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This week we embark on a three-book journey through Joshua, Judges and Ruth. As the deliverer (Moses) fades into the pages of history, a new leader rises in Joshua to take the nation into the land. The stories of conquest within the pages of Joshua are quickly overshadowed by the stories of compromise found in Judges. Joshua dies and another generation arises that does not know the Lord or the things that He has done for Israel. The book of Judges sets us up for the rejection of God and the desire of the people to have a "real king" (more to come in 1 Samuel). It moves through a repeated cycle of dysfunction and compromise that ultimately ends with everyone doing what is right in their own eyes. Tucked within the context of the chaos in Judges is a small four-chapter book of light. Ruth is a story of godliness in the midst of darkness and shows us the hope that redemption can bring.