Dio – Holy Diver lyrics

Holy Diver is about Jesus Christ's descent into Hades after being crucified. Just a story from the Bible, nothing evil. Dio was all about being judged by its cover, dig in and you find incredible insight.

1. Holy Diver = Jesus Christ descending into Hades, the realm of the wicked not the holy.

2. You've been down too long in the midnight sea = Midnight sea is Hades, the absence of God, God is light so this place is void of it.

3. Oh what's becoming of me = What are you doing here? You don't belong here, this is the realm of the wicked, you are holy, what are you planning to do to me (us).

4. Ride the tiger = tiger is a symbol for a couple things mainly Jesus Christ, but also followers of Buddha ride tigers to show their supernatural ability to overcome evil, Shiva the destroyer rode a tiger, and also Islam believes tigers punish sinners for God.

5. You can see his stripes but you know he's clean, Oh don't you see what I mean:
Jesus Christ again, by his stripes we are healed, by his blood we are cleansed. Also they(those in hades) can see his stripes (his marks of crucifixion), the marks of a sinner, even though they all know he is clean (innocent).

6. Gotta get away Holy Diver:
You need to leave this place, you don't belong here. You are innocent this is the realm of the wicked.

7. Shiny diamonds, like the eyes of a cat in the black and blue, something is coming for you:
Jesus is a beacon of light in Hades, everyone can see him coming. Cats are a symbol of power and warfare, the black and blue is the absence of light and all encompassing pain. It stands for Hades.

8. Race for the morning:
Run to Jesus Christ he is the morning star, Rev 22:16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."

9. You can hide in the sun 'till you see the light, Oh we will pray it's all right:
Hide in the son (Jesus Christ) until you see the light. (God the Father is the Light) we'll put our faith in Jesus that he will take us out of this place (hades) and to the light (God).

10. Gotta get away-get away = we have to get out of here, this place sucks.

11. Between the velvet lies = velvet is gentleness or caution, often concealing strength or determination and a profit or gain beyond what is expected or due. Jesus is the velvet lie. His intentions are not clear. Satan has been fooled, he thought he had won when he had Jesus crucified, in fact he has sealed his own fate. Jesus is here to claim what's his. All the souls of the fallen that will but believe in him can now be saved from Adam until now. Remember all fell short of the glory of God but one (Jesus), this means that all the prophets of the Old Testament were not reaching heaven. Not yet, but they are now.

12. There's a truth that's hard as steel = Truth is the word of God. Steel is the sword of Jesus's mouth Rev 2:16 Repent of your sin, or I will come to you suddenly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

13. The vision never dies = The vision is the law, Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law. The law will never die because Jesus has finally fulfilled the law, allowing us to have eternal life with God through him.

14. Life's a never ending wheel= Death has been defeated. 1st Corinthians 15:56 "The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law." Romans *:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."

15. Holy Diver, You're the star of the masquerade, No need to look so afraid = Jesus played the part of the sacrificial lamb, allowing himself to be crucified for our sins. He was humiliated, mocked, beaten, and crucified when in reality he was God in the flesh, the lion, and could have called down the wrath of the heavens on his enemies. He didn't, he played the part of the masquerade(fooling Satan) allowing himself to fulfill the law and save mankind.

16. Jump on the tiger = take a leap of faith and believe in Jesus Christ.

17. You can feel his heart but you know he's mean = Jesus is the Lamb (Love and Forgiveness) be he is also the Lion (he will judge and punish the nonbelievers).

18. Some light can never be seen = 2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

19. Holy Diver, sole survivor, your honor's clean = Jesus Christ the only man to not fall short of the law but instead has fulfilled it. You are innocent, your honor is restored. The resurrection of Jesus Christ and all the souls who believe in him.

20. Holy Diver, holy diver, never cut in the middle coming after you = To have you garments cut from the waist down or your beard shaven was an insult put on someone who offended to make them appear a fool or as a slave. No one who comes after Jesus will be cut in the middle because our sins are paid in full by Jesus Christ himself.

Ride the tiger means that we all should embrace and believe in Jesus Christ, and he will protect us. Jesus is clean because he is without sin. The stripes on the tiger are the wounds inflected by the Romans on Jesus. He was flogged and died on a cross for mankind's sins. The tiger is clean (without sin); however. when he returns to judge all of us, he can be very mean to sinners who do not repent their sins.

Normally I can follow Dio's lyrics but the one line gets me. "Ride the tiger... You can see his stripes but you know he's clean... Oh don't you see what I mean". No Dio. We have no earthly idea what you mean. Lol! Anyone else have a clue as to what in the hell he's goin' on about.