Problem
In Hosea 13:11, God said that I gave you a king in My anger and took him away in My wrath. Why did God say that? What is the meaning of this expression? It is obvious that God expressed a negative view in this verse. Regarding the reason, why God held such an attitude, there are four common understandings: (1) because of the sins of the Israelites, (2) because the Israelites did not trust God in demanding a king for themselves, (3) because God wanted to give the Israelites a lesson in their disobedience, (4) because God denied the monarchy as a political system. The fourth point of view is more logical for several reasons. It is reasonable to believe that the negative view of God was not toward a certain king, as an individual, but the monarchy as a political system. Thus, the monarchy concept is essential for exploring the significance of Hosea 13:11 and a detailed study needs to be conducted.
Method
The study was based on the hermeneutic analysis of Hosea 13:11 and related verses, and by examining the monarchy in the context of history, politics, and theology.
Results
The results of this study showed that the defects and the effects of the monarchy, as a political system, were the very reasons why God expressed a negative view in Hosea 13:11.
Conclusion
Hosea 13:11 reflects the denial of the monarchy as a political system because God\u27s plan could not be fulfilled under the monarchy. Superficially, the monarchy was a betrayal of God and the foundations of Israel as a nation were shaken by the various system defects of the monarchy. The root cause was that according to the clues in Genesis 18:19, the goals that Israel as a nation should have practiced in God’s plan, could not be fulfilled under the monarchy. Thus, due to the monarchy, Israel as a nation failed in God\u27s plan and God\u27s negative view of the monarchy in Hosea 13:11 was reasonable
