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By William Van Zyl
Published September 29, 2026
From Chinese Hexagrams to Binary Code: the white buffalo—and the Prophetic Word of God
Last night I watched a fascinating documentary on TVNZ’s Real History Channel that explored an unusual question: Can ancient symbols contain a hidden code that reveals something about the future?
The programme began with the ancient Chinese I Ching, or Yi Jing—the Book of Changes—and its remarkable collection of sixty-four hexagrams. It then moved through Chinese philosophy, Confucius, divination and eventually into something that seemed surprisingly modern: binary code.
The journey was fascinating.
But as I watched, another thought kept returning to me:
What happens when we compare these ancient systems of signs and prophecy with the Bible’s prophetic writings?
The comparison is extraordinary.
And, from a Christian perspective, the difference is even more extraordinary.
The Mystery of the Chinese Hexagrams
The I Ching contains sixty-four hexagrams, each made up of six lines. The lines can be either broken or unbroken, representing the complementary principles traditionally known as yin and yang.
Image of the I Ching (above): The sixty-four hexagrams. The I Ching (or Book of Changes) is a 3,000-year-old Chinese divination and wisdom text rooted in cosmic balance and continuous transformation. At its core are 64 hexagrams, symbolic figures used to map every conceivable human experience, situation, or natural phenomenon.
For centuries, people have consulted the hexagrams when facing difficult decisions or uncertain circumstances. People interpreted the resulting figure as providing insight into the situation and guidance on the path ahead.
The documentary explored how psychologists, philosophers, and archaeologists have tried to understand why this ancient system has influenced Chinese culture so powerfully.
It is important to distinguish between the historical tradition and later interpretations. The I Ching developed over many centuries, and modern scholarship does not simply accept the traditional attribution of all its writings to Confucius. Nevertheless, the work became deeply connected with Chinese philosophy and Confucian thought.
There is something undeniably intriguing about a system that attempts to interpret the patterns of life through a collection of symbolic combinations.
But then the documentary took an even more surprising turn.
When Ancient Symbols Looked Like Binary
The sixty-four hexagrams can be represented mathematically as combinations of six binary positions.
A broken line can be represented as 0 and an unbroken line as 1.
That gives us:
000000
000001
000010
000011
…
111111
Sixty-four possible combinations.
This is remarkably similar to the mathematical structure of binary numbers.
The connection became famous in Europe through the German philosopher and mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. Leibniz had already been developing binary arithmetic before seeing the Chinese hexagram arrangement. In 1701, the Jesuit missionary Joachim Bouvet sent Leibniz material concerning the Chinese hexagrams, and Leibniz subsequently recognised a striking correspondence between the hexagrams and binary notation. He published his explanation of binary arithmetic in 1703.
This distinction is important.
The evidence does not establish that ancient Chinese sages invented modern computer binary arithmetic. Rather, Leibniz later recognised an ancient symbolic arrangement as corresponding mathematically to the binary system he had been developing. Modern scholars also caution against assuming that the original creators intended the hexagrams to function as a mathematical binary code.
Nevertheless, the correspondence is fascinating.
An ancient system of broken and unbroken lines can be read as a series of 0s and 1s.
Thousands of years later, those same two basic states became fundamental to the digital world.
It makes one wonder about the human desire to find order hidden within symbols.
The White Buffalo
The documentary then moved into another remarkable subject: the prophetic significance attributed to the birth of a white buffalo.
In 1994, a rare white buffalo calf was born in Wisconsin. The calf was named Miracle. The event became enormously significant to many Native American people, particularly in relation to Lakota traditions surrounding the White Buffalo Calf Woman and the sacred pipe. Contemporary accounts record ceremonies surrounding the calf and interpretations of its birth as a significant spiritual sign.
Then came another remarkable event.
In June 2024, photographers captured a rare white buffalo calf in Yellowstone National Park. Lakota spiritual leader Chief Arvol Looking Horse interpreted the birth as both a blessing and a warning—a call to take greater responsibility for the Earth and its creatures. The calf was photographed shortly after birth, and the photographer never saw it again.
ABOUT THE ABOVE IMAGE (FOR SALE ON INTERNET): “This pipe is carved from Catlinite Pipestone with a buffalo on it. The buffalo is painted white with red glass eyes, and the horns are made from raccoon claws. A stripe of metallic inlay runs under the buffalo. This pipe is vintage, so the buffalo is now off-white, and it has a few minor surface scratches, but otherwise the pipe is in excellent condition with a nice patina.” SOURCE: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/lakota-white-buffalo-calf-pipe-1873288291
IMAGES: The sacred white buffalo pipe, or chanupa, is a holy ceremonial object the White Buffalo Calf Woman gave to the Lakota people.
The symbolism is powerful.
The message presented in the documentary was essentially this:
Humanity has been warned.
We have a responsibility toward the Earth.
We have been given signs.
We need to change.
And if we continue destroying the natural world, the consequences could become devastating.
That message deserves serious consideration. Whatever one’s religious beliefs, humanity’s treatment of the natural world is certainly worth reflecting on.
But then I found myself asking another question:
What is the difference between a symbolic warning and biblical prophecy?
Another Kind of Prophecy
The Bible also contains signs, symbols, visions, dreams and prophetic declarations.
But biblical prophecy operates on another level.
The biblical prophets were not simply decoding mysterious symbols in order to make decisions about everyday life.
They were proclaiming a message from God.
And this is where the Bible becomes astonishing.
Consider Isaiah.
Centuries before the earthly ministry of Jesus, Isaiah wrote:
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek…”
— Isaiah 61:1
Then we turn to the Gospel of Luke.
Jesus enters the synagogue.
A scroll is handed to Him.
He opens it.
He reads from Isaiah.
And then He makes an extraordinary declaration:
“This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.”
Luke records this moment as the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophetic words in Jesus’ ministry.
Think about that.
Isaiah speaks.
Generations pass.
Jesus arrives.
Jesus reads the prophecy.
And then Jesus says:
“Today this scripture is fulfilled.”
This is not simply an interesting symbolic correspondence.
It is a claim about history.
The Difference Between a Symbol and a Fulfilment
This is where I believe biblical prophecy stands apart.
A hexagram can be interpreted.
A birth can be interpreted as a sign.
A symbol can be given meaning.
A philosophical system can provide wisdom and guidance.
But biblical prophecy repeatedly moves from promise to fulfilment.
The Old Testament and New Testament form an extraordinary network of connections.
Promises concerning the Messiah.
His lineage.
His birthplace.
His ministry.
His suffering.
His rejection.
His death.
His resurrection.
And ultimately His reign.
The individual passages are not isolated predictions scattered randomly through history.
They form a remarkable prophetic tapestry.
One thread connects to another.
One promise anticipates another.
One prophetic statement points forward to something that appears later in the biblical narrative.
And Christians believe that the centre of this entire prophetic structure is Yeshua—the Messiah.
Prophecy Is More Than Predicting the Future
Perhaps we sometimes misunderstand what biblical prophecy actually is.
Prophecy is not merely:
“Something will happen in the future.”
Biblical prophecy reveals something about God, humanity, judgment, redemption and purpose.
It speaks into history.
It exposes human rebellion.
It announces judgment.
It offers hope.
It reveals God’s purposes.
And ultimately, it points toward redemption.
That gives biblical prophecy a depth that goes far beyond attempting to decode an unknown future.
The prophets were not simply ancient fortune-tellers.
They were witnesses.
They spoke about what God was doing, what God would do, and what humanity needed to understand.
Codes, Patterns and the Search for Meaning
The documentary’s movement from Chinese hexagrams to binary code made me think about something else.
Human beings are fascinated by codes.
We see patterns everywhere.
We try to decipher them.
We search for meaning hidden beneath the surface.
Ancient people looked at symbols.
Mathematicians looked at numbers.
Philosophers looked at patterns.
Modern scientists look at information.
Computer engineers work with billions of combinations of 0 and 1.
And Christians open the pages of Scripture and discover another kind of pattern.
But the biblical pattern is not merely mathematical.
It is relational and historical.
It is the story of God dealing with humanity.
The Bible’s Prophetic Thread
Perhaps we could picture the Bible as an enormous tapestry.
Isaiah adds a thread.
Micah adds another.
David adds another.
Daniel adds another.
The prophets continue weaving.
Then, centuries later, the Gospel writers record Yeshua’s life.
Suddenly, threads that seemed separate begin to converge.
The pattern becomes visible.
The prophetic writings begin to illuminate the events recorded in the New Testament.
And the Christian claim is that this is not accidental.
It is the unfolding of God’s purpose through history.
That is why biblical prophecy is so powerful.
It is not merely about predicting isolated events.
It is about God revealing His purposes across generations.
What About the White Buffalo?
I find the white buffalo story particularly interesting when placed beside biblical prophecy.
According to Lakota tradition, the white buffalo carries profound spiritual significance, and some Lakota spiritual leaders interpreted the 2024 birth as both a blessing and a warning about humanity’s relationship with the Earth.
Christians can acknowledge the significance such a symbol has within another people’s spiritual tradition without confusing it with biblical revelation.
Indeed, there is an interesting point of contact.
The Bible itself repeatedly teaches humanity to take its responsibility toward God’s creation seriously.
So the environmental warning doesn’t need a white buffalo to matter.
The Bible already tells us that creation matters.
But the Christian’s ultimate authority for prophecy is not a mysterious animal, a hexagram, a dream, an omen or a symbolic event.
It is the Word of God.
There Is a Difference Between Mystery and Revelation
The documentary was fascinating because it explored humanity’s attempt to decipher mysteries.
But Christianity begins from a different place.
God does not merely leave humanity with a collection of mysterious symbols and say:
“Work it out.”
He speaks.
He reveals.
He enters history.
And, according to the Christian faith, He ultimately reveals Himself through Yeshua the Messiah.
John begins his Gospel with the extraordinary declaration:
“In the beginning was the Word…”
The Word is not simply a code.
The Word becomes flesh.
That is a completely different kind of revelation.
Prophecy That Can Be Trusted
When I consider the prophetic writings of Scripture, what amazes me is not simply that the Bible contains predictions.
It is the coherence.
The alignment.
The depth.
The connections.
The way themes appear centuries apart and converge in the biblical story.
Isaiah speaks of the coming Servant.
Micah speaks of Bethlehem.
The Psalms contain remarkable descriptions of suffering and kingship.
Daniel presents sweeping visions of kingdoms and God’s ultimate kingdom.
Then the New Testament writers repeatedly connect these Scriptures with the life, death and resurrection of Yeshua.
And Jesus Himself points His listeners back to the Scriptures.
“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your ears.”
That sentence alone is astonishing.
The prophecy was not merely interesting.
It was fulfilled.
The Ultimate Code
Perhaps, then, there is another kind of spiritual code.
Not a code hidden in six lines.
Not a secret message hidden in numbers.
Not a mysterious animal appearing at a particular moment.
The ultimate mystery is God’s unfolding purpose through history.
And the Bible does not leave us endlessly guessing.
It gives us a narrative.
Creation.
Fall.
Covenant.
Promise.
Prophecy.
Messiah.
Redemption.
Resurrection.
And ultimately restoration.
The Bible’s prophetic message is not simply:
“Something is coming.”
It is:
“God is at work.”
The Power of Biblical Prophecy
The documentary left me thinking about the extraordinary human desire to understand the unseen.
From ancient Chinese hexagrams to the philosophy of Confucius, from binary mathematics to the sacred symbolism of the white buffalo, humanity has continually searched for meaning.
But for me, biblical prophecy stands apart.
Its power is not found merely in mystery.
Its power is found in revelation.
Its strength is not simply that it speaks about tomorrow.
Its strength is that its prophetic voice is woven through history.
Isaiah spoke.
Generations passed.
Yeshua stood in the synagogue.
He opened the scroll.
He read the ancient words.
And then He declared:
“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your ears.”
That is the moment that brings prophecy out of speculation and into history.
And that is why I believe the prophetic Word of God can be trusted.
The Bible does not merely invite us to decipher a code.
It invites us to know the One who gave the revelation.
The ancient symbols may fascinate us.
The patterns may intrigue us.
The mysteries may cause us to wonder.
But ultimately, the Christian message is much greater:
God has spoken.
The Word has been revealed.
The Messiah has come.
And God’s prophetic purposes are still unfolding.
For the Christian, biblical prophecy is not merely a collection of possibilities.
It testifies to God’s faithfulness.
And if the Scriptures that have already been fulfilled can teach us anything, it is this:
What God has spoken, God will accomplish.
Copyright © 2026 by William Van Zyl
White Buffalo Code Deciphered
All rights reserved. This eBook/article or any portion
thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner
without the publisher’s permission, except for using brief quotations in a book review.
Published by Five House Publishing (New Zealand)
First published, September 2026
More eBooks and articles are available at https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the author at http://williamvanzyl.com/
