When I read the Bible I like to remember that these were real people that had real feelings and emotions just like I do. Below is a retelling of the story of Hosea and Gomer from the book of Hosea.
Hosea was a profit in a time when people were more interested in chasing false idols than following God’s word.
One day God told Hosea it was time for him to get married and even had a wife picked out for him named Gomer. While this would normally be a happy and exciting time for Hosea, this marriage came with a horrible prophecy; his wife would break his heart just as the Israelites had broken Gods.
Despite the prophecy the marriage started off great for Hosea and Gomer and they had a son. Was this really the person that would end up betraying him? Though he knew the prophecy, he still felt himself fall deeper and deeper in love with Gomer. Then they had a daughter and then another son and by this time, that was it, Gomer had all of Hosea’s heart. Unfortunately, this is around the same time rumors started getting back to Hosea about Gomer. Things he could explain away at first thinking, “That’s just people talking or misunderstanding the situation.” And Gomer always had a good excuse for what “really happened”. But as time passed it became clear, Gomer had broken their vows and had chased after others who seemed to offer more compliments than Hosea, who seemed more interested in Gomer, and showered her with gifts. Hosea had no choice, while he still loved Gomer, he was not going to share her with others and could not, would not, force her to love him the way he loved her.
Gomer went her own way and was fine for a time but thought of Hosea often and the love he had shown her. While the gifts and attention shown her by her courters offered the illusion of something that would fulfill her, there was always emptiness and disappointment on the other side. The years were hard on Gomer and as her external beauty faded so did her courters. In fact, if she didn’t think of something quickly she would surely starve to death. She had no choice but to sell herself into slavery.
As she walked up to the auction block; naked, alone, and with absolutely nothing to her name with shackles around her wrists and ankles, shackles of her own making, Gomer thought of how foolish she was to walk away from the unconditional, unending love that Hosea had offered her. As the auctioneer was taking in bids her heart was pounding. What type of abusive master would claim her? Would he beat her? Or worse?
“Sold!”, she heard the auctioneer say. With her head down she didn’t have the will to even look up to see her new master. But, to her surprise, her new master ordered off the shackles from her wrists and ankles. She looked up with curiosity to see what type of master this could be. As their eyes met she could hardly believe it. It was Hosea who had purchased her! And in his eyes she saw the same love that had been there all along. And for the first time, Hosea saw that same love looking back at him. He grabbed her by the hands and said, “don’t you dare call me master.” “No”, she whispered as she embraced him, “now you will be my one and only husband.”
You see, we are the harlots that have gone astray in search of other gods.
And when our sin caught up with us we found ourselves naked, with nothing to offer, being sold on the auction block.
And when Satan was just about to claim his prize, our loving Father put in a bid that Satan could not match.
And the cost was that of his one and only son Jesus Christ.