We could learn much from the Book of Hosea. In this book, Hosea is a good and faithful man of God who was commanded by God to marry Gomer, an adulteress, a woman of whoredoms or harlotry, or a prostitute (1:1). Gomer cheated on him and had children from her lovers. She went about her way committing fornications and she eventually sold herself into most likely sexual slavery. God tells Hosea to go get his wife and to return home with him. Hosea tells her not to prostitute or to look at another man. Hosea was a man who truly loved his wife, but she was an adulteress. Adulterers are people who don't show regard for the covenant of marriage, are deceiful and dishonor not only their spouses, the covenant of marriage, and their children, but they dishonor themselves. That is what Gomer did, which is sad. Gomer did not realize that she dishonored her own body because of her immorality. She did not realize that at the time what she was doing was degrading to her own self and could have cost her soul. However, Gomer received grace from Hosea who loved her and respected her. As I am typing this, I think of many women who are committing sexual sins yet they don't realize the damage and lack of regard they are doing to their self-esteem, their loved ones, their reputations, their bodies, and most of all to their souls. This in my view is also a sad picture of women, and men, who are committing sexual sins. (Hosea 1-3, Matthew 5:27-30, Matthew 16:26, 1 Cor. 6:18-20, Ephesians 5:3-7)
Sin is not only missing the mark, but also lawlessness against God. It is ignorance of God's commandments and His Laws. Sin is deceptive in that it is supposed to be better for us or good for a season. But what is not realized is that it is cruel, painful, and leads to death. We hurt God when we sin willfully, but like Hosea, God is a forgiving God. It is easy to pass judgement on Gomer, but Gomer has done what we all have done and will continue to do: sin. We have a sinful nature, but that does not mean that we have to remain in sin. We can be forgiven and no matter what we have done, we can be delivered from our sins. We can become new creations in Christ and be restored. Like Gomer, we have been brought with a price, just like Jesus did when He died on the cross. (Galatians 6:8, 2 Cor. 5:17)
In Hosea, Israel committed spirtual adultery because they were not faithful. They committed prostitution and idolatry just as Gomer did. They showed no regard to God like Gomer did to Hosea, but God so loved Israel that he wanted them to return to Him. Just like with the Prodigal Son, he wants to return to Him. He loves us so much and will restore us to a life of dignity just like Hosea did with Gomer. Gomer was loved and she did not realized how good she had it with Hosea until she was at a low point. That is a testimony common to believers everywhere. Many of us can attest to the fact that we thought a life of sin was better than a life serving God, who loves us. The world never loved us, doesn't love us now, and never will. But because of God's mercy and grace we can be saved. We can be restored. We can be renewed. We finally realized that we are loved and are worthy of love, though we all deserve eternal punishment. Like Gomer we were an unfaithful wife to our Husband and Bridegroom, but we can repent of our sins no matter if the world thinks we are "bad people" or "unworthy of love". He will welcome us back so long as we are humble and repentant. Most of the world like Gomer at one time have no idea how much God loves us and return to Him. (John 15:18, Romans 12:2, Matthew 18:4, Hosea 3-13, John 1:29, 36, Romans 7:19, John 8)
One day, it may be too late. Backsliders, adulterers, liars, and criminals as well as the religious and self-righteous will have to stand before God and answer for why they never accepted Christ. Why they never chose to be saved, to be blood brought, to be born again? Many believe that Gomer was so unredeemable that there was no way that God could ever love such a person, but the same could be said for all of us. It is easy to dismiss such a person as simply no good and they get whatever bad they deserve. That is a rather cruel thought, though it is a common human thought. The world thinks differently from God. Keep in mind that Jesus died on the cross for them as well as the family man, the pastor's wife, the nun, and the schoolteacher. Remember Jesus said to a criminal that one day he will be with Him in paradise. Also, remember that David had a man killed so that his affair with his wife would not be found out yet he wrote many of the Psalms. Paul had many Christians killed yet he wrote much of the New Testament. Even the most well-known people were not so perfect and neither was Gomer. Neither was Rahab, who was said to be a woman of ill-repute. Gomer may have very well repented since her reconciliation with Hosea and was restored. She may have been a faithful wife who truly loved Hosea and was a role model to her children. A person is not their past, especially if one is a repentant sinner. Keep in mind the story of the prodigal son in which the Father loved the repentant sinner with open arms. He showed mercy to His son who left his father to live in sin only to return to grace. I believe that is what happened to Gomer. Let us learn that God, the Bridegroom, wants to welcome us with open arms and that no one outside of Jesus has not committed at least one sin in their lives who has walked the planet. (Revelation 21:8, John 3:5-8, 1 Cor. 1:25, Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans, 2 Cor 12:8-10)
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