The band's membership has seen much turnover, including a revolving cast of drummers in the 1970s and the departure of singer Rob Halford in 1992. Tim "Ripper" Owens, formerly of Winter's Bane, replaced Halford in 1996 and recorded two albums with Judas Priest, before Halford returned to the band in 2003. The current line-up consists of Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis. The band's best-selling album is 1982's Screaming for Vengeance, with their most commercially successful line-up featuring Ian Hill, Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, guitarist K. K. Downing, and drummer Dave Holland. Tipton and Hill are the only two members of the band to appear on every album.
Halford's operatic vocal style and the twin guitar sound of Downing and Tipton have been a major influence on heavy metal bands. Judas Priest's image of leather, spikes, and other taboo articles of clothing were widely influential during the glam metal era of the 1980s. The Guardian referred to British Steel as the record that defines heavy metal. Despite a decline in exposure during the mid-1990s, the band has once again seen a resurgence, including worldwide tours, being inaugural inductees into the VH1 Rock Honors in 2006, receiving a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2010, and having their songs featured in video games such as Guitar Hero and the Rock Band series. In 2022, Judas Priest were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judas_Priest
Studio albums
Rocka Rolla (1974)
Sad Wings of Destiny (1976)
Sin After Sin (1977)
Stained Class (1978)
Killing Machine (1978)
British Steel (1980)
Point of Entry (1981)
Screaming for Vengeance (1982)
Defenders of the Faith (1984)
Turbo (1986)
Ram It Down (1988)
Painkiller (1990)
Jugulator (1997)
Demolition (2001)
Angel of Retribution (2005)
Nostradamus (2008)
Redeemer of Souls (2014)
Firepower (2018)
Invincible Shield (2024)
o53. Pestilence and Plague
Judas Priest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Make us perish with hungry
Starvation and drought
Are unleashed on this earth
Reap what you sow from our bleed and our treasures
Far more than we need now
Far more than we're worth
La tentazione (The Temptation)
Cercando la Gloria (To search the Glory)
Il prezzo da pagare (The thing to pay)
E la caduta dell'uomo (Is the fall of man)
How can we live in despair and in sorrow
Our children are lost with all that we love
Winds spreading for to lay waste to our culture
Civilizations ignite from above
[Chorus: ]
This world revolves
And I fore tell
The end of men
Resides in hell
For you can see
That in my heart
We will be
[Chorus: ]
The lyrics of Judas Priest's song "Pestilence and Plague" depict a bleak and hopeless world that is ravaged by natural disasters and man-made destruction. The storms from the gods bring starvation, drought, and death, and all that is left is despair, sorrow, and the fall of man. The chorus talks about the temptation to search for glory and the price to pay for it, which inevitably results in the destruction of civilizations and the end of men. The world seems to be trapped in a cycle of destruction, with each generation doomed to repeat the mistakes and suffer the consequences of the previous one.
The lyrics also touch on the theme of karma or "reap what you sow," as people are paying for their past sins with their blood and treasures. The line "far more than we're worth" emphasizes how the world has become corrupted by greed and excess, and that ultimately, humans have brought this upon themselves. The last verse is particularly ominous, as it suggests that the end of men is a foregone conclusion and that even though the world revolves, it is doomed to end in hell.
Line by Line Meaning
Storms from the gods
Natural disasters that are beyond our control
Make us perish with hungry
The destruction and loss caused by the disasters leave us famished and helpless
Starvation and drought
The disasters cause extreme lack of food and water
Are unleashed on this earth
The disasters strike and wreak havoc on the planet
Reap what you sow from our bleed and our treasures
We face consequences of our actions and decisions, and it costs us dearly in terms of lives and resources
Far more than we need now
The magnitude of the destruction is immense and disproportionate to what is necessary
Far more than we're worth
The value of our lives and belongings seems insignificant compared to the vast destruction
La tentazione (The Temptation)
The lure of power, control or profit
Cercando la Gloria (To search the Glory)
Seeking fame and recognition
Il prezzo da pagare (The thing to pay)
The price that we must pay for our desires
E la caduta dell'uomo (Is the fall of man)
Will eventually lead to our own downfall and destruction
How can we live in despair and in sorrow
The emotional pain and despair caused by the tragedies make it difficult to continue living
Our children are lost with all that we love
The disaster takes away everything that we hold dear, including our future generations
Winds spreading for to lay waste to our culture
The destructive winds of change that ruin our society, traditions and way of life
Civilizations ignite from above
The disasters can also bring about a literal and metaphorical fire that engulfs our civilization and brings it to ashes
This world revolves
The world continues to exist despite the destruction and chaos
And I fore tell
I predict and foresee
The end of men
The collapse of human civilization and existence
Resides in hell
Is a result of our own actions and is our ultimate punishment
For you can see
Because it is evident and clear
That in my heart
I firmly believe
We will be
Our actions will lead to our own demise
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Round Hill Music Big Loud Songs, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GLENN TIPTON, GLENN RAYMOND TIPTON, K.K. DOWNING, KENNETH DOWNING, ROBERT HALFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mike Winger
I see a few comments asking about the possibility that the “temple” where the “abomination of desolation” takes place is actually the church because we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Some see this as necessary because they think we can’t have a temple in Jerusalem that is considered God’s temple at the same time as having the body of Christ who is the temple. Here’s my response to that.
I think that you can have a temple in Jerusalem without it threatening our status as the temple of God. Certainly this was the case in the book of Acts. The apostles even partook in sacrifices in that temple. Those sacrifices weren’t a problem except when done in rejection of God but the temple was still the temple. Even a Preterist would have to affirm that because they see the abomination of desolation taking place in the physical temple of Jerusalem while affirming we are the ultimate temple of the Holy Spirit. I suppose you could just say the abomination of desolation is ONLY fulfilled in the body of Christ but then it seems quite odd that Mark 13 and Matthew 24 have it in response to a question about the physical destruction of the temple in Jerusalem.
UnlimitedMercy
@Mike Winger
I would have to say that a third temple being built WOULD be in rejection of God. The act of building it at all would fly in the face of the warnings we see in Hebrews. We have a better high priest, a better sacrifice. To go back to the temple rejects God’s Grace in Christ. Therefore, I don’t see how that would be the temple of God. As a preterist I believe “the end of the age” was the end of the Jewish age, which finally came to an end in 70ad. The time between the resurrection/ascension and 70ad would then be considered the “last days” as Peter puts it quoting the book of Joel in his sermon on Pentecost. This is an area I am interested in but definitely agree that it is one that ought not cause divisions. Thank you so much for your teaching Mike, as a preterist, I have to say, with this video and your 6 views video you were very fair and gave me some things to research about my position, I love it! Keep up the good work; and God bless.
ABC 123
Something I have pondered is when Jesus said "let those in Judea flee to the mountains" we are conditioned by dispensational teachers into thinking this is a warning for them to flee for safety. However what if they flee because judgment is eminent? Maybe this coincides with the description in Revelation where they hide in the mountains and want the rocks to cover them.
Maurine King
The third temple is already built. It's underground. Under the temple mount, by the Western wall. It's spoken about in Ezekiel 8:8-12. You can find videos of it by looking at underground third temple
Maurine King
Also some of the Rabbis have said they've already met with their Messiah, which we know it's not Jesus
BLAH BLAH
@ABC 123 they have started building underground in Jerusalem...that could also be relavent.
Saved By Grace
Former Mormon here. You have helped me beyond words to understand the Bible correctly.
God bless Mike Winger.
Thank you.
dieselcowboy777
The abomination of desolation is the mosque of omar sitting in the place of the temple which has to be removed so the 3rd temple can be built
Team Jesus
Hallelujah!
Airic
welcome home.