Gomer

Gomer
 
“The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD. So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.” Hosea 1.2, 3
 

Many things men and women of God have experienced that I would rather not experience with them. Quite often, these precious people are misunderstood and maligned – ostracized and rebuked; however, the path God has chosen for them is often difficult (See Psalm 23 and consider the depth of the valley of death.) and lonely.
 
Someone once said that until the servant of God experiences intense trials and tribulations, he will be ineffective in understanding the difficulties others are experiencing – and, he will be limited in his ability to empathize with those who are hurting. There are times God calls us to the lonely places so that we might be forced into a deeper more meaningful relationship with Him. God did that with John the Baptist and even with His own begotten Son. There are even times when we find ourselves being used of God concerning something far greater than ourselves.
 
I will quickly say that I would never give the advice to anyone that God here gives to Hosea. God does not call young people to marry “projects” or “possibilities.” God calls Christians to be bound together with fellow believers; and, I believe that includes the marriage covenant. (II Corinthians 6.14, 15) Here, God has chosen Hosea to be an example to a nation gone astray.
 
God instructed Hosea to marry a woman who was a harlot – one who evidently enjoyed that lifestyle – an unbeliever. The fact that she was a harlot suggests more than physical immorality – it suggests spiritual immorality as well. From that situation, Hosea purchased her and made her his wife. Neither time nor space will allow for an in-depth discussion of this situation; however, we can understand that this is a picture of God’s relationship with His chosen (purchased) people.
 
Israel, for all of her special experiences, waffled back and forth between following God and following idols. Many times over, God reached out and wooed Israel back into good graces only to have Israel trample again on His goodness and mercy.
 
Hosea had three children with his wife Gomer. Jezreel: A son, named after a valley to symbolize God’s impending judgment. Lo-ruhamah: A daughter, whose name means “not loved” or “no mercy”. Lo-ammi: A son, whose name translates to “not my people”.
 
Their names and births served as symbolic messages regarding God’s relationship with the nation of Israel. Although they strayed often and far, God never forsook them – they were His people.
 
For the follower of Christ – the truly born again whom God has claimed for His own – we can be sure that God’s love for us never fails. Though we walk through the dark valleys and over rough terrain, God has not and will not forsake us. God never “unselected” those whom He called.