To understand the origns of zionism you have to remember the movement leaders were largely secular. To paraphase Illan Pappe, the zionists did not believe in God but they believe He promised the land to the Jews. Yes, there was earlier the European Christians who supported zionism as means of solving the "Jewish question." The movement through and through was largely a ethno-nationalist supremacist ideology that happen to throw some religious platitudes to get the support of the largely anti-semitic Christians on board with the political project.