JF Ptak Science Books Post 311
( No Room for Eden —notes on Johnny Cash and the biblical and classical references in the text of “The Man Comes Around”, by John R. Cash (2002).
This song was written by Mr. Cash for his American series (IV), and released in 2002. This is a simply superb series of recordings, mostly coming from Mr. Cash's final time. The quality of his voice and his humanity is astonishing.
Listen HERE (with static images).
*** = annotation
[Cash's lyrics in italics.]
The Man Comes Around
“And I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder:
One of the four beasts saying: "Come and see."
And I saw.
And behold, a white horse.
***""And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."--Revelations 6:1-2 On the opening of the First Seal (one of the four beasts) bids the Christ to come and see what was inside; the conquering figure on the white horse being Jesus, the white horse being purity of faith, etc. ***Seals referring to the 7 seals binding the great book in Revelations
“There's a man goin' 'round takin' names.
An' he decides who to free and who to blame.
Everybody won't be treated all the same.
There'll be a golden ladder reaching down.
*** Jacob's ladder is probably the most famous ladder in symbolism. Its story is found in the Old Testament [Gen 28:10-17]. Jacob, fleeing from the wrath of his brother, lay down to sleep with a stone for a pillow. During the night he dreamed that he saw a ladder or stairway reaching up into the heavens upon which were angels ascending and descending. At the head of the ladder was God the Father confirming the Patriachal blessing upon him and promising to protect him on his journey….
St. Augustine wrote that Jacob's ladder represented the Church and the angels the patriarch saw ascending and descending upon it represented the evangelists or preachers of the Gospel ***
When the man comes around.
“The hairs on your arm will stand up.
At the terror in each sip and in each sup.
For you partake of that last offered cup,
Or disappear into the potter's ground.
When the man comes around.
***welcome to the apocalypse, friends; drink from the everlasting or disappear into an unmaked grave in the pauper’s burying ground***
Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers.
***7 seals, 7 angels given 7 trumpets rev 8:1
One hundred million angels singin'.
Multitudes are marching to the big kettle drum.
Voices callin', voices cryin'.
Some are born an' some are dyin'.
It's Alpha's and Omega's Kingdom come
.***the beginning of the end, trumpets of the angels revealed in the first seal calling to the faithful or not so…***
And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree.
***no whirlwinds or thorn trees in the B (thorn bushes, etc) Judgment approaches.
The virgins are all trimming their wicks
.***referring to trimming and caring for a torch,and later to the economy of a lamp. J refers the virgins to their chaste ways***
The whirlwind is in the thorn tree.
It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks
.***referring to kicking clods/dirt from an early sort of plow, a prick. Straight and narrow, the righteous way…
Till Armageddon, no Shalam, no Shalom
***Armageddon: the geographic location given in the book of Revelation (16:16) for the climactic battle between Christ and Antichrist, with Christ's victory ushering in his thousand-year reign on earth. Named after the hill near the town of in Megiddo, Palestine, which due to its strategic location overlooking major military and trade routes was the site of many ancient battles.
***Shalam Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace (shalam)"; Psalms 4:8. also, to complete, or to finish. (Isaiah 33:1), and shalam Psalms; Shalom, Hebrew, peace. Perhaps Shalam was meant as "Shalaam", which in Arabi cmeans "peace".
Then the father hen will call his chickens home.
The wise men will bow down before the throne.
And at his feet they'll cast their golden crown
.*** Crown The Greek word is stephanos, a garland of victory. He had worn the crown of thorns and was awarded the crown of glory j. John 19:01
When the man comes around.
Whoever is unjust, let him be unjust still.
Whoever is righteous, let him be righteous still.
Whoever is filthy, let him be filthy still.
**** Rev 22:11 "He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still."
Listen to the words long written down,
When the man comes around.
Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers.
One hundred million angels singin'.
Multitudes are marchin' to the big kettle drum.
Voices callin', voices cryin'.
Some are born an' some are dyin'.
It's Alpha's and Omega's Kingdom come.
And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree.
The virgins are all trimming their wicks.
The whirlwind is in the thorn tree.
It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
In measured hundredweight and penny pound.
***hundrewweight is 100lbs; 20 pennys to the ounce…all things measured large and small…
When the man comes around.
****
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts,
And I looked and behold: a pale horse.
And his name, that sat on him, was Death.
And Hell followed with him.
End.
**** And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Rev 6:8 The next two verses from revelation: 9. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Revelation, the last book of the Bible's New Testament, is the only one which is an Apocalypse, in the sense of the Greek word for "revelation." Its author, described in the title as "John the Divine," has traditionally been identified with St. John the Apostle, who is believed to have written the book of Revelation during his exile on the Greek island of Patmos.
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