Motivational Interrogation

“And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?” (Jud 2:2 AV)

 

From a God who knows all things, this question is not meant to gain information that He did not have.  This question was designed for one of two reasons.  Or both.  The first was for accountability.  The same with the question posed to Adam and Eve in the garden.  God knows the answer.  He makes those to whom He is posing the question own what they have done.  It is a confrontation to cause those to whom He is interrogating to admit their failures.  Another reason a question like this could be posed is as a motivating influence towards faith or obedience.  This question was likely posed for both reasons.  Israel was told to eradicate those in their inheritance who would not conform to the Jewish law.  They were to approach those in possession of their inheritance and offer peace contingent upon their submission to Jewish rule.  If refused, they were to dispossess them.  After the death of Joshua and those trained under him, Israel laid aside their weapons of warfare and tolerated pagan occupants who still lived in their pagan ways.  This is the cause for the question.  This question was God’s way of telling Israel to go and conquer the land.

To the question above, there really is no good answer.  When Dad asks that question, our usual response is, “I don’t know.”  We answer that question in that way because the real answer is not palatable.  “Because I wanted to.”  Or, “Because I am a naturally wicked person and I chose to.” We look for logical reasons that might lessen the severity of our disobedience.  If we can blame it on someone else; as Adam did, then maybe it won’t be so bad.  If we can blame human frailty, then perhaps it wouldn’t seem so bad.  Dad wanted an explanation.  Even though there would not be a sufficient one that would mitigate punishment, he still wanted us to own what we had done and the reasons behind it.  However, perhaps his motive was a bit different.  In my father’s vernacular, he would have asked this same question a bit differently.  “What in the world were you thinking?”  “Whatever possessed you to think that was a good idea?”  “Are you sick in the head?”  Similar questions would arise.  The intent was not so much to garner and answer as it was to motivate to action.  The question was designed to show the foolishness of our choice and motivate us never to do it again.  To tell you the truth, a question like that was far better than a spanking.  Especially if my father followed up the question by expounding on why it was so dumb, to begin with.  Coupled with an expectation to mature and a belief that we would do so, a confrontation like that generally produced the desired effect.

God does the same.  His interrogations are not for the purpose of gaining information to mete out just punishment.  His interrogations are meant as a life changer.  They are meant to steer us clear of being that foolish again.  The LORD asked the question above of the children of Israel and then followed it with the statement He was not going to solve their problem for them.  He would not remove the pagan nations for them and they were stuck with the trouble their lack of faith or initiative would bring upon them.  The question, along with God’s ambivalence, was meant to hand the problem right back to the nation of Israel to solve themselves.  God would help them if they took initiative.  But He will not help if they do not trust and obey.  We may not like God’s interrogation.  We may become a bit uncomfortable or resent the feelings of shame and guilt that accompany it.  However, the LORD is directing those questions so we might mature.  It may be uncomfortable, but it is necessary.