Biblical Women - Gomer wife of Hosea

Gomer : 

Gomer Her name means, completion

Affairs : 

Affairs God asked Hosea to take for a wife a harlot or prostitute. You might find that a strange request but God had a plan and each and every person is used as a thread in God’s tapestry of Salvation history. Hosea and Gomer’s story take place in the Old Testament book of Hosea chapters 1-3 Like most cities and towns it is general knowledge where to find prostitutes and often times they are known by name. Hosea didn’t have a problem finding Gomer. Hosea really fell in love with her, as God had fallen in love with Israel.

Slide 3: 

Gomer, like Israel, had allowed herself to mock Hosea’s tenderness and allowed herself to be taken by other lovers, just as Israel had fallen once again into idol worship. Together, Gomer and Hosea had parented three children although because of Gomer’s affairs Hosea questioned if he really was the father of the last two. God gave each child their name the first was to be called Jezreel (God Scatters), the second Lo-Ruhamah (Not Loved), and the last Lo-Ammi (Not My People). Hosea became the prophet, God’s mouth piece, yet he was ridiculed because he was attempting to guide the nation with his prophecies but couldn’t even control his wife. The names of the children showed the growing gap between God and His people.

Slide 4: 

Israel’s foremost men had themselves become whores, they used the law and the religion to cheat the poor, worship idols whom they asked for peace and good crops rather than to pray to the only one who truly loved them, God. Over the past 25 years the Northern Kingdoms had had six kings, five of whom took power not in the normal way but by killing there predecessors, only one was killed in battle. When a country is in turmoil there is always another country that looks at the weakened condition and seeks to invade, Assyria was ready to take on that role.

Slide 5: 

Gomer, like Israel, was looking for love in all the wrong places. Gomer had the love of her husband and Israel the love of her God. Israel had begun to worship the pagan god Baal, which is the common word meaning husband. Just as Hosea was Gomer’s husband, God was Israel’s husband. There is a relationship between a husband and a wife not a master/owner situation. The Idol Baal

Slide 6: 

You see God was using Gomer and Hosea to demonstrate what had happened between God and His people Israel. God instructs Hosea to return to Gomer and continue to love her as God continued to love Israel. As a result of Hosea and Gomer’s reunification Lo-Ruhamah became Ruhamah (Loved) and Lo-Ammi became Ammi (My People). This is the first time we see a prophet refer to God as the husband and Israel as His bride. Israel would not turn back to God until Assyria overtook the Northern tribes.

Slide 7: 

19? And I will betroth you to me for ever; I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love, and in mercy. ?20? I will betroth you to me in faithfulness; and you shall know the Lord (Ho 2:19-20). When we worship the idols of this world we are like Gomer, searching for someone or something to fill up a void. A car, a house and important position in the community become our idols. The next time you look at your spouse I hope you see the love they give you is like the love that God gives to all of us, every minute of our lives. Unlike Gomer and Israel don’t look elsewhere, look to God, His arms are welcoming , forgiving and always open to welcome you back.

Slide 8: 

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