Saturday, February 11, 2006

The Book of Ruth

The last three nights, I attended a teaching session by Pastor Benny Ho on the Book of Ruth. He opened a totally new approach in looking at this book in the Old Testament.

It would be too long to record all the teaching in this blog. I would just highlight an interesting part of it : How he ended the teaching at the final night.

The Book of Ruth ends with the following in Chapter 3:18-22.

This then is the family line of Perez:
Perez was the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz,
Boaz the father of Obed,
Obed the father of Jesse,
and Jesse the father of David.

Benny just could not believe that such a profound book should just end with a series of funny names. It would be an anti-climax of sort if it is the case. He analysed the meanings of these names and found these :

Perez : breach
Hezron: enclosed
Ram: high or exalted
Amminadab: my noble kinsman
Mahshon: enchantment
Salmon: garment
Boaz: in him is strength
Obed: servant
Jesse: one who is
David: beloved.

The hidden message based on the meanings of these names Benny told us is this :
"The breach is enclosed by my high and exalted Noble Kinsman with enchantment in His garment. In Him is strength to serve the one who is His Beloved"

Amazing, don't you think ?

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