The LORD said to me,
“Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”
I’m actually glad to get back to Hosea and Gomer’s story. I’ve been thinking about them. Remember, all this was actually being played out in their lives.
So imagine with me. When do you think she left? What feelings might she have been having?
How do you think she felt about Jezreel, her first son? He was at least 8 or 9 based on weaning ages and the spacing of their children. Do you think she loved him? Think he was all boy? Ornery? Or more serious? Protective? Think he loved his mama?
What about their daughter, Lo-Ruhamah (Not Loved)? Was that still her name? At the end of chapter two God talks about a future time when God’s people – ‘Not my loved one’ – will be shown love. We know that was future prophecy, but what about Hosea and Gomer’s sweet girl? Did God allow them to change her name?
No matter her name, do you think Gomer ever held her as she slept and marveled at her face? Do you think she traced her finger over her features and could hardly imagine why Hosea had said they had to name her Not Loved? Do you think some of the hardness of her heart softened in those moments?
How about her baby boy, Lo-Ammi (Not My People). How do you think Gomer felt about her youngest? Think she ever felt like her heart would burst looking at him? I wonder if she both loved and feared the tender feelings.
I wonder if that’s when she ran away. Maybe she weaned her youngest and headed out. Think she wondered if they even needed her?
Or was she overwhelmed? Feeling burdened with responsibilities and wanting to retreat?
Maybe it wasn’t anything like this. Maybe she was purely selfish and cruel and bitter. But, remember, God told Hosea to marry a woman of unfaithfulness. A prostitute. I cannot think of a single healthy little girl who would willingly choose that profession. Who dreams of growing up and being used.
I like taking a speculative peek behind motives. But no matter motives, we cannot ignore sin. The story of Hosea and Gomer is an allegory for Israel. We know they sinned. And God never lets any of us off the hook for our sin.
We come to the cross as complete, desperate beggars. All of us. None of us can come near a pure, holy God. All of our hands are filthy. Our hearts are deceitful. Our souls betray Him over and over.
He had to come for us. We could never get to Him on our own. He had to live the perfect life we never could and die as a sacrifice we could never make.
So, no, we don’t know the why behind Gomer’s sin.
But we know she left.
We know God had Hosea go and show her love again.
We know how that feels.
None of us who belong to Him have been perfectly faithful to our Bridegroom. We know how it feels to walk away. To break His heart. To scorn His blessings and seek out other things.
How we need Him to keep showing us His love.
And He always, always does.