Gomer in the Bible: Hosea 1:3
Gomer was the wife of Hosea, one of the prophets of the Old Testament. Hosea married the adulterous Gomer because God told him to. Their marriage and children provided a ready example to the Israelite people of their relationship to God.
Gomer was the wife of Hosea, one of the prophets of the Old Testament. Hosea married the adulterous Gomer because God told him to. Their marriage and children provided a ready example to the Israelite people of their relationship to God.
Hosea 1:1-3 (New International Version)
The word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah , and during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel
When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the LORD.” So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim,
Hosea 3:1-3 (New International Version)
Hosea’s Reconciliation With His Wife
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[a] of silver and about a homer and a lethek[b] 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 behave the same way toward you.”
A wonderful friend bought me the book “Redeeming Love” by Francine Rivers and I couldn’t put it down! It was fantastic, such a wonderful love story, and then the hammer hit – this was exactly what God’s love for us is, has been described in the verses above, but it took a whole book, fiction at that, to get it thru my thick head. It is so hard to imagine that Angel, or Gomer, would have gone back to that life, right? We wouldn’t, would we? Or would we?
- Drug addictions
- Abusive spouses
- Gambling
- Approval addict (hand raised high here!)
- Sexual addictions
- Theft
- Comparing yourself to others and left feeling inadequate (again, hand raised high!)
- Listening to the wrong “little” voice
- Living beyond our means
Need I go on? But why, why keep going back?
Dixie Chicks "Am I the Only One"
Psalm 50:15 (New International Version)
and call on me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
I am also reading Max Lucado’s, “It’s not about me,” and on page 122 he writes:
Your pain has a purpose. Your problems, struggles, heartaches, and hassles cooperate toward one end – the glory of God.
In a way, we are all Gomer. We keep going back to what hurts us. And Hosea? He kept forgiving Gomer, kept going and getting her back and restoring her as his wife. Kind of like Hosanna – our Father.
Both "hosanna" and the biblical name "Hosea" come from the same root word, which is the Hebrew "hosia," meaning "to save" or "to deliver." Hosanna is an appeal for salvation, and actually means "deliver us." (http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/2200121)
Third Day fans are called “Gomers” and I loved it! We DON’T deserve the mercy or grace, but “Redeeming Love” made me see it even more. And the best part of having read it – the book was a gift from a friend who wanted to share the beauty of His grace.
