Africa

This story is a little odd but profound. Recently I have hearing the song "Africa" by Toto on the radio. It's an old song from 1982, which I remember playing on the radio when I was 11 or 12. Well, out of the blue it's playing repeatedly on various radio stations and I felt drawn to the song. Here it the music video, by the way:

Today I was driving around and "Africa" played yet again on the radio. Then I realized I needed to look up this song because the Lord has a message for me. But I forgot and went about my business during the day. After going to the gym this evening, I turned on the radio in the car (different station) and guess what started to play? Africa! Okay, I need to look it up!

I looked up the lyrics when I got home (see below) and it hit me what the song is about, in a spiritual sense: Jesus is yearning to be with his bride, which is us. The lyrics are like Song of Solomon, a metaphor for the love and yearning between the Bridegroom and bride.

Then I looked up the band on Wikipedia and it says:

"Toto is an American rock band formed in 1976 in Los Angeles. The band's current lineup consists of Joseph Williams (lead vocals), David Paich (keyboards, vocals), Steve Porcaro (keyboards), Steve Lukather (guitars, vocals), plus touring members Lenny Castro (percussion), Warren Ham (saxophone), Shem von Schroeck (bass) and Shannon Forrest (drums)... "

Immediately I see Shem and Ham. Okay, where's Japheth? So I looked more closely. If you combine "Joseph" and "Lukather", rearrange the letters and toss a few out, then you get "Japheth." It's hiding in there! So what does this mean? Every nation in the world is descended from Shem, Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah. They represent ALL NATIONS. This passage then came to mind:

"After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were robed in white with palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: 

Salvation belongs to our God, 

who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!" - Revelation 7:9-10

Jesus is yearning to be with his bride and He is coming soon!

P.S. Notice when the bride flies in: 12:30, a half hour after midnight!


"Africa" by Toto:

I hear the drums echoing tonight

But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation

She's coming in, 12:30 flight

The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation

I stopped an old man along the way

Hoping to find some long forgotten words or ancient melodies

He turned to me as if to say, "Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you"

It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you

There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do

I bless the rains down in Africa

Gonna take some time to do the things we never had

The wild dogs cry out in the night

As they grow restless, longing for some solitary company

I know that I must do what's right

As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti

I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become

It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you

There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do

I bless the rains down in Africa

Gonna take some time to do the things we never had

Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you

It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you

There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do

I bless the rains down in Africa

I bless the rains down in Africa

(I bless the rain)

I bless the rains down in Africa

(I bless the rain)

I bless the rains down in Africa

I bless the rains down in Africa

(Ah, gonna take the time)

Gonna take some time to do the things we never had