Articles
Is Your Name Gomer?
“For the sons of Israel will live for many days without a king or leader, without sacrifice or memorial stone, and without ephod or household idols” (Hosea 3:4 NASV). Gomer and Israel painted an ugly picture of unfaithfulness. The betrayal, the anguish, the hurt was real, to Hosea and to Jehovah. Still, God sought the restoration of His people; His desire for Israel to return is played out in Hosea’s actions toward his unfaithful wife. Hosea speaks in the “first person.” “The LORD said to me.” Despite what Gomer has done, take her back and love her again.
Hosea paid fifteen shekels of silver and for a homer and a half of barley to buy back Gomer. What does this mean? Exodus 21:32 says: “If the ox gores a male or female slave, the owner shall give his or her master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.” Fifteen shekels was half the price normally paid for the loss of a female slave; but what about the grain? Did the value of the grain add up to fifteen shekels of silver, thus making thirty shekels in all? If so, now, Hosea is paying the whole price as indicated in Moses’ law (cf. Leviticus 27:4). Hosea told Gomer: “You shall live with me for many days. You shall not play the prostitute, nor shall you have another man; so, I will also be toward you” (3:4). The relationship was restored; still, the sinful actions of Gomer were to cease. What was her attitude about returning to Hosea? Did she chaff under the constraints of her husband? Whatever happened when Gomer returned is not the point. Her actions mirrored unfaithful Israel; Hosea’s actions mirrored the actions of a forgiving God.
Sometimes we need to be disciplined; sometimes we need to learn needed lessons the hard way. Israel’s fortunes turned sour after the death of Solomon and the subsequent division of the twelve tribes. Blessings enjoyed under the reign of David had been taken away (2:21-22). Continued rebellion, trafficking in idolatry, and trusting in foreign powers added sin upon sin, as Israel sowed to the wind; the whirlwind was coming (8:7). Israel would be unable to find solace in idols or earthly kings. Would they be properly disciplined, repent, and return to the Lord? They could repent and return. Gomer was able to return to Hosea. Israel could return, too.
Can we imagine how hard it must have been for Hosea to take Gomer back? But how could he refuse? The Lord was willing to take His own sinful people back; Hosea could follow the Lord in taking back his wife. There was hope for a full and faithful resuming of their undoubtedly strained marriage as husband and wife. Sin strains and creates jealousy and alienates. And yet God wanted His people to come home. Let us not fail to make the right application. Are we any better than Gomer, or even Hosea, or the Israelites? Our actions may not be the same; but our sin carries the same disappointment, alienation, and jealousy as that of Gomer and Israel. Israel tried to live without God and failed. Is your name Gomer? “The Law came in so that the offense would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20).
