Today’s Scripture is Matthew 1:5-6:
“Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.”
When reading the Bible, have you ever skimmed over genealogies, assuming they have little relevance? It’s easy to overlook their significance, but if you slow down, you’ll see powerful stories hidden in the names. Take this passage, for example.
King David’s grandmother was Ruth, a Moabite, someone who wasn’t even Jewish. Her loyalty to her mother-in-law, Naomi is one of the Bible’s most moving moments. Ruth told her, “Wherever you go, I will go; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”.
Even more astonishing is King David’s great-grandmother, Rahab. Once a prostitute in Jericho, she showed great faith by protecting Israel’s spies, securing her place in God’s unfolding story.
Two women from different backgrounds, one who ate from charity and one a prostitute in Jericho, both considered outsiders, became the grandmother and great-grandmother of the great King. By the way, we don’t know the name of his mother, just his grandmother and great-grandmother.
These two women teach us that God works through the unexpected to accomplish His purposes.
I’m Lonnie Davis, and this is a thought worth thinking.