It is an infallible fact that Rwanda is written about in the Holy Bible, but preachers have not interpreted this message to Rwandans. This is in the book of Isaiah, chapter 18. Most people know Isaiah as a prophet of God from the people of Israel; and that he’s been deceased for about 2,500 now. Some of his prophesies—such as the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ—came to pass. Isaiah is regularly quoted during church sermons. So, most Rwandans are familiar with his prophesies. However, not many Rwandans are familiar with that specific chapter wherein Rwanda is referred to. The chapter starts with a ‘woe’ because of the nature of the vision foreseen, and ends with ‘thanksgiving.’ “Woe to the land shadowing wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia…” Then in the last verse (verse 7) it ends with: “In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts from a people…to mount Zion.” There are seven verses in Isaiah chapter 18 and what is prophesised is the tragic events of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi (KJV Bible). The land and the people remain not named by Isaiah, but that does not rule out the fact that Rwanda is spoken of. Therefore Rwanda is described but unnamed. Isaiah accurately prophesied the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda when he said in verse 6: “they shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.” Those who were here during the Genocide are witness to this: Birds and beasts eating bodies of the victims of the Genocide. As we commemorate the 20th year of the Genocide, God too remembers His Words in the Holy Bible. The ‘woe’ is past and gone after President Paul Kagame led the RPF to heroically end the killings. It is now time for thanksgiving. God says that Rwanda is “spoiled by the rivers” (Isaiah 18:2&7) and that means a great deal for us Rwandans because we inhabit and possess that land. The term ‘Spoil’ is often used in the Bible and in general to mean to be richly endowed. Therefore Rwanda is rich and wealthy, according to God who created it. Yet little is known about Rwanda’s actual wealth because it is largely unexplored. It is not possible for me to describe the full marvel that is written in the oracle of “the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia” (Isaiah 18:1). However I imagine that everyone who reads this will seek to find out by themselves the credibility of this revelation by reading the words of God that was delivered by Isaiah. That is reasonable.
