We are continuing our series on Dynamic Duos. We have been looking at influential couples of the Bible and what we learn from them. So far, we have talked about:
- • Adam & Eve: The original couple as the core of the family unit
- • Abraham & Sarah: First generation pioneers
- • Amram & Jochebed: Raising the next generation in a world out to get them
- • King Ahab & Jezebel: A warning to every household
Today we are in part 5 of this series. Our focus for today is another obscure couple by the name of Hosea and Gomer. Their story is found in the book of Hosea in the old testament.
Who were Hosea and Gomer?
Hosea was a prophet chosen by God to speak to the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a time of spiritual unfaithfulness and moral decay. He ministered during the reign of King Jeroboam II. This is considered dark years for the northern kingdom of Israel because of their corrupt kings. Although it was a time of political prosperity, it was also a time of deep spiritual corruption. It was thriving economically, but was falling apart morally and spiritually, turning to Baal worship, idolatry, and alliances with pagan nations (like Assyria).
Gomer was an Israelite woman (most likely) who God had commanded Hosea to marry. She is described as a promiscuous woman, someone who would be unfaithful to her husband. Despite Hosea’s love and care, Gomer continually left him to pursue other lovers. Yet God instructed Hosea to go after her, buy her back, and love her again.
Hosea 1:2
“When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution…””
(This is the epitome of a description vs a prescription from the Bible)
What are they known for?
Hosea and Gomer are known for having one of the most unique and symbolic relationships in the Bible. They are remembered for being a living example of
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God’s unconditional love and mercy. While they may not be widely known, they are remembered in scripture by Hosea’s relentless pursuit of Gomer, even after her repeated unfaithfulness, represent’s God’s pursuit of His people; despite Israel’s sin and idolatry.
What is their story?
God tells Hosea to marry Gomer, knowing that she was a prostitute and that she would be unfaithful to him. After their marriage, Gomer left Hosea and gave herself to other lovers. This symbolized how Israel had turned away from God and worshipped idols.
Despite her betrayal, God tells Hosea to go find her, buy her back, and love her again.
Hosea 3:1 - “Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover.””
Hosea obeyed, redeeming Gomer from a life of shame and restoring her as his wife. The story paints a powerful picture of God’s grace, redemption, and covenant love for His people—even when they are unfaithful to Him.
Hosea and Gomer’s Influence in the Bible
Now, in this series we have been talking about influential couples in the Bible. We have talked about Abraham and Sarah, Amram and Jochebed, even King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. These were some pretty influential couples!
Hosea and Gomer on the other hand, was a story of a prophet marrying a prostitute who repeatedly cheated on him. On the surface, their story may not seem all that impressive. That is because they were not your typical influential couple. They were not kings, they weren’t generational leaders, they weren’t parents to a key figure who would change the entire direction of an entire nation. However, their influence is found in the symbol of their relationship that was orchestrated by God Himself to paint a picture of something greater—God’s love for His people.
You see, Hosea and Gomer were influential to the entire nation of Israel in their time, and for generations to come.
- 1. They became a Living Message of God’s love
- a) Hosea and Gomer’s marriage visually represented God’s relationship with unfaithful Israel.
- • I imagine that the people of Israel knew who Hosea was as a prophet, and knew who Gomer was as a prostitute. I imagine the imagery of their
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- relationship would have been more powerful by knowing who these people were.
- • They watched as Hosea, a holy man, took on a prostitute as a wife. They watched him choose her and only her, love her, and provide for her. They heard how Gomer left Hosea (a good man) and chose to give herself to other lovers. They also saw how Hosea went back and purchased her back out of her life of prostitution and brought her her home again, restoring her back as his wife.
- b) Hosea’s pursuit of Gomer became a living message that deeply impacted Israel
- • Like Gomer, Israel turned away from God and followed after and gave their hearts to other idols. They chose to serve those idols over God, even thought He had showed them His love and brought them out of slavery. Like Hosea, God delivered them again and again and made them His people, regardless of the fact that they continued to turn away from God.
- • No doubt, this message would have struck the people of Israel at the heart. Especially due to the fact that they were under the reign of Jereboam in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, which was marked with idolatry and spiritual decline. They no doubt would have understood God’s message to them.
- c) Their story also influences us today in how we understand the depth of God’s love for us
- • As painful as it is to imagine someone like Hosea marrying a harlot and pursuing her again, purchasing her with his own money, and her his wife again. As hard as that is to imagine, we are just like Gomer.
- • We too turned away from God. We too have placed other gods on the throne of our life. We too were unfaithful to God. We didn’t care about God at all, nor did we care enough to look for Him. We were lost.
- • Yet, though we were lost and though we turned our backs on God, He showed us His love.
Romans 5:8 - “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” - • God wasn’t looking for the faithful ones and died for them. No! While we were all far from God and while we were all sinners, that is when God chose to show His love toward us, just like Hosea did with Gomer.
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- • And like Gomer, we too have walked away from God at times, or have allowed other things in our life to take the place as “lord” in our life.
- • Yet, God is always faithful and just to forgive us and take us back when we come back to God in repentance.
- 2. They Revealed the Cost of Covenant
- a) Their relationship shows that real love comes with a price tag. While Hosea’s love was free to Gomer, it cost Hosea so much. He paid a price to redeem Gomer. Hosea paid fifteen pieces of silver, five bushels of barley, and a measure of wine (approx. $200 in today’s economy). While the amount may not seem signifiant, the symbolism speaks volumes. Hosea’s love to redeem Gomer may have been free for her, but it cost him.
- b) What a beautiful picture of God’s love for us! We all have received God’s free gift of salvation. However, while it was free for us, it cost Jesus His life. God wanted to be in covenant relationship with us. What did He do, He gave up His one and only son. Why? Because true love gives, not takes. Real love will cost you something for the person you deeply care about. If we say we love someone but we only take, then it cant be true love. Why? Because real love costs.
- c) The Bible says to love your wife as Christ loves the church; wives to respect your husbands. This language here is not based in a contractual agreement but a covenant commitment.
- 3. They Pointed to the Gospel Before the Gospel
- a) Hosea foreshadowed Jesus
- b) Gomer foreshadowed the Church
- c) Them two together pointed to Christ’s love for the church, making their story one of the most powerful old testament pictures of the Gospel.
Takeaways
- I. God’s love is unconditional
- • It is true that we have to place our faith in Christ in order for us to receive God’s free gift of salvation.
- • However, God’s love is not dependent on what you do, but what Christ did; not based on how good you are, but in how good Christ is.
- II. God wants your heart, not just your habits
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- • Israel (like Gomer) went through the motions but wandered away from God
- • God isn’t just after good behavior and church attendance, He is after our heart. God simply wants a real relationship with you.
- • Going through the motions puts distance between ourselves in God.
- • Let us put time aside and ensure that we are giving our hearts to God.
- III. Your love for others should cost you something
- • Hosea’s love for Gomer cost him something
- • God’s love for us cost Him His one and only son
- • Your love for God should cost you something
- • Your love for your spouse should cost you something
- • Your love for your family should cost you something
- • If someone else is always having to pay for your relationship and you are a beneficiary of their love, not the other way around
- • The center of any relationship you have will tell you if you truly love them
- - If “they” are at the center, you will happily give of your time and attention for them
- - If “you” are at the center, you will happily receive all of their time and attention for yourself
- • If Jesus died for us, then out of love we should live for Him
- • If we love those close to us, we must give of ourselves and make it about them. It will cost you, but real love does.
