In an interview in Eternity magazine, author Hal Lindsey was asked, "If we had a president who was a Christian and who interpreted the Bible right down the line like The Late Great Planet Earth, how would his foreign policy be changed?" Lindsey's answer was, "Well, I think first he'd give all the support we could to Israel, because if you really believe the Bible, I think you realize that God is going to bless those who bless his people."
His statement undoubtedly reflects the sentiments of many evangelical Christians who believe that the modern state of Israel is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. But in my judgment, a thorough study of exactly what the scriptures say demonstrates no support for the perspectives and political applications which Lindsey and many others advocate.
The first reference to Canaan (Palestine) as a promised land occurs in Genesis 12:7. When Abraham had arrived in Shechem, an ancient holy place in the heart of the land of Canaan, God informed him, "This is the country that I am going to give to your descendants." After allowing Lot to choose the fertile plain of the Jordan Valley for himself, Abraham was told to view the hill country where he was, in all directions. Then he was promised, "I am going to give you and your descendants all the land that you see, and it will be yours forever" (Genesis 13:15).
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