WHY DID CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS CLAIM THAT AN ANCIENT PROPHECY LED HIM TO DISCOVER AMERICA AND ESTABLISH THE NEW WORLD?

   You probably learned a bit about Christopher Columbus at school, but one documented historical fact that you probably overlooked is that Columbus believed his discovery of the New World was necessary in order to fulfil an ancient prophecy.

   What exactly did Christopher Columbus mean when, circa 1500 AD, he wrote about America in one of his famous letters: "God made me the messenger of the new heaven and the new earth of which he spoke in the Apocalypse of St John after having spoken of it through the mouth of Isaiah; and he showed me the spot where to find it."^[1]

   Christopher Columbus produced a famous book, the "Book of Prophecies"^[2], containing over 200 biblical and patristic passages which he compiled, but how many people understand why?

   When Columbus made his case to win support from the Vatican and the Spanish monarchy, at the centre of his manifesto was a millennial prophecy about the destiny of the land that he would discover. A "New World" was to arise in the West to fight a final Crusade against the Arab powers of the Middle East.

   A war across such a vast distance, over thousands of miles of sea and land, would have seemed unlikely at the time. Yet, as the new Millennium dawned, soon after the Year 2000 AD, events were set in motion that would fulfil the prophecy.

   The Insider present a serious examination of the mysterious influences^[3] which, from behind the scenes, shape America and Western civilisation.

This crusade, this war on terrorism, is going to take a long time.
- President Bush II, September 2001

"You may not believe in prophecy, but among the leaders of nations there are those who do."
- T. V. Acheson, 1999