The Sound of Silence

So I said in my blog purpose statement that there are truths about eternity on every person's heart. Sometimes those truths come about in songs, stories, movies, etc.. Here's a song I have found to have wisdom as it echoes themes found in the Bible.

"The Sound of Silence"

Hello darkness, my old friend (person is acquainted with darkness) I've come to talk with you again Because a vision softly creeping Left its seeds while I was sleeping And the vision that was planted in my brain Still remains (had an impressionable dream that we will hear more about throughtout the song) Within the sound of silence (the backdrop for the dream/and song)

In restless dreams I walked alone (he's the only one seeing this vision/receiving this truth) Narrow streets of cobblestone 'Neath the halo of a street lamp (lamp=a small bit of light interrupting darkness) I turned my collar to the cold and damp When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light That split the night (a much brighter light breaking through the darkness) And touched the sound of silence (and breaking through the silence)

And in the naked light I saw (what he sees now, a hidden truth, he did not see while in the dark - Luke 8:17 "For nothing is secreat that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light) Ten thousand people, maybe more (a large amount of people) People talking without speaking People hearing without listening People writing songs that voices never share And no one dared Disturb the sound of silence

(What he saw here is something discussed frequently in the Bible. Isaiah 6:9 says "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.'" Isaiah 42:20 "Seeing many things, but you do not observe; Opening the ears, but he does not hear." Jesus quotes Isaiah 6 in Luke 8:10 when telling how he disguises truths in parables.)

"Fools," said I, "You do not know (addressing the many people) Silence, like a cancer, grows (silence will quietly grow and destroy if not discovered and dealt with) Hear my words that I might teach you (pleading for someone listen to him) Take my arms that I might reach you ( he's trying to save them from their own way) But my words, like silent raindrops fell (he tried to tell them) And echoed in the wells, of silence (but they didn't listen)

And the people bowed and prayed To the neon god they made (so instead they turn to the worship of idols who, according to Psalm 115:5-6 'have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear;' vs 8 says 'those who make them become like them'. Problem: the people are trusting in the works of their own hands instead of trusting in the living, breathing, LORD and his work. The LORD who has a mouth and speaks to them; eyes and sees them; ears and hears them; hands that he holds out to them and leads them with; feet that he walks beside them with.{ ref. Psalm 115:5-8; Isaiah 41:13 'For I the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the one who helps you." 'Gen3:8, Gen 5:2}) And the sign flashed out its warning (flashing sign again indicates light breaking through the darkness, in an attempt to warn the people of a possible hazard, or danger and show them the way to safety so they will not have to endure the coming hardship. Let me give you an example from the Bible. In Daniel chapter 9, Daniel is praying for the people to be spared from calamity. He claims the problem is "we have not made our prayer before the LORD our God". So the solution would be to turn from our ways towards his face.)

In the words that it was forming And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls And tenement halls" (The irony here is that the truth, attempting to be exposed by the light, is actually written in very public places for all the people to see...but they can't because of the darkness. Here are some words of the prophets: Isaiah 38;17 - in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction Isaiah 43:4 - you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you Isaiah 55:3 - Incline you ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant Jeremiah 31:3 - I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you Hosea 2:19- I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and injustice, in steadfast love and in mercy. Malachi 1:2- I have loved you) And whispered in the sounds of silence

written by Paul Simon - FYI the name Simon means "listen" or "hear".

"In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10