Amazing Discoveries within The Book of Books

This book, by Ralph Woodrow, has been in the Huron Valley Fellowship Library for some twenty years or more. I was the one that first ordered it. I had read some really good stuff by Mr. Woodrow, and was excited about adding this book to the collection, and getting around to reading it someday.

My Dad read it shortly after we ordered it. And at the time he said that it was "okay - not that great."

So here, finally, years later, I was able to read through this rather short (143 pages) and quite readable volume.

Dad was right. There are two big problems with this book:

1) There are few actual "discoveries" from the Bible ("The Prayer of Jabez," for instance - now that was a discovery!)

2) What few unique items there are in this book, are really not that amazing.

So I am going to suggest that the casual reader, or Bible student, not read this book. There is not much there. And it is too full of goofy little jokes, peppered throughout, that are neither biblical nor amazing, and is escapes me why Brother Woodrow felt he had to include this stuff. Example:

"It wasn't the apple on the tree that caused trouble; it was the pair (pear) on the ground." Little tidbits like this are scattered throughout, and they are a distraction.

However, I must say that there are some high points - which are momentous enough to merit discussion. The section on Jonah, pages 37 thru 40, is outstanding, and I daresay Woodrow's insights here are not likely to be found anywhere else. And yes, his explanation as to why Jonah was sent to Ninevah does border on the amazing.

And there is at least one half-way decent joke; one you are not likely to have read dozens of times already on one of those replaceable letter signs in front of churches. Take this one, on page 104: "How many wives does the Bible allow for each man? Answer: Sixteen (four better, four worse, four richer, four poorer)".

And Woodrow makes the valid observation, on page 106, that the expression "immortal soul" appears only once in the Bible and is applied to God. And he notes that the title "reverend" is applied never to a preacher, but to God himself.

He points out many other popular phrases or concepts that never appear in Scripture, like on pages 109 and 100, where he mentions the words "Trinity," "God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost," and "rapture."

These points, at least, may lead to some vigorous and loving debate among people that love the Lord, and His Word.

The book picks up some steam, and ends on a strong note. The final section, devoted to all the uses of the word "River" in the Bible (there is a River in the Garden, and a River in the New Jerusalem - and rivers figure prominently throughout Scripture) is perhaps the best of the entire book.

If all of this has your attention, then maybe you will want to reference the better sections in my comments - without having to read the entire book. If so, call me, and let's talk!