The third part of this lawsuit ends with a statement of hope just like the earlier sections in Hosea 5:15–6:3 and 11:1–11. Although the nation has repeatedly sinned and will surely be disciplined by God, there is still hope that the people will repent and return to God. God first calls them to repent (14:1–3). God wants to give his people life and the blessings of the covenant, but he is not able to do this until the problem of the nation’s sin is dealt with. Sin is the stumbling block that has tripped up the nation, so they must turn from their sin (cf. Isa. 55:6–7), return to the Lord (cf. Deut. 30:2), prayerfully confess their sins, and seek God’s gracious forgiveness so that they can once again praise him. They need to confess that their Assyrian alliance, a strong Israelite army, and…