Most of us women would not like to be called Gomer. The biblical meaning of the name is; GOMER The Woman Infamous for Her Harlotry Hosea 1:1-11; 3:1 Name means “completion,” that is, the filling up of the measure of idolatry, or ripeness of consummate wickedness. Her name was indicative of the wholesale adultery and idolatry of the kingdom she represented. As “a wife of whoredoms,” this woman of the Northern Kingdom, regarded as an idolatress, became a symbol of her people. Beside having a ghastly name, she was a prostitute. She ran around on her husband, Hosea, and abandoned her three kids. On three different occasions Hosea go after her to bring her back home; one time even buying her back. Now this is not your typical blog about the message of Hosea and the political meaning of Hosea. And although we’ll touch on how it is a portrait of Jesus, I want to talk about Gomer. We really don’t know much about her. Was she pretty? Why did she feel the need to sleep around with other men? Was she unsure of Hosea or did she enjoy playing the field? Did she crave the attention of other men that may have dwindled since she had first married Hosea? Did she feel life her sex life was the only thing she could control? The world may never know. Gomer, like all of us, was a sinner. She chose to live that lifestyle and it was that lifestyle that kept her in bondage. Most of us choose our sin; I choose to be selfish. It is easy to pass blame; Barrett made me mad so I went out and spent money we don’t have. (Which, sadly, I’ve done.) Even if I’m mad I had no right to do that. The bible tells us in Ephesians 4:26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,” Hosea chose to love a woman who chose to sin. We all choose to love sinners because we all sin. It is easier to justify our own sin than it is to forgive someone else’s sin. Matthew 7:4 says “How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?” Because we are human we want the authority to judge others and place a penalty on them. It must have been exhausting for Hosea as a husband to have to continually go find Gomer in the street to bring her home again. As a wife, I realize how important it is be forgiven by and in good graces with my husband. However it is even more important to be forgiven by GOD.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |