The most concise and accurate way to grasp the essentials of the book of Joshua & Judges in the bible.

Who is God? How does God act in our lives? How are we to act as God's faithful people? Joshua, Judges, and Ruth represent a chorus of voices reflecting on Israel's earliest days in its land. In Joshua, God empowers an obedient Israel to conquer the promised land. In Judges, Israel's faithlessness and God's wrath lead to a downward spiral of sin, subjugation, and social disintegration. Ruth narrates a story of divine blessing worked out through human loyalty. Within these plots, the characters wrestle with a range of issues including faithfulness versus faithlessness, identity, leadership, and the nature of providence. Pressler explores these themes in their historical context while also presenting their relevance for the church today. --From publisher's description.

The Cornerstone Biblical Commentary series provides up-to-date, evangelical scholarship on the Old and New Testaments. Each volume is designed to equip pastors and Christian leaders with exegetical and theological knowledge to better understand and apply God’s Word by presenting the message of each passage as well as an overview of other issues surrounding the text. The commentary series has been structured to help readers understand the meaning of Scripture, passage-by-passage, through the entire Bible. The New Living Translation is an authoritative Bible translation, rendered faithfully into today’s English from the ancient texts by 90 leading Bible scholars. The NLT’s scholarship and clarity breathe life into even the most difficult-to-understand Bible passages—but even more powerful are stories of how people’s lives are changing as the words speak directly to their hearts. That’s why we call it “The Truth Made Clear.” About the authors of this volume: Joseph Coleson, (PhD, Brandeis University) is Professor of Old Testament at Nazarene Theological Seminary. He has published numerous articles and books. Lawson Stone (PhD, Yale University) has expertise in early Israelite History and Religion and Old Testament Theology. He teaches at Asbury Theological Seminary and has written a host of books and articles. Jason Driesbach (MA, Dallas Theological Seminary) is a co-author of The Many Gospels of Jesus and a contributor to the Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary. He is pursuing PhD studies in the field of Hebrew Bible.

The Reformers of the sixteenth century found theological significance in Old Testament narratives such as Ruth's response to her mother-in-law Naomi. In this volume of the Reformation Commentary on Scripture, N. Scott Amos guides readers through a wealth of early modern commentary on the Old Testament books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth.

In The Smart Guide to the Bible: Joshua, Judges, & Ruth, learn about the impact of Israel's leaders after Moses' death, understand the radiant role of Ruth in the midst of the new nation's struggles, and discover how this ancient and unparalleled time in the Middle East affects your life today. The Smart Guide to the Bible series contains user-friendly guides for everyday Bible readers, designed to faithfully lead you through the Bible using an easy-to-understand approach. Every page contains handy features or learning aids like these: cross-references to other Scriptures brief commentaries from experts points to ponder the big picture of how passages fit with the entire Bible practical tips for applying biblical truths to life simple definitions of key words and concepts interesting maps, charts, and illustrations wrap-ups of each biblical passage study questions Whether you're new to the Bible, a long-time student of Scripture, or somewhere in between, you'll appreciate the many ways The Smart Guide to the Bible: Joshua, Judges, & Ruth goes far beyond your typical Bible study tool. The practical, relevant helps on each page lead you to get the most out of God’s word.

GOD never abandons his people—even when we fail to trust him. He delivers us from evil. Joshua is the story of the promised land. The Lord promised Abraham the land and now —many years later—he keeps his promise. The book of Joshua makes it clear that the conquest is the work of God. No human plan or might could have allowed Israel the victory. These stories remind us that our strength is in God alone. Judges tells the story of what happens when God’s people are blessed. Often (as Moses warned them), Israel forgets who gave them the land. They go after other gods—the defeated idols of the countries they had conquered. Thus, there is a cycle to the stories in Judges. God’s people follow idols. God sends a nation to punish them. They turn back to the Lord, and God raises up a military deliverer (called a judge) to set Israel free. Soon, they again forget their allegiance is to the Lord alone, and they go back to idols. And the cycle continues. The good news in this discouraging cycle of disobedience is that the Lord does not abandon his people. When we return, he saves. Ruth tells a smaller story. While Joshua and Judges speak of rulers and nations, Ruth tells of an Israelite woman, Naomi, and her Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth, who is faithful to Naomi. She follows her back to Israel. She meets a distant relative who is also loyal to God and to his obligations to his relatives. Out of their faithfulness, Naomi’s fortunes are restored. And out of this small story of the faithfulness of little people comes the great King David. God is the hero of the story of Ruth, even though his name is rarely mentioned. The Lord works through the lives of those the world considers little people to bless the entire world.

The Gospel isn't first and foremost about forgiveness. That's simply how we enter into the hallway of salvation to explore all of the rooms in the palace. That's why we need these three books of the Bible. They remind us that God has given us some Promised Land to take as a result of our salvation. They help us to discover the God who keeps on giving. God inspired the Bible for a reason. He wants you read it and let it change your life. If you are willing to take this challenge seriously, then you will love Phil Moore’s devotional commentaries. Their bite-sized chapters are punchy and relevant, yet crammed with fascinating scholarship. Welcome to a new way of reading the Bible. Welcome to the Straight to the Heart series.

Following on the heels of the successful New Testament for Everyone commentaries by N. T. Wright, John Goldingay, an internationally respected Old Testament scholar, authors this ambitious Old Testament for Everyone series. Covering Scripture from Genesis to Malachi, Goldingay addresses the texts in such a way that even the most challenging passages are explained simply. Perfect for daily devotions, Sunday school preparation, or brief visits with the Bible, the Old Testament for Everyone series is an excellent resource for the modern reader.

The books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth recount the compelling journey of Israel's beginnings and awe-inspiring history. Watch God's people transition from wanderers to conquerors as told by The Passion Translation®. Begin with the book of Joshua, which reveals the secrets of conquest and details jaw-dropping victories and devastating defeats. Then study the rich portraits of the various men and women who distinguished themselves as champions of faith, challenging the status quo in Israel when they had neither a king nor a prophet to lead them. Conclude with the book of Ruth and its enchanting love story. See mercy triumph over judgment, famine lead to harvest, and despair transform into delight. This triad of Old Testament books reveals God's sovereignty and assures us that we have the courage to conquer and will overcome the impossible for his good purposes. Do not yield to fear nor be discouraged, for I am Yahweh your God, and I will be with you wherever you go! Joshua 1:9

The early church fathers readily found parallels, or types, in the narratives of the historical books that illumined the New Testament. This ACCS volume features a rich treasure trove of ancient wisdom, including homilies of Origen, commentaries from Gregory of Nazianzus and Bede the Venerable, and question-and-answer works from Augustine, Theodoret of Cyr, and Bede.