Opinion
By Judge John Marshall Meisburg, Jr.
10/14/24
The man who discovered America and the New World, Christopher Columbus, was a devout Christian. Actually, there is a lot of evidence that he was a secret Messianic Jew, who was converted to Christianity in Spain. His family name in Genoa, Italy was Colon or Cohen, and he had many Jewish ancestors. His voyage to America was financed by two wealthy Messianic Jews in Spain (not by Queen Isabella) who wanted a safe homeland for Jews who were being exiled by Spain during theInquisition. Many of the men on his ship were Jewish who were seeking religious freedom. Columbus postponed his voyage in 1492 one day due to a Jewish holiday. He was set to depart on August 2, 1492, (which was Tisha B’Av, the day Jews fast and mourn and remember the destruction of their Temple). Instead, he left the next day (August 3, 1492) the very day that Jews were required to leave Spain.
Columbus was a brilliant, experienced navigator, and was a daring visionary. When the Queen asked him if he was ready for his voyage, Columbus said: “Yes your Majesty, God is with me! I could not be more ready.” Columbus prayed his way across the Atlantic, and his prayer diary reveals how deep his faith in Christ really was. He wrote: “It was the Lord who put this into my mind. I could feel his hand upon me. There was no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit, because he comforted me with rays of marvelous illumination from the Holy Scriptures for the execution of the journey. I did not make use of mathematics or maps. It was simply the fulfillment of what Isaiah had prophesied. No one should ever fear to undertake any task in the name of Our Savior, if it is just, and the intention is purely for his Holy service. The fact that the Gospel must be preached to so many lands in such a short time – that is what convinces me.” Columbus was also interested in finding gold in order to finance an effort to retake the city of Jerusalem from the Muslims.
When Columbus discovered the New World, he landed in the Bahamas, and named the island where he landed “San Salvador” which means “Holy Savior” to give glory to God and Jesus Christ. Columbus wrote back to his Messianic Jewish benefactors in Spain the following: “To the first island I discovered, I gave the name of San Salvador, in commemoration of His Divine Majesty, who has wonderfully granted all this. All of Christendom should rejoice with fervent prayers for the high distinction that will accrue to them from turning so many peoples to our holy faith.” A famous painting in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol shows the cross of Christ held high on the shore as he claims the island.
Some liberals today denigrate Columbus by saying that he mistreated Native Americans. The truth is that Columbus treated the natives with kindness and respect, and shared the Gospel with many of them. He wrote about them with affection and wanted to bring them to faith in Christ. He said: “I believe there are no better people and no better land. They love their neighbor as themselves. They have the sweetest speech in the world. They are gentle and always laughing.” Columbus and the Native Americans exchanged many valuable gifts. One tribe helped him when one of his ships ran aground. When Columbus returned to Spain, he left 39 men and ordered them to treat the natives with kindness and respect. But Columbus found himself in the middle of Native American warfare. There were two warring tribes in the Caribbean, and after Columbus returned to Spain, one evil tribe killed all 39 of his men. But on his return trip to America, Columbus did not take revenge upon them, and he associated with the peaceful tribe instead. While on later voyages he did take some natives as slaves back to Spain, this was the result of battle with the evil tribe, and they were taken prisoner rather than killed. In that day, slavery was an accepted practice all over the world, and was prevalent in North and South America, so historical context is important. The chief aim and desire of Columbus for Native Americans was to save their souls, convert them to the Christian faith, and have them baptized, because baptized persons could not be held as slaves under the law of Spain at that time. The successors of Columbus, Spanish colonists, did commit many atrocities on the natives, but these abuses cannot be blamed on Columbus.
Columbus loved God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and was one of the most courageous men of all history. His discovery of America changed the world forever. Because of him, the Gospel of Christ was spread throughout the New World of North and South America, and America today stands for religious freedom. Columbus ranks along with Neil Armstrong as one of the one most famous men of all time. He was really the first Founding Father of our country. Columbus is clearly a major figure in the Christian heritage of America.
Columbus Day was first proclaimed by President Benjamin Harrison in 1892 to actually honor both Columbus and Native Americans. President Harrison wanted Columbus Day to be a day of unity for a new class of American citizens including Native Americans who had just suffered a massacre at Wounded Knee. In 1934, Congress passed a law designating October 12th as Columbus Day, inviting all citizens in schools and churches and other places to hold ceremonies about the discovery of America. In 1937, President Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed Columbus Day as well, and President Lyndon Johnson made Columbus Day a federal holiday in 1966, on the second Monday of October effective in 1971. We celebrate Columbus Day this year on October 14, 2024.
PAINTING OF THE LANDING OF COLUMBUS THAT APPEARS IN THE ROTUNDA OF THE U.S. CAPITOL IN WASHINGTON D.C. THE CROSS OF CHRIST CAN BE SEEN BEHIND HIM
FAMOUS PAINTING OF COLUMBUS LANDING ON SAN SALVADOR ISLAND IN THE BAHAMAS ON OCTOBER 12, 1492, WITH THE CROSS OF CHRIST HELD HIGH
ABOUT THE AUTHOR- JUDGE JOHN MARSHALL MEISBURG, JR.
Judge John Marshall Meisburg, Jr., was a U.S. Administrative Law Judge with the Social Security Administration for 26 years in Jacksonville, Florida. He retired as a judge in 2021 and is now practicing law in Fernandina Beach. He has been married for 44 years to Dr. Denise Meisburg, a Christian counselor. They have six children and 11 grandchildren. Prior to being a judge, he was a lawyer with the Federal government for 23 years, serving in all three branches of the government, with the U.S. District Court, EEOC, Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., U.S. House of Representatives, Office of Special Counsel and FDIC. He was in the private law practice one year in Washington, D.C. and filed the lawsuit that became the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case on sexual harassment. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Kentucky, and a Juris Doctor law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law. He is a member of the Bar of Florida and Kentucky. He is a lifelong Christian, being raised in the Baptist faith in Louisville, Kentucky. He was an Elder at New Life Christian Fellowship in Jacksonville where he taught Sunday School, the Jewish Roots of the Faith and the Christian Heritage of America. He was a leader of both the National Day of Prayer and the House of Prayer in Jacksonville for over ten years. He has published 12 books relating to Christian and legal issues. He is now a member of Living Waters World Outreach Center in Fernandina Beach, where he serves in the prayer and home group ministry, and is a member of the Board of Directors for Faith Christian Academy. He is now an Honored Listee in the Marquis Who’s Who in America.
The views expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Citizens Journal Florida
