Wolves At The Gate – The Bird and the Snake

Wolves at the Gate could potentially become the second Heavy Metal band that I recommend to my friends, joining Alternative Metal band Disciple in terms of their Scriptural content.  I balled my eyes out while listening to East to West, giving it a glowing review for their work.  I am excited to evaluate the intrinsic details contained within The Bird and the Snake, which happens to share the same album: VxV.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Wolves-at-the-gate-the-bird-and-the-snake-lyrics.

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1. What message does the song communicate?

This lengthy, poetic number draws imagery between a bird and a snake; prey and its predator representative of mankind and Satan.  The Devil tempts us with fulfillment within the world with what seems like a small price to pay: a small bit of ourselves.  As the song progresses, he demands more and more of us while simultaneously offering something that never satisfies, telling lies that keep us within his grip, slowly destroying any desire to break loose.  His lies contain a few kernels of truth, which makes it easier to swallow.

You and I (hereafter referred to as the listener) believe the Devil, repeating back some of his lies.  He or she is too scared to attempt a breakout from Satan’s chokehold on his or her life.  Then, the breaking point happens.

The listener (probably) either hears or reads two important passages in Scripture: James 4:7-8, to which God is our escape plan, and John 8:44, which describes the truth about Satan.  The listener accepts these words, resisting the Devil and begins to break away.  However, it is too little too late.  The listener’s life choices cause them to die, as Satan mockingly leaves them, perhaps seeking to destroy another life.

Hopefully, we can learn from the listener’s mistakes and resist the Devil, telling others about Jesus and what He has done for us.  That is the takeaway as I understand it, a wonderful reminder of Satan’s schemes, reminiscent of C.S. Lewis’ eye-opening novel The Screwtape Letters.

Score: 10/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

All of the core truths taught in these lyrics agree with the Bible.

Since this song does not contain a Verse/Chorus/Bridge structure, I will assign stanza’s to each paragraph.

[Stanza 1]

Lines 1-4: This sounds like Satan, which is confirmed explicitly in Stanza 10.

The fourth line, in particular, gives off the impression that Satan rules the lake of fire.  In reality, he will be suffering there just like everyone else who enters (Revelation 20:10).

[Stanza 2]

Lines 1-4: The speaker, the Devil in the form of a snake, speaks to a bird to bargain with them.  The bird trades a feather in exchange for fulfillment within all earthly desires.

This stanza represents Satan’s temptation to give us everything we desire if we “sell” something in exchange to him.  This is the temptation he used on Jesus in Matthew 4:8-11 and Luke 4:5-8, that if He worships the Devil, Satan will give Jesus all the kingdoms and their splendor.  Of course, Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6:13 in response to him, that He will serve the Father only.  But, I am getting ahead of myself.

The feather represents a small part of ourselves.  Satan is asking us to exchange this to receive all that the world has to offer.  This is the beginning of a terrible relationship between man and Satan.

[Stanza 3]

Lines 1-4: Lies that the Devil tells us, which amounts to “you’re not good enough”.  This is partially true.  Yes, we do not deserve salvation.  That is the very definition of grace: undeserved favor.  This is what Christ offered, with His outpouring of love demonstrated in that while we were sinners, He died for us (Romans 5:6-8).  Satan is using a partial truth to begin his devowerment of the listener (1 Peter 5:8).  We saw this in Eden with Eve, where he was right about opening their eyes, but was wrong about not dying and that they will be like God (Genesis 3:4-5).

[Stanza 4]

Lines 1-4: This touches on a basic bodily function in terms of substance abuse: it needs more to maintain the same “high” as it begins to build a tolerance for it.  The listener has become addicted to that which Satan offers, dependant upon him to live their life.  Crafty Satan demands more and more of the lister’s life to receive their fix.  If only the listener knew that Satan never holds up his end of the bargain…

[Stanza 5]

Lines 1-3: The listener begins to speak.  He or she has bought into the Devil’s lies in Stanza 3.

Line 4: The listener’s statements parallel Stanza 3, line 2 and the actions of Judas Iscariot, who felt remorse after betraying Jesus, hanging himself (Matthew 27:1-5).  Suicide seems to be the only solution when one is tired of living, precisely what Satan wants the listener to think!

Lines 5-7: Repeats lines 1-3.

Line 8: The listener is asking the Devil regarding his or her next payment for his daily fix.

[Stanza 6]

Line 1: Satan continues to attack the listener with a barrage of lies.  The first is that the listener is choiceless, contradicting 1 John 2:1-2.

Line 2: The Devil contradicts 1 John 5:14.

Lines 3 and 4: This is true.  We are lost and cursed (Ephesians 2:1-3) due to our own sin.  What Satan conveniently left out is that Christ came to rescue that which is lost (Luke 19:10) and became a curse on our behalf (Galatians 3:13).

Lines 5 and 6: This is also true for the same reasons as lines 3 and 4, with the same important salvaic information withheld.

Line 7: Satan knows that if we submit to God and resist, he must flee (James 4:7).  His goal is to keep the listener dependent on him rather than God.

Line 8: The Devil does not want the listener to discover that God can help them escape (2 Timothy 2:26), so he lies again to keep the listener from leaving.

Line 9-12: The price went up!

[Stanza 7]

Lines 1-4: The listener is now too afraid to leave, recognizing that they are trapped and believes there is no way out.

Lines 5-7: Repeats lines 1-3.

Line 8: The listener contemplates Satan’s next move: will he take their life or continue to “save” them?

[Stanza 8]

Lines 1-3: Quotes from James 4:7-8, as if the listener heard or read this passage.

[Stanza 9]

Lines 1-4: The listener obeys God upon reading/listening to James 4:7-8.  He or she now depends on God, escaping Satan’s snare.

[Stanza 10]

Lines 1-4: The listener has now read/heard John 8:44, starting with its second sentence.

[Stanza 11]

Lines 1-5: The listener is now resisting the Devil, recognizing him as a liar and a thief, who brought misery upon them.  They believe that John 8:44 is true, not the lies of Satan.

[Stanza 12]

Lines 1 and 2: Though they are (probably) born again, the listener’s choices caused them to die, while Satan leaves them with a snide remark before exiting.  The listener is no longer alive to further the Gospel to other people, perhaps a victory in the eyes of Satan.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

The two obvious Scriptural passages should make it clear that this song has Christian roots.  The concept of addiction and escape should be easy for any unbeliever to comprehend, having a positive impact on their life.  Quoting from James 4 is a great choice as it presents following God an alternative to worldly addiction for non-Christ followers to consider.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It stampedes all over the Devil and gives a small glimmer of hope, if we depend on God rather than Satan.  This glorifies God.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Wolves At The Gate’s The Bird and the Snake knocks it out of the park again.  They present a realistic scenario of Satan’s temptation of mankind, showing what occurs when we give in and provides God as the way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).  This Biblical message is easy for all to understand, bringing God glory.

While I cannot recommend this for most church services (unless it happens to be a heavy metal church), metalheads will be safe with this one.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: The Bird and the Snake (listen to the song)

Artist: Wolves at the Gate

Album: VxV

Genre: Heavy metal

Release Year: 2014

Duration: 4:51

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