Hosea and Gomer: The Story of Redemption

A prostitute born and living in adultery. No one would ever think she'd be a wife and bear children. No one ever thought someone would see her for who she truly was, care and love her. Then came a man But someone did, yet, she continued to live a life of an adulteress. Although she's been unfaithful countless times, her husband chose to continue to love her and called her back to live with him.

You've probably heard of the story of Hosea and Gomer a few times (found in Hosea 1-3), but if you really take time and study it you will find a remarkable story that symbolizes the greatest love one could ever find.

It starts off in the first chapter of Hosea where the Lord first speaks to Hosea, instructing him to marry a prostitute because the land of Israel had been found guilty of spiritual adultery (Hosea 1:1-3). In obedience, Hosea marries Gomer, a known prostitute, later for Gomer to leave and go back to her ways. I'm sure that if you were in Hosea's shoes and were told to marry someone in the business of prostitution, you'd probably think; "You're kidding me right? There is no way I will leave my life and die to myself for someone who is sinful and unfaithful! I'd look like a fool. I'll be humiliated!" Yet, that my friends is what Jesus did. While we were enemies of God, He still chose us and fought for us, even though He knew that at times we wouldn't choose Him.

The Israelites forgot about the God of their ancestors who led them out of slavery into a land of milk and honey. They practiced acts of murder, stealing, prostitution, worshiping and sacrificing to other gods, and the list continues. Sometimes we may not want to admit it, but we are like Israel. It's easy to think that we're not yet unintentionally, we tend to put God to the side and make idols out of everything in our lives. We idolize friends, money for value, pursue relationships to fill empty voids, and settle for social media other than the word of God. We turn to things outside of God to find fulfillment, forgetting that everything we need can be found in Him.

If you heard of adultery, you can pretty much guess what spiritual adultery is. Spiritual adultery is the action of unfaithfulness to God when we become one with the world. James 4:4-5 explains that befriending the world and what it has to offer separates us from God. Like a husband who is jealous for his relationship with his bride, He is also jealous for His relationship with us (Exodus 34:13-14). Because He is a jealous God, from the beginning He commanded us to not worship other gods and the consequences that come with doing so (Exodus 20:3-6). He commanded this for he knew that if we were to make idols for our own pleasures, it would take away the specific purpose we were created for; to worship Him. So it's not when we disobey His word and turn to other things where we fall short, it's when we allow the things we turn to to take His place in our hearts.

But even in our unfaithfulness, God always redirects us back to Him. Sometimes we will search for things and people outside of God but He'll intentionally cause us to not find them so that we can find Him instead. He removes things from our reach so that we can realize that it's only Him that can truly satisfy our deepest needs. Not only does He desire us to come back to Him, but He desires to renew our mind and heart of Him as our first love. "When that day comes," says the Lord, 'you will call me ‘my husband’ instead of ‘my master.’ O Israel, I will wipe the many names of Baal from your lips, and you will never mention them again." (Hosea 2:1). No matter where or how far you've departed, He still yearns to reconcile a personal relationship with you because of the matter that you are created for Him.

Redemption is the action of regaining possession of something in exchange for payment.

The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you." (Hosea 3:1-3)

Just like Hosea bought back Gomer with sliver and bushels of barley, Jesus too bought us back but He paid an even greater price: His life. He redeemed us by being crucified on a cross and exchanged His death for our ransom, which paid the debt that was on our lives. He without sin, stepped down from heaven and took the form of man who had sin so He could defeat sin once and for all. Because of this courageous, and selfless act, sin has lost its power and we are declared free and given a new name.

So if you have been living in guilt and shame of your past mistakes, or you believe you're too far gone from the Lord, don't think that He has turned away or given up on you. That is a lie from the pit of hell. There is no sin too great that he can't forgive; for your sin may be great but His love is so much greater and stronger. Don't believe in the lies of the enemy; you have not been rejected, you have been redeemed. Know that God's mercies are new everyday and His grace is endless. It's able to meet you where you are and cover your wrongs so you can begin afresh.

Come out of the darkness for He's calling you into His divine light. Come back home to Him for He longs for you. Let Him speak love and mercy over you again (Hosea 2:14). Let Him wash you of your sins and clothe you in robes of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10, Zechariah 3:4). Let Him sing songs of joy and victory over you and surround you with His unfailing love (Zephaniah 3:17).

Let us put down our idols and go back to our first love, Jesus. Let us go from His daughter to His bride and submit to Him with admiration and reverence (Hosea 3:4-5). He doesn't guilt or condemn us, but He patiently corrects us in kindness that leads us to repentance. Like what the Lord wanted to demonstrate through the story of Hosea and Gomer, His love is everlasting and there is nothing that can keep you from Him; for through the power of His unfailing love, He removed the barrier that was between us, making a way for you and me to be with Him forever.

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Dear Heavenly Father,

I first want to say thank you for the great sacrifice you made; sending your only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us, a price no one could pay. Father I ask that you forgive me of my wrongs, for I have sinned against You. I have turned from You but I am grateful that You have not turned away from me. May I no longer believe the lies of the enemy that when I sin against you is not the time to run from you, but that is when you most want me to run to You. I invite you in my heart, may you make it Your home where You long to stay and dwell. I pray Lord that you create in me, a clean and pure heart and may you restore a new and loyal spirit towards You within me (Psalms 51:10). Bring me back to the place where it was just You and I when we met. May You please renew my mind and heart on who You are as God and my first love. Teach me how to obey your commandments through reverent love for You. May You remove anything from me that doesn't belong and take Your rightful place in my heart. May I be thirsty so that You can quench my thirst and may You instill a hunger in me so that I may be filled. In Your holy name, amen.