People are still arguing and killing each other over events that happened more than 30, 40, 50 years ago. The year 1948 provokes contrasting emotions for the people of the land - to Jews it was liberation from 1,900 years of persecution, to Arabs it was the Nakba, the catastrophe.

This book deals with the origins of the current crisis in Israel. It has been written to help you in your understanding of what is a very thorny but vital topic for the Church today. Starting with the earliest Bible promises, it includes a history of the land from biblical times through to the modern day. Finally there is a summing-up and a look to the future, with the Bible and its promises as our reference.

It is my belief that we Christians must look beyond day-to-day politics and realise that the conflict is a spiritual conflict. The sooner we begin to look at it through spiritual eyes, the sooner we will wake up to the realities of the battles being fought in heavenly realms. These are exciting times, frightening times.

The best way to approach a subject as emotive as this is to put one's cards on the table right at the start, so that there can be no misunderstandings or suspicions. To be as frank as I can, this is an attempt at a response to books that claim to represent 'different theological perspectives' but tend to lean towards just one particular perspective. In fact, of the 12 contributors to one such book, 11 are in basic agreement that the promises of God to Abraham concerning the 'Promised Land' have now been inherited by the Church and that the State of Israel is nothing more than a blip of modern history.

Do we, as Christians, go with the flow and play it safe? Do we follow the majority view just because this is taught in many Bible colleges and theological schools in the UK? The impression seems to be that a good dose of 'formal biblical and theological study' provided at these establishments will put you right on this issue and clear your mind of such nonsense as the restoration of Israel!

Does this mean that the majority of us who have not had the benefit of a formal Christian education do not have the tools to read the Bible correctly? Does this mean that only theologians are properly equipped to deal with such thorny issues as the identity of Israel and the Church? Does that mean that there's no point in consulting the Bible (particularly the Old Testament) on these matters, because we will probably get it wrong? Do we ordinary Christians not have a duty to examine the issues for ourselves? Also, how do these educational establishments arrive at their theological position? In other countries, notably the USA, the majority of schools would take a totally different perspective. Are we not all studying the same Bible?

These are good questions to ask because there is a lot at stake. Although these issues are not as vital as one's personal salvation, they are important for many reasons, not least concerning the faithfulness of God in His dealings with His people. Therefore it is essential that every Christian, whatever their educational background, should prayerfully seek the truth on such a key issue. There is no sitting on the fence here; there can only be one truth.

In August 2002 a group of evangelical Christians in the USA sent a letter to President Bush expressing their concern at what they saw as imbalance in American policy towards the Middle East conflict. One statement they made is worthy of note: 'Significant numbers of American evangelicals reject the way some have distorted biblical passages as their rationale for uncritical support for every policy and action of the Israeli government instead of judging all actions - of both Israelis and Palestinians - on the basis of biblical standards of justice.' When we get to the stage where Christians openly accuse others of 'distorting biblical passages' it is time for us to truly seek God's face and examine how there can be such a split in the Body of Christ.

The arena of conflict is the cauldron of confusion known as hermeneutics, which, for you and me, is concerned with how we should read and apply the Bible. The two key skirmishes are, firstly, how much of the Bible should be taken literally and, secondly, to what extent do we read the Old Testament in the light of the coming of Jesus in the New Testament. The trick is getting the balance right between these two factors and it is fair to say that the differences of opinion are caused by different emphases being given to each of them.

One barrier to the acceptance of a pro-Israel view in the UK is our natural conservatism, a fear of being sucked into what is viewed by some as the 'lunatic fringe'. Interpreting some key scriptures in a certain way is not necessarily going to turn you into a full-blown extreme dispensationalist or end-time fanatic, leafing through one of the hundreds of books on the subject for clues to the prophetic apocalyptic timetable. One must not be ruled by such fears and you should trust yourself with a certain degree of discernment. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Be real. We should be secure enough in our views to defend them to anyone.

It is all a matter of personal integrity. Be yourself. Be blessed.

Preface

Introduction

Prologue

Chapter 1: Canaan

Chapter 2: The Land of Milk and Honey

Chapter 3: Israel and Judah

Chapter 4: Judea and Samaria

Chapter 5: Palestine

Chapter 6: The Holy Land

Chapter 7: Zion

Chapter 8: Israel

Chapter 9: The 'Zionist Entity' and the West Bank

Chapter 10: The Promised Land?

Epilogue