JOSHUA.
Joshua gives us the establishment of the people in the land by divine leading and power, according to promise. There is conflict, snf the faithfulness of the people’s walk with God is tested.
The career of Joshua begins with crossing the Jordan in the power of resurrection, and has its place of power for conflict in Gilgal – circumcision – death to the flesh.
They eat of the corn of the land before they have any conflict.
JUDGES.
While Joshua is a book of victorious power, Judges is the book of failure in faithfulness, so that power is lost, Only that God intervenes in mercy, from time to time, to deliver and revive. Gilgal is exchanged for Bochim. Gilgal, the denial of the flesh, though seemingly of little importance, was the place of power; Bochim was the place of tears, but the angel of God was there.
RUTH.
The Lord intervenes Lord in grace to bring in the promised seed, and the restoration of Israel, but in the way of grace, on a new footing. Because of a famine in the land, Naomi, who represents Israel, goes away, and loses everything. Ruth comes back with her, and Boaz (strength) raises up the inheritance. It was old Israel, in some sense: the child was born to Naomi, but on the principle of grace, for Ruth had no title to promise.
Lightly edited by Sosthenes, May 2014