A different perspective

From James D. Nogalski, “Joel as ‘Literary Anchor’ for the Book of the Twelve,” in Reading and Hearing the Book of the Twelve, ed. James D. Nogalski and Marvin A. Sweeney, SymS 15 9Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 20000, 95: Instead, [Hosea] 14:5–9 [4–8] offers the foundational promise of YHWH’s salvific intention, on which the call to repentance is built. This promise is not offered because Israel has repented; it offers the reason why Israel should repent. The significance of the call to Israel and its position at the end of the writing lies in the open-ended nature of the invitation. It becomes a type of divinely initiated RSVP to which Israel is called to respond, but no response is narrated. In fact, the final verse of the book indicates that the open-ended nature of the call is transferred to the reader. (emphasis original) <idle musing>
Wow! I had always read it the other way, too. What an eye-opener! That's the kind of God we have...
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