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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0;"/><title>Topical Bible: The Secret Signal</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/topical/t/the_secret_signal.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newtopical.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-LR4HSKRP2H"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-LR4HSKRP2H'); </script><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/topical/vmenus/judges/7-9.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/bmcde/s/secret.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/topical/">Topical</a> > The Secret Signal</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/topical/t/the_secret_room.htm" title="The Secret Room">◄</a> The Secret Signal <a href="/topical/t/the_sect.htm" title="The Sect">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">Jump to: <a href="#sub" title="Subtopics">Subtopics</a> • <a href="#rel" title="Related Terms">Terms</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><a name="te" id="te"></a><div class="vheading2">Topical Encyclopedia</div>The concept of a "secret signal" is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible; however, the idea of covert communication or hidden messages can be found in various narratives throughout the Scriptures. These instances often involve divine intervention, prophetic insight, or strategic human actions that align with God's purposes.<br><br><b>Biblical Instances:</b><br><br>1. <b>Gideon's Battle Strategy (<a href="/judges/7-9.htm">Judges 7:9-22</a>):</b> One of the most notable examples of a secretive strategy is found in the account of Gideon. God instructed Gideon to reduce his army to just 300 men to fight against the Midianites. The plan involved a surprise attack at night using trumpets, jars, and torches. The signal for the attack was the sound of the trumpets and the breaking of jars, which caused confusion and panic among the Midianites. This strategic move, though not a "secret signal" in the modern sense, involved a hidden plan revealed by God to ensure victory. <a href="/judges/7-20.htm">Judges 7:20</a> states, "The three companies blew the trumpets and shattered the jars. They held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands and shouted, 'A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!'"<br><br>2. <b>Jonathan and David (<a href="/1_samuel/20-18.htm">1 Samuel 20:18-42</a>):</b> The friendship between Jonathan and David provides another example of a secret signal. Jonathan devised a plan to communicate with David about King Saul's intentions. He used a prearranged signal involving arrows to convey whether it was safe for David to return to the king's court. This covert communication was crucial for David's safety. In <a href="/1_samuel/20-21.htm">1 Samuel 20:21-22</a>, Jonathan says, "Then I will send a boy and say, 'Go, find the arrows!' If I expressly say to the boy, 'Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them here,' then come, because as surely as the LORD lives, you are safe, and there is no danger. But if I say to the young man, 'Look, the arrows are beyond you,' then you must go, for the LORD has sent you away."<br><br>3. <b>Rahab and the Spies (<a href="/joshua/2.htm">Joshua 2:1-21</a>):</b> Rahab's assistance to the Israelite spies in Jericho involved a secretive agreement. She hid the spies and helped them escape, asking for a sign of protection for her family. The spies instructed her to tie a scarlet cord in her window as a signal for her household to be spared during the impending conquest. This act of faith and the use of a secret signal ensured her family's survival. <a href="/joshua/2-18.htm">Joshua 2:18</a> states, "Behold, when we come into the land, you must tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and gather your family inside your house."<br><br><b>Theological Implications:</b><br><br>The use of secret signals or covert communication in the Bible often underscores themes of divine providence, protection, and the fulfillment of God's promises. These narratives highlight the importance of obedience, faith, and discernment in aligning with God's will. They also demonstrate how God can use seemingly ordinary or hidden means to accomplish extraordinary purposes.<br><br><b>Symbolism and Interpretation:</b><br><br>In a broader sense, the concept of a secret signal can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual discernment and the ability to perceive God's guidance in subtle ways. Believers are encouraged to be attentive to the Holy Spirit's leading, which may not always be overt or obvious. As Jesus taught in <a href="/matthew/13-16.htm">Matthew 13:16</a>, "But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear."<br><br>While the Bible does not explicitly mention "secret signals," the underlying principle of divine guidance through hidden or unexpected means is a recurring theme that encourages believers to trust in God's sovereign plan and to remain vigilant in their spiritual walk.</div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="sub" id="sub"></a><div class="vheading2">Subtopics</div><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/c/collusion_in_sin.htm">Collusion in Sin</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/s/secret.htm">Secret</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/s/secret_of_others_not_to_be_divulged.htm">Secret of Others not to be Divulged</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/s/secret--alms_(charitable_donations)_to_be_given_in.htm">Secret: Alms (Charitable Donations) to be Given In</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/s/secret--prayer_to_be_offered_in.htm">Secret: Prayer to be offered In</a></p><p class="pspc"><a href="/topical/naves/s/secret--unclassified_scriptures_relating_to.htm">Secret: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To</a></p><a name="rel" id="rel"></a><div class="vheading2">Related Terms</div><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/shavsha.htm">Shavsha (1 Occurrence)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/secretary.htm">Secretary (34 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/b/belshazzar.htm">Belshazzar (8 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/c/caesar's.htm">Caesar's (10 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/a/ahijah.htm">Ahijah (23 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/subscribe.htm">Subscribe (2 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/scribes.htm">Scribes (85 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/seraiah.htm">Seraiah (18 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/t/text.htm">Text (5 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/m/manuscripts.htm">Manuscripts</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/m/malefactor.htm">Malefactor (2 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/secret.htm">Secret (341 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/t/teaching.htm">Teaching (372 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/t/teacher.htm">Teacher (103 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/t/teach.htm">Teach (172 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/h/household.htm">Household (222 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/b/bishop.htm">Bishop (4 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/solomon.htm">Solomon (277 Occurrences)</a></p><p class="pspc2"><a href="/topical/s/sodomite.htm">Sodomite (1 Occurrence)</a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/topical/t/the_secret_room.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="The Secret Room"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="The Secret Room" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/topical/t/the_sect.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="The Sect"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="The Sect" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"><script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; 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