Christopher Columbus believed God called him to make his
voyages. He openly shared his wish to spread Christianity to the pagan nations.
He also had a heartfelt passion for the displaced people of Israel. For that
reason, our post-modern society chooses to demonize this brave explorer.
The book of Genesis reveals how the Lord provided an incubator
for the Israelites to grow in strength and number in Egypt. Thousands of years
later, in 1492, He tapped Columbus on the shoulder and sent him westward to set
up an incubator for a strong brand of people who would be called Americans. Columbus’
discovery of a new world produced an unexpected consequence for the Middle East
nations. The trade routes shifted to the west, leaving them to remain in 11th
century darkness while the rest of the world flourished through numerous
inventions that followed.
On November 11, 1620, the Mayflower landed in the “Cape Cod
fishhook” carrying sixty-five passengers who sought to escape from religious
persecution. A hundred and fifty years later, descendants of those passengers,
along with new settlers to the colonies, took up arms to defeat the religious tyranny
harassing them from across the Atlantic.
The U.S. Constitution, ratified on May 29, 1790, was drafted
using language from Deuteronomy. Our own Liberty Bell bears the inscription of Leviticus 25:10: “And proclaim freedom throughout the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”
While the Jewish people suffered unconscionable persecution
throughout the Middle East and Europe, God nurtured this new country of
Judeo-Christian citizens. John Adams wrote to Thomas Jefferson, “I will insist
that the Hebrews have done more to civilize man than any other nation.”
Our incubating period continued.
In 1941, the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor brought us into World War II. We’d already proven our mettle in
the World War that ended in 1918. God had strengthened and prepared us for this
global conflict that would determine the fate of His chosen people.
Our
incubation was over.
Thirty-one years would pass between the Balfour Declaration of
1917 and the establishment of the State of Israel in Palestine in 1948. Exactly
one year after the end of WWII, President Truman contacted the British Prime Minister;
petitioning Britain to lift its barriers to Jewish immigrates to Palestine. The
United States officially recognized the provisional government as the de facto authority of the State of
Israel on May 14, 1948.
Mission Accomplished.
Since that date, we have fallen away from our Judeo-Christian
roots. The downward spiral in the moral character as a nation beginning in the
1950s and 1960s had a gravitational pull on all branches of our government,
dragging us into a vortex of wickedness. Preachers in our mainline Christian churches
have shied away from preaching the consequences of sin. Public schools no
longer teach the true history of our beginnings. We traded the sin of slavery
for the slavery of sin as we fly the multi-colored flag from our government
buildings. Morbidly initiated abortion is the norm, despite evidence of its
connection with breast cancer. Anti-Semitic viewpoints are again prevalent throughout
the world.
Perhaps
these signs prove that God is indeed finished with us. We fulfilled His
purpose of helping the Jewish people return to part of the Land of Promise. What
further usefulness do we have?
Could
we bring the Lord back to us by returning to Him?
Could we regain His favor by proclaiming freedom throughout the Land… the freedom from sin through Christ
the Savior… unto all the inhabitants thereof?
Could
we, once again, be the light shining on a hill, to give hope to all who look at
us that they might say, “God is in their midst.”
As we recognize 240 years of the existence of the United States of America, please pray fervently with me for our nation's return to the patiently-awaiting arms of Almighty God.
Good post, Janet.
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