Pursuit and Redemption

             The story of the prophet, Hosea, and his unfaithful wife, Gomer, is filled with adultery, shame, redemption, and betrayal.  It also provides a foreshadowing of the Church as the bride of Christ.  Perhaps, most importantly, it reminds us that we have a God who not only pursues us but also redeems us, despite our sins.

            Hosea is sent by God to marry Gomer, who was probably already a prostitute.  Even after Hosea made a home for her, and she gave birth to three children, she was not satisfied.  Much like Israel who forsook God, she left Hosea and became a prostitute once again.  Her actions did not diminish Hosea’s love for her.  In the same way, Israel’s unfaithfulness never diminished God’s love for them. 

            God uses the marriage of Hosea and Gomer to depict His relationship with the Israelites—a relationship that was fraught with unfaithfulness by the people but showed the never-ending pursuit of God.  God relentlessly pursued His bride, just as Christ not only pursues but protects His bride, the Church. 

            Ultimately, Hosea had to buy back his own wife.  Her unfaithfulness had led her into slavery, and Hosea paid the price to set her free.  He redeemed her for 15 shekels of silver and some barley—the going rate for slaves at that time.  In the same way, Christ has redeemed us from the bonds of sin.  We were slaves, unworthy of Him or His love.  Yet, He paid the price by sacrificing His own body, to free us from our shackles.  He redeemed us! (I Peter 1: 18, 19).

            Hosea’s story does not seem reasonable to our human understanding.  We ask questions like, “Why, in the world, would he want to marry a prostitute?  When she left him, why did he go after her?  Why didn’t he kick her out when she first committed adultery?”  Those all seem to be reasonable questions, but they ignore the whole point of the story—God’s pursuit of sinful people.

            Gomer represents the Israelites, but she also represents you and me.  Because of our sinful ways, we have rejected God.  He has surrounded us with everything we could ever need, but still, we seek acceptance and love in all the wrong places.  When we hit rock bottom, we look for peace and solace in drugs, alcohol, and even unhealthy relationships.  We throw ourselves into our work and push God aside.  However, just like Hosea, He doesn’t give up.  He pursues us.

            God doesn’t tolerate unfaithfulness.  He made that clear in the Ten Commandments when He told the Israelites to “have no other gods before [Him]” (Exodus 20:3). Unlike us, He still pursues reconciliation with us, despite our sins.  He made that clear when “He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3: 16 NIV84).  He is the picture of the father of the prodigal son who runs toward his son, welcoming him home (Luke 15: 20 – 24). 

            God knows everything about each one of us.  Yet, He loves us despite our sinful and adulterous ways.  He is constantly pursuing each of us, waiting to welcome us home.  All He asks is that we turn from our sinful lives, repent, and acknowledge Him as Lord and Christ as our Savior.  That’s a small price to pay—especially when He gave His all!  Praise God for His relentless pursuit of us!

Hosea

I Peter 1: 18, 19