Good to have you back Scout! Hope you've enjoyed your break
Interesting choice of Scriptures! But you make it sound like God does things for no particular reason! Here's my take on it.
First I'll put the passages in the right order:
"Yet I am the LORD thy God...I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them...Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women shall be ripped up." ( Hosea 13:4,8,16 )
"I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lilly, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon." ( Hosea 14:4,5 )
Now I'll break it down and comment on the parts you skipped (any emphasis/underlining is mine). I'm using the TNIV:
13: 1-3 describes how Israel has turned to Baal worship, child sacrifice and other idolatrous practices.
Then verse 4:
"But I have been the LORD your God ever since you came out of Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Saviour but me."
* Is this verse to be read as a prophecy of the future or a command - and if a command, doesn't he have a right to ask it - after all it was him and no other god who delivered Israel?
verses 5 - 6 explains how God cared for them in the wilderness, but then when they were ok they turned their backs on God - so now they're going to be destroyed (v 7-8) - yes I struggle with God saying he's gonna do stuff like that too! But I don't have the big picture, and the punishment isn't without reason -
verse 9 "You are destroyed, Israel, because you are against me, against your helper"
I don't see this as a statement of revenge, but a statement of fact. Sometimes (I think a lot here would agree) some people just do not want to 'see the light' even though deep down they know the truth and there are caring friends trying to help them too, they're happy to carry on cursing the darkness....
verses 10 - 13 explain just how blind the Israelites are - v 13 describes it like a child that refuses to be born when its time comes, how much more stubborn can one be, preferring almost certain death in the womb to life?!
Then there's a promise of deliverance in verse 14:
"I will deliver them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death"
*Did they deserve to be delivered by someone who they have openly rejected?
Next, more unpleasantness - but is it all at God's hands? Granted, verse 15 says God will bring inclement weather to cause crop failure and famine. But verse 16 (which you quoted) speaks of invasion and destruction at the hands of invaders - the abhorrent practices of dashing babies to death on rocks and cutting open expectant mothers mentioned was unfortunately a standard battle procedure of the day, it wasn't something God was wishing on them. Also, bearing in mind that when Israel had relied on God for protection in the past, nobody could conquer them, and they KNEW that, should it really be any surprise TO THEM that now they reject him, they are defeatable?
- It's a bit like turning off the firewall and virus protection on your computer and then expecting not to get hacked etc!!
The whole of chapter 14 is a promise of deliverance - but you missed out the vital part - verses 1-3, where an appeal is made to Israel to repent (literally - think again/turn around) - then God will heal and bless them.
In light of all this, 14:9 seems appropriate to finish with!
"Who is wise? Let them realise these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them"
