My husband and I took a trip to see Victoria Falls between the borders of Zambia and Zimbabwe, and it did not disappoint. The water thundered as the mist erupted from the river below. We felt the power of the falls shake the earth as we drew closer. The locals call the falls “Mosi-oa-Tunya” which translates to “the smoke that thunders.” It’s the perfect name for the experience of standing near the mighty waters. For a few moments, I simply stood there, speechless. No photograph could capture what my eyes were seeing.
We walked through the area in silent awe of the beauty and majesty of God’s creation. The mist provided water to the surrounding shrubs and trees, which created a mini-rainforest amid a dry and barren land. The closer we drew, the more the spray erupted over us. Even with our protective rain gear, the water soaked us. In years past, we rode the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls into the spray, but at Victoria Falls, it was so much stronger and wetter. Streams of water ran down our faces, but it did not deter us from lingering near this amazing place.
Smoke that Thunders at Victoria Falls
As we made our way back to the hotel, I thanked God for the beauty he revealed, and it got me thinking about the original name of the falls, smoke that thunders, and that drove me to my Bible to do some research. In the Bible, smoke and thunder represent the awesome power, holiness, and anger of God.
2 Samuel 22:14 (NIV): “The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.”
The thundering water is how I imagine God’s voice sounding, and it is a reminder of his majesty. Several other verses echo this message.
Job 37:5 (NIV): “God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.”
Psalm 29:3 (NIV): “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.”
The smoke and thunder of Victoria Falls reminded me that God is powerful, holy, and worthy of our deepest reverence.
God’s Promises
Another common sight around Victoria Falls is rainbows, and we spotted hundreds of them. Often, we saw pairs of rainbows appear over the falls. Their brilliant colors danced across the mist wherever we looked. Our cameras couldn’t capture all the beauty on display.
These reminded me of rainbows in the Bible. In the original Hebrew text, the word used for rainbow is qesheth, which translates to “war bow.” And God placed the bow aimed upward, away from the earth and toward heaven to represent God laying down his anger at his people. The rainbow symbolizes God’s covenant promise after the flood; a reminder of His mercy and faithfulness.
The rainbow is a sign for God himself to look upon and remember his promise to us. The imagery of the rainbow extends into Revelations as it encircles the throne of God, showing us that his promises will never end.
God sees the same rainbows that we see. How awesome is that promise?
The Imagery of Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls offered me so much more than just the natural beauty. I stood in wonder of the fall’s mighty power and reflected on the imposing power of my Lord and Savior. I gazed up at the rainbows and saw the promise of God as he looked down on them too. The strength and promise inspire awe for his great power, mercy, and grace for all of us.
Prayer
Almighty and everlasting Father. Thank you for the lessons we learn from the surrounding nature. Open my eyes to see you in the world. Help me notice your beauty and strength in the trees, the wind, and the sky. Quiet my busy mind. Let nature remind me of your love. Give me peace and a thankful heart. In your name I pray, Amen.
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Grace and Peace to you,
Yvonne M. Morgan is a Christian #author, #blogger, and #speaker. #BibleGatewayPartner
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
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Yvonne, your descriptions are wonderful. I imagined the mist covering my face. Thank you for sharing about your trip and what Victoria Falls taught you about faith. Have a blessed day! 🙂
Thank you Melissa. It was so awesome and inspiring. I love the way God teaches me through nature. Blessings my friend
Love your photos and words here, Yvonne. When I spent 7 weeks on a summer missionary trip to Zimbabwe in college, we were able to visit Victoria Falls on one of our R&R times. We experienced the rainbows and everything you describe. The sheer awe and beauty of this creation of God is mesmerizing. Your scriptures were perfect. Brought back so many wonderful memories of God’s work and provision.
I’m glad it brought back so many good memories. Sounds like an awesome trip. That area is so beautiful. Thanks Karen and blessings on your day.
I love how God reveals Himself to us in nature. Victoria Falls sounds like a place worth visiting.
It is very worth visiting. So many things to see and do. And He does reveal himself to us in nature when we pay attention. Thanks Candyce.
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