Hosea 12-14: Who is Wise?

 "You are destroyed, O Israel,
       because you are against me, against your helper.
 Where is your king, that he may save you?
       Where are your rulers in all your towns,
       of whom you said,
       'Give me a king and princes'?  - Hosea 13:9-10 NIV

It was inevitable that this day would come.  The people had rejected God's leadership generations before, when they asked Samuel to give them a king. 

But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.  - 1 Sam. 8:6-8 NIV

Samuel's first reaction was to take it personally when they asked for a king.  After all, he had been the prophet, priest, and judge of Israel for many years.  But it was not Samuel they were rejecting.  They were rejecting God. For generations now, the people have followed their king.  When there were godly kings, the people would follow God, sometimes halfheartedly at best, and the king and the people would prosper.  When the kings were evil, which became more prevalent as the years went by, the people resumed their old ways and trusted in their kings and hand-made gods over the one true God.

Who is wise? He will realize these things.
       Who is discerning? He will understand them.
       The ways of the LORD are right;
       the righteous walk in them,
       but the rebellious stumble in them. - Hosea 14:9 NIV