Secret Codes and Signs

13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 
14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. ~ Matthew 7:13,14 KJV

By Rolaant McKenzie | February 19th, 2023

The Underground Railroad was a network of secret meeting places, pathways and safe houses used by slaves in the United States to escape slave-holding states to free states in the north and Canada from the late 18th century until about 1862 after the start of the Civil War. It is estimated that between 1810 and 1860 more than 100,000 slaves made it to freedom using this network.

Codes and hidden messages were essential in providing slaves what they needed to know to make a successful escape from bondage. The railroad in North America was a new and emerging form of transportation in the early 1800s, so those involved in aiding escaping slaves made use of the vernacular of railroad conductors and workers.

Such language could be used as codes in verbal and written communications without revealing their activities to slave masters, bounty hunters, law enforcement, or spies. For example, words such as “agent,” “conductor,” and “baggage” respectively referred to those who planned escape routes and contacts, the one who personally transported slaves to freedom, and fugitives that were expected. Other words such as “Canaan,” “Promised Land,” and “Heaven” referred to Canada and freedom.

Constellations played an important role in helping slaves escape without getting lost or captured. “Following the drinking gourd” was code for using the Big Dipper to find the North Star. As long as they followed the North Star, which remains stationary in the night sky, they would successfully make their way north to freedom.

“Spirituals,” a form of Christian music of Black American origin, contained codes that were used to convey messages and give directions. Slaves could sing songs in the presence of their masters secretly communicating messages when slaves should prepare to escape and where to go.

One of the most prominent figures of the Underground Railroad was an escaped slave named Harriet Tubman (c. 1820-1913). “Moses” was her code name. In spite of a bounty on her head, she became a “conductor” who made 13 trips to Maryland and led to freedom 70 slaves before the Civil War. Tubman made use of the codes of the Underground Railroad to help in her dangerous missions. She also sang songs such as “Go Down Moses” and “Bound for the Promised Land,” sometimes in different tempos, to let escaping slaves know when it was safe to leave cover or remain hidden.

Notwithstanding the efforts of slaveholders and their associates, Tubman and the fugitives she assisted were never captured. Speaking at an 1896 women’s suffrage convention in New York, she said:

“I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years, and I can say what most conductors can’t say — I never ran my train off the track, and I never lost a passenger.”

In the early church when many Jewish people were coming to faith in Jesus, they faced ostracism, loss of livelihood, loss of family relationships, imprisonment, and threats to their lives from the local religious and civil authorities in Jerusalem and the surrounding regions. These early believers came together to help each other through the harsh times they faced and build up their faith (Acts 2:42-47).

The community of believers grew to include Gentiles as the gospel was spread throughout the Roman Empire. Periods of severe Roman persecution caused these early Christians to come up with their own secret codes and signs.

The “fish symbol” — also called “Ichthys” (ik-thoos), a Greek word for “fish” — was such a sign. It was in use during 1st century AD Greek culture and represented a vessel of fish and fertility of life.

During the 2nd century AD when Christianity was periodically outlawed, Christians used this symbol to surreptitiously let other believers know where it was safe to meet for worship and fellowship. Because this symbol was also used by some pagan religions, it did not arouse suspicion from those hostile to Christianity.

They thought this a fitting symbol since Jesus called on His followers to be “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19), and eternal life came through faith in Him. Even the individual letters of the Greek alphabet comprising the word “fish” was used as an acrostic to represent the words: “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior.”

If a Christian was unsure another person was a believer or enemy, he would draw half of the fish on the ground and wait for the other person to draw the other half. If he did not follow with this countersign, it meant the other person was not a Christian, but the curved line on the ground looked like nothing special or something that would alert an adversary. If the other person completed the image of the fish, then it was clear that he was also a Christian and that they could safely speak.

The apostle John wrote the Revelation of Jesus Christ around 90-95 AD, during a time of great persecution for the church. He was exiled by the Roman government to a penal colony on the Island of Patmos “because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 1:9). The purpose of the book, making use of many signs and symbols, was to reveal present events and what was to come in the end, culminating in the second coming of Jesus and the permanent establishment of His kingdom in a new heaven and earth. It was to strengthen the faith of believers in Christ as they endured persecution and severe adversity and provide assurance that the goodness of God will overcome evil, sin, and death forever.

Like the followers of Jesus in the early centuries of the church, the Christian faith held by many slaves in the early decades of the United States helped them to develop a clandestine language that bound them together as a community. Their faith in God offered the promise not only of freedom and eternal life with Jesus, but the possibility of deliverance and liberty in the present life, no matter their current dire circumstances.

This hope encouraged them to endure great hardship and danger, and also bound them together with those who at great risk to themselves provided their homes, food, clothing, and supplies needed for the journey northward to freedom.

As Christians around the world today face increasing levels of persecution and adversity brought upon them by their governments, including in some Western countries, we have the benefit of the experiences of “a great cloud of witnesses” in the Bible and history to encourage us to remain faithful to Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-3) and proclaim the gospel.

As global elitists seek to hem in and enslave us through contrived dependence and pervasive surveillance technology, we may like believers of the past need to develop our own secret codes, signs, and connections to help one another and build community as the early Christians did in Acts 2 and elsewhere in history.

This would help bring the true body of Jesus Christ together in the power of the Holy Spirit so that it can be an oasis of encouragement in the midst of a harsh desert, equip it to be salt and light in an increasingly decaying and darkening world (Matthew 5:13-16), and enable the proclamation of the gospel so that all who believe will be able to join the great innumerable assembly around the throne of God in true freedom and unending joy (Revelation 7:9-17).

© 2023 Rolaant McKenzie – All Rights Reserved

E-Mail Rolaant McKenzie: rolaant@gospeloutreach.net

Website: http://www.gospeloutreach.net/

About the Author: Rolaant McKenzie

Rolaant McKenzie operates Gospel Outreach Ministries Online, a Christian apologetics ministry dedicated to the proclamation of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ online, and discussing important contemporary issues from a Biblical perspective.

Stay the Course, for the Goal Is in Sight!

4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 
5  Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 
6  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

~ Romans 15:4-6 KJV

This article was published at News with Views on 21st June 2022 and which original can be read Here. Kindly visit Rolaant McKenzie’s ministry by clicking on the banner below.

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By Rolaant McKenzie | June 21st, 2022

Whenever the Olympic games take place, I especially enjoy the opening and closing ceremonies. It is wonderful seeing athletes from all over the world wearing the distinctive garb of their countries and carrying their national flags.

During the opening ceremonies, it is customary for the athletes of the many participating nations to march into the stadium under their own nations’ flags. This is in preparation for the national teams to compete against each other to gain glory for their respective countries. In contrast, during the closing ceremonies flag bearers of the nations proceed into the stadium together followed by the athletes from the countries those flags represent. The athletes come into the stadium as one body singing, dancing, and celebrating their common bond that they participated in the Olympic games, no matter to what nation they belonged.

It is like Van Halen’s rendition of the song Dancing in the Street (originally sung by Martha & the Vandellas), where people from all over the world get out into the streets and swing and sway to sweet music, expressing their joy of life and celebrating it with each other.

Armin Van Buuren, the famous Dutch DJ, is known worldwide for his very energetic progressive trance and dance-pop music concerts. It is obvious the joy he feels as he brings joy to his hearers. Armin dances as he controls the synthesizer and other equipment rolling out the show. The lights and music amaze and excite the crowd as they dance together waving flags from nations around the world.

In a small way this reminds me of the joy that will be when Jesus returns and takes from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues a great multitude which no one will be able to count home to heaven (Revelation 7:9-17), where with great joy they will sing, dance, and celebrate as they make their way down the streets of gold praising and thanking God. Praising Him as the Creator and Sustainer of all things and thanking Him for sending Jesus, His one and only Son, who redeemed them from their sins, the devil, and his minions who had tormented them on earth.

In the 2006 epic historical action film 300, Leonidas, King of Sparta, led 300 Spartan warriors during the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC) in a seemingly hopeless fight to defend his home against the army of King Xerxes of Persia more than 1,000 times the size.

In a pivotal scene, Leonidas met personally with Xerxes, who offered him great wealth and power if only he would kneel and worship him.Leonidas refused Xerxes’ offer, choosing instead to meet death with his fellow warriors defending their home. He further told him that contrary to being forgotten, history would remember that free men stood against a tyrant, that few stood against many, and that in the end all would know that Xerxes was no god at all.

Ephialtes, a Spartan who was turned away from joining Leonidas in the fight against the Persian invaders due to a physical deformity that prevented him from holding up his shield high enough, became embittered and made a different choice. He defected to Xerxes, who offered him wealth, luxury, women, and a military uniform if only he would kneel and worship him and tell him of the hidden pathway where he could trap and destroy Leonidas and his men. Ephialtes, awed by and desirous to partake of the splendor around him, prostrated himself before Xerxes and worshiped him, thus betraying his countrymen.

The first scene in 300 is reminiscent of another temptation that took place long ago that has made an indelible mark in history.

“The devil took Him [Jesus] to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’” (Matthew 4:8-10)

Because Jesus refused the devil’s offer to gain rulership of the world by avoiding suffering and death on the cross, all who trust in Him have complete forgiveness of their sins and an eternal place in His universal kingdom with all its unfading glory.

In contrast, global elitists such as some of those affiliated with organizations like the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Bilderberg Group may have responded to the offer of wealth and power in a similar fashion as Ephialtes by bending the knee to the “god” of this world (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). In doing so, they serve a defeated lord for a kingdom that will not last but will be destroyed and replaced by the eternal kingdom of the Resurrected One, the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ.

God’s people throughout history up to current times, have faced tests to their faith and temptations to compromise their fidelity to Jesus. Like Xerxes in 300, the devil will come to us and dangle something in front of our eyes we desire, or feel is indispensable to life in this world. It could be wealth, power, position, something, or someone. He will whisper in your ear,

“Do you want this? All you must do is kneel to me and this will be yours.”

Do not listen to him! Satan is a liar, thief, and murderer. You cannot bargain with someone who seeks your destruction no matter what. Instead, trust in the One who gives freely abundant life, eternal life. Jesus says,

“I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” (John 10:9-11)

Subtle or clear, whatever tests come or their level of difficulty, God’s grace is sufficient to carry us successfully through them just as it was for His faithful believers gone home to heaven before us. This is an encouragement for all who trust in Jesus alone for forgiveness of their sins and salvation to press on with the race to the not-so-distant finish line.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5)

One of the most memorable scenes at the end of the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony at Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, Russia was the end of the Olympic torch relay leading up to the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.

Former award-winning figure skater Irina Rodnina took the torch and was met by former champion ice hockey goalkeeper Vladislav Tretiak, handing the torch to him. On both sides of the long path leading out of the stadium to the cauldron were all those who previously participated in the program. It was moving to watch them cheer on Tretiak and Rodnina as they jogged out of the stadium to the culmination of the program, the lighting of the cauldron.

This reminded me of the great cloud of witnesses described in Hebrews 11-12:1-3, whose stories encourage us to remain faithful to God and stay in the race until the finish line is crossed.

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Do not give way to even intense pressure or throw in the towel. Bend not the knee to Baal or Molech, or receive thirty pieces of silver, or drop the pinch of incense to Caesar. Do not cast aside the approval of God for the approval of men (John 12:42-43). Bow not to the powers and principalities in this world that animate the elitists seeking global domination over all life (Ephesians 6:11-13). Persevere, standing firm with hope in the Lord. It really is worth it!

“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:4-6)

© 2022 Rolaant McKenzie – All Rights Reserved

E-Mail Rolaant McKenzie: rolaant@gospeloutreach.net

Website: http://www.gospeloutreach.net/

About the Author: Rolaant McKenzie

Rolaant McKenzie operates Gospel Outreach Ministries Online, a Christian apologetics ministry dedicated to the proclamation of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ online, and discussing important contemporary issues from a Biblical perspective.