When considering the history of “independent Baptists”, no one is more “iconic” than John R. Rice. He was the founding editor of the Sword of the Lord, an author, songwriter, soul-winner, and a pioneer during the independent Baptist church movement. It was during his prime of life that the “land grab” of 1948 took place— His words on the modern state of Israel are much different than the compromised stance we are hearing from the moderate, “evangelicals” of today.

Excerpts taken from – “God’s Covenants and Christ’s Coming” – Sword of the Lord Publishers – 1979 {PLEASE NOTE: we are not in full agreement with John R. Rice’s position on Israel & Eschatology, but his comments on Zionist Israel, from way back in 1979, are most interesting & enlightening!}

“Some think that the little nation over there now, established after the War of 1948, is the promised restoration of Israel. It is not. Zionism and Christianity are two entirely different things. ZIONISM IS JEWISH PATRIOTISM WITHOUT ANY REFERENCE TO THE BIBLE… A bunch of infidel Jews turning down the Gospel, and going on in their infidelity and sin is NOT the restoration promised in the Bible.” (page 13)

“…Israel is now scattered and is under the disfavor of God. Today you will hear much about the little nation of Israel. But the Israelites there, as elsewhere, are infidels. They do not love the Lord. They do not accept the Lord Jesus. They go their own way. And there is no promise of God to unconverted Jews going on in their sins. These Jews took their guns and demanded other people’s property and got their [the Palestinians’] land. I hope it can be settled so that Jews will have another homeland. But don’t think God is for all the murder and stealing and taking of other people’s property by which the Jews got that land. While I have no sympathy with Arafat and the many murders by the Palestinian guerrilla forces, yet I do have sympathy that the Arabs lost their land and had to flee for their lives. That has to be dealt with if we are to have peace in the Middle East, of course.” (page 16)

“The present nation Israel and Palestine have no place in Bible prophecy. It is not the fulfillment of the Scriptures about the restoration of Israel. I will read in Deuteronomy 30, and other Scriptures which show very clearly that the restoration promised has not yet come to pass, that the Jews were cast out of Palestine because they were unregenerate and did not accept the Messiah. This restoration of Israel is a wonderful truth for Christians.”

[Rice then reads Deuteronomy 30:1-6]

“In 1948 when Palestine was under the mandate of the British, a group of Jews started the rebellion. A war began to seize part of the country. A new Israel, a part of Palestine, was started. The Jews took away from the Arabs their homes and lands by murder and whatever else was necessary. In war and rebellion they took part of the land now called Israel. These Jews say that God has given that country to Israel, and many Christians back them up… But this is not the Bible restoration of Israel… The promises cannot be fulfilled to any Jew while he remains an unconverted rebel against God.” (page 20-21)

“We come to the New Testament. I hear you now ask, ‘But, Brother Rice, don’t you think the nation Israel now is the budding of the fig tree promised in the Bible?’   No.” (page 23)

John R. Rice – “God’s Covenants and Christ’s Coming” – Sword of the Lord Publishers – 1979

Compare John R. Rice’s view of Zionism with that of author David Cloud