The National Treasure franchise of books and movies introduces us to a genre of American historical fiction action-adventures that appeals to anyone loving history. In the second film, Book of Secrets, historical scavenger Benjamin Gates is in search of the Lost City of Gold. His search takes him to France, England, Washington, D.C. and finally to Mount Rushmore.
Spoiler Alert! “Clues have been hidden in each location. The first clue led to the French Statue of Liberty, which lead to the Wood Carvings hidden in Resolute Desks. One of the Wood Carvings was found before, by Calvin Coolidge and a clue was left to [the] Book of Secrets. Coolidge also created Mount Rushmore as a coverup to destroy the landmarks leading to Cíbola to protect it. The Book of Secrets has the image of the wood carving. The two wood carvings together lead to [the] Black Hills. [At Mount Rushmore, hidden caves behind the monumental faces of the presidents takes Gates and his team on a search.] Benjamin Gates [and his team] … find the city of gold and got credit for the discovery…The Lost City of Gold, was hidden in Mount Rushmore.”1
Both movies make a person wonder if there really are all these secret hiding places all throughout the United States with clues just waiting for the next Benjamin Gates to find them. I find the possibilities of such an adventure to be intriguing!
Did you know that a secret room really does exist within Mt. Rushmore? “While the sculptor Gutzon Borglum was working on Mount Rushmore, he had the idea of adding a special room where future generations could learn about the significance of the United States as well as his own creation. The Hall of Records was intended as its own architectural wonder, accented with double doors, a long staircase, and a gold-plated eagle with a 38-foot wingspan. The inside would serve as a museum, housing bronze and glass cabinets full of the country’s key historical documents, busts of important Americans, a list of notable U.S. contributions to the world, and more. Armed with dynamite, miners laid the groundwork for the Hall of Records in 1938 — to the displeasure of Congress, who saw only a 70-foot-deep cave beyond President Lincoln’s hairline. Borglum was instructed to devote his time and federal funding to finishing the quartet of faces. Soon after he died in March 1941, the monument was deemed complete. The Hall of Records remained an empty granite pit for more than half a century.
“At the behest of Borglum’s family — who worried that the sculpture’s significance “would become a riddle” to historians — the artist’s vision for the room was partly realized on August 9, 1998. A teak box was filled with 16 porcelain enamel tablets containing documents including the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address, plus details about Borglum and the forging of Mount Rushmore. The box was placed in a noncorrosive titanium container, which was lowered deep into a hole at the Hall of Records’ entrance. To seal the opening, a 1,200-pound granite capstone was added, etched with a quote from Borglum. Alas, tourists are not able to explore the hall that might have been.”2
This secret place is off limits! However, I know of a secret place that isn’t off limits. Come explore it with me as we read Psalms 91:1. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” This secret place seems to be a special reserved place deep in the heart and presence of God where we find intimacy, comfort, safety, and protection.
It is the place to where we run and hide from enemies.
It is the place where we get alone with God and experience sweet fellowship.
It is the place where we find healing from our hurts and comfort from the hand of God.
It is a place of intimate nearness to our Lord.
In Psalms 18:1-11 David says, “I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. (2) The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. (3) I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. (4) The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. (5) The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. (6) In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. (7) Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. (8) There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. (9) He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. (10) And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. (11) He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.” Take time to read verses 12-50. God so poetically and graphically paints a picture of the One who is our hiding place. The imagery is stunning!
While I will never get to explore the secrets of Washington, D.C. or Mt. Rushmore, I have something far greater to explore – the secret place of the Almighty.
“For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.” (Psalms 27:5)
1https://nationaltreasure.fandom.com/wiki/C%C3%ADbola
2https://interestingfacts.com/fact/theres-a-secret-room-behind-mount-rushmore/
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