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Angels Sing

This is going to sound crazy, but…

I was stunned when I first noticed how musicians seem to use the biblical backstory in songs and videos. Maybe it is coincidental, but I can’t help but see it everywhere. What makes it more bizarre (to me) is that songs seem to follow the pattern in the Bible, which I call God’s code, even down to the second. This post illustrates that connection by comparing Jxdn’s (Jaden Hossler) song Pray to various Bible passages.

Intersection with Modern Music

I never noticed how so many songs are about heaven, sin, the cross, salvation, prayer, and God. You probably did, but I was slow to the party.

After realizing the potential correlation, I began taking notes for an upcoming book on how music videos relate to God’s code. The songs I looked at spanned genres like Pop, Christian, Rock, Country, and Alternative. Some examples include Lauren Daigle’s Rescue, Harry Styles’ Falling, Jelly Roll’s Son of a Sinner, and Black Veil Bride’s Savior II. I also took notes on Jaden’s songs, Tell Me About Tomorrow and Pray. Shockingly, the timing used by each artist precisely fits the biblical pattern.

To be sure, countless other artists also follow this same pattern – even Beethoven and Mozart.

Wisdom in Music

“When things are too dangerous to say. Sing.” -Elvis,

This line from the recent Warner Brothers movie Elvis has a lot of truth to it. What is hidden in songs is deep, methodical, and amazing. While lyrics often match up with the biblical backstory of life, separation, and reunification, they also hide the message. The reason for the riddles is incredible. Musicians use their craft to share hope, despite the requirement of silence according to the messianic secret. Jesus explained why – so some will understand while others do not (Mark 4:11, Matthew 13:10-17). Otherwise, they would turn and be forgiven (Mark 4:12).

Messianic Secret

Secrecy divides, and the messianic secret is the most potent. It is incredible how it works, why it is in place, and who is impacted. This division happens because of Jesus’ Word and command of silence as self-preservation from the blood avenger. It is perpetuated as Jesus only taught through parables (Mark 4:34) or riddles, which is what it means to speak in tongues. In further alignment, the Bible tells us riddles are used in music (Psalm 49:4, Revelation 14:3). The messianic secret acts as a defense mechanism for those bound in the spiritual cities of refuge in accordance with the Law (Numbers 35:6-34).

Breaking the Silence

My calling from God is to break that silence and find the fading embers. That means God wants his faithful army of miracles, disciples, angels, and the fallen all to return. This includes disciples who pay their own way by carrying their own cross, according to Luke 14:26-27.

Naming Names

This post is different from my other posts about the messianic secret. It is the first time I include individual names of artists. That is also why I am trying to be very careful to convey care, love, and trust.

That said, this message will prove that I am either crazy (which I am) or God wants this message out. After reading this series of posts, you can decide for yourself which it is. But remember, always love your neighbor. None of us can fully appreciate how deeply life experiences add color to our respective realities.

Backstory

This post provides very little of the backstory, so it might make sense to read the backstory and articles about the sons of Korah for additional context.

Pray

Pray is a deep and emotional song contrasting the hell of life and the finality of death. It feels like a story of separation from the world while simultaneously experiencing it, which is the essence of discipleship. The mastery of the song, however, hints at something other singers do not always include. That nuance is coming back out of the fog of uncertainty, which is often a hallmark of Jxdn’s lyrics.

The most incredible thing to me is how Jxdn times his lyrics and videos precisely to the biblical pattern – down to the second. To me, this is nothing short of amazing. While I share much more in upcoming books, I cannot bottle this up. Like other artists, Jxdn has many followers who seem to be carrying similar burdens. They need to know there is light shining back. Even if it is dim. There is hope.

Analysis of Pray by Jaden Hossler

My primary method of comparing lyrics to songs is the over-arching story of hiddenness, long hair, and the inability to eat from the vine (Numbers 6:1-21). For example, Jxdn’s song No Vanity depicts the dark separation of the Nazarites. It also depicts the inability to stand up and memories that are gone because they are dried and died on the vine. This is the plight of the disciple who must endure separation in hopes he can outlast the circumcision/separation. This analysis, however, is different since I am looking at specific timestamps and comparing them to the biblical cadence.

Each timestamp is compared to verse numbers as context. Every chapter and verse number follows the same pattern, so any chapter or book in the Bible could be used. This covers multiple passages in addition to songs from some other artists to help illustrate the universality of God’s code.

0:30 Crossing a bridge, his sweatshirt says “heaven ain’t ready.”

• • This suggests the path across the bridge, like Jacob’s explanation of Joseph in Genesis 49:22-26 as the fruitful bough whose branches cross over the wall. Joseph is also the rock of Israel. Luke 1:30, using the timestamp, tells of Mary being blessed, which also ties to the passage in Genesis since she represents the vessel of being crossed over through Jesus’ birth. John 1:30 depicts John promising the same thing to come, which is also crossing a bridge to something new.

0:52-55 “Heaven only knows when I’m in hell”

• • The biblical backstory tells us that someone enters the world in a shell before opening up. This is illustrated as spiritual childbirth and birthing pain. The side room is illustrated by the pouch David used for his five round stones and Ezekiel’s temple design. It is the idea that the ark of the covenant keeps things ‘secret’ until the appropriate time. One can come out when he is of age, according to Leviticus 27. That is illustrated by the beginning of Jaden’s video – sitting with spinning lights while on the floor and in a closed-off room.
  • Luke 12:52-55 illustrates the purpose of Christ’s ministry, which divides family against family and three against two before the weather changes. Luke 12:55 ends with, ‘hot day,’ which is hell. They can’t tell he’s in hell because they are divided.
  • Isaiah 53 is about the suffering servant, though it begins at Isaiah 52:13, and Isaiah happens to be Jaden’s middle name. Beginning the vocals at the 52 mark makes sense for someone carrying a cross (Luke 14:27). Disciples also caught 153 fish on the right-hand side of the boat (John 21:11) at Jesus’ instruction. Continuing with Isaiah 54 and 55, they are about growth and compassion that leads to mercy.
  • Matthew 13:52 tells us of a new head of household who brings out both old and new. This is the idea of revealing something hidden in a treasure box, which is the ark in the backstory. Matthew 13:53-54 continues by telling us how Jesus departed (changed) and began teaching to the astonishment of the listeners. This is a clear change from silence to being heard.
  • Mark 5:2-5 is about a demoniac or a guy so overcome with grief and voices and death that keeps breaking the chains. The chains are the result of someone breaking the rules. Then, verse 5 mentions day and night, which the Bible uses to depict awareness and unawareness of the spiritual side. That is heaven and hell, which matches Jaden’s lyrics.
  • Matt 5:2-5 is a blessing for those who are poor in spirit, mourn, and gentle, for they will receive the kingdom of Heaven, be comforted, and inherit the earth. I can’t think of a more appropriate promise for the feeling Jaden portrays in this video.
  • Revelation 5:2-4 might be the best example. John wept because nobody could open the book and look into it, meaning nobody could see what was happening around him. John felt alone in the spiritual world since he was in the spirit during this time (Revelation 1:10).
  • John 5:2-5 Depicts the lame man at the pool who wants to get well. This is immediately before Jesus asks him if he wants to be well. The suggestion is nobody is willing or able to help, just like Jaden’s lyrics suggest.
  • For depth, let’s look at other songs for this timestamp:
    • Lauren Daigle’s song Rescue, where she is touching the rock at this timestamp. The rock or stone is the concept of a person (1 Peter 2:5) being stuck in time. Lauren’s video seems as though she is showing compassion for the rock.
    • Jelly Roll’s Son of a Sinner shows him changing into another person as he drinks the drink. Becoming someone different is the idea of drinking in the Bible. It is a kind of consumption that leads to change. In all cases, two perspectives are evident such as different sides of people.
    • Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes’ song Monster says, “just let me know,” which suggests they don’t know which way to go. Notice the perspectives are those who can’t move, those who can rescue but know it is best to wait, and those who are unsure if they should. The missing perspective is the wrecking ball that tears down the walls.
    • For this, consider Miley Cyrus’ appropriately named song Wrecking Ball for this time stamp. The wall falls down in her video at precisely that time. The sense ties to how Jesus promised to tear down the temple and rebuild it.
  • There are different sides to the cross of life, but each has a nuance important to that artist’s perspective as he or she works through life on true faith. Each piece is required for the whole body of Christ to function, which includes those being ministered to (1 Cor 12:13-14). The key is to recognize why everyone is important and that none can stand without the other.
  • Jaden’s message matches Scripture and the other artists for this specific time. He wants to be free from the locked treasure box, but he cannot reveal himself. He’s in hell while his friends can’t tell. Think of the rich man in hell while Abraham denies his wish that he warn his five brothers. The chasm cannot be crossed, so nobody knows. They can’t even see it. That is until Jesus came and opened the eyes of the blind.
  • Love does not exist without hate. Love does not exist without destruction. Growth cannot exist without desolation. Realization cannot happen without ignorance. Light does not reveal itself without darkness. And, most of all, life does not happen without death. These lessons permeate the Bible if you look for them. Jesus is on all sides of this cross.

:59-1:02 None of my friends can even tell.

• • Luke 12:56-59 records Jesus chastising his audience because they don’t analyze the current day – they can’t tell people are in hell. The last verse, which coincides with this timestamp, is when Jesus says they won’t get out of hell or jail until they pay every last penny. The timing is perfect.
  • Very few chapters have verse numbers this high so I am using Matthew 26:59-62. The way the pattern continues in an elastic way allows it to continue.
  • This passage is the time Jesus is brought before Caiaphas for interrogation. He is falsely accused and remains silent. One distinct feature of Christ’s perfection is silence. Jesus did not defend himself otherwise he is revealed. Verse 64 changes things because of a specific rule that allowed Jesus to speak.
  • Jaden’s lyrics match this concept perfectly. As a disciple of Christ a person must remain silent. He cannot reveal his true nature directly nor call out anyone else. His friends, therefore, also cannot say. This means they cannot ‘tell’ anyone nor can he. It has the dual nature of suggesting that nobody can notice, which certainly also fits the Scriptures. The verse prior, Matt 26:58, even includes Peter, Jesus’ friend, staying back and not saying anything. He is a witness and therefore cannot speak. Jaden also has a song called DTA, which means Don’t Trust Anyone. It might be better stated as Don’t Tell Anyone, for these reasons.

1:04-6 He wants to f****n die, but he never says it.

• • Death is being woken up or revealed. Defiling or wicking someone out is death. If he says something, he can be found and killed. Think of Jesus running and hiding from those who want to kill him before Judas’ betrayal. Discipleship is the reverse of that as the disciple’s feet must be washed by one another in the wilderness.
  • Continuing with Matthew 26:64-67, Jesus affirms he will not say anything, but the high priest said it himself. Jesus only said the Son of Man will come on the clouds of heaven, as to rule. The high priest tore his clothes or revealed his true self before saying there was no more need for witnesses. That led them to determine Jesus deserved death in Matt 26:66 and spitting in his face and taunting him in 26:67. Again, silence prevailed as Jesus would not prophesy.
  • This ties tightly to Jaden’s lyrics as Jesus wants to be turned in and revealed, but he won’t do it because he would fail at the requisite separation. The temptation by Satan in the wilderness was the same idea of revelation and control. Jesus does not prophesy for the same reason. If he did, he would gain the world and lose his soul, which incidentally is Jaden’s first tattoo, Mark 8:36.

1:07-10 Sick of getting high, Same S***

• • Matthew 26:68-70 continues the taunt, which must be exhausting. Then it leads into Peter being confronted by a servant girl. He also denies Christ. This is the same idea of being pious and out of reach. Peter is high on himself as he denies Christ. The people taunting Jesus are also high on themselves. It is the same thing over and over from both sides. Verse 70 rounds it out with Peter utterly denying it. I could only imagine the hell Peter is in as he denies his relationship with Christ.
  • Ecclesiastes 1:9 is another good fit: “That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.” John 1:9-13 mentions the light, which is a high, and they did not receive him. Jaden suggests he recycled back into the fray of life (John 1:13). This is also like the child with seizures who goes from water to fire and back repeatedly (Matt 17:15). His video has the light swinging in circles, eliciting the same concept.

1:11-12 I can’t even cry

• • Matthew 26:71-72 illustrates Peter being called out publicly before denying Christ yet again. Preaching is also crying. That means Peter can’t cry, which the passage indicates his silence as someone else cries out instead of him. Either he is ordered not to or he does not remember Christ, but either way, he can’t cry. 2 Peter 1:12 and Mark 1:12, like every other 1:12, also depict a departure into the wilderness with a purpose. The inability to cry is the requirement of speaking in tongues like parables or mumbling like Moses through Aaron. Jesus taught in Matthew 6:16 those called must anoint their heads with oil and wash their faces. As such, they aren’t seen to be fasting from spiritual food. They remain in the shadows.

1:13-14 So I try to fake it

• • Matthew 26:73-74 is another example of someone approaching Peter about him being a disciple. Verse 64 shows Peter vehemently denying Christ. 1 Peter 1:13 (and 3:15) instructs his audience to remain sober in spirit until the revelation of the Son of Man. In other words – hide. Mark 1:13 is about being lost in the wilderness while being ministered to by angels.
  • Certainly, the passage illustrates Peter trying to fake it as the rooster crows. Peter was called out.

1:15 I hate it.

• • Matthew 26:75 depicts Peter waking up to realize what happened. He was mortified.
  • Jaden is saying something similar. He hates it. This is just before Jaden explains why, which are secrets. Peter kept the same secrets.

1:23-29 Sick of the secrets, doesn’t want to be him

• • He is taking a shower. He doesn’t want to be him. He then looks intently into his right eye.
  • Romans 1:23-29 outlines the transition from the image of God to the corruptible image of man, birds, four-legged animals, and crawling creatures. It makes me think of King Nebuchadnezzar, who was put out to pasture before he grew feathers and claws. This is a transition. That transition leads to impurity and impious behavior. In other words, it depicts someone changing into someone they do not want to be. That matches Jxdn’s lyrics.
  • Chapter and verse 1:27 is a division of soul and spirit (depicted as the eye in the Bible) to be in an unnatural state. That is described by Romans 1:27 and Genesis 1:27. It also sounds like the pigs getting baptized after the demons ask Jesus to cast them into the pigs before they run into the water and drown, similar to Luke 8:27, which matches the verse number. The tattooed and shirtless shower scene suggests someone being baptized, cleaned, and awakened to a new reality as the internal is exposed to the external. This further suggests a strong correlation to Romans 1:27. Perhaps John 1:27 says the most about the secrets being kept. John the Baptist is unworthy to untie the thong of Jesus’ sandals. That means he could not unveil Jesus’ earthly self.

1:41 He Walks in for breakfast to realize he’s dead when he wakes up.

• • John 1:41 shows Andrew telling Simon he found the Messiah or Christ. He’s being awakened for breakfast. Mark 1:41 depicts a leper being cleansed, which is the same thing as being awakened and saved. Breakfast is the idea of breaking a fast, which is a spiritual fast. It has nothing to do with temporal food. John 21:12 depicts this kind of breakfast. Ecclesiastes 10:16 is another example.

1:48 Living off the words I know you said.

• • Luke 1:48 is part of Mary’s Magnificat. It tells of the humble and low bondslave or servant being remembered as blessed in perpetuity. John 1:48 sees this playing out as Nathanael is unsure how he is seen. Jesus clarifies that he saw him before Nathanael saw Jesus. Chapter and verse number 14:8 (a variant, but still the same numbers) elicit a sacrificial meal of the anointed (Matthew 14:8, Mark 14:8, and Luke 14:8). Another pointed correlation is Jesus’ teaching in John 6:51 and Matt 4:4.

1:59 If he cries, he won’t have to fake it.

• • This is a changing point. As mentioned already, there are very few chapters with this many verses, so we will use John 6:59. It tells of teaching in Capernaum. Crying is preaching, and preaching is teaching. Teaching is not faking it, and it’s in a new place, which allows one to teach or cry again. Matthew 15:9 provides detail about worshipping in vain. Faking is how one avoids vanity. John 15:9 is about abiding or staying held within Christ’s love. In other words, don’t be vain and show it off but stay hidden and pray in private.

2:00-02 Giving up his pain (sounds like pay) so ‘you’ can take it.

• • I suggest pain and pay are similar in the Biblical landscape. This is like Matthew 5:11-12 says anyone who beats you up using Jesus as the reason will have his riches increased. These two verses conflate money and pain, which is also why Jesus said to turn the other cheek when hit. You gain riches through that process.
  • The tie to Jxdn’s lyrics is like Jesus and Judas both hanging on the cross for free in accordance with Leviticus 27:28-29. Any number two in the Bible is about separation without the spiritual side. It represents the chasm of emptiness. The second creation day is water from water with the vault between. Then, Exodus is the second book about the rescue from indentured servitude – working without pay/pain in desolation. Also, consider the fish with money in their mouth as testimony (pay) while Judas throws the money back into the temple court so he can live by faith (Matt 27:5; Matt 17:27; Matt 6:19).
  • Continuing with John 6:60-62, the disciples grumbled about the difficult things (pain) to hear. Jesus perceived that and asked what will happen when Jesus ascends. The teaching was described as spiritual and that spiritual food is what was broken for the profit of others. Luke 9:60-62 adds significant color to this as it depicts Christ explaining that nobody can go back once they turn toward the kingdom of God. That means he must continue on this path and work without pay but also without the pain of death. Perhaps, that is why the Apostle Paul quoted Hosea when he said, “death, where is your sting?” in 1 Corinthians 15:55.
  • Jaden is lamenting the thankless burden of the cross, which represents his faith in Christ.

2:11-14 As sick as all the secrets he keeps.

• • Mark 2:11-13 records how Jesus healed the paralytic. The paralytic is someone whose family line is severed. This is a big moment because Jesus brought discipleship to those who hated their parents and self. The meaning of discipleship is the ability to carry your own burden. Healing the paralytic accomplished this. The secrets are how the process works. Discipleship requires someone to be hidden. This is. The tie to Jaden’s lyrics.
  • Matt 2:11-14 tells of the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh given out of their treasure – treasures are secrets. The magi are told to leave by another road before Joseph is told to remain in hiding from Herod. This is the meaning of the secrets, quite specifically.
  • Revelation 2:11-13 speaks to those with an ear to hear and says the second death will not hurt them. Then it continues to reveal something much more meaningful. It calls Antipas a faithful servant, which is Herod. This short passage also praises the church for holding fast to Jesus’ name and not denying faith. Faith is in Jesus’ ability to get everyone through life. These people never denied faith and never disclosed what they ‘held fast’ to. 1 and 2 Peter 2:11 paint a picture of angels holding fast to their weapons so they do not wage war against the soul.

2:15-18 Truth is he can only be him.

• • This is when Jaden walks up to his casket to see himself.
  • The two-minute mark fits well with the third chapter since it is the third minute of the song, so I will change to that for this timestamp. I will also go into depth on this timestamp due to the relationship with John 3:16 as it relates to the lyrics.
    • Matthew 3:15-17 depicts the time the dove comes down and lands on Jesus as the anointed one. Jesus can only be him.
    • John 3:15-18 includes one of the best-known verses in the Bible, but the idea is a revelation of Christ as the savior.
    • Revelation 3:15-18 shows the reverse. It is the idea of preaching or spitting out the truth in verse 16. The purpose is to purchase clothing and hide a person’s nakedness.
    • Luke 3:15-18 depicts John’s followers trying to identify if John was Christ. John explained he was not worthy to untie Christ’s sandal, which means uncover him. Jesus was to come and baptize with fire and Spirit. He can only be him, as Jaden says.
    • Genesis 3:15-18 depict the results of the fall of man, which is the lament Jaden is singing about.
    • Jeremiah 3:15-18 tells us about Judah and Israel walking together with full understanding since the ark will come to mind. This is the unity of spirit, which Jesus promised.
    • Ezekiel 3:15-18 gives the son of man or Ezekiel instructions for anyone who steps out of line. That person must only be himself, but there are rules.
  • The correlation between these passages and Jaden’s lyrics syncs up with the idea that truth is coming forth in the Word of God through the Spirit and revelation of Christ. Someone can only be himself because that is the requirement of discipleship. Someone must be righteous, not a representation of something else.

2:18 He sees himself in his own casket

• • Matt 2:18 shows Jeremiah’s prophecy fulfilled as the children were no more, and the voices mourned the loss. It’s an awakening, as depicted in the imagery in the video.

2:27 Snaps back to the house after he walks away from his church and funeral, as his parents are splitting.

• • Acts 2:27 promises a soul will not be left in Hades nor suffer decay, which suggests he will wake back up. It matches the imagery perfectly.

2:33-34 Shatters the glass table.

• • Sticking with Acts, this verse (Acts 2:33) also fits perfectly with shattering, being poured forth to be seen and heard. A family is redeemed through redemption and shattered separation, which is seen as reconciliation in Luke 2:33.

2:47 He realizes he’s a ghost.

• • Luke 2:47 depicts how the people in the Temple were shocked at what he was saying. Only a few books have verse 2:47, but Daniel does. It praises Daniel’s God for revealing the dream to the king. It is the spiritual ghost-like side of things.

3:16 Kneels in the street praying to God that he doesn’t die in his sleep.

• • Matt 4:16 aligns in plain language. It says the light comes into the darkness just before Jesus began teaching in verse 17. Luke 4:16-17 bolsters the same sense of coming out of darkness to a new reality.
  • Consider Revelation 3:16 and John 3:16; as mentioned earlier, he comes around and wants to do whatever it takes to be sure he does not perish in this life. Acts 3:16 may be the best reference for this. Kneeling is the idea of having lame feet to be bandaged and able to walk.

3:17 Then he snaps awake.

• • John 3:17 shows an awakening to the truth that Jesus did not come to judge but to save. This is a realization of the truth of Christ in a world that does not understand things. Revelation 3:17 also represents an awakening to one’s own truth. The same pattern follows in the Old Testament. For example, Genesis 3:17 and Exodus 3:17 both describe a reset from a new perspective. The timing is simply perfect.
  • Luke 4:17 is significant as the next verse is Isaiah 61:1, which is when Jesus says he is opening everyone’s eyes. That is in response to Isaiah 6:11, which is when the Lord said people can be healed when they understand (Isaiah 6:9-10).

After you read through this, watch his video. Then do it again and again. I’m kidding (a little), but when you are done, pray for Jaden and others who may be going through dark times and bouts of depression. There may be a secret held they need to get off their chest.

Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes’s song Monster follows the same pattern as does Freak by Beauty School Dropout and Jxdn. The analyses on Monster and Freak are much more granular as they go second by second. It really makes me wonder how much of this is conscious versus subconscious and God-breathed.

Personal Note

This all certainly seems outlandish. It still feels strange to me despite having spreadsheets lining up passages from nearly every book in the Bible to modern music of all Genres. That said, I know one thing for certain – nobody knows everything. None can overcome until it is time (Isaiah 6:9-11).

Am I a lunatic? Probably. But if this can help even one soul, I’ll gladly take that label. Who knows…maybe the curtains get pulled soon as the many parts of the body of Christ come together to be glorified by God as Jesus returns (1 Corinthians 4:5).

Jaden – if you see this, and I hope you do, I’d love to hear from you. I wonder what you would say if you could say anything you wanted.

To everyone going through life in the darkness, please reach out. I’d love to meet people on the other side of the chasm and hear your stories.

God bless you!