Hal Lindsey (b. 1929) The Father of Apocalyptic Christian Zionism

1. The Significance of Hal Lindsey to Christian Zionism
2. Lindsey's Literalistic Dispensational Hermeneutic
3. Lindsey's Unconventional View of Prophecy
4. The Distinctive Apocalyptic Zionism of Hal Lindsey

4.1 The Jews of the Bible and the Modern State of Israel
4.2 The Territorial Extent of Eretz Israel
4.3 The Significance of Jerusalem
4.4 The Rebuilding of the Jewish Temple
4.5 The Implacable Enemies of Israel: Communists and Moslems
4.6 The Fall and Rise of the United States
4.7 Europe and the Emergence of a Revived Roman Empire
4.8 The Coming Holocaust: Armageddon Theology in Practice

4.8.1 The Motivation for the War of Armageddon
4.8.2 The Strategy for the Soviet Occupation of Israel
4.8.3 The Samson Option: Israel's Response to the Coming Holocaust
4.8.4 The Extent of the Final Holocaust
4.8.5 Supernatural Deliverance from the Holocaust 

4.9 Dating the Second Coming of Christ

4.9.1 This Generation
4.9.2 The Anti-Christ is Alive and Well
4.9.3 Signs of the Times

5. Lindseyism and Charges of Anti-Semitism
6. A Summary and Critique of Hal Lindsey's Christian Zionism


1. The Significance of Hal Lindsey to Christian Zionism

Hal Lindsey is undoubtedly the most influential of all Christian Zionists of the 20th century. Although rarely quoted by others, he has nevertheless been described by Time as 'The Jeremiah for this Generation', and by the New York Times as 'the best selling author of the decade.'1 His newest publisher describes him as 'The Father of the Modern-Day Bible Prophecy Movement,'2 and, 'the best known prophecy teacher in the world.'3 He is apparently one of very few authors to have had three books on the New York Times best seller list at the same time.4

This chapter will explore the significance of Hal Lindsey within Christian Zionism, his dispensational hermeneutic, uncoventional view of prophecy and eschatology, his distinctive apocalyptic Zionism and his stand against anti-Semitism.

Lindsey acknowledges that 'The future is big business,'5 and has proved the axiom true. He is a prolific writer, the author of at least twenty books spanning 27 years, most of which deal explicitly or implicitly with a dispensational interpretation of the future, biblical prophecy and Christian Zionism.6 He hosts his own radio7 and television programmes, leads regular pro-Israeli Holy Land tours, and by subscription makes available a monthly Christian Intelligence Journal called Countdown as well as the International Intelligence Briefing8. Lindsey, along with fellow Zionist, Grant Jeffries, hosts a weekly news programme, International Intelligence Briefing on the fundamentalist Trinity Broadcasting Network television station.9

Lindsey's most famous book, The Late Great Planet Earth has been described by the New York Times as the '#1 Non-fiction Bestseller of the Decade.' It has gone through more than 108 printings with sales, by 1993, of more than 18 million copies in English, with estimates varying between 18-20 million further copies in 54 foreign languages.10

Despite dramatic changes in the world since its publication in 1970, Lindsey maintains that the prophetic and apocalyptic scenario depicted in the book is biblically accurate and therefore it remains in print in its original un-revised form. Sales increased 83% during August and September 1990 amidst fears in the United States that Saddam Hussein would drag the world into total world war. Paul Van Duinen, an executive of Lindsey's publishers, admitted, ' Often times we see during a crisis that people more actively turn toward God and things spiritual.'11

Lindsey's popularity may be attributed to a combination of factors including his readable, journalistic style of writing, his imaginative, if apocalyptic, insistence that contemporary geo-political events are the fulfilment of biblical prophecy and, above all, his categorical assertion that the end of the world is imminent.

What makes Lindsey's writings distinctive, however, is that like J. N. Darby12 and C. I. Scofield13, he confidently claims his interpretation of the Bible shows what will happen in the future.

Like Darby, Lindsey claims his novel interpretations to have been revealed directly and personally by God.

His popularity may also in part, however, have to do with his tendency to revise those predictions in the light of changing world events. So for example The Final Battle (1994) is essentially an unacknowledged rewrite of the 'Late Great Planet Earth' (1970); 'Apocalypse Code' (1997) is a rewrite of 'There's a New World Coming' (1973); and 'Planet Earth 2000 A.D.' (1994, & 1996) are both revisions of 'The 1980's Countdown to Armageddon' (1980). Planet Earth: The Final Chapter (1998) is, the latest version in the 'Planet Earth' series.  

A good example of Lindsey's prophetic revisions concerns the future of the United States. In Planet Earth 2000 A.D. Lindsey specifically draws attention to a prophecy made in The Late Great Planet Earth as evidence of his prophetic accuracy. A comparison, however, shows that he has edited out the prediction of communist subversion which did not occur.

 
The Late Great Planet Earth Planet Earth 2000 A. D.
The United States will not hold its present position of leadership in the western world; financially, the future leader will be Western Europe. Internal political chaos caused by student rebellion and Communist subversion will begin to erode the economy of our nation. Lack of moral principle by citizens and leaders will so weaken law and order that a state of anarchy will finally result. The military capability of the United States, though it is at present the most powerful in the world, has already been neutralized because no one has the courage to use it decisively. When the economy collapses so will the military.19 "The United States will not hold its present position of leadership in the western world," I wrote in The Late Great Planet Earth.

 

 

 

"Lack of moral principle by citizens and leaders will so weaken law and order that a state of anarchy will finally result. The military capability of the United States, though it is at present the most powerful in the world, has already been neutralized because no one has the courage to use it decisively. When the economy collapses so will the military." Remember folks, these words were written in 1969, not the 1990's!20

Without access to all Lindsey's books one would not necessarily be aware that he has adapted his material to fit the changing world since he rarely acknowledges his sources or uses footnotes. The Introduction to two of his books serves as a good example. Reading Planet Earth 2000 A.D. (1994), one is led to believe this, and not 1980's Countdown to Armageddon (1981), was the long awaited sequel to The Late Great Planet Earth (1970).

 
1980's Countdown to Armageddon Planet Earth 2000 A. D.
Ever since The Late Great Planet Earth I have thought about writing another book on how prophecy relates to current events.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But only recently have I felt compelled to do so. So many of the things which have occurred during the past 10 years are so directly related to prophecy that I now sense an urgent, even desperate compulsion to bring readers up to date.

 

The goal of this book is not merely to show which prophecies have been fulfilled since Late Great came out in 1970, however. Even more important, it is intended to analyze what will occur in the decade we have just entered...

 

The decade of the 1980's could very well be the last decade of history as we know it.21

 Meanwhile, for 25 years I resisted the mammoth undertaking of writing a book that would go beyond where The Late Great Planet Earth left off, mostly because prophetically meaningful events were occurring so quickly, I wasn't sure how a book could do justice to the subject. Instead of focussing on writing prophecy books that might be out of date by the time they reached the stores, I devoted my attention to radio and television shows, video and audio tapes and a monthly news and prophecy journal.

 

Only now, as mankind approaches the third millennium, do I feel like the Holy Spirit has provided me with the proper perspective - the Big Picture, so to speak - on the mind blowing experiences of the modern world...

 

 

This book doesn't dwell on the past, it looks to the future. Because we are so close to the final, climactic stages of world history, it is considerably easier today for the student of Bible prophecy to see with some accuracy what's coming next...

 

I am certain... The Second Advent will occur in the next few years - probably in your lifetime.22

With the decade of the 1980's coming to an end, and the Second Advent still some way off, Lindsey also needed to revise the title if it was to remain in print. Without acknowledging he had rewritten the book, Lindsey changed his publisher and implied that Planet Earth 2000 A.D. was actually the sequel to The Late Great Planet Earth. Ten years on, and with the new Millennium fast approaching, the date has been removed altogether from the title in the latest edition, Planet Earth, the Final Chapter.23

Lindsey also makes use of previously published material in his later books. Unattributed paragraphs and sentences from earlier works reappear with regularity. So for example, in two unrelated books, published just a year apart, the same sentences are repeated.

 
Planet Earth 2000 A.D. (1994) The Final Battle (1995)
The greatest threat to freedom and world peace today - is Islamic fundamentalism... Tragically, the world's sole remaining superpower - the United States -has responded to this monumental threat by embarking on a suicidal, unilateral demilitarization process of unprecedented speed and recklessness. Like the Scriptures warn, the West is blithely saying 'Peace and safety'...24

As the Bible tells us, the dispute over Jerusalem and Israel's borders will never be settled by any peace agreements nor any whiz-bang diplomatic breakthrough.25

Right now, as you read this, preparations are being made to rebuild the Third Temple.26

Folks, the footsteps of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, can already be heard as He approaches the doors of heaven to return.27

'Land for Peace!' Is the cry heard 'round the world.28

...the Arab world has been successful at framing the debate over the Middle East as a struggle between downtrodden Palestinians and powerful, heavily armed Jews...29

 

Heading up what will evolve into a 10-nation confederacy will be a man of such magnetism and power that he will become the greatest dictator the world has ever known...30

There is a potential dictator waiting in the wings somewhere in Europe who will make Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin look like choir boys. Right now he is preparing to take his throne, inflaming his soul with visions of what he will be able to do for mankind with his grand schemes and revolutionary ideas.31

There will be no peace in the Middle East as long as the world entertains the Arab's fanciful visions of dividing and conquering Jerusalem.

Peace would only be possible, if, by some miracle, the Arabs realized that their ambitions for military and economic hegemony over Israel were delusional. Don't hold your breath... the Arab world has been successful at framing the debate over the Middle East as a struggle between downtrodden Palestinians and powerful, heavily armed Jews...32

 

 ...the greatest threat to freedom and world peace today - is Islamic fundamentalism... Tragically, the world's sole remaining superpower for the moment - the United States - has responded to this monumental threat by embarking on a suicidal demilitarization process of unprecedented proportions. Like the Scriptures warned, the West is blithely saying 'Peace and safety'...33

As the Bible tells us, the dispute over Jerusalem and Israel's borders will never be settled by any peace agreements nor any whiz-bang diplomatic breakthrough.34

Right now, as you read this, preparations are being made to rebuild the Third Temple...35

Truly, the footsteps of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, can already be heard as He approaches the doors of heaven to return.36

"Land for peace!" is the cry heard 'round the world.37

Because the Muslim nations have been successful at framing the debate over the Middle East as a struggle between downtrodden Palestinians and powerful, heavily armed Jews...38

And heading up this 10-nation confederacy will be a man of such magnetism and power that he will become the greatest dictator the world has ever known.39

There is a potential dictator waiting in the wings somewhere in Europe who will make Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin look like choir boys. Right now he is preparing to take his throne, inflaming his soul with visions of what he will be able to do for mankind with his grand schemes and revolutionary ideas.40

There will be no peace in the Middle East as long as the world entertains the Arab's fanciful visions of dividing and conquering Jerusalem and driving all the Jews into the sea. Peace would only be possible, if, by some miracle, the Arabs realize that their ambitions for military and economic hegemony over Israel were delusional. But don't hold your breath... Because the Arab world has been successful at framing the debate over the Middle East as a struggle between downtrodden Palestinians and powerful, heavily armed Jews...41