Hosea and Gomer

From the beginning of Hosea's account, the very subject he addresses is infused with the uncomfortable theme of sexual debauchery. Nevertheless, reading it through the lense of spiritual context helps to bring a richness to the text that transcends the nature of the content. Teaching the passages of Hosea would require honesty, and a brave approach from beginning to end, because of the truth contained in this prophet of God's message. One of the most provocative portions for me stands out in the juxtaposition of Chapter 2, 4-5 and verses 14, 19-20,23 - 

  “Bring charges against your mother, bring charges; For she is not My wife, nor am I her Husband! Let her put away her harlotries from her sight, And her adulteries from between her breasts; Lest I strip her naked And expose her, as in the day she was born, And make her like a wilderness, And set her like a dry land, And slay her with thirst. “I will not have mercy on her children, For they are the children of harlotry. For their mother has played the harlot; She who conceived them has behaved shamefully. For she said, ‘I will go after my lovers, Who give me my bread and my water, My wool and my linen, My oil and my drink.

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, Will bring her into the wilderness, And speak comfort to her. “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the Lord ."

Hosea had been obedient to marry Gomer because of His love for God, not necessarily out of a true love for Gomer, yet, at the end of it all, this has shifted. The words he uses to explain what transpired is full of emotion, righteous anger, tenderness and surrender, which is a beautiful picture of God's adoration toward His children. Hosea promises a betrothal of faithfulness that I am quite certain Gomer had never experienced, and, I dare say, it was also likely did not feel worthy of it either. God is divine and He loves us just because. To know that before redemption, we were slaves to sin, prostitutes of the flesh, God could have, with all justification, left us there. Nevertheless, just as Hosea bought Gomer off the auction block "with fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley" (3:2) God bought us back too, except our debt was forgiven at a much steeper price - His only Son's blood - definitely a love I had never known before, and I am certain I am not worthy of. 

When I read how the Lord said to Hosea, “Go again, love a woman who  is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of  the  pagans.

I cannot help but recall this verse from the Psalms, "He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me." (18:19) The fact that His love for His children is so complete is the most provocative thing of all - shockingly wonderful !