Plucking the Eagle's Wings

America's Remarkable Prophetic History

Pinzon commanded the Nina and the Pinta, the two ships that accompanied the Santa Maria. Columbus began his diary with: "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Later in the diary, he noted that his departure coincided with the expulsion of the Jews. The date of his departure was the 10 th of Av on the Hebrew calendar. Historically, on this date both Temples were burned. Columbus planned his voyage very carefully. He included some Jews in his crew. The most famous of these was Luis de Torres. Columbus hired him to be an interpreter because he expected to find a remnant of the lost tribes of Israel at his destination. The physician, the mapmaker, and the officer in charge of nautical instruments were also Jewish. "Save now this nation, once firm as a rampart, and clear as the sun; she is exiled, a wandering one" (Jewish prayer for the Intermediate Days of Sukkoth). Trouble plagued the journey and many of the crew wanted to turn back. Columbus faced failure and on Tuesday, October 9, the Pinzon brothers met with him to discuss turning back before a mutiny. Columbus agreed that if land was not sighted within three days, they would turn around. This date on the Hebrew calendar was 18 Tishri 5253. This critical meeting took place in the middle of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot. This feast commemorates Israel's wandering through the wilderness with no place to call home. God instructed Israel to dwell in booths during this feast to remember the nights that they slept under the stars. Under the night stars, Columbus and his men wandered through the waters of destiny during Sukkot even as Israel wandered through the wilderness. "As thou didst save together God and nation, the people singled out for God's salvation, so save thou us... They passed between the deep divided sea and with them for their guide, the light from thee so save thou us! Establish us as thy chosen vineyard and make us as a tree planted by the streams of water ... plant us we pray upon a faithful sod" (Portions of prayers recited on Hoshanah Rabbah). Around 2:00 a.m. on Friday, October 12, as the three days were nearly over, Rodrigo de Triana (possibly a Jew) sighted land. What happened at that point is very interesting. In the book Columbus 'Jewish

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