"And they took their daughters for themselves as wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods" (3:6). The generation who grew up after Joshua died "did not know the Lord nor yet the work He had done for Israel" (2:10). Not having experienced the hard life of the wilderness, they took for granted their settled, peaceful existence. They began intermarrying with the Canaanites left in the land, and quickly forgot Joshua's dire warnings (Josh 24:20).

Stories are never enough. Each generation must test, prove, and choose to serve God for themselves.