Contrary to popular concept, one does not have to be Jewish to be a Zionist. A Zionist is anyone who believes that G-d gave the land of Israel to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their descendants forever. “Forever” includes today!
Zion is the city of the great King: The references in Scripture to Zion and Jerusalem are to be taken literally as the context may indicate, though they may also be spiritualized since they are a type of His heavenly abode. Those, therefore, who speak against Zion, speak both against G-d’s earthly and heavenly city. The problem with Zionism today is the ignorance of Bible believers of the nearly 1,000 Scriptures where G-d is calling the Jewish people from every corners of the earth to Zion (Israel), such as the following: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of HaShem’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. (not to Palestine) Yeshayahu 2:2 "And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of HaShem, to the house of the G-d of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the Torah, and the word of HaShem from Jerusalem. Yeshayahu 2:3
Coming world redemption through Mashiach, peace and prosperity from Zion. “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.” “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings [Mashiach’s work] of good, that publishes salvation; that saith unto Zion, Your G-d reigneth!” Yeshayahu 52:7
"HaShem will reign forever; your G-d, O Zion, to all generations. Praise HaShem! " (Tehillim / Psalm 146:10).
I think your use of the word “Zionist” is confusing. There is no doubt that in the Bible, the Land of Israel was given to the children of Israel and that it will be redeemed when the Mashiach comes. There is also no doubt that some people believe that the children of Israel (the Jews) have a God-given right to dwell in the Land of Israel.
However, we have to live in the real world and that is precisely what the Zionist movement of the late 19th century did. No Zionist (i’m talking about that specific movement) ever claimed that Israel was the God-given land of the Jews. Herzl, the founding father of Zionism, was a secular assimilated Jew, he had nothing to do with religion and didn’t believe in any of it. Him and his contempories(sp?) shared the vision of a homeland for the Jews and it was decided that they would strive for it to be in Israel. The crucial point is this: At no point, did any of them ever say that they had a right to Israel through theocratic or historical means. They strived to acquire the land through legitimate means. It is a MASSIVE misconception that the Zionists believed they deserved the land because of God or because they’d been kicked out in 70CE.
This is why I feel your definition is confusing. Perhaps in some broad biblical sense, the true meaning of a ‘zionist’ would be one who believes in a God-given Israel. However, this is a specific religious view, not shared by all Jews around the world and ESPECIALLY not shared by the Zionists of the 20th century and the ones who brought about the creation of the State of Israel. This isn’t a case of either of us being wrong. We’ve both identified groups of people who do exist in this world, however we are using the same word to describe them. I just want to make sure that everyone is aware of the difference between the “Zionists” you are talking about, and the Zionists of the 20th century who had a completely different view.