Hosea 13:9-12

Israel destroyed herself -- Hosea 13:9-12: Suicide is a horrible thing. What Israel had done spiritually was nothing short of nation spiritual suicide. They had turned from God to idolatry and destroyed themselves. National destruction was the result of their own sinful choices. It was a sad day in the history of Israel when they cried, "now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." (1 Samuel 8:5) Both Samuel and the Lord were grieved with this request. But God told Samuel "Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." (1 Samuel 8:7)

When Israel's king was bound in prison by the Assyrians God said, "You wanted a king and rulers. Where is your king now?" Was there anyone to take the place of their king that was in prison? God said, "In my anger, I gave you a king, in my fury, I took him away." What happened to this king should not be surprising because God had also overthrown Israel's first king because of disobedience. Israel's terrible sins were written down before God. They were now being dealt with as their sin deserved. They will now know beyond any doubt that they had rejected their only source of help.