The Story of Hosea
and Gomer
FAITHFUL HUSBAND; UNFAITHFUL WIFE
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cripture
does not give particulars of what went wrong in the marriage of Hosea and Gomer,
but we can speculation about the gradual drift that led to the heart-rending circumstances
we will eventually realize. Gomer’s absences from home probably grew more
frequent and prolonged and soon Hosea was feeling twinges of suspicion about
her faithfulness to him. He probably laid awake many nights wrestling with his
fears. During the day, he most certainly preached with a weighty heart.
I
believe that his suspicions were confirmed when it became difficult to escape
the obvious truth of his wife’s escapades, and he pleaded with her (2:2), and
even threatened to disinherit her (2:3). But, still she ran off with her lovers
because they promised to lavish material things on her (2:5). Over and over, Hosea
would take Gomer back in loving forgiveness and they would try again. But her
repentance would be short-lived and off again she’d be with another new lover.
Note: I don’t want you to
miss this; the message (I believe) here is clear. Our Lord and Savior is
speaking and expressing His feelings through Hosea. Was not this loving man a
Prophet? Here it comes; don’t miss it:
Gomer left her husband for good. Imagine how deeply Hosea must have suffered!
He loved his adulterous wife deeply and grieved for her as though she had been
taken in a casualty.
There
is no escaping the message of his undying love. Hosea wanted to see Gomer
restored to his side as his faithful wife. And he believed that God was great
enough to do it. And Almighty God, stepped in. Hosea learned that Gomer had
been deserted by her lover, and hitting rock bottom, had sold herself into
slavery. And, yet- in-still, Gomer was still beloved of Hosea, and God
wanted him to seek her out and prove his love to her... "even as the Lord loves." Only we,
His servants, who know the love and forgiveness of God can ever love
this perfectly. And one who has experienced His loving forgiveness cannot
help but love and forgive others. Christian husbands are commanded to
love their wives as Christ loved the Church (Eph. 5:25), and Hosea is an
outstanding biblical example of that kind of love….
So, the
Godly prophet of God, began his search, driven by that indestructible divine
love, love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things, love that never ends. And he found her, ragged, torn, sick,
dirty, disheveled, destitute, chained to an auction block in a filthy slave market,
a repulsive shadow of the woman she once was. We wonder how anyone could love
her now. But Hosea bought her from her slavery for fifteen shekels of silver
and thirteen bushels of barley (Hos. 3:2). Then he said to her, “You shall stay
with me for many days. You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man;
so I will also be toward you” (Hos. 3:3). He actually paid for her, brought her
home, and eventually restored her to her position as his wife. While we do not
find anything else in Scripture about their relationship with each other, we
assume that God used Hosea’s supreme act of forgiving love to melt her heart
and change her life.
Still,
God spoke to His prophet: “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband,
yet an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn
to other gods” (Hos. 3:1).
…to
be cont’d.
In Christ,
Janet Irene Thomas
Playwright/Screen Writer/Director
Published Author/Gospel Lyricist &Producer
FOUNDER/CEO
Bible Stories
Theatre of
Fine &
Performing Arts
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