The flame, the sword! (Les Misérables - Stars)

[Erlend Johan Alvestad]

The first two verses of "Stars", sung by the policeman Javert:

There, out in the darkness
A fugitive running
Fallen from god
Fallen from grace
God be my witness
I never shall yield
Till we come face to face
Till we come face to face

He knows his way in the dark
Mine is the way of the Lord
And those who follow the path of the righteous
Shall have their reward
And if they fall
As Lucifer fell
The flame
The sword!


I'd love some help with answering the following question: Are the last two lines a reference to the Cherub guarding the entrance to the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:24)?

[TEVOLI]

Hmmm....I believe that Lucifer fell before Eden was created, and I also think the flame and sword guarding Eden were there to prevent anyone from entering it again....

I think in the case of this song, the flame and sword are ones that could cast people out of heaven, or out of God's presence or favor and into some kind of condemnation, as Javert wanted to cast Valjean into prison and possibly even death.

[Erlend Johan Alvestad]

That makes perfect sense. I was wondering because the flame and the sword seemed like very specific references, and I thought I might be able to find the origin.

[bluejacket]

Yes that's right - in some traditions the Archangel Uriel was the one whom God set to guard the gates of Eden with a flaming sword after Adam and Eve were expelled.....In the eastern tradition the flaming sword is also the emblem of exclusion from Heaven.

If they fall
As Lucifer fell ( for 'as' read 'just as' that is, ' If they fall in the same way as Lucifer fell')
Flame and Sword - (that's is, the transgressors reward shall be the Flame and the Sword - exclusion from Paradise. It is the antithesis (opposite) of the earlier line that the righteous shall have their reward (ie Heaven)

[Erlend Johan Alvestad]

That correlates perfectly with the bridge:

And so it has been and so it is written
On the doorway to paradise
That those who falter and those who fall
Must pay the price!

Thanks for the help