The night sky lit up with electric waves. Every cloud danced fiercely as the lightening led the way. Beneath my feet the ground trembled. And the heavens roared with bold thunder. I stood in awe as we glanced through our window. A whisper broke through the flashes and thunder, “This is My Voice!”
So, I pondered on this mystery called thunder and lightning – the way it electrifies the night skies. I reminisced about my first memory of this phenomenon. I was about 7 or 8 years old when I went with Cara to her aunt’s farm somewhere close to Koster in North West. There was a stupendous thunderstorm that night. It caused the electricity to fail. It was pitch dark with flashing arrows dancing through the skies. I was dreadfully terrified. Yet, I stood in wonder at what was happening in front of me. Now that I am a mother with little ones of my own, I clearly remember the alarm I experienced in my soul that evening on the farm in Koster. I harked back to the way the thunder startled me. Do you remember the scene in The Sound of Music where Maria sings to the Von Trapp children during the thunder storm? I simply remember my favourite things and then I don’t feel so sad. Well, what if that thunder itself can be one of our favourites? The way it trembles and shakes our beings. The way it resembles gushing waters, boisterous billows. The way it is the Voice of the One who clothes Himself in brilliant array. The voice of our Bridegroom, the One we adore and long for. Yeshua said that His sheep knows His voice. And so, our 4 year old overjoyed said: “Mama, I wasn’t even a bit scared when it thundered ’cause it was Abba speaking to us…”
Oh, the beautiful faith of a child!
Lightning goes before
His voice, it roars
Flashes through the clouds
The sound thereof, frightfully loud
He utters His voice
and the earth trembles
None in heaven or earth
who can resemble
The Glorious majesty of our Elohim
All Dominion and power belongs to Him
The earth is His and all that sojourns therein
He rides through the heavens,
soaring on the wings of the wind
Cloaks Himself with a cloud of darkness
Laying bare all things in starkness
Nothing is hidden from His sight
He rules with justice
With all His might
Mercy and truth goes in advance
Before our King to lead in this dance
Righteousness and peace
Joins together with a kiss
Mercy and truth amalgamate
Victorious You enter through these ancient gates.
King of Glory!
Prince of Peace!
Your voice will never cease
It rushes like gushing streams
He is clothed in light, brilliant, radiant beams
So I stand in awe, in admiration
Who is this King,
having my full adoration?
Remaining ever the same, though all ages
Releasing the captives out of their cages
He is the One who sets us free
Of life and death He holds the keys!
All the earth is Yours, all it’s fullness
You reign in righteousness
Clothing us with salvation
Offering hope for every tribe and every nation.
Let Your voice echo in thunder!
Let every knee bow down in wonder…
“His mouth is full of sweetness; Yes, He is altogether lovely and desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.”
Song of Songs 5:16
“At this also my heart trembles, And leaps from its place. Listen closely to the thunder of His voice, And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth. Under the whole heaven He lets it loose, And His lightning travels to the ends of the earth. After it, a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, And He does not restrain the lightning when His voice is heard. God thunders wondrously with His voice, Doing great things which we do not comprehend.”
Job 37:1-5
Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name. Worship Yahweh in holy array. Yahweh’s voice is on the waters. The God of glory thunders, even Yahweh on many waters. Yahweh’s voice is powerful. Yahweh’s voice is full of majesty.
Psalms 29:2-4 WEB
They fled from Your rebuke, At the sound of Your thunder they hurried away.
Psalms 104:7 NASB2020
When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him with thunder.
Exodus 19:19 NASB2020
Then the earth shook and quaked; And the foundations of the mountains were trembling And were shaken, because He was angry. Smoke went up out of His nostrils, And fire from His mouth was devouring; Coals burned from it. He also bowed the heavens down low, and came down With thick darkness under His feet. He rode on a cherub and flew; And He sped on the wings of the wind. He made darkness His hiding place, His canopy around Him, Darkness of waters, thick clouds. From the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds, Hailstones and coals of fire. The Lord also thundered in the heavens, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire. He sent out His arrows, and scattered them, And lightning flashes in abundance, and routed them.
Psalms 18:7-14 NASB2020
You have a strong arm; Your hand is mighty, Your right hand is exalted. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before You. Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! Lord, they walk in the light of Your face.
Psalms 89:13-15 NASB2020
Mercy and truth meet together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Psalms 85:10 WEB
Bless Yahweh, my soul. Yahweh, my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty. He covers Himself with light as with a garment. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain. He lays the beams of his rooms in the waters. He makes the clouds His chariot. He walks on the wings of the wind. He makes his messengers winds; His servants flames of fire.
Psalms 104:1-4 WEB
Before closing up this letter, I asked a close dear friend, Zanli de Klerk, to share her awe-inspiring experience with thunder and Abba’s voice when she visited Israel, more specifically Galilee.
Photo credit: Zanli de Klerk
In October 2019 I visited Israel with my mom and other friends. The last part of our trip included 2 nights in a kibbutz right next to the Sea of Galilee. Every night when everything was quiet and most people have gone to bed, I would walk down to the shore and spend time in the presence of my Messiah. I could feel the Ruach HaKodesh so clearly that it usually ended up with me in tears sharing how much I love Yahweh. The last night we spent there, I was weeping before Abba, saying I don’t want to let go of the amazing times I’ve had with Him in Israel. I was telling Him how I didn’t want to just get back into the routine of life where there are less of those overwhelming times in His presence. As I was looking out over the lake and into the night sky, filled with only a few small clouds and stars, I suddenly heard a still small voice telling me to turn around and look behind me. At first I was hesitant, thinking it was my imagination, yet the urge to turn around and look convinced me. As I turned, I suddenly saw huge and powerful clouds on the horizon above the buildings with lightning flashing and I knew that it was Abba comforting and encouraging me. My tears were then mixed with laughter as I got reminded of the following scripture:
“Then I heard what sounded like the roar of a huge crowd, like the sound of rushing waters, like loud peals of thunder, saying, “ Halleluyah! Adonai, God of heaven’s armies, has begun His reign! “Let us rejoice and be glad! Let us give him the glory! For the time has come for the wedding of the Lamb, and His Bride has prepared herself — fine linen, bright and clean has been given her to wear.” (“Fine linen” means the righteous deeds of God’s people.) The angel said to me, “Write: ‘How blessed are those who have been invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb!’” Then he added, “These are God’s very words.” I fell at his feet to worship him; but he said, “Don’t do that! I’m only a fellow-servant with you and your brothers who have the testimony of Yeshua. Worship God! For the testimony of Yeshua is the Spirit of prophecy.” Next I saw heaven opened, and there before me was a white horse. Sitting on it was the One called Faithful and True, and it is in righteousness that He passes judgment and goes to battle. His eyes were like a fiery flame, and on His head were many royal crowns. And He had a name written which no one knew but Himself. He was wearing a robe that had been soaked in blood, and the name by which he is called is, “THE WORD OF GOD.” The armies of heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and pure, were following Him on white horses. And out of His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down nations — “He will rule them with a staff of iron.” It is He who treads the winepress from which flows the wine of the furious rage of Adonai, God of heaven’s armies. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Revelation 19:6-16
I can’t wait for the day that I get to spend eternity with my Messiah! What a glorious day that will be! He is coming back to wipe every tear from our eyes, but until that day comes, the thunder will always fill me with the wonder of His voice and draw me into His presence.
“And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.”
Revelation 21:3-6
Her beautiful experience reminded me about a song by Lize Hadasah Wiid, Heaven’s Armies:
Beloved, let us hearken to the voice of our King and Shepherd. Let us hear His voice and turn our ears and hearts toward Him. The only One who can cause our souls to truly live. May we stand in awe of His majesty, our hearts filled with child like wonder at the sound of His voice. And we will hear His Voice behind us saying, this is the way, walk in it.
In Him we live
and move
and have our being
Shalom
Carmen Tehillah
