Thru the Bible 2026 Lesson #13 Judges and Ruth, my way or God's way

This lesson from Judges and Ruth contrasts two ways of living: doing things our way or following God’s way. The book of Judges presents a sobering picture of what happens when people repeatedly choose their own path. Over hundreds of years, Israel cycles through sin, consequences, repentance, and deliverance, only to repeat the pattern again. The summary statement of the book captures it clearly: people did what was right in their own eyes.

Judges reminds us that human “heroes” are deeply flawed and that God alone is the true hero of the story. Though He shows mercy and raises up leaders to deliver His people, the deeper issue of the heart is often left unchanged, leading to continued failure.

In contrast, the book of Ruth offers a quiet but powerful example of faithfulness. In the midst of a dark and chaotic time, Ruth chooses to trust God and follow Him, and God works through her life in ways far greater than she could have imagined. Her story reminds us that even in difficult circumstances, God is always at work through those who trust Him.

Together, these books challenge us to choose God’s way over our own, to live intentionally according to His truth, and to trust that His way leads to the best life.

You can learn from these materials, use them as is, or modify, shorten, add to or do with them whatever you want with my encouragement and blessings. The only limitation is that you cannot modify and sell them as your own—though you are encouraged to freely share them.

This 2026 UPDATED content now includes:

Everything you need to teach the lessons is available here as a free, editable download that you can modify however you want, use parts of it however you want:

·        The original PowerPoint presentation you see on the video

·        Notes, which are a virtual transcript of the Lesson

·        Discussion Guide—this is NEW for 2026 and is a great resource that contains a lesson summary, icebreaker question, discussion questions, application suggestions and finally a closing prayer

·        The original video and audio file, that are both advertisement-free.

You can freely download, modify, and use them without attribution or credit of any kind to Bible805 or Yvon Prehn.

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May the Lord give you wisdom and strength, joy and peace as you learn His Word, share His Word, and grow disciples.