I am normally not caught up by reports of Jesus being seen on Naan bread or images of the virgin Mary and Jesus appearing in a bubble.  I look at them and think well I suppose it could be.

If you turn it upside down, squint your eyes just right, and catch the optimum sun reflection it might be Jesus or maybe its an image of  “fill in the blanks.”

You get my drift.

But for some reason, this story about the appearance of a Christian symbol on a fish caught my attention. This is not to say it is a sign from God, but let’s just say I haven’t written it off.

There are a number of factors that cause this one to stand out from the crowd of other image appearances.

• First there is no guessing on the image. It is absolutely distinct;
• Second, it is unusual in how it was formed. There was no luck;
• Third involves where it happened;
• Fourth is the Biblical symbolism tied with the image, and
• Finally, it had an impact on those who saw it.

Lars Ludvigsson supervises a fish filleting line at a fish factory in Gothenburg, Sweden.

On Thursday, September 19, 2013, there was loud commotion at the factory. A fellow from Gambia started shouting about something on a fish.

Everyone in the factory rushed over to see what was happening. When they arrived, they saw a salmon with a very distinct cross on its stomach formed by unusual darkened scales on the salmon’s white stomach.

Lars called it the “Jesus salmon” and the name stuck.

In an interview Ludvigsson said:

“The scales were in the exact shape of a cross. The guy who found it was very excited, even I was excited actually. I’ve been in this business for 30 years and have never seen anything like it.”

Ludvigsson added those who discovered the fish are convinced it is a sign from God. Even the paper breaking the story suggested the same in their headline: Man finds ‘Jesus fish” in Sweden: a sign from God.

Fish have a special place in Biblical symbolism. Early Christians used a stylized image of a fish (Ichthys) to symbolize their faith. That choice was probably attributed to the number of times Jesus told His disciples He would make them fishers of men  (Mark 1:17; Mathew 4:19; Luke 5:10).

What also struck me is where it happened — Sweden. Along with other Scandinavian countries, Sweden is arguably one of the most non-religious nations in the world. But I have noticed strange things happening in that area of the world recently. This past year, the Bible was the best selling book in Norway — bewildering even those who live there.

Coincidentally, the fish was a “Norwegian” salmon.

Perhaps it is a sign God is preparing to move in a special way among those northern countries.

Related articles

• Man finds ‘Jesus fish” in Sweden: a sign from God: The Local