For the first 400 years of the Christian era, images of the cross (representing the death of Jesus) were carefully avoided. Early Christians knew that a cross symbol could identify them as a possible enemy of the Roman state and lead to imprisonment and death.
Although the cross was often hidden, early Christians still looked for a way to safely recognize one another. Then, sometime during the reign of the Roman emperor, Constantine I, an unknown individual created a simple sign that soon spread throughout the Christian network.
This forgotten artist remembered that Jesus had called His followers to become “fishers of men” and designed a symbol of a fish using two curved lines that started on one end and intersected on the other. It was the perfect symbol for the time and was quickly adopted by Christians everywhere to identify one another.
That symbol largely disappeared from Christian consciousness for around 1700 years until a rock festival in 1969 called Woodstock indirectly led to its rediscovery.
I was a student at Asbury College in 1970 when a group of us decided to have a Christian music festival to rival Woodstock. I was elected to the first Board of Directors and still remember the day we decided on the festival name. I had just returned from a Greek class and when asked for ideas I suggested Ichthys because it’s the Greek word for fish and, I thought, sounded cool.
After some discussion, the name became Ichthus, because of the easier pronunciation.
In a recent book on the history and influence of symbols, the author, Colin Salter, says in a chapter on the Christian fish symbol, that he believes that the Ichthus Music Festival sparked an international rediscovery of the design, which now appears all over the world.
God is ALWAYS doing more than you know. Trust His plan. He is constantly at work fulfilling His purpose. God uses everything you do to advance His kingdom, even when you don’t see it.
The Bible says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” NIV
