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by lightning » Thu Sep 22, 2016 4:45 am
I suspect Leonard is saying something to us about how we human beings cooperate with the dark force, "we kill the flame."
He is addressing the Hebrew deity in most of the song, concluding with "Hineini" " which is what Abraham spoke when God asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac to test of his fidelity, "Here I Am," implies "at your service," a total submission to His will however cruel, insane or incomprehensible it may seem. Religions promise peace of mind for such acceptance.
But does the God of the scriptures want it darker? Didn't he once create a major flood when things got too dark? For Sodom destruction , Lots wife a pillar of salt? Or is it mortals who bring on the darkness by killing the flame?
Leonard describes the darkness in the lives of mortals, the crucifixion of God as man, Jesus, the refusal of the Deity to answer prayers for help and love ( " candles burning for the help (love) that never came."), the same miserable ending to every lover's story ( either break-up or death), Jehovah's endorsement of murder and war, ( wipe- out of the ancient Amalekites extended to present day dealings with Palestine) the hidden evil in the seemingly tame middle class, then he refers to the scriptures, where the blame is laid on human sin for its sorry lot, paradoxically, because God is described as all powerful, so is it not His doing?
Once again he goes back to his card game dealer metaphor we first met in The Stranger Song. "Let me out of the game, I'm ready my lord" may be a wish for death, or a wish to escape the destruction which is the consequence of sin ( "killing the flame" .)
He concludes with submission to his Lord, total acceptance, "If It Be Your Will," "the Holy or the Broken Hallelujah."
We can only hope that this acceptance brings him the peace of mind and sanctification he has earned.
Last edited by
lightning on Thu Sep 22, 2016 4:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.