151 – Gomer
Hosea 1:1-3:5
God said to Hosea the prophet, “Go find a prostitute and marry her.”
So, Hosea went to where prostitutes lived and chose one named Gomer. She agreed to be his wife, so the prophet arranged a wedding and they were married. After the wedding, Gomer once again went back to seeing her many lovers.
Soon she was expecting a child, and it was obvious that it was from one of those men. As soon as she gave birth to a son, God said to Hosea, “Accept this child as your own.”
So Hosea accepted the child and named him “Jezreel.” He preached to the people of Israel and said, “God chose you and made you his own. But you are unfaithful and run after other gods. Now he says to you, ‘Remember Jezreel and what Jehu did there. In the same way I will judge you and you will cease to be a nation in the Valley of Jezreel.’”
Gomer continued in her unfaithful ways, and soon she was expecting another child. This time she gave birth to a baby girl. Again, Hosea was told to accept her, so he named her, “No Mercy.”
After No Mercy was weaned, Gomer returned to her lovers. As a result, she gave birth to another son. God said, “Accept this child in your home, but call him ‘Not Mine.’”
Hosea preached to the people of Israel, “You have gone far away from God. You don’t know who you belong to, and God says, ‘You’re not mine.’
“But the day will come when that will change! God will proudly say, ‘You are my people, and I am your God.’”
“Jezreel will say to his brother, ‘You have a new name. Instead of Not Mine, it is You Are My Own.’ He will say to his sister, ‘Instead of No Mercy, your name is now Abundant Mercy.’”
Gomer got tired of living with her prophet husband and her children. One of her lovers convinced her to leave Hosea and go with him. She jumped at this opportunity and ran off with him. It wasn’t long before she found out her lover had tricked her. He was a slave trader, and immediately made her a slave.
She realized how foolish she had been and longed to be back with her husband. “Oh, to be home again! Hosea gave me so much, but I turned my back on him.” She knew it was impossible to regain what she had lost.
God said to Hosea, “Go to the slave market, and buy your wife from among the slaves.”
The prophet took his money and went to the slave market. He saw all the slaves standing naked before everyone. Among them was Gomer. Hosea walked up and paid the required price. He then took off his coat and used it to cover his wife. Together they went back to his house.
He said, “I chose you and married you. Now I have bought you. You will never again leave me and go out to your lovers.” Hosea loved her and tenderly cared for her.
He said to Israel, “You have left your God and sold yourself to idols. They have treated you with contempt and abused you, leaving you naked and abandoned. But the day will come when God will buy you back and show you Abundant Mercy, and say, ‘You Are My Own.’”
