Yesterday I asked the question, "How could Hosea/God chose to take such a wife/people as Gomer/Israel?" I want to explore this a bit more today.
Hosea, whose name means "salvation" is commanded of God to take a "wife of whoredom." Now there's an unpleasant task, if there ever was one. Hosea knew right up front what kind of woman he was marrying, yet he obeyed the Lord God and married Gomer, whose name means "consumption, consumer, consummation." And if ever a woman lived up to her name, it was Gomer.
While the text doesn't put it this way, its almost as if from the pronouncement "You are man and wife," she's off and running. There is a son born to Hosea and Gomer (Hosea 1.3) and its very clear that he is Hosea's son: "…she…bore him a son." What's not so clear is the next two children mentioned: Lo-ruhama and Lo-ammi (1.6, 8). There is no personal pronoun connected to the birth of the daughter, "No Mercy" and the second son, "Not My People." (By the way, as an aside, imagine being those kids and having your parents call out your name anywhere!)
Chapter 2 lays out Hosea's pleas to Gomer, as well as his threatened judgments against her. However, in the midst of her whoring ways, and even while Hosea is about to "hedge up her way with thorns" (v. 6), he sustains her by bringing her food and clothing. HE STILL LOVES HER! This amazingly strong love for a woman who clearly does NOT love him in return causes Hosea to discipline her, punish her, carry out his threatened judgments against her.
Now go down to chapter 3. Again, God repeats His command to Hosea: "Go again…." Did Hosea stop? Did he cease to act as her husband? I'm not certain, but this I know…while it may have seemed as if he had stopped, he indubitably still loves her. Hosea 3.2––"So I bought her…." Redemption personified.
If you're reading this and you're a Christian, stop whatever you're doing right now and give God thanks for your redemption. You are Gomer! I am Gomer! We are Gomers! And God bought us. "…you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6.20)
This is an astounding book, a stunning book and a very personal book. Read it. It might take all of an hour to read all 14 chapters, but read it and praise the God of your redemption.