I love a good action movie! Bruce Lee the game of death, released in 1978, certainly qualifies as one of the best martial arts movies ever made. But what makes this movie even more remarkable is the Big Message that sits beneath the main story.

This classic film represents the journey each of us must take on the battlefield of Life. In our own personal jihad, which can last a lifetime, we must succeed in overcoming our own limitations, carnal and mental, in order to achieve greater spiritual and moral development. The Apostle Paul advises us to put on the full Armor of God.

In the film, the character of Bruce Lee is forced by an underworld criminal syndicate to fight in a brutal fight that takes place in a pagoda. A great treasure is located at the apex of the pagoda. The pagoda is a metaphor for the MIND. It is on the top three levels of the pagoda that the fighting takes place.

Because we do not fight against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness on high.

The pagodas of ancient Asia served the same purpose as the pyramids of ancient Egypt. The pyramids were temples of formal initiation (as well as repositories of great wealth and learning). Any candidate seeking admission to the Mystery School underwent a tortuous series of elaborate rites designed to test the candidate’s mettle.

The fighter at each level of the pagoda is a master in their own respective discipline. at the highest level (the level of the unknown) is where Lee’s character faces Jeet Kune Do Master’s degree, hakim (performed by NBA legend Kareem Abdul Jabbar). Jeet Kune Do (JKD) is a system that does not adhere to a set form, thus removing the limitations and restrictions of other martial arts. JKD was actually devised by Bruce Lee and is truly a “Think out of the box” philosophy of: “Not to use path as path and not to have limitation as limitation”.

Hakeem is sitting on a throne in a darkened room wearing sunglasses. The dark room symbolizes the King’s Chamber of the Great Pyramid of Gizah. The imagery also evokes the Merkavah Throne of Yahweh. (Psalms 97:2 and Ezekiel 1)

hakim (ØÙ?ÙSÙ…) is an Attribute of God and means Judge in Arabic. Hakeem is an impressive physical specimen and it is revealed to Lee’s character that he is painfully sensitive to light. This turns out to be Hakim’s undoing.

The character of Bruce Lee beats each fighter in each level and triumphantly overcomes the pagoda. The mob boss (representing Satan and the vestiges of sin) commits suicide by jumping from the top of the temple.

The same man who enters the pagoda is not the same man who leaves. He has been changed and has a different mentality than before. By entering the deadly contest, Lee’s character figuratively “dies” to the world and to himself. Having progressed through the initiatory degrees, the former initiate has realized the inner Treasure (“the kingdom“). Now that he has mastered transient worldly wealth it no longer appeals to him. He overlooks material treasure because now he knows that true wealth does not decay. (Matthew 6: 19 and 20)

When we become CONSCIOUS and reach Christ consciousness we experience the death of the EGO (the false sense of SELF that separates). when we win the cosmic vision only then do we perceive the Unity of Creation. When one surpasses himself by dying to himself, he becomes (worthy of receiving the title of) a God (or the Son of GOD).

Sometimes we can feel that it is us against the world, but we must always keep in mind that the Christ in us is much greater than the one in the world. Christ gives us the power to overcome…

“To him who overcomes, I will give to sit with me on my throne, just as I also overcame and sat with my Father on his throne.” (Revelation 3:21)